Tim Kostuk

Vice President, The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company

Tim Kostuk is a Vice President with The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. He has spent his 22-year career exclusively with the firm, starting as an Assistant Project Engineer and now serves as a Vice President. He is presently overseeing $370m of construction across Massachusetts, Vermont, and Connecticut in the healthcare, multifamily, cultural and education sectors. As a Vice President, Kostuk is continually looking to broaden the company’s understanding of “team” to include designers, contractors, consultants, subcontractors, and stakeholders alike and emphasizes on creating better partnerships and fostering a project environment that is based on shared goals. He encourages women and moms working for Whiting-Turner to excel and, for that reason, continues to expand his group with stellar women who are thriving under his direction and management. He consistently recruits, trains and retains talented females for Whiting-Turner. There are so many individuals that talk about incorporating diversity on the project team, but Kostuk continues to be a true champion of change by spearheading efforts to foster diverse teams within our organization. He understands that in doing so, we can improve the overall productivity, culture, and morale of the company. He attributes much of his commitment to the support and perspective of his wife of 17 years. From early on, he has introduced his daughters to the world of construction, bringing them to construction sites and familiarizing them with the various aspects of building and woodworking on projects at home.

Uma Ramanathan

Principal & Leader, Shepley Bulfinch

Uma Ramanathan, FAIA, is a principal and leader in the firm’s pediatric healthcare practice. With more than 30 years of experience in healthcare, planning, and design, she has been involved with many academic, community, and regional programming and planning efforts. Her grasp of the rigorous demands of medical staff has been invaluable to her clients, as is her ability to work effectively with high-level medical faculty and administrators to build consensus among diverse viewpoints. As Shepley Bulfinch’s leader in pediatric healthcare, Ramanathan has led recent projects for Boston Children’s Hospital, East Tennessee Children's Hospital, and John R. Oishei Children's Hospital. On an industry-wide scale, she uses her experience and understanding of the profession to design complex systems, buildings, and technical spaces that create the best healthcare environments for patients and clients.

With an unwavering commitment to the collaborative process and achievement of excellence, Ramanathan advocates for teamwork and steadfastly approaches projects collectively by creating collaborative environments where everyone has a seat at the table. Ramanathan recognizes the importance of empowering the next generation and impels her teams of young designers to make decisions by giving them space to grow. As a woman and minority in two male-dominated industries – architecture and healthcare – Ramanathan's balance of willfulness and respect is a beacon of progress. She recognizes the importance of women's empowerment within the AEC industry and supports this mission by fostering equitable environments and mentoring several young female architects and designers. She regularly fosters open and transparent conversations surrounding justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, believing that equity in architecture involves bringing all ideas to the forefront and getting everyone on the same level of understanding.

Francis (Frank) X. Hayes

President, BOND Building Construction

As the President of BOND Building Construction, Inc., Frank Hayes commands over 30 years of expertise in the construction industry. His exceptional leadership, management skills, and track record of successful project delivery have earned him an enviable reputation in the industry. He has played a pivotal role in spearheading various strategic initiatives, including developing people strategies, expansion plans, and cutting-edge technology platforms, which have been instrumental in driving BOND Building's growth and success. Hayes is passionate about gender diversity in the workplace and has been an active proponent of initiatives promoting women's inclusion and advancement in construction. His efforts have led to the recruitment, training, and mentoring of women in various roles, creating a more inclusive and diverse work environment that has resulted in improved collaboration, innovation, and outstanding success for the company.

Lisa Clauson

Director of Strategic Partnerships, North Atlantic States Carpenters Labor Management Program, Central and Western MA

Lisa Clauson is the Director of Strategic Partnerships for the North Atlantic States Carpenters Labor Management Program in Central and Western MA. Since 2016, Clauson has worked for the Carpenters Union recruiting women and people of color to the field and working to expand diversity in the construction industry, both within the workforce and with MBEs and WBEs. She helps facilitate the Policy Group on Tradeswomen’s Issues and this work has focused on increasing not only the supply of women in the industry through recruiting more women and gender non-conforming people to the industry, but also the demand through persuading owners of construction projects to incorporate construction diversity plans into their projects. Clauson also works for the Carpenters Union on policy campaigns, research, and business development in her region and strategic campaigns targeting developers and contractors that engage in wage theft. Prior to working with the Carpenters, she was the Community-Political Director at UNITE HERE Local 26, a union of hotel and food service workers in Boston. She also founded and ran Community Labor United, a coalition of unions and lower income community organizations working together on collaborative organizing campaigns in the Boston area. Clauson began organizing in Chicago, and then Boston, building power within lower income communities.

Judy Nitsch

Founding Principal (retired), Nitsch Engineering

Throughout her career, Judy Nitsch, PE (Retired) LEED AP BD+C, has been committed to mentoring future engineers and entrepreneurs, and to opening the door for female engineers, who are still underrepresented in the field. Her work as an active mentor for WPI’s students and through a number of professional societies, as well as her commitment to Nitsch Engineering’s annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day since 2002, has given many future engineers the opportunity to learn more about the industry and meet role models.

A pioneer in her field, Nitsch founded Nitsch Engineering in 1989 and led the company as President until 2011. At that point, she transitioned into a new role, focusing primarily on developing client relationships. She continued to serve as chairman of the board until 2016; when she stepped down as chairman, she continued to serve on the board of directors through March 2020 and has continued the tradition of women in leadership at the firm. Her work over her 40+ year career in civil engineering focused on the design and management of site development and infrastructure-related projects. Nitsch has a long history of giving back to the industry and the community serving as president and chair of a number of prominent industry associations. She is Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the BAC, serves as an outside director on the Pennoni Associates board of directors (Philadelphia) and the Ayers Saint Gross board of directors (Baltimore); is a member of the Advisory Committee to the Board of Directors of E.T. & L. Corp. in Stow, Mass, and a member of the Board of Advisors of Eastern Bank (NASDAQ: EBC) in Boston.

Michael Schrier

LEED Green Associate

Director of Design and STEM Projects, University of CT Planning Architecture

Mike Schrier, AIA, MBA, LEED Green Associate, has been the Storrs Campus Architect and Director of Design and STEM Projects for the office of University Planning, Design & Construction at UConn since 2015. He is responsible for implementing and managing the STEM portfolio and other assigned projects as part of the $1.5 B NextGenCT capital program. He has been teaching workshops in Project Management for over fifteen years serving an adjunct professor in the Department of Public Policy for the Project Management in the Public Sector course. He also authored the curriculum for the Certificate in Project Management offered through the Construction Institute.

Prior to his arrival at the University of Connecticut, Schrier worked for Yale University as Director of Project Management at the Yale School of Medicine. He was also the Site Director for Facilities Design and Construction at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City and has worked in private practice in New York City and CT. Schrier is a registered architect in NY and CT, a LEED Green Associate and a member of the American Institute of Architects.

​Anthony Gaglio, Sr.

Founder and President, Viking Construction, Inc.

​Anthony followed in his grandfather's footsteps learning craftmanship and values that led to the creation of Viking Construction. Over his career, he has built hundreds of buildings and structures including moveable bridges, waste water treatment facilities, schools, roads and so much more. Since the earliest days of Viking Construction, Anthony has purposefully looked to hire women in leadership roles. Viking Construction has many key leadership positions filled by women. In fact, the company's Chief Accounting Officer/Chief Financial Officer, Lisa Chirillo, has been with Viking since 2003.

Anthony continues to encourage women to join the vast construction industry and play a role in creating the buildings and structures in our communities.

Rachel C. Palisin, PE, LEED AP BD+C

Director and Owner, Hoffmann Architects, Inc.

Rachel Palisin is the Director of Hoffmann Architects’ Virginia office and one of the owners of the firm. Rachel is only the second woman in Hoffmann Architects’ 44-year history to head an office. Under her leadership, Hoffmann Architects’ offices have hired more women, many of whom have since gone on to earn promotions and take on leadership positions in professional organizations. She has mentored junior staff who reported directly to her, and she also took the initiative to provide guidance to recent graduates joining the firm. Active in the industry as a speaker, writer, organizer, panelist, and volunteer, Rachel serves as a role model for rising women in the design professions. 

Her easygoing demeanor, skillful and confident management of projects, advocacy for women in the industry, and capable leadership combine to make Rachel one of the Construction Institute’s 2021 Champion of Change Awardees.

Mark Adams 

Director, Capital Project Management 

Columbia University Irving Medical Center 

Mark Adams is the Director of Capital Project Management for Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). In this role, Adams provides leadership in all aspects of planning, design, construction, and project management for CUIMC’s various capital projects. He has more than 25 years of capital project and operations management experience—both as a builder and as an owner—with a focus on life 

science, healthcare, and higher education projects. His previous clients include Yale School of Medicine, UCONN Health Center, Yale New Haven Hospital, and Pfizer. Before joining Columbia University, Adams served on the national real estate team for PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP. He also previously served as director of Global Capital Project Management for Alexion Pharmaceuticals, where he led the day-to-day management of capital projects on a global scale. Adams holds a BS in civil engineering from the University of New Haven, an MS in construction management from Central Connecticut State University, and an MBA from the University of Connecticut. Adams proudly began his career in the United States Air Force. Adams is a leader who shares his insights and experience as a mentor, a speaker, and a teacher for the Construction Institute and other organizations. He began his twenty years in the industry in general contracting and construction management, and, as he moved forward in his career, he shifted to working directly for owners. During the course of his career he was mentored by a woman for whom he worked, and he has consistently supported women in the industry, hiring and mentoring women owned businesses for major capital projects, building multiple teams that included a majority of women, and training and supporting individual women, providing opportunities for job shadowing and interfacing with senior leaders which helped them continue to grow their careers and gain confidence through day to day dialogue with upper management.

Carolyn Stanworth 

President and CEO 

BL Companies 

Carolyn N. Stanworth is the President and CEO at BL Companies, a multi-disciplined architectural, engineering, environmental and land surveying professional services firm. She was one of the primary drivers responsible for planning and instituting the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) at BL Companies, which she saw as an excellent opportunity to inspire ownership, employee engagement and 

accountability among staff at all levels. Stanworth champions the firm's multi-year Leadership Development initiative and succession planning efforts. She works closely with senior leaders, managers, and external consultants in the implementation and enhancement of the shared ownership culture at BL Companies. Stanworth heads an employee-owned company, whose core leadership includes 7 women among 16 key people. She has engaged her 37 years of experience in strategic planning, financial analysis, accounting, operations, auditing, and information technology to shape a leadership training program for all employees at BL Companies that is designed to develop a common language, instill respect and foster communication. Stanworth supports her employees both professionally and personally and is engaged 

with helping those in the communities where BL’s employees live and work. She has fundamentally changed the way the architects, engineers and scientists at BL look at the business. As a leader and mentor to the women and men in the company, Stanworth has harnessed the power of employee ownership to engage and strengthen the BL team.