Virtual "Make it Monday" forum - Women in Construction

The Anchorage Chamber is celebrating Women in Construction Week (March 7-13, 2021) with a panel of women in the Anchorage construction industry. The focus of the national week is to highlight women as a valued component of the construction industry, to raise awareness of the opportunities available for women, and to emphasize the growing role of women in the industry.

Monday forum chair: Ryann Swalling, AIA, LEED® AP BD+C, Architect, KPB Architects
Moderator: Alicia Siira, Executive Director, Associated General Contractors of Alaska 

Panelists:

• Pearl-Grace Pantaleone, Cornerstone General Contractors
• Tamie Taylor, Taylored Business Solutions
• Aspen Knight, Coldfoot Environmental

 

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Alicia Siira is the executive director for Associated General Contractors of Alaska. She was born and raised in Alaska, receiving an MBA from the University of Alaska Anchorage, and undergraduate degrees in both Public Relations and Communication from the University of Idaho. Alicia serves as a Denali Commissioner, a member of the Alaska Renewable Energy Fund Advisory Committee, a board member for Resource Development Council of Alaska, and an Anchorage-based member of 100 Women Who Care. Prior to her time with AGC, she served as deputy director for the Alaska Miners Association, a job where she was able to apply her firsthand knowledge of responsible resource development. Having grown up in a construction and mining family, conversations around the dinner table about Alaska’s economic drivers helped Alicia become an effective and informed advocate.   Recently, she completed a four-year association leadership program through the Institute for Organization Management. Of the 89 AGC chapters nationwide, Alicia is one of 20 female CEOs, and among the youngest chapter leaders in the organization’s history. 
 

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Pearl-Grace Pantaleone has over seven years in the A/E/C industry, previously serving as a Marketing Coordinator for engineering and architectural firms. She is currently the Business Development & Marketing Manager at Cornerstone General Contractors, where she oversees all marketing campaigns and business development efforts. Prior to joining the A/E/C industry, she came from a background in journalism and broadcast news. Her local Alaskan roots have aided in her success, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Public Communications from the University of Alaska—Anchorage.

In January of 2019, Pearl-Grace became the ninth person in the state of Alaska to receive her Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) designation, a recognition for having the experience and knowledge to generate profitable business in the architectural, engineering, and construction marketplace. She is among a growing number of professionals to be certified by the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), which advocates for, educates, and connects leaders in the design and building industry.

Pearl-Grace is also the first women in Alaska to hold her Associate DBIA (Design Build Institute of America) construction certification. DBIA Certification is the nation’s only measurable standard of an individual’s knowledge of the Design-Build Done Right™ principles vital to successful project delivery.

Pearl-Grace has held various community board positions, including serving as a Board Member for the University of Alaska Anchorage Alumni Association, a member of the Editorial Board for the Associated General Contractors of Alaska (AGC) Constructor Magazine, and a member of the AGC Business Development Forum.
 

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Tamie Taylor, CDS, CDT, CIT, MPM is the Owner and Managing Partner of Taylored Business Solutions, LLC (TBS) providing quality construction and operations management. Ms. Taylor has 30+ years of construction, project management and government contracting experience. Before starting TBS, Ms. Taylor started working with the Alaska Native community in 1992 and has worked for Native Corporations for more than 27 years. Ms. Taylor has honed her professional management and government contracting skills as an executive officer or manager for various Alaska Native corporations such as Tatitlek Contractors, Bering Straits Native Corporation, NANA Pacific, and Chugach Alaska Corporation. Prior to that, Ms. Taylor worked as a project manager for various construction companies in Alaska as well as Colorado.

Ms. Taylor has a Masters Certificate in Project Management and a Bachelor of Science as well as receiving certification accreditations from NEF and CSI. Ms. Taylor was appointed to the Alaska Safety and Advisory Council by former Governor Walker in 2017 and has been a member of the UAA Construction Management Advisory Committee since 2005. She is a former national president of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and has been president of the Alaska NAWIC chapter several times. Ms. Taylor has served volunteer boards throughout the years.

In 2019, Ms. Taylor was recognized by the Associated General Contractors of Alaska (AGC) with the esteemed Hard Hat award. She is a 2008 Athena Society Inductee, received the Alaska Top 40 under 40 in 2002 and 2005 Alaska Constructive Women.

Ms. Taylor enjoys playing volleyball and softball as well as truly enjoys spending her time volunteering in the community with 100+ Women Who Care, Habitat for Humanity, Campfire, NAWIC and AGC.  
 

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Aspen Knight is newer to the construction industry, only having worked in the field for 2 years. She is currently the Program Manager at Coldfoot Environmental Services, Inc., where she oversees all business development efforts, company programs, policies, and job specific plans. Prior to joining the construction industry, she came from a background in English Rhetoric working as an Instructor at the University of Alaska while earning a Master’s in English Rhetoric & Feminism.  Aspen currently holds various community board positions, including serving on the Diversity Committee for the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, and both the Safety Committee and Editorial Board for the Associated General Contractors of Alaska.
 

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All virtual Monday forums will now be hosted via Remo. We'll have networking beginning at 11:30 am. The presentation will begin at Noon.

Before the event:

• Be sure to use Google Chrome (download Chrome)
• Test your Mic & Camera
• How to Use Remo
• Add noreply@remoinvite1.co to your address book so the email invitation isn't blocked or filtered to spam

 

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