Women Talk Construction Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi and Angela interview Erik Struebig, Technical Coordinator for North America at MGX Manitowoc Crane, a nine-year US Army veteran who moved from field technician roles in agriculture, Yellow Iron, and mining to overseeing technical coordination for 218 technicians. They discuss attracting more people into heavy-equipment and construction careers by showcasin...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner interview Kate Birds, owner of Iron Lady & Co., and a heavy civil/industrial operator, recently promoted to superintendent after previously doubting her leadership and trying to demote herself. She describes a “rebirth” of accepting her place in the industry and her femininity, and explains how Iron Lady & Co. grew from pu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner interview Breanna Howard, an estimator and business development professional at Palmetto State Roofing and co-owner of Eastern Waste Solutions, about balancing industry work, entrepreneurship, and raising a one- and two-year-old. Brianna explains how negative workplace experiences shaped her focus on creating a welcoming culture b...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi and Angela review May 2026 data showing the Carolinas outperforming national trends, with national steel prices up 7% while the region sees a 67% surge in healthcare and power projects, supported by a diverse economy, energy infrastructure, high-end healthcare facilities, and expanding data centers. The hosts discuss workforce and policy efforts, including...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner interview cybersecurity expert Nick Espinosa about how modern cyber warfare affects everyday businesses, especially small to mid-size construction firms. Espinosa describes Russia’s cyberattacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure and the use of malware like Mirai to weaponize IoT devices, emphasizing that high-level tactics trickle down...

Send us Fan Mail In this epsiode: Angela and Christi welcome Lydia Miller, fourth-generation owner of her family construction business and its first female leader, who shares her path from University of Pennsylvania lacrosse and Navy ROTC to serving on warships and in Pentagon intelligence, earning a Wharton executive MBA, joining the family firm, and taking full ownership two years ago. Lydia exp...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner interview Natasha Sexton, president and CEO of Sexton Design and Development, an eight-and-a-half-year-old design-build firm based in Greenville, SC. Sexton explains the company’s landscape-architecture roots, multi-state work (SC, TN, pursuing NC licensure, with GA next), and focus on hospitality, university, and commercial/insti...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner welcome back Perlla DeLuca of Southeast Constructors and the Pink Hard Hat Foundation to discuss her recent work and advocacy for women in construction. Perlla shares insights from an international safety symposium in Miami and explains that her foundation was sparked by worsening treatment of women, even in federal contracting, a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner welcome returning guest Nancy Novak, a 30+ year construction executive who has semi-retired into an ambassador role at Compass Data Centers while serving on adjacent boards and continuing mentorship to advance women in the industry. Nancy explains planning her transition nearly two years in advance, overlapping a year with success...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Angela Gardner and Christi Powell interview Vinny, Vice President of Job Site Solutions at Milwaukee Tool, celebrating his 25-year career with the company. Vinny recounts Milwaukee’s cultural shift after its 2005 acquisition by Techtronic Industries, when leadership refocused from trying to serve everyone back to core plumbing and electrical trades and recommitted...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Adam Hoots joins Women Talk Construction with co-hosts Christi Powell and Angela Gardner to discuss lean construction as “flow” centered on respect for people, emphasizing that high-performing teams require intentionally developing high-performing individuals and optimizing global project flow. He describes shifting his mission to elevate and serve skilled craft w...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner interview Clemson University lecturer and former walk-on Clemson basketball player Tom Fuduric, introduced during an interview with guest Adam Hoots. Fuduric shares how he entered construction at 16 through asphalt paving and learned relationship-building and servant leadership from mentors on a road crew and from coach Art Mussel...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: In this first news brief for February 2026, Christi and Angela share construction-industry updates with a focus on North Carolina and South Carolina. They highlight state government priorities aimed at removing bottlenecks and maintaining the Carolinas’ status as a top construction market, including South Carolina’s South Carolina Justice Act push to reform joint...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner welcome returning guest Jesse Hernandez (Depth Builder founder, partner in No BS with Jen and Jess, and host of Learnings and Missteps) to discuss leadership and systems in construction. Jesse shares pivotal moments from moving from installer to foreman, where intimidation got results but cost relationships, and how leadership tra...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and co-host Angela Gardner interview Michelle James, owner and operator of Grace Construction Group and coordinator for WIC Week at NAWIC Columbia, about pivoting into construction at 47 after work in nonprofit and the legal world, including serving as a municipal judge. Michelle shares why she chose construction after COVID, how her legal backgroun...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Women Talk Construction celebrates its four-year anniversary during Women in Construction Week 2026 with guest Jennifer Lacy of Robins & Morton, Director of Building Forward and LEAN Practices. Lacy discusses “respect for people” as the core of LEAN construction, emphasizing that leaders build psychological safety through daily interactions, especially by list...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner host Patrick Scarpati, an ABC apprenticeship graduate and licensed HVAC-R journeyperson (refrigeration), who now works at ABC National, focused on construction technology and innovation. Patrick shares his path into the trades after college wasn’t a fit, his volunteer leadership with ABC chapters, and how ABC’s Construction Techno...

Send us Fan Mail In this epsiode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner interview Angela Carter, a board member of ABC Carolinas and a leader at Metcon Building and Infrastructure. Angela shares her 30 years of experience in construction, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning, leadership, mentorship, and accountability in building successful teams. She highlights her work in business develo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner are joined by Beth Courtright from Studson and Candace Rogers from TwiceMe to discuss advancements in head protection for construction workers. The conversation highlights the shift from traditional type-one helmets to modern type-two helmets that offer comprehensive protection. They also delve into the integration of medical IDs...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner speak with Kelly Wyatt and Jimmy Kaphusman from M.B. Kahn regarding their experiences in the construction industry. The discussion covers important topics such as mentorship, workplace culture, and the impact of technology and innovation in construction. Kelly shares her career journey from starting as an administrative assistant...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi and Angela sit down with Anne-Marie, a recent graduate from Appalachian State and an assistant project manager at Vannoy and Sons Construction. Anne Marie shares her unique path into the construction industry, initially starting in elementary education before shifting to construction management. She discusses the challenges and misconceptions of being a wo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and her co-host introduce special guest Rebecca Kettlewell, Director of Trade Show Content for CONEXPO-CON/AGG. Rebecca discusses the highly anticipated CONEXPO in March 2026, sharing details about its diverse educational tracks, new programs such as the Groundbreaker Stage and the Empower Her conference, as well as various initiatives for small and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi and Angela discuss the crucial role of safety and culture in the construction industry. They highlight how companies like Brasfield & Gory, Holder Construction, DPR Construction, Skanska, and others are transforming safety from mere compliance to a core value integrated into their operations. Through methods like micro-learning, mentorship, and the use...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi and Angela discuss the challenges and solutions related to having five generations working in the construction industry. They highlight the significant labor shortage and the need to attract and retain young talent, focusing on Gen Z. Special guest Kamber Parker shares insights on modern recruitment strategies, including effective use of social media, crea...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode: Christi Powell and Angela Gardner welcome Keller Hayes from the Transportation and Construction Girl initiative. Keller discusses the vital role of economic sustainability for young women and describes how her programs empower them to consider careers in the construction industry. Key highlights include the large-scale impact of the Transportation and Construction...