Blog | Mar 13, 2024
Celebrating Women Who Build
March marks a month of honoring women and their achievements with holidays like International Women’s Day, Women in Construction Week, and Women’s History Month. We take pride in increasing female representation in the construction industry and fostering diversity in our workplaces. More than 300 women work for HITT today in various roles across the country including dozens in leadership positions on- and off-site. We’re committed to breaking down barriers in the construction industry by continuing to hire and grow more female team members in their careers.
This past week, the construction industry came together to celebrate Women in Construction Week, a time to recognize the need-moving initiatives and work of women within the industry and bring to light the countless career opportunities available for women. At HITT, our Women of HITT employee resource group (ERG) got everyone in the spirit with an event focused on bettering women’s mental and physical well-being. Team members from across the country gathered in person and virtually to discuss ways of creating a more supportive environment for women’s health needs in the construction field.
Vice President and Mission Critical Co-Business Unit Leader Triloka Shanbhag noted, “I’m proud of the Women of HITT ERG as a group of team members that come together to advocate for each other, develop skills, and grow within the company.”
Get to know more of the women of HITT who make a difference on and off their jobsites daily.
Project Manager Avonlea Denney: Based in Charleston, South Carolina Avonlea is currently working on a ground-up, 20,000-sf library for Dorchester County! Avonlea originally got her start in the industry as a commercial interior designer.
“I made the transition to construction because I wanted to be a part of project execution. I’m passionate about seeing spaces come to life not just in aesthetics, but also in quality and function,” she shared. When asked about her favorite thing about construction, she added, “Building relationships! I truly value my relationships with our clients, our subcontractors/vendors, and industry partners. I enjoy project collaboration and believe that for us to be great at what we do, we must cultivate strong relationships so that we can provide the best approach and outcome for our projects.”
Project Manager Brenna Underwood: While Los Angeles–based, Brenna didn’t see herself in the construction industry as a kid, things just have a way of working out! Brenna, the daughter of our own Vice President of Site Operations Dave Underwood, credits construction with opening new doors for her in life.
She shared, “Working in construction has provided me access to places, people, and companies that I otherwise would have never known. Construction has completely expanded my worldview.”
Senior Superintendent Shanna Langhorne: Located in downtown Washington, DC, our National Geographic Society Base Camp project includes strong representation from women across all project stakeholders including the client, designers, subcontracting trade partners, and HITT on-site project management team. Among these women is Senior Superintendent Shanna Langhorne, a 13-year HITT team member.
“My favorite part of working on a predominately female project team is the sense of community and companionship I have with other women working in the field. We have a lot in common since what we do is unique, and we can relate to and support each other through the challenges,” Shanna shared.
Beyond this month, we celebrate and thank our women team members without whom we couldn’t be a success. We’re proud to have female representation throughout a number of departments at HITT from site operations and project management to human resources, accounting, and virtual construction – with plenty of room for more! Check out our open career opportunities at www.hitt.com/careers