Celebrating Women's History Month: 6 Notable Women in Construction

In honor of Women’s History Month, we want to recognize six notable women who helped pave the way for the success of women in the construction industry. These women’s accomplishments inspire women, like ONC National’s very own CEO Jacquelyn Clayborn, to pursue their passion and reach their potential in an industry that previously excluded women. From the 17th to the 21st century, these are the women who helped shape the construction industry today.

6 Notable Women in Construction

Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham

Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham is known as the first woman architect. As a young woman, Wilbraham showed a keen interest in architecture. Many historians believed she began her architect career that went mostly unseen by the public due to the restrictions of women at the time. In the 17th century, women were unable to pursue a career in architecture, but there is evidence that Wilbraham did exactly that behind closed doors.

Known as a patron of architecture in the 17th century, historians, including John Millar, believe that Wilbraham could have contributed designs to more than 400 buildings across the United Kingdom during her lifetime, including her family’s mansion at Weston Park. However, due to her social position, male assistant architects supervised her work, and credit was given to them.

Although Wilbraham was not recognized for her work in her lifetime, she is known today for her passion for architecture and her talent as the first woman architect. By making the choice to pursue her passion despite social restrictions, Wilbraham paved the way for young women to pursue their passion, even in a man’s world.

Emily Roebling

In 1872, Washington A. Roebling, the chief engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge, fell ill and became unable to fulfill his role in building the world’s first steel-wire suspension bridge. His wife, Emily Roebling, stepped in and took over important duties in the construction of the bridge.

According to an article in The New York Times, Emily Roebling “negotiated the supply materials, oversaw the contracts, and acted as liaison to the board of trustees” and “became a kind of surrogate chief engineer” for the project. Despite the Brooklyn mayor’s efforts to remove her husband from the project, Roebling was able to continue her husband’s work on the bridge until its completing in 1883.

If it were not for his wife’s tenacity and intellect, William Roebling would not have received credit for his family’s work on the bridge. Today, on the Brooklyn Bridge, there is a plaque that honors the Roebling family, including Emily Roebling, a woman who fought hard to learn about engineering and construction to bring honor to her family’s name. She not only built a bridge to connect two great cities in the east, but she began building a way for women to pursue education and a career in the construction industry.

Elsie Eaves

In 1920, Elsie Eaves was the first woman to earn a degree in civil engineering at the University of Colorado. Upon graduation, Eaves worked for the US Bureau of Public Roads, the Colorado State Highway Department, and the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. While managing many projects in her time, Eaves created databases to collect data and track trends and spending within construction projects. Her tracking and reporting system still influences how residential and commercial building projects are managed today.

Throughout her lifetime, Eaves became a member in many professional organizations that had previously excluded women. In 1927, Eaves was the first woman given full membership in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). In 1957, she was the first woman to become a member of the American Association of Cost Engineers. Both organizations would eventually award her honorary memberships to recognize her achievements in engineering and construction.

In 1950, Eaves helped found Society of Women Engineers (SWE) whose mission is to “empower women to achieve their full potential in careers as engineers and leaders.” The organization was founded with the purpose of giving women engineers “a unique place and voice within the engineering industry,” which is exactly what Elsie Eaves did to pave the way for women in engineering as she showed the world what women were capable of in their professional pursuits.

Patricia Galloway

Inspired by Emily Roebling and her role in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, Patricia Galloway pursued engineering in college and successfully graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1978. She also earned an MBA in finance from the New York Institute of Technology and a PhD in infrastructure systems engineering (civil). from Kochi University of Technology in Japan.

Throughout her career, she has worked for some of the country’s largest engineering and construction firms. After graduating from Purdue University, Galloway worked for CH2M Hill as the Master Program Scheduler for the Milwaukee Water Pollution Abatement Program. In 1981, Galloway joined the Nielsen-Wurster Group, Inc., an engineering and management consulting firm, where she would eventually rise the ranks and become the first woman CEO of a major engineering and construction company.

From 2003-2004, Galloway served as the first woman president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Currently, she is active in professional organizations all over the world and serves as Chairman of Pegasus-Global Holdings, Inc. and Board Director of Granite Construction, Inc.

Galloway built on the legacy of her predecessors as she became the first woman to take on executive roles in corporations and professional organizations in the construction industry. Her story inspires women to pursue leadership roles, showing women can lead the way in construction.  

Kathryn Cahill Thompson

Kathryn Cahill Thompson comes from a family that has built their lives and business in the construction industry. In 2007, Thompson began her career as Project Engineer with Cahill Contractors and now currently serves as the company’s CEO. Today, Cahill Contractors is recognized as the highest-earning woman-owned construction company, generating more than $300 million in annual revenue.

Active in her community, Thompson also serves on the board of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Her success in business and impact in the community shows women entrepreneurs what is possible for women in construction today. As a woman-owned business, ONC National follows the path of women like Thompson to leave our own legacy for future women in construction.

Kim Roy

Throughout her education and career, Kim Roy has been named one of the most powerful women in the construction industry. Starting her career in commercial construction with HIIT Contracting in 1999, she delivered more than 6.5 million square feet of complex tenant fit-out and new construction projects and led the firm’s Healthcare sector, generating more than $100 million annually in hospital and specialized patient care construction.

Because of her success in the construction industry, Roy was promoted to CEO in 2017. Currently, she leads HIIT Contracting in executing the company’s vision and identifying new business opportunities for their future.

In 2007, she was named Virginia Tech's 2007 Outstanding Young Alumnus for the Building Construction Department. Not only has she been recognized for her success in business by being named in various business journals as being a top player in the construction industry, but she also won the ConstructionDive 2021 Construction Champions: Mentors Award, which recognizes women that help others to break into the construction industry and work to make it a better place for all who work in it.

Like Roy, our Founder/CEO Jacquelyn Clayborn works to mentor women entrepreneurs to help level the playing field for women in construction by offering the training and connections needed to build a successful career in a male-dominated industry.

Paving the Way for the Future of Women in Construction

As more and more women are joining the construction industry every year, it is important we come together to build a better future for women in construction. This is why it is important to recognize the achievements and the milestones women reach in construction every year—to inspire others to follow in our footsteps.

Our vision at ONC National is to create a future where businesses are connected and empowered to impact their communities. And part of our impact will be the legacy we leave behind as a woman-owned company for the future women who choose to pursue careers within the construction industry.

We must partner with professional organizations and other companies to ensure women have equal opportunity and their talents are valued and their achievements are celebrated. So, join us this Women’s History Month in celebrating all the women who came before us and the women working today to ensure our industry reflects the diversity in our world.

Connect with us today to learn how we can partner together to pave the way of success for women in construction.