Doreen Bartoldus can remember the first time she heard of WIC Week after joining the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) in 2004. "Someone asked if I knew about WIC Week and I was like, 'What week?' But I haven't missed one since." WIC Week is short for Women in Construction Week, a national series of events that recognizes the roles of women in the construction industry. Bartoldus is now the Board President for NAWIC, the organization that launched WIC Week in 1998, and she will be a featured speaker this year during WIC Week events March 6-12.

Bartoldus's construction career spans four decades. She started out working for contractors while earning a civil engineering degree at night, and later added an MBA in sustainable business. But she also came to realize that she didn't want to sit behind a desk all day. "I grew up in a family of carpenters and masons," she says. "From a young age I was playing with bricks, concrete and sand. I wanted to be outside on the job site." Today, Bartoldus is a construction manager for Jacobs NYC, specializing in water and wastewater projects.

Those early WIC Week events made a lasting impression. "I remember being in awe of some of the women who spoke or made presentations at WIC Week events," she recalls. "They had accomplished so much against the odds of a male-dominated industry. It made me see what was possible and inspired me to continue the work I do through NAWIC."

After a few years of attending WIC Week, Bartoldus began taking a leadership role in WIC Week events as part of the annual New York Build expo. She became a moderator and encouraged other NAWIC local chapters to participate. Now, as president of NAWIC, the boot is on the other foot, so to speak. She is a featured speaker and panelist for New York Build 2022, which has goal this year to have 50 percent female speakers.

Bartoldus is excited to be one of them. "I'm really focused this year on a topic that is important to our industry and to our society—diversity, equity and inclusion. My presentation is entitled 'Envision Equity' and will focus on the important role of women in construction in the future, specific career paths that women can take to advance their careers, and how gender and racial diversity are critical to building a dynamic construction industry workforce.

"The theme is meant to not only highlight the accomplishments of female architects, tradeswomen, general contractors, executives, apprentices or any woman in the industry, but also to create action plans on how to make female representation in construction the norm rather than the exception," she added.

The construction industry is currently about 11 percent female, and attracting young women to the profession is a major goal for Bartoldus. "We've seen WIC Week really getting younger women to learn more about possible careers in construction," she says. "Over the years, WIC Week has grown to be a nationally known event. I'm proud to be a part of it."

About NAWIC

The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) originated as Women in Construction of Fort Worth, Texas. Sixteen women working in the construction industry founded it in 1953 to create a support network for women in construction-related jobs. Today, NAWIC is still based in Fort Worth and has 118 chapters throughout the United States that provide professional development, education, networking, leadership training and public service.