2023 ElevateHER® Symposium

Bolanle Williams-Olley is the CFO and co-owner at Mancini Duffy, a national design firm with a 100+-year-old history and tech-forward approach based in New York City, where she oversees the firm's financial and operational performance. She has over 15 years of experience working in the AEC industry with a strong background in financial analysis and strategic initiatives. At her core, she thrives on building relationships between finance and management teams to ensure the overall financial success of projects and her firm. Her clients include American Airlines, Soho House, Brooklyn Nets, Boqueria, Verizon, and NBC Sports Group.

She is a dynamic leader within the AEC industry who has been a guest panelist for the American Institute of Architects' Women's Leadership Summit, National Organization of Minority Architects 47th Conference, and Mother Honestly Summit. Bolanle is passionate about service and is the founder of several impact organizations:

Before her current position at Mancini, she served five years as a Senior Project Accountant at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and five years as Project Accountant at HLW. She holds a Masters in Education & Social Policy from NYU, Masters in Applied Mathematics, and a Bachelors in Mathematics from the City University of New York, Hunter College. Bolanle is a board member of the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF).

She is also the author of the best-selling Build Boldly: Chart your unique career path and lead with courage. She is married with two kids and obsessed with throwing fun, themed parties.

Christy Zweig Niehues has a long history of involvement with management consulting and the AEC industry. She has held a number of roles at Zweig Group, including writing and researching for The Zweig Letter, and civil + structural ENGINEER magazine. She's the firm’s Director of Research & E-commerce as well as the leader of the marketing consulting division.

Christy has a passion for online marketing and has worked with many AEC Firms to find the best processes and methods to drive new and repeat business for their individual organizations. Her marketing experience also includes work at The Sustainability Consortium, as a licensed Real Estate Agent, and she runs a horse boarding and training operation for off the track thoroughbreds. She holds a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Arkansas.

Colleen is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso, with a degree in Civil Engineering.  She began her career at McCarthy in 2007 as an intern in San Antonio, TX.  She became a full-time estimator in 2009 and has worked her way up to Senior Preconstruction Director.  In this role, Colleen leads the civil estimating department, where work is priced and procured in heavy civil markets. In addition to this work, Colleen manages a team of estimators and is responsible for their development and introduction to new scopes of work and project types. Most of Colleen’s experience is in the transportation sector, however, she has also worked on solar, site work, water & wastewater, and marine projects. 

In addition to her duties in the preconstruction department, Colleen leads the McCarthy Partnership for Women in McCarthy’s Southern Region where she is focused on attracting and developing female talent in the construction industry and at McCarthy. The Partnership for Women is the company’s first employee resource group and focuses on removing barriers to success for women in the construction industry.  She also sits on the National Partnership for Women committee, helping to drive communication and scaling efforts across the company’s five regions.

Outside of work, Colleen is the lead guitarist in an all-female 80’s rock cover band and enjoys dancing flamenco, traveling, and learning new languages. She serves on the board of directors for Maker District, a local non-profit organization with the mission to put tools and technology in the hands of the community.  Prior to her engineering degree, she studied Jazz Guitar Performance, also at the University of Texas at El Paso. 

Halima K. McWilliams is an international best-selling author of Living Up to My Name, which is featured in the anthology: Overcoming – Living Our Best Life In Spite Of. In her “spare time”, Halima is an Associate Principal at Corgan, a global architecture and design firm. Halima has over 25 years of years of experience in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) as well as strategic HR to aid organizations in crafting customized, practical and realistic solutions that work. She is continuously sought out for her thought leadership on workplace culture, talent pipeline building, community collaboration and employee experience work.

Halima’s down-to-earth, friend next-door energy compels individuals to consider the perspectives of others, appreciate our flawed humanity and activate childlike curiosity while they learn. She engages groups from the moment she steps in front of them and leaves them with empowering tools and focused mindsets that they will use long after the learning experience is over. Halima is passionate about people, leadership accountability and leaving positive light and love after each interaction. She is especially inspired to use her platform to educate and amplify those who are often on the margins.

Halima is a nationally certified HR & Diversity Executive. She also is a certified Enterprise Design Thinking practitioner via IBM. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Missouri – St. Louis and a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from Capella University. Halima has worked in leadership roles in Fortune 500 organizations such as Raytheon and First Data. Before joining Corgan, she was a Principal Consultant with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

When not speaking, leading or training, Halima can be found hanging out with her husband, Jason and exploring new restaurants and indulging in live music concerts, specifically smooth jazz and alternative R&B in Dallas, Texas.

Heather originally chose the commercial insurance path because it provided her endless opportunities to learn about a variety of businesses. The bulk of her career has been spent in leadership positions, and she truly loves the continuous self-improvement element of participating in leadership. She has a long track record of solving business problems and creating high functioning teams. As COO at CORE, she’s involved in many aspects of the firm’s strategic business decisions and appreciates the impact her industry knowledge and management experience bring to the table. 

Heather is inspired daily by her purpose-driven co-workers who she witnesses regularly practicing kindness. She is passionate about her family and friends, the environment, travel, and continually seeking opportunities to learn. Heather is a nature lover and can be found hiking, gardening, and spending a little “me” time planning a trip or reading (mostly about trips she wants to take). Her goal is to leave the world a little better than she found it. 

Whether Heather is problem-solving or hitting the trail for a run, her keen sense of adventure keeps her looking for that next great challenge. 

Jamie Claire Kiser is Zweig Group’s Director of Advisory Services. Prior to joining Zweig Group, Jamie Claire practiced law and also worked in commercial banking. She joined Zweig Group in 2015 with an initial focus on M&A and has transactional experience with businesses in all stages, from new firms with growth needs to established firms seeking to wind down. After being promoted to Director of Advisory Services in 2016, her responsibilities increased to include strategic leadership over all of Zweig Group’s consulting areas, including valuation, ownership transition consulting, marketing consulting, M&A, recruiting and executive search, and strategic planning. She holds a Masters of Business Administration, Juris Doctor, and Bachelors of Arts in History. She is a managing principal at Zweig Group and serves on the firm’s board of directors. Additionally, she is an outside board member to Miyamoto International, based in Sacramento, CA; and is on the board of the Buffalo River Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to conserving the Buffalo National River. Recently, she founded the platform ElevateHER as part of Zweig Group’s mission to Elevate the Industry.

Jennifer Ridd is a Principal at JQ Infrastructure – a multidisciplinary civil and structural engineering firm in Dallas, Texas. With over 17 years of experience in structural engineering design and project management, she specializes in sports work, higher education, and performing arts venues.

In addition to her professional responsibilities, Jennifer has been actively involved in the ACE Mentor Program of America for 15 years where she is the current chairperson of the Dallas-Fort Worth Associate Board. She also sits on the advisory group for the Architectural Engineering program at the University of Texas at Arlington where she helps guide curriculum and student job placement in the industry. Most recently, she has been serving as a voting member of the National Council of Structural Engineering Association’s SE3 Committee – a group focusing on equity and engagement in the Structural Engineering profession.

A third-generation Purdue Boilermaker, Jennifer enjoys traveling, knitting, reading, and cooking. While originally from Ohio, her hatred of snowy weather has led her to call Texas home for over 17 years. She lives in Dallas with her rescue pets - a golden retriever and a cat.

Jessica Taylor is a Senior Recruiter at Unanet, a leading provider of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions purpose-built for the Government Contracting as well as Architecture, Engineering & Construction industries. She holds a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Iowa State University. Jessica started her career in sales and has spent the past years in talent acquisition. Her experience spans the healthcare, telecommunications, and business-to-business software industries. Her passion is in bringing diverse people together and creating a space of vulnerability.

Karen Purcell, P.E., is the founder, owner, and president of PK Electrical, Inc., an electrical engineering, design, and consulting firm with offices in Reno, NV and Denver, CO. She has over 30 years of experience in the design and project management of electrical systems. Ms. Purcell has served on the Nevada State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors since 2015. 

Karen authored Unlocking Your Brilliance: Smart Strategies for Women to Thrive is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, drawing on her experiences to inspire young women to pursue and thrive in a STEM career. Karen speaks to the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry and gives advice to encourage women to follow in her footsteps. Karen has spoken to audiences across the U.S., Australia, and China on the importance of females in STEM and even founded the PK Electrical Scholarship to provide resources to women to achieve their career goals. 

In 2021 Karen received first place in the Northern Nevada Business Weekly’s Leader to Know (High Profile) category and was also voted most Influential Woman of the Sierra Nevada. 

Ms. Purcell serves as Treasurer of the Nevada Women’s Fund, empowering achievement of women in northern Nevada. Karen also serves on the JUSTin Hope Foundation board, working to build a supportive and engaging community for families and individuals with disabilities.

Kyle Ahern is the Employee Experience and Data Strategist for Zweig Group. In his role, Kyle works very closely with some of the best and fastest-growing firms in the country. He analyzes data from hundreds of firms all over the country and what helps make them successful, from policies and growth strategies to marketing. He has played a key part in growing this area of Zweig Group’s business.

Kyle started at the firm immediately after graduating from the University of Arkansas with his BA. He has held several roles at Zweig Group working as an adviser for Marketing, Strategic Planning, and Executive Search. Recently, Kyle has worked closely with clients on employee engagement surveys and analysis, Client Perception Studies, and has written numerous articles for The Zweig Letter. Driven by success, Kyle wants to apply his diverse background helps to bring new ideas to the AEC industry.

Laurel Stone is the Founding Principal of StoArc Studio, an architectural design and project management consulting practice based in Dallas, Texas. Originally from Windsor, Ontario, Laurel received her Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin. She grew her career with the Dallas firm 5G Studio Collaborative where she was a Principal for the last half of her tenure. During her 15 years with 5G, she managed 40 percent of the company’s revenue and completed over three-quarters of a billion dollars in construction value, primarily in large scale hospitality and multi-family projects. Many of those projects have followed Laurel to her consulting practice where she continues to serve both Architects and Owners in a more targeted capacity. 

A Texas-Registered Architect and a LEED Accredited Professional since 2009, Laurel has been featured in the AIA Dallas Columns Magazine and has served as guest speaker for both AIA Dallas and Texas Society of Architects panel discussions. She is passionate about mentoring emerging professionals and advocating for the career advancement of women in architecture. 

Laurel was the recipient of the 2011 American Institute of Architects’ scholarship for the AIA Dallas Emerging Leaders Class and has since completed 4 years of executive leadership training in the prestigious Vistage Executive Program. In her personal time, Laurel is a volunteer board member of her neighborhood association, a Girl Scout Daisy Troop leader, and all around busy multi-tasking mom to two young daughters.

Lisa Huddleston is a Certified Strategic HR Business Partner with 20+ years of experience in HR Management, Business Management, and Operations. Her experience with the AEC Industry is spread across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. She is currently the Talent Development Manager at BHC, a Civil Engineering consulting firm in Overland Park, KS, and has served as a member of the Senior Leadership Team since joining the company in April of 2014. Lisa also has 15 years of sales experience, which has enhanced her focus on proven profitability and ROI of her HR Team.

Lisa Huddleston is currently the HR Business and Talent Development Director at BHC, a Civil Engineering consulting firm in Overland Park, KS, and has served as a member of the Senior Leadership Team since joining the company in April of 2014. Lisa is a Certified Strategic HR Business Partner with 20+ years of experience in HR Management, Business Management, and Operations. Along with 15 years of Sales experience Lisa is also a certified CliftonStrengths Coach which has enhanced her focus and increased collaboration for her HR Team. For 2021 Lisa’s main focus is young professionals and developing greater diversity, and inclusion efforts in the workplace. Lisa is married to her loving husband with combined 7 boys and 3 grandchildren. Her favorite place to visit with her husband is Key West Florida.

Since joining the environmental team at Westwood Professional Services in 2007, Mallory Lindgren has rocketed through the ranks of the Minneapolis-based engineering firm. In August of 2022, she was promoted to senior vice president of market development, a role where she leads strategic initiatives to accelerate company-wide organic growth. Prior to this role, Lindgren was the vice president of renewable energy, led the company’s solar market through exponential growth making it the firm’s largest market since 2020, launched Westwood’s brand in the energy storage industry, and served on the company’s board of directors. She currently serves on the board of directors of Westwood’s charitable foundation, Westwood GIVES. Over the years Lindgren has championed community involvement at Westwood, through her volunteer efforts and actively participating in numerous industry organizations and committees including leadership roles in the Twin Cities and National chapters of Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE). She is a seasoned speaker at industry events and has been featured by the U.S. Department of Energy and Twin Cities Public Television.

Marvin Jackson is 25-year transportation and construction industry professional responsible for over $1 Billion in disadvantaged, minority, and women-owned business spending. Marvin currently serves as the Regional Diversity Program Manager for Archer Western in addition to being the principal consultant and founder of McCoy Lewis, LLC an inclusion company.  Marvin works as an Industry Advocate for Diverse, Minority, and Women-Owned Business Enterprises, ("D/M/WBE"), and Small Businesses to engage in sustainable participation. Additionally, Marvin works closely with project owners and D/M/WBE oversight agencies to keep AW compliant on local, State, and Federal levels.

Marvin has spent North of twenty years in the commercial, heavy civil, and transportation construction industries. Marvin started his career as an entry-level Project Engineer working concrete pours for drill shafts on DART's NC-4 Red Line Project. Throughout his career, Marvin worked as Project Engineer, Controls Manager, Assistant Project Manager, EEO-Officer, and Project Diversity Manager and now his current role. Marvin has worked with Federal Highway Administration ("FHWA"), Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs ("OFFCP"), and State/Transportation agencies successfully delivering Federal and Local compliance.

Marvin is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Architecture; for the sake of a well-rounded college experience, Marvin also received a minor in Mathematics. Marvin furthered his post-graduate career with research for the National Science Foundation ("NSF") and
served under President Bill Clinton in the New Orleans Summer bridge Program at Tulane University in the Summer of Service Program.

Marvin is a Texas native, the author of two children's books, one for each of his sons, "Poems by Chance's Dad" and "A Thousand Smiles of Miles", and a patient husband. Not that Marvin isn't busy enough he finds time to volunteer with organizations such as United Way, Boys and Girls Club of South Dallas, and RBCA Community Clean-up.

Maryanne Wachter is a software developer and professional engineer. As a structural engineer, she's worked in Seattle, New York, London, and Los Angeles on landmark transit projects, long-span bridges, and various educational/cultural centers. She currently works as a software engineer at Outer Labs and also as an independent consultant in the AEC industry developing custom software solutions and specializing in data visualization and web applications. In addition to her involvement in the initial ElevateHER cohort, she has been a member of the Structural Engineering Engagement and Equity Committee since 2018, was the 2020 survey development co-lead, and currently serves as a lead data analyst.