Women have always been perceived to be weaker and less physically capable than men and the freedom that today’s children have has taken many years to achieve. Today on Hazard Girls we are joined by Emily’s mom, Rosemarie Heldrich Kiser. Rosemarie was a female track runner in the 1960s; a time when women did not have a constitutional right to play sports in schools. Rosemarie shares what it was like to be a sportswoman during this time, how it felt to train in an all-male college team as a teenag...
Jul 12, 2022•26 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Women in the safety industry need allies and the space to find their own voices! More importantly, PPE needs to be designed specifically for women’s bodies to ensure safety and efficiency. Joining us on the Hazard Girls podcast is the co-founder of the Iowa Women and Safety Conference and founder of The Safety Rack, Amy Roosa. First off, Amy tells us how she got started with the conference, who it targets, and what it’s all about as well as the main industries that safety professionals are comin...
Jul 05, 2022•40 min•Season 4Ep. 12
As a woman in the construction industry, all you want is to be treated as an equal in the workplace. Joining us today to discuss this topic is the director of Crew Collaborative, Kristina Mahler. We talk about how far the company has come since we last met with Kristina, the difficulties of starting a non-profit organization during a pandemic, and the company’s Classroom Talks and Ambassador Program projects. We also discuss their mission to change the face of construction and the stigma around ...
Jun 28, 2022•34 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Welcome to another installment of the Hazard Girls Podcast! Today on the show we get together with Nora Casanova, the Logistics Manager at Karsten Interior Services, a commercial construction subcontractor in Houston, Texas. Nora has three degrees to her name, including International Business, Supply Chain Management, and Entrepreneurship from the University of Texas, and is currently enrolled in the University of Texas, at Arlington Construction Management Master’s program. She is also on the b...
Jun 21, 2022•31 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Navigating your time and boundaries while creating a business you love and cultivating client relationships is no easy feat. As a woman, being able to accomplish these things comes with even more challenges. Using more than 30 years of experience, Pamela explores all things networking, giving us a look at techniques that we can use, both online and in-person, to get to know people better and create sustainable and successful business relationships. We learn tips and tricks on how to renew our ti...
Jun 14, 2022•29 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Knowing what drives your ambition is a key aspect of what motivates you to keep going! Without figuring that out for yourself first, you’re much more likely to give up on goals. Our guest on today’s episode of Hazard Girls is Andrea Janzen. She is the founder of Ambition Theory, a professional coaching and leadership development company focused on accelerating women in the construction industry into leadership positions. She is a certified executive coach with an MBA and the host of the Ambition...
Jun 07, 2022•38 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Today’s guest has been in the construction industry since the 80s, a time when gender equality was not what it is today. Julie Laughton is a designer, general contractor, and the CEO of Julie Laughton Custom Homes, a unique one-stop-shop design-build service. Between New York City, where she began her career, and Orange County, California, where she is now based, Julie has designed over 500 spaces. Today she joins us to share some of the wisdom she has gained in her decades spent in the male-dom...
May 24, 2022•33 min•Season 4Ep. 7
As part of our series of chats with diversity specialists, today we're speaking with Mercedes Gamor. Mercedes is the first-ever Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist at Prime Electric, one of the most prolific electrical construction contractors on the West Coast of the US. Today, she joins us to talk about how Prime Electric is going above and beyond just ‘checking the diversity box’. Tuning in, you’ll hear about how she got involved in the construction industry, how she discovered her pa...
May 17, 2022•27 min•Season 4Ep. 6
There is a distinct difference between building a sellable business and building yourself a glorified job. Returning to the show to preach the importance of starting with the end in mind and planning your exit, is the admirable Michelle Sieler Tucker. Michelle is a world-renowned expert in the field of mergers and acquisitions, and a leading authority on buying, selling, and improving businesses. She is the Founder and CEO of Seiler Tucker Incorporated, a frequent guest on CNBC and Fox Business,...
May 10, 2022•46 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Futurists are people who plan for the future by looking at trends and identifying what’s coming instead of only looking at the past. To explain more about this profession and the profound value it offers, today we are joined by Rebecca Ryan, a top 50 professional futurist, as well as an economist, best-selling author, and entrepreneur. She is also on the executive committee of the Global Association of Professional Futurists. As the founder of NEXT Generation Consulting, she partners with privat...
May 03, 2022•33 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Our guest today is Libby Mendiratta, the Executive Vice President at G.E. Frisco Company, a family-owned business specializing in supplying lumber and building materials across the Mid-Atlantic region. Libby has been in the construction industry for over 20 years and she oversees the entire division of the business that serves state and federal contracts. She is also the chair of the Women Building Washington Committee, an active member of the Washington Building Congress, and on the programming...
Apr 26, 2022•29 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Joining us in conversation today is Kuma Roberts, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Arrowhead Consulting. Tune in to learn the difference between ‘DEI’ and ‘D and I’, and why the focus has shifted from the latter to the former. You’ll hear why everyone has something to contribute to the conversation around diversity, and how it doesn’t begin and end with skin color. Kuma is more concerned about policy than changing hearts and minds, and believes that when the culture of an organization ch...
Apr 19, 2022•32 min•Season 4Ep. 2
A few years ago, a house in Utah was built by a team made up entirely of women. Today’s guest, Mollie Elkman, is the owner and president of Group Two, and she and her team were responsible for the sales and marketing side of the build. As the project was nearing an end, Mollie saw the potential of this story to positively impact the lives of so many women and girls, and she embarked on a journey of writing The House That She Built. The book highlights 18 of the trades that are involved in buildi...
Apr 12, 2022•30 min•Season 4Ep. 1
The "command and control" leadership style is common within many organizations, but in today’s episode, we’re going to be discussing why a more inclusive and collaborative form of leadership holds so much value. Today’s guests are Shannon Karels and Kathy Miller, both of whom have had many years of experience leading manufacturing operations and implementing lean transformations. A lean transformation involves building an efficient, sustainable organization that is based on a foundation of respe...
Apr 05, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 30
Architecture is a unique career that bridges the gap between the worlds of construction and art, and most architects have creative hobbies. Today’s guest made her creative hobby a full-time job when, after 15 years as an architect, she transitioned into the world of sustainable fashion in 2019. Namita Reddy is a professional architect and the founder of Samsara Sari, a sustainable clothing brand made from pre-loved saris. In today’s episode, we find out how Namita found her passion for architect...
Mar 29, 2022•34 min•Season 3Ep. 29
One of the latest and greatest trends in business is to hire a coach to help you streamline your company and clarify your thinking. Today’s guest is Coralee Beatty, a business coach, a consultant, and a mom. Coralee was the owner of a mechanical contracting business before she moved into coaching, where her specialty is helping women leaders in construction. Join us as we find out how she found her passion for the construction industry, and why she moved from psychology to trade school, to entre...
Mar 22, 2022•33 min•Season 3Ep. 28
Nouchelle Hastings thought she was going to be a doctor, but when got to college she realized what she really wanted was a different kind of challenge and chose to pursue a career in business development. Today she is the holder of two prestigious accolades; Women of the Year and Most Powerful and Influential Black Professional in South Florida! In today’s episode we discuss what Nouchelle’s fascinating career path has looked like, including her 12 years in the construction management industry, ...
Mar 15, 2022•39 min•Season 3Ep. 27
When Katya Echazarreta moved from Mexico to the United States at the age of seven, she couldn’t speak a word of English. Three years later she was as fluent as a native. Eight years after that she was beginning her Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering at UCLA, and to date, she has worked on five NASA missions (including the Mars rover) and is currently pursuing a master’s! The influence of Katya’s mother (who always encouraged her to pursue her dreams), the support from her teachers, and ...
Mar 08, 2022•31 min•Season 3Ep. 26
It’s well established that women tend not to apply for jobs if they don’t meet all of the criteria that the position requires, while men will apply when only meeting 60% of the desired skills. This needs to change, and talking to us today about this very issue is executive coach, mold-breaker, and podcaster, Claudia Miller. Tune in for a masterclass in setting up your CV for the job you want, not the job you have, the importance of preparing for an interview, and how to negotiate your contract w...
Mar 01, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 25
From the age of 5, Kimberly Fiock knew she wanted to be a scientist. Today, at just 25 years old, she is working at the cutting edge of experimental pathology research, on track to receiving her PhD! This journey has not been without its hardships; on top of her mental health struggles, Kimberly has dealt with numerous people in powerful positions telling her she would never make it in her field. How wrong they were! In today’s episode Kimberly shares what drew her to the field of disease resear...
Feb 22, 2022•31 min•Season 3Ep. 24
This episode's guest is the incredible Stephanie Garcia, who's here in her pink hard hat to tell you not to let anyone dull your sparkle! She's the Quality Manager for Rogers-O'Brien Construction, has been in the construction industry for seven years, and is currently the secretary for the San Antonio chapter of the National Association for Women in Construction (NAWIC). We're thrilled to have her join us today as we kick off the conversation with all the exciting offerings that the San Antonio ...
Feb 15, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 23
Many women, contrary to their male counterparts, hold back from applying for positions because they feel under-qualified. Our guest today is an example of someone who refused to fall into the imposter mindset and went for the position she deserved! Joining us on Hazard Girls is the awe-inspiring Buna George, Executive Director for The Greater Yuma Port Authority, real estate agent, and cancer survivor. Buna is proof that it is okay to learn on the job, and that, with a positive attitude and dedi...
Feb 08, 2022•37 min•Season 3Ep. 22
Many of us think the style of leadership taught and practiced in the military is fairly rigid and uniform. Debunking this myth today, is Dr. Janet Polach, retired marine, executive coach, speaker, expert in developing new managers, and now author. Janet talks us through why she entered the marines, and how the leadership skills she learned through this have set her up for success throughout life. We hear what the difference is between being a leader and being a manager, and why Janet feels stere...
Feb 01, 2022•33 min•Season 3Ep. 21
Today's guest is a true pioneer in her field, being both the first woman to hold the Teaching Lab Technician position at Sinclair Community College and the youngest member of the department! Welcome to Hanna Weaver, an ASE certified master tech, full-time lecturer, and now a Master's candidate. We talk to Hanna today about how she first got into the male-populated field of mechanics, and why she has transitioned into the world of lecturing. We discuss the differences in attitude needed across th...
Jan 25, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 20
Today’s episode of Hazard Girls is the premiere episode interviewing a woman in tech! We are so excited to welcome Catherine Dummitt, VP of marketing at Narvar, and honorary Hazard Girl through her work building diverse teams and bringing women into the workforce. Join us to hear about Catherine's experience in the world of tech, as well as the challenges she has faced and how she has handled them. From overcoming her fear of rejection when cold-calling as her very first (non-tech related) job, ...
Jan 18, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 19
Imposter syndrome isn’t something that people are simply born with. More often than not, it’s a consequence of a wounding experience. Joining us today to talk about this and so much more is musician, culture consultant, and leadership and life coach, Dr. Nancy Williams. Dr. Williams has an impressive musical background, with a doctorate in musical arts, clarinet performance, and musicology, and many years of experience as a self-employed performer, educator, and ensemble leader. Most recently, s...
Jan 11, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 18
From raking leaves into floor plans as a teenager to being nominated as Cape & Plymouth Business's 40 Under 40's, Krista Manna's success has been meteoric. Join us today as we talk to Krista (architect, property developer and flipper, and interior designer) about what inspires her, and how she started working in this industry. We hear her advice to young architects choosing between joining a big firm or going it alone, and how her parents' careers influenced her choices. Find out why Krista ...
Jan 04, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 17
Growing up with a carpenter dad who built their family home gave Danielle Schroeder a solid foundation from which to explore her interest in math, science and construction, which eventually led her to find her niche in transportation related civil engineering. Being the first engineer in her family, Danielle had to learn a lot through trial and error, and she is hoping to make the journey easier and more accessible for other women in STEM fields through sharing her story and her invaluable advic...
Dec 14, 2021•29 min•Season 3Ep. 16
Many women in the construction industry come to the sector via another career, and today's guest is no different. When Janet Bates studied theater and dramatic literature, she never envisioned she would be the trailblazer she is today. Currently, Janet is a Client Solutions Manager at JE Dunn and is also involved in a number of organizations in Charleston. In this episode, Janet talks about her career journey and shares how she uses her theater skills in her work today. We discuss Janet's desire...
Dec 07, 2021•44 min•Season 3Ep. 15
How does being a high school rodeo champion prepare you for becoming a welder? This week on the Hazard Girls we get together with Kaylin Leas to talk about her journey into the male-dominated industry of welding; why she first was attracted to it, and what receiving the Empowerment Women in Industry Tradeswoman of the Year Award 2021 has meant to her. Kaylin is a journeyman pipe welder fitter for TDIndustries in Fort Worth, Texas and recently became their first Lead woman. We discuss how her upb...
Nov 30, 2021•32 min•Season 3Ep. 14
