2018 Women in Construction: Sarah Hodges, Autodesk

Name: Sarah Hodges

Postion: Director, Construction Business Line

Company: Autodesk

Years in the AEC Industry: 12 

What associations or organizations are you a member of? American General Contractors Association (AGC) Massachusetts chapter and regional member at the corporate level, Autodesk Woman in Leadership, Autodesk Woman in Construction group 

What was your most notable project in 2017? Being that I represent a software company (Autodesk), the most notable work comes from our customers. I am inspired every day by the work that they do. Whether it is a building here down the street from my office in Boston, to one in China ,the work done by our customers continues to stand as examples that inspire others around us. 

Why choose the A/E/C Industry? It is the most dynamic industry to be in at this time, ripe for disruption as technology helps to aid the industry transformation, it is one of the most dynamic places to be in. I am personally, every day motivated by the changes the industry is undergoing and how technology and innovation can aid in that process.
Advice/Keys to Success: Staying true to what motivates and inspires every one of us in this industry which is the end product. Knowing that everyone of us has a key role to play in helping to imagine, design and build a better world and remembering to keep the impact that each of us has front and center. We are a part of something epic, something that will shape the generations after us and our job is to do it in the most efficient and sustainable way possible, capturing every decision as we go so that those next generations can learn and continue to improve on what we have done to make an even better world tomorrow. 

If you had a mentor in your career, who was it and what did they teach you? My dad was and is my mentor. He taught me every day to stay true to who I am, never to change and to be as respectful to those around me as I want them to be to me. He also taught me to never stop learning. Ask questions, seek to understand and never give up on your dream because only you can make it possible and that comes with a lot of hard work, a lot of perseverance, a lot of dedication and a lot of sacrifice so make it work the while by making a difference.