2024 Women in Construction: Jose Thessie Elysee, Hancock Associates

Who or what inspired you to join the AEC industry? My father inspired me to join the AEC industry. He was an engineer in my birth country and with his skills was able to build our family home and take care of his family. I was in awe of his leadership and focus and wanted to achieve what he achieved. I wanted to follow his path and understand him more and, in the process, I fell in love with the field. I love the process of understanding how things work and seeing it coming together. I love the feeling of knowing that I had a part of that creation. 

What was your greatest professional achievement or most notable project in the last 12 months? My greatest professional achievement has been the decision to go back to the engineering field after 5+ years in the surveying field as a drafter. I am currently on the path that I chose 10 years ago but slightly deviated from and I am happy to be back. With the support of my family and the Hancock team, I am acclimating perfectly to my new role as a staff engineer and looking forward to overcoming any challenges. 

What has been the driving force behind your success in the AEC industry? The driving force behind my success in the AEC industry has been my family and my persistent drive to proceed no matter the failure/obstacle. I am grateful to always be able to bounce back despite setbacks. I am looking forward to seeing my contributions in this field and to see whether that little girl with so much imagination got to help build the future.

What is your favorite / most beneficial part of Women in Construction week? My favorite part of Women in Construction Week is the fact that I am a woman in the field, and I get to play with CAD. I love explaining to my friends and family what I do and like seeing their faces as they come to understand my job and how I contribute to their lives. It is the 21^st century and being a woman in this industry is rare and being one of the few to inspire little girls to pursue their dreams is great.