Katharine Powell: “This Can’t Work…”

by Katharine Powell, program manager, community & employee engagement, Suffolk Construction

The following is a featured entry in our Share Your Story contest, which celebrates our 10-year anniversary with stories from past attendees.

I work in an industry dominated primarily by men. I work in construction. No, I don’t wear a hard hat or Timberland boots, but I know amazing women who do.

A little over a year ago a small group of driven and like-minded women expressed interest in starting our own women’s network. My first thought was, this can’t work, this is construction after all! I could not have been more misguided. It did work. It worked so well in fact that in just one short year we’ve hosted a multitude of successful, inspiring and engaging events such as paint nights, a book signing, two self-defense seminars and several networking panels for the women of Suffolk.

Last year 10 of us had the opportunity to attend the MA Conference for Women and I can’t adequately express the immeasurable impact the conference had on the women of our company. We all left feeling energized, inspired and with a renewed sense of passion. We’re beyond thrilled to return to the conference this year – with over 50 delegates from our Women’s Network – eager to learn and continue to promote the strength of women in the workplace, in even the most unexpected of industries.