Sending the Elevator Down – Why Female Leaders are Responsible for Empowering the Next Generation of Women in the AEC Industry
Karri May, CannonDesign
Sponsored by
“For women, advancing in the architecture, engineering and construction industry generally means having to climb career ladders with more rungs than men of similar status—working more jobs, earning more advanced degrees and being stereotyped as less likable….” *
Being a female leader in a male dominated industry does not come without speed bumps. For mid-career professional woman, societal expectations might be that we have reached a high point, but we did not reach our positions by accident. The speaker will share her story of how her climbing of the career ladder has influenced and shaped her as a leader, stressing the importance of role models and mentors that show a path of possibilities. Many women in the industry do not have enough female leadership in their career path to show them the possibilities to which they can aspire. This breakout session is call to action for all men and women to understand the important role they play as mentors to each other and future women in our industry. Every woman has the capacity to become an unstoppable leader.
* Herschbach, Robert. “Studies Shed Light on Gender Imbalance in Construction”. Maryland Today, October 5, 2022. https://today.umd.edu/studies-shed-light-on-gender-imbalance-in-construction
About Karri
Karri L. May, AIA, ACHA, LEED AP, is a pediatric and healthcare design leader with nearly two decades of experience in design and facilities management. She leads CannonDesign’s Women and Children’s Health practice, which focuses on elevating the voices of women, children, and their caregivers to shape spaces that cater to physical needs while prioritizing emotional, social and cognitive development. Previously she was responsible for overseeing facilities at Connecticut Children’s Hospital, including short- and long-term planning, design and construction. The common thread in her work is a passionate belief that the physical environment impacts a patient’s care and outcome.