Serving for 15 years as the Vice President of Community & Citizenship at Turner Construction Company, I have been awarded numerous opportunities to help women, minorities and local businesses through the construction industry. Despite starting as a mechanical engineer in the field, I felt it was important to give back to the community that helped me get so far in life. Throughout my time in this position, I have been able to oversee and coordinate Community Affairs activities for the New Jersey, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Business Units, which allowed employees across the region to personally give back to their communities through Turner. Within the company, I was able to improve the Turner School of Construction Management, a program that works to strengthen individuals’ construction acumen. The Turner School of Construction Management Program gives people in local communities opportunities to receive instruction from like-minded construction industry subject matter experts. Though it is important to encourage adults to learn new skills and advance their careers, it is extremely important to show teenagers of diverse backgrounds careers within the construction industry that they might not have considered prior. This is why I remain directly involved in the ACE Mentor Program of New Jersey, which introduces careers paths such as architecture, construction, engineering and skilled trades to high school scholars. A project that encapsulates every aspect of my job is the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) project in Newark, NJ, which works to engage and utilize the Newark community to build a center of entertainment and community for the entire city. My hope is to ensure every jobsite leaves the community better than before, and I am proud to be an impactful leader of that process.