Rosendin

Not long ago, it was unusual to find more than just a few women working in a skilled trade or leading a team on a construction project. While women still only make up a little more than 14% of the construction workforce, more join the industry as superintendents, project managers, department directors, CEOs and tradesworkers every year.

Women in construction are not only working to build some of the country’s largest and most important projects, they also are leaders in another important area: helping to recruit more women into the industry. Many women in construction act as mentors, teachers and advocates to help elevate the industry and make it an attractive career option for other women.

Here, Construction Dive spotlights these Construction Champions — women who are making the industry a more diverse, productive and welcoming place for all. A team of six Construction Dive editors examined each woman’s depth of experience in the construction industry, as well as her commitment to leadership and mentorship of both women and men.

Out of more than 400 submissions, Construction Dive staff selected 31 talented women who stand as shining examples of how intuition, dedication and intelligence are shaping the industry.

Read on for more about each of these exceptional women, and know that there are many more like them working for construction-related firms throughout the country.

Here is a list of categories:

• Rising Stars: Although they are some of construction’s youngest employees, these women have already made a mark on the industry.
• Up-and-Coming Leaders: They are known as hard-working change agents in their companies and in the broader construction community.
• Mentors: These women not only help others break into the industry but have long strived to make it a better place for all who work in it.
• Tradeswoman Leaders: They use their hands and their heads to shape commercial construction and promote the industry’s career benefits for all.
• Industry Veterans: These women are stalwarts of the industry, well known in their fields and respected by all who work with them.

Dani Stauft

Senior Project Manager and Regional Trainer, Rosendin

For the past 14 years, Dani Stauft has devoted her career to improving outcomes and productivity in the construction industry.

As a regional trainer, Stauft is now putting her passions to work by crafting a new training program for San Jose, California-based Rosendin’s field and office leadership teams in the Pacific Northwest. Stauft provides training, mentoring, coaching and process improvement support to all Rosendin employees throughout Oregon, Idaho, Arizona and Texas.

“I choose to work in the construction industry because I love solving problems, and I think it is imperative that women are a part of building the world we live in.”

Since joining the company, Stauft has also worked with Rosendin’s community outreach program on several volunteer projects. In 2019, she helped teach high school students about career opportunities in the building trades and provided instruction for hands-on activities. She also served as an architecture, construction and engineering mentor for middle and high school students and has mentored several interns.

Throughout her career, Stauft developed a true passion for welcoming people from diverse backgrounds into the industry while also helping train and mentor new employees. She believes any woman can thrive in electrical contracting and supports diversifying the industry by empowering new leadership voices to help companies grow, innovate and thrive.