2021 Women in Construction: Toni Cavallini, Scheduler, DPS Group Global

What are you most looking forward to post-pandemic? I am looking forward to incorporating the lessons learned during the pandemic into my life. Of course, I will be washing my hands more often, but I also look forward to protecting my personal and family schedule and keeping things slower than they were before. I will continue to enjoy extra time spent within my home for work and play, and I will continue to stand up, move and go outside a few times every day. Sunshine makes me a better person.

What steps have you taken to ensure the continued success of your firm? I am always looking for ways to bring departments together by sharing information across platforms such as Procore or P6. I have only been with DPS for a short time, but I’m taking every opportunity I can to work with multiple disciplines to make working together an easier task. 

Why should women consider a career in construction? Women bring great value to the construction industry. We are multi-taskers, problem solvers, business builders. We are also friends, confidants, and cheerleaders. No one said you can’t have fun and make someone smile while creating buildings and structures that we can all be proud of. In 2020 I joined DPS, a progressive, growing A/E/C company that supports my career aspirations while also supporting a good work/life balance. In this environment my confidence has grown, and my work satisfaction level has increased exponentially. I may not have come into construction swinging a hammer, but I know how to build ideas and relationships, and that is just as important.

Starting out in the construction business, who or what empowered you? My parents have always encouraged me to pursue whatever path I wanted to take. I grew up with two brothers, and we all worked equally at my father’s land surveying business and my mother’s real estate firm. We learned engineering skills right along side the people and sales skills of real estate. My parents helped me realize I could do anything.