2023 Women in Construction: Alyson Winters Kavanagh, Wise Construction

What was your greatest professional achievement or most notable project in the last 12 months? Being promoted to project executive. It has been a professional goal of mine for quite some time and as a woman in construction, it feels especially rewarding to break that executive level barrier. I’ve been presented with many opportunities at Wise over the last 18 months and have been able to work on several large and complex projects. The challenges, problem solving opportunities and client-relations development has helped foster my professional growth and contribute to that feeling (and the reality) of accomplishment. 

What tips or advice would you offer to other women who are considering entering the construction industry? Trust your gut, go after what you want, and don’t let anyone or anything deter you. Seek out other women and men in the industry and groups that will support you. Try everything, even if it’s not the right thing; it will take you in the right direction and help you filter through what you do and don’t want.

What made you interested in seeking a career in the AEC industry? “I feel like I have been exposed to the industry my whole life. My mom was an interior decorator and my dad was a Civil Engineer; I used to draw with my dad’s drafting tools and was always interested in how things functioned, or how they broke and then being able to fix them on my own. Also, as a child, I always liked to build things, and one of my favorite toys was Legos—I’ve been wearing a hard hat for a while now it seems!

How are you involved in community organizations and/or charities? As a single mom of two kids, my community involvement and charitable work usually involves them! My son and I volunteered at a local church to make care packages for people experiencing homelessness and we also participate in cultural and extracurricular events at school in our hometown. Whenever the opportunity arises, I love attending charitable events through work. Cradles to Crayons is a more recent example, and I was also involved with the ACE Mentorship program for many years.