Building Your Story
Welcome to Building Your Story, the podcast that shares the stories of successful women in the construction industry.
Episodes
An Unplanned Path to Construction Leadership
In this episode, Laura Korte, Vice President of Construction at VR Mechanical, shares her unique career journey. Starting with aspirations of becoming a doctor, Laura's path changed drastically after taking a temporary job in construction. Discover how her background in health sciences unexpectedly led to a passion for construction and project management. Laura discusses...
Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women in Male-Dominated Fields with Nour Hachem
In this episode, Diane interviews Nour Hachem, President and Founder of the national not-for-profit 'Build A Dream'. Nour talks about her background and childhood and moving from Lebanon to Canada. She shares her journey from aspiring to be a human rights lawyer to discovering her passion for the not-for-profit sector, leading her t...
Empowering Women in Skilled Trades: Diane Finnegan's Journey
In this episode, Diane Finnegan, CEO of The Dirty Seahorse, shares her inspiring journey from being a retail sales manager to founding a company that makes women's workwear for skilled trades. Diane describes how her daughter's challenges in finding suitable workwear sparked the idea, leading her to create a business focused on durabl...
Breaking Barriers: Pat's Journey in Construction and Leadership
In this episode, Pat, shares her inspiring journey from Southeast London to becoming the VP of Major Projects for Bird in Vancouver. Starting with a childhood dream of becoming a policewoman, she pivoted to the construction industry, building a successful 35-year career spanning multiple countries. Pat discusses her early challenges, including her ent...
Renae Sams: Building a Path for Women in Construction
In this episode, Diane interviews Renae Sams, founder and executive director of Build-Her.org, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting women in construction. Renee shares her journey from dreaming of working for NASA to becoming a leader in the construction industry. She details the challenges she faced, including overcoming imposter syndrome and navigating a career wit...
Jessica Luczycki: Redefining Construction Administration Through Part3
In this episode, we meet Luczycki, Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer at Part3. Jessica shares her journey from aspiring teacher to tech entrepreneur in the architectural and construction industry. She discusses her educational background, initial career at EllisDon, and transition into architectural contract administration. Jessica reveals how f...
Chelsea Fenton: Pioneering Women in Construction
In this episode, Chelsea Fenton (@thatunionlaborer), a 32-year-old union laborer from Western Massachusetts, shares her inspiring journey from aspiring to be a firefighter to excelling in the construction industry. Chelsea discusses the challenges she overcame, including being denied entry into the apprenticeship program twice before finally being accepted. She explains ...
The Journey of Mercedes Byers: From environmental science to co-founding a thriving sustainability consulting business.
In this episode, Mercedes Byers shares her inspiring journey from her early dreams of becoming an actor to establishing herself in the sustainability consulting field. She talks about her childhood, academic pursuits, and how a serendipitous environmental science class at the University of Toronto piv...
Dee Durant: From Electrical Apprentice to Trade Advocate - A Journey Through Challenges and Triumphs
In this episode, Dee Durant, a 24-year-old electrical apprentice from southern Ontario, shares her inspiring journey from childhood aspirations of becoming a meteorologist to finding her calling in the electrical trade. Despite facing challenges like severe anxiety and ADHD, Dee sheds light on how she navigated her acad...
Beyond the Nickname: Amy Marks' Journey of hard work, perseverance and kindness.
In this episode, Diane welcomes Amy Marks, Senior Vice President of Innovation at Compass Data Centers, often known as the 'Queen of Prefab.' Amy shares her journey from a turbulent upbringing in a construction family business to becoming a leading figure in the construction and prefabrication industries. She details her aca...
Ashley Kalizuk: From Crane Operator to Advocate for Women in Construction
In this episode, Ashley Kalizuk shares her journey from a crane operator to a photographer and an instructor in the construction industry. Reflecting on her career's challenges and triumphs, Ashley discusses her early days working in construction, the unexpected path to her Red Seal endorsement, and her transition into full-time photography ...
Annik Forristal's Journey from Engineering to Legal Expertise in Construction
In this episode, Diane welcomes Annik Forristal, a Toronto-based lawyer specializing in municipal and construction law. Annik shares her inspiring journey, from her early fascination with engineering during a 'Take Your Kid to Work Day' experience, to her career in the law industry. She discusses her experiences working with va...
Empowering the Next Generation: Lindsay Chester's Advocacy for Young Women in Skilled Trades
In this episode, Lindsay Chester, the Young Women's Initiatives Program Manager at Skills Ontario, shares her journey and mission to promote skilled trades as viable career options for young women. Starting as a dream to become a teacher, Lindsay shifted her career path and found her way to Skills Ontario.. Lindsay di...
In this special episode for Women in Construction Week (March 2-8 2025), we highlight some of the inspiring stories shared by women on this podcast. Hosted by Diane, this episode brings together past guests including Leslie, Gelare, Mi, Morgan, Sabrina, and Lisa to share their unique journeys, experiences, and challenges in the construction field.
They share their journeys into the construction industry, from childhood...
Trailblazing Women in Construction: A Candid Conversation with Lisa Laronde
In this insightful discussion, Diane interviews Lisa Laronde, Chief Transformation Officer for Ramudden Global, who shares her journey from finance to leading a major construction company. Lisa recounts her transition into the construction industry, the obstacles she faced as a woman in a male-dominated field, and how she overcame workplace cha...
Pioneering in Construction: From Rugby Fields to Infrastructure Projects with Sabrina
In this episode, Diane interviews Sabrina, a civil engineer from Zurich, Switzerland. Sabrina, who works in consulting and project management for infrastructure projects, shares her journey from growing up in an architect family to becoming a significant figure in the construction industry. She discusses her educational path, influenc...
Breaking Barriers: Morgan Bosch's Journey as a Crane Operator
In this episode, Morgan Bosch, a 28-year-old mobile crane operator from Edmonton, Canada, joins the podcast to share her inspiring journey. Starting in the industry at 18, Morgan transitioned from aspiring to be a teacher to thriving in a blue-collar role. She recalls the pivotal role her father played in introducing her to the field and discusses the ...
From Childhood Dreams to Architectural Mastery: An Interview with Gelare Danaie
In this episode, Diane interviews Gelare Danaie, a Toronto-based architect originally from Iran. Gelare shares her fascinating journey from childhood dreams of changing environments to becoming a successful architect. She discusses her early inspiration, her diverse professional experiences across multiple countries, and her passion for des...
Empowering Diversity: Mi Kim's Journey in the Construction Industry
In this episode, Mi Kim shares her unique journey from being a third culture kid to a successful consultant in the construction industry. Born in Korea, raised in Honduras, and educated in Canada, Kim talks about the challenges and triumphs of navigating these diverse backgrounds. She discusses her career path from dreaming of becoming an astronau...
From Arctic Beginnings to Global Projects: Leslie's Story
In this podcast episode, Diane interviews her long-time friend and mentor, Leslie Merrithew, a successful civil engineer in the transportation construction industry. Leslie recounts her journey from dreaming of being a math teacher to navigating a unique career path. She discusses the importance of having champions in her career, and how she used ...
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