A Women’s History Month Dialogue

As we celebrate Women’s History Month and Women in Construction Week in March, we are spotlighting some of the women working to bring the Obama Presidential Center project to life about their journey and experiences in the male-dominated construction industry. This month, we thank them for their contributions to the industry, to Lakeside Alliance, and for inspiring the next generation of women in construction.

Desiree Scaife | Assistant Engineer, Lakeside Alliance

Christine Bell | Engineering Manager, Lakeside Alliance

Suzie Chung | Scheduler, Lakeside Alliance

Lynda Leigh, S.E., R.A. | Project Launch Executive, Lakeside Alliance

Crystal Chavez | Safety Manager, Lakeside Alliance

Dina Griffin, FAIA, NOMA, IIDA, NCARB | President, Interactive Design Architects

Tell us about your story and how you ended up where you are today.

Dina: As a student, I was always interested in math and science. So, when I was given a choice to take home economics or industrial education, I chose industrial education as I had zero interest in the alternative. That year, instead of the usual carpentry, welding, or auto shop class being offered, the focus was on architectural drafting. That was my introduction to the field of architecture.

Desiree: I started out being interested in high school at Simeon Career Academy. I was introduced to the ACE Mentor Program (Architecture, Construction and Engineering), a partnership with CPS, and worked on assignments downtown once a week. During my last summer in college, I interned at Turner Construction and was offered a job when I graduated.

Lynda: I’ve been at Turner Construction for 15 years. I started as an architect and worked as a structural engineer for eight years. I went to the Illinois Institute of Technology for undergrad and earned a master’s in structural engineering.

Christine: I started out in Florida, where I worked in multifamily and residential for nine years, then did estimating and project management for seven years. When the supervisor relocated, he asked me to lead the team. I ended up doing Willis Tower and now the OPC.

Suzie: I’ve been doing scheduling for the past 10 years. I attended University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for engineering and started my career working for a black-owned, women-owned company on the O’Hare runway project. Major projects include the Marriott Marquis at McCormick Place and Wintrust Arena. I worked for the owner rep group for the Obama Foundation for two and a half years. When COVID hit, I worked on Terminal 5 expansion at O’Hare and then the OPC project started.

Crystal: I was in restaurant management. In 1997, one of my siblings in the construction industry was in a bind. Someone quit on her and she said that she needed me to start on Monday.

What do you do for Lakeside Alliance? What’s different about the LA experience?

Dina: My role is to support the design architect. I was involved in early meetings with President Obama and the design team. Because of my knowledge of local building codes, I helped spearhead the permitting process, conducting site observations once a week. There’s nothing like meeting the first Black president.

Lynda: I help create the subcontracts and scope of work. At Lakeside, we intentionally divide the bid packages in ways that maximize diverse participation.

Desiree: I am the civil engineer that does all of the groundwork, earth work and foundation work on this project. Lakeside Alliance is one team, one band, one sound and we are making an impact on the community.

Crystal: I’m the first person that you meet on a job site. Every week, I go through the job site to make sure that the site is safe and all employees are following OSHA guidelines and the Lakeside Alliance safety manual. The first day I stepped into Lakeside Alliance, they were so welcoming. They had my name on the desk, with a mug. We do flex and stretch every morning; we call ourselves the LA Rangers. We are a family.

Suzie: As a scheduler, I try to make sure that we are on time, taking into consideration various factors: the market, weather, etc. I’m on the field team on the ground. Due to COVID-19, I’ve had to deal with factors that I don’t normally have to deal with. But it is great to be a part of a group that wants to influence change.

Christine: I work with people in the field to manage the information that needs to be gathered and distributed. We have a team of engineers that break up the management of the information. This is the highest profile job I worked on.

Historic barriers have limited participation by women and minorities in the industry. How has this impacted your career and on-the-job experiences?

Dina: I have walked on construction sites to attend meetings only to be told that they were still waiting for the architect to show up. There are 110,000 architects in the U.S. Just 539 of them are Black women. I’m the sixth licensed Black female architect in Illinois. There’s a movement to get in front of Black youth to introduce them to architecture. I try not to say no when asked to speak to a young audience about the industry. You can't be what you can’t see, so it’s important for Black youth to see Black architects.

Christine: I graduated from a class of 50 to 60 with only three to four women. On many of the job sites I worked on, I was the only woman. This year marks 25 years in the construction industry. I hope that the girls coming out of school have it easier than me. Women shouldn’t have to be uncomfortable working in this space.

Desiree: I started at a point where diversity and inclusion became a highlight in the construction sector. I have not run into any issues being a woman, being Black or being young. I have more support than not.

Lynda: In the 15 years I have been in the industry, it has changed for the better. It is becoming more diverse rapidly. There’s a different level of awareness. But there is still work that needs to be done.

Crystal: When I started in the industry, there were two women on a job site. Now, it is no longer like this. Women are stepping up and going to school, educating themselves. I just met a girl that is 18 who won best welder in a competition. It was a privilege to meet someone like that.

Suzie: You do feel the difference being a woman in the construction workplace. You have to toughen up and lose your femininity to be able to manage alpha male personalities. Having to code switch can be challenging, but it has boosted my confidence and led to personal growth.

What advice would you give to a woman considering a career in construction?

Desiree: Go for it! Don’t be afraid or intimidated by what you think construction might entail. Use internships to your advantage. Be a sponge and learn as much as you can. When you are in the room, you have to own it.

Christine: Like any career, you must really like it and enjoy working through the chaos so that it holds your interest during the highs and the lows.

Lynda: Women try to handle conflict the same as men and follow a pattern instead of being themselves. Figure out what works for you, instead of emulating what someone else is doing.

Suzie: Don’t just learn the job, learn the industry and about the people you work with. Use your experience as an opportunity to build your personality and your confidence.

Dina: Advocate for yourself and create a path for success.

Crystal: I would tell them if they are really interested in starting a career in the industry, pick up the phone and get enrolled. Don’t hesitate. You can do it.