The 2019 BWiC Inspire Awards

BWiC was launched in the spring of 2016 in response to member requests to create a support network for all women working in the commercial construction industry. Through the efforts of more than 25 active members, the committee continually strives to meet its mission of “building a network to support and empower women in the construction industry to be confident and successful professionals using practical tools and advice to help further themselves both personally and professionally.”

The committee reaches those goals through various channels, including informative and educational programs, mentoring services and shared insightful content such as BWiC Blog Articles, BWiC Profiles, BWiC Podcasts and more. 

BWiC Mentor of the Year: Kim Silvestri - Nominated by Kristen Bala, marketing communications manager, BOND Brothers
“Kim Silvestri, project executive at BOND is an experienced mentor and trailblazer for many women in the construction industry. She has over 20 years’ construction management experience and has seen firsthand the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry. Silvestri was the very first woman project manager at Dimeo Construction in the 1990s and was the only woman in her construction management classes at Roger Williams University. 

Last year, Silvestri co-founded the BOND Women’s Professional Group. The group provides a venue for women to access mentors, discuss important topics, develop strategies and offer networking opportunities. 

In addition, Silvestri leads the BOND Professional Learning Exchange (PLX), a group for minority and women business owners to learn about the construction industry. She mentors and helps educate women in the local communities, empowering them to develop, grow and prosper. She initiated a partnership with the Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE) and currently teaches courses to help women start their own business. She is also on the board of directors for the ACE Mentoring Program, which is a program that mentors local high school students to inspire them to pursue a career in design and construction.

Silvestri resides in Smithfield, R.I. with her husband and her two rescued greyhounds.”

BWiC Emerging Leader of the Year: Jessica Spivey - Nominated by Susan Gray, MBA, director of marketing & client aquisition, Shawmut Design & Construction
“Jess’ capabilities on project sites is unmatched, but it’s also what Jess does off-site that showcases her as one of the strongest emerging leaders in the industry. The construction industry is infamous for being a predominantly all-white, male industry–with imbalances facing women and those from minority groups in the workforce. That’s why Shawmut created a Diversity Leadership Council–a 14-member council which represents each business line company-wide. Jess was nominated, and accepted, for her exact dedication to advancing women in the industry. Here, Jess is accountable for driving Shawmut’s D&I strategy and efforts nationwide, helping to influence and elevate other women and minorities within the industry. 

She also formed Shawmut’s first-ever Women in the Field council. The organization provides an outlet and networking opportunity for women in the field to share ideas, best practices, and advance career development. Jess has also recently been named Shawmut’s Construction Management Skills Training regional mentor leader where she is taking her experience, high-energy, and passion and infusing it within our recent college graduate training program–helping to mentor Shawmut’s next generation of professionals.”

BWiC Rising Star of the Year: Nora Kelly - Nominated by Helen Novak, corporate communications specialist, Consigli Construction Co., Inc.
“Nora’s attention to detail and ability to drive towards resolution are critical to the success of the team and the project. She is able to understand an issue, troubleshoot and analyze the different options, and then steer the team (and client) in a direction that is most beneficial to all parties involved. Her leadership skills translate to both internal and external personnel with clear and concise delivery. In addition, she has a strong ability to weigh the priorities of those involved to understand what is important to each respective party.

As a result of her hard work and management skills, Nora was promoted to assistant project manager in 2017. Nora is a woman to watch as she moves through her career. She serves as a great role model for other young women entering the construction industry, and advocates for those with liberal arts degrees to wear a hard hat alongside her.

Nora received a B.A. in Political Science from Middlebury College in 2015.  Currently, Nora is halfway through Babson College’s Evening MBA program and is currently the key point person for three major projects at Beth Israel, which amounts to $12- $13 million of active work.”

BWiC Tradeswoman of the Year: Ziven Drake - Nominated by David Borrus, business manager, Pile Drivers & Divers Local 56, NERCC
“Ziven is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where she served  for 6 years, rising to the level of maintenance crew chief for an F-16 squadron. A lifelong athlete, she was one of 12 armed forces members selected to represent the United States in the NATO CIOR Pentathalon in 2011. After her military service she attended the IDI Commercial Diving Academy (Charleston, SC) in 2014 and applied to the Local 56 apprenticeship to pursue a career in diving and marine construction.

Rapidly advancing to graduate within two years, she not only achieved high marks in skills proficiency, but also gave freely of her time to mentor and assist other apprentices as well. 

Recently she was elected to the Local 56 executive board as the recording secretary and is an active role model for new leadership in the trade. 

Ziven is a 2018 recipient of the Carpenters Golden Hammer Award and has been appointed by the New England Carpenters Training Fund to be the Mentoring Coordinator for the Pile Driver and Diver Apprenticeship program. 

Since March of 2018 she has been working as a supervisor and estimator for JF White’s pile driving division.”

Congratulations to all the Nominees

Mentor Category 
Sharon Jozokos, LEED AP, Columbia Construction
Rose Conti, Lee Kennedy Co., Inc.
Michele Murphy, Shawmut Design & Construction
Maureen Kirkpatrick, Turner Construction
Marianne Monte, Shawmut Design & Construction
Kelly McGonagle, Skanska USA Civil
Jill Cox, COB Inspectional
Eileen Forgue, AON
Danielle Skilling, Gilbane Building Co.
Cheryl Lieteau, N.E. Carpenters Training Fund

Trades Woman Category
Savy Man Doherty, Pipefitters Boston Local Union 537
Kenell Broomstein, IBEW Local 103
Cheryl Lieteau, N.E. Carpenters Training Fund

Emerging Leader Category
Valerie Stone, T.G. Gallagher Mechanical Contractors
Mary Leahy, Erland Construction
Jill Cox, COB Inspectional
Janice Narowski, Consigli Construction Co., Inc.
Heidi Aliski, Erland Construction
Carli Biron, Columbia Construction
Bethany King, Skanska, USA Building, Co.

Rising Star Category
Rachel Williams, Central Ceilings, Inc.
Jill Zafirs, Trinity Building + Construction Mgt. Corp.
Jessica Mendez, Skanska USA
Eileena Long, Pinck & Co., Inc.

Thank you to all the committed members of BWiC. We could not accomplish our mission without you!

• Nathalie Assens, Commodore Builders
• Haylee Bacik, Gilbane Building Co.
• Briana Colantonio, Colantonio, Inc.
• Stephanie Crepeau, BOND
• Nadine Ebersole, Robinson & Cole 
• Jackie Falla, Elaine Construction
• Kelly Gillen, Turner Construction
• Susan Gray, Shawmut Design & Construction
• Danielle Akin, C.E. FLoyd
• Eileena Long, Pinck & Co.
• Sue Muckle, M&A Architectural Preservation
• Christy Murphy, Compass Project Management
• Danielle O’Connell, Skanska, U.S.A.
• Siggy Pfendler, Columbia Construction
• Nina Radzim, Gaston Electrical
• Susan Riley Shelby, Rhino Public Relations
• Julie Toland, Lee Kennedy Co., Inc.
• Sarah Williamson, WIT CM Student
• Jill Zafirs, Trinity Building + Construction Management Corp.