WIC Week 2026
Since 1998, the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) has served to support women working in the construction industry. March 1st-7th, known as WIC Week, celebrates past, present, and future progress, laying the foundation for the next generation of career aspirants.
Building Better Together
NAWIC hosts a full week of online events, with industry experts sharing their unique experiences through educational seminars, panel discussions, and setting vision for the future.
“Women in Construction Week is more than recognition; it’s about accountability,” says NAWIC President Rita Brown, “our industry, we all know, cannot reach its full potential unless each and every worker feels welcome, safe, respected, and powered up to contribute in tangible ways.”
The Women of WCI
For BIM Coordinator Lea Gamble, her father’s career in the trades had a significant influence on her future trajectory:
“I went to jobsites with my dad growing up; he’s a painter and drywall finisher. When I was younger, I thought that what he did was so cool…I wanted to do something cool like him.” Lea encourages her peers to push through challenges and barries and lean on community support, “Follow your passion. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. You absolutely can! Find a community. Community can get you through anything.”
“Part of the reason why I got into construction is all the opportunity,” mentions Olivia Jablonski-Davies, a Project Engineer at Weigand. “My favorite part about working in the field is being able to take an intricate design on paper and turning it into a physical building, something that people are going to end up using day in and day out.”
For BIM Manager Chloe Hutchins, it was CAD classes in high school that piqued her interest, leading her to pursue a degree in Construction Management at Purdue University:
“What drew me to construction is the constant innovation. Every single job, there’s something new to learn, and there’s always a new challenge to solve…advice I’d give to women in construction is to build those connections, ask questions, and just got for it. There’s room for everybody here and there’s so many different paths to explore.”
As a Safety Manager, Courtney spends ample time in the field, conducting jobsite inspections, leading safety training sessions, and working with project teams and owners to devise safety plans tailored to the individual needs of the job. She enjoys the industry for the variety it offers, “I get a mix of being out here in the field and being in the office and every day is different.”
“Originally I went to school for business administration and landed in the construction industry,” says Tara Leto, a Construction Administrator. On top of managing correspondence for multiple project teams across several different jobsites, Tara also manages WCI’s Award-Winning Employee Wellness Program. “I’ve stayed for 27-plus years. I don’t ever get bored!”
Driving Construction Forward
The women of Weigand operate and lead in a wide array of divisions throughout the company. Working in roles ranging from from Project Management, Preconstruction, Operations, and Safety to Technology, Accounting, Recruiting, Administration, and Business Development, they drive innovation and carve a new path in the world of construction as we know it today.