Speaking Sessions
Learn more about our keynote and breakout sessions at Fall Planning Conference in Savannah, Georgia!
Thursday, November 5th
Adriana Perez
NAWIC Board Leadership Training
NAWIC Southeast Regional Director
Authenticity for women in predominately male industries can be a double edged sword. Through the years we lose bits of ourselves becoming who we feel we need to become in order to succeed. I will take you for an entertaining ride through my own personal journey from tradeswoman to executive toward authenticity… while simultaneously motivating you to begin your own journey.
Jodi Wiemerslage
NAWIC Board Leadership Training
NAWIC National President
Speak Bold is an interactive, high-energy workshop designed to help women in construction build confidence, clarity, and authority in the way they communicate. Blending principles from theatre, improv, and real jobsite communication, this session gives participants practical tools to speak with conviction, hold space in difficult conversations, and respond under pressure — all in a supportive, low-stakes environment. Through guided activities, experiential exercises, and industry-specific scenarios, attendees will strengthen their voice, sharpen their presence, and learn how to overcome the mental roadblocks that often silence or minimize women in the field. Whether speaking in meetings, on jobsites, during conflicts, or in leadership roles, participants walk away with repeatable techniques for grounding, reframing, redirecting, and stepping into their own authority. This is not a lecture, it’s an empowering space where women get to practice, experiment, laugh, and expand their confidence in real time.
Friday, November 6th
Zoe Rinker
Think Differently. Build Better.
Keynote Speaker
When the usual play isn’t working, it’s time to change the approach. Zoe Rinker challenges us to look beyond “the way we’ve always done it” and recognize the incredible range of skills we already bring to the field. The talk will explore how transferable skills, diverse experiences, and a willingness to ask different questions can unlock creative solutions to tough problems. Attendees will leave ready to challenge assumptions, draw from their whole career toolbox, and bring fresh thinking to the projects, teams, and communities they’re building.
About Zoe
Zoe has spent over a decade making things happen across the government, nonprofit, real estate, and start-up sectors. She’s tackled everything from expanding green space to steering smart urban growth—always a sharp eye for strategy and a knack for getting the right people in the room. She’s built organizations from scratch, wrangled multi-million dollar government projects, and somehow still finds joy in breaking down complex issues into actionable items. Her former employers include the City of Baltimore, Recity (a real estate data startup), and the Savannah Tree Foundation. Zoe is currently the Business Development Director at Level CRE, an independent commercial real estate firm providing brokerage and consulting services to property owners, tenants, nonprofits, investors, and developers throughout Savannah and Coastal Georgia.
Zoe is a Savannah native and a Yale University graduate. Zoe has spoken frequently on the nexus of community development, environmental stewardship, and economic growth throughout Coastal Georgia, most notably taking the stage at the 2023 TEDx Savannah conference. She is currently Chairperson of the Chatham County Tree Board and Co-Chair of the Sponsorship Committee for the Urban Land Institute's Savannah Satellite. She is, perhaps most importantly, Chief Operating Officer of the Rinker Household, which includes two put-upon pitbulls, one sassy toddler, one construction-obsessed little boy, and one construction-obsessed husband.
Amber Kinney
NAWIC 101
Breakout Session : Underclasswoman Track
Collaboration shouldn’t feel like friction. This interactive workshop focuses on practical ways to improve integration between design and construction teams. Through real-world scenarios and group exercises, participants will learn how to align goals, streamline communication, and resolve conflicts before they derail progress.
Karen Hager
Bylaws 101
Breakout Session : Upperclasswoman Track
Bylaws 101. A birds-eye view of NAWIC's bylaws and the important things to look out for when running a chapter and conducting business.
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ABOUT KAREN
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Breanna Holloway
How to Plan a Successful WIC Week
Huddle Session
Creative ideas for chapters to leverage their resources to host a successful WIC Week and recruit members for their chapters, given that it is the most important week of the year for NAWIC.
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About Bree
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Stephanie "Q" Rodriguez (she / her)
Building a Tradeswoman Committee
Huddle Session
Interactive huddle session all about Tradeswoman Committees! Discussion with how top about launching a successful tradeswomen committee for your chapter, reaching out to local tradeswomen, and supporting the trades in your area.
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About Stephanie
Stephanie “Q” Rodriguez is a construction professional, speaker, and Chair of the NAWIC Southeast Region Tradeswomen Committee. A passionate advocate for women in the field, Stephanie focuses on creating practical ways for NAWIC to better connect with, support, and amplify tradeswomen throughout the region.
Under her leadership, the SER Tradeswomen Committee has expanded its outreach, strengthened chapter involvement, and grown the Site Sister Kit Initiative, bringing together NAWIC members, tradeswomen, and industry partners around a shared mission of making sure women on the jobsite feel seen, supported, and connected.
Stephanie believes some of NAWIC's greatest opportunities begin by listening to the women doing the work—and then turning those conversations into action.
Heather Nelson, PMP (she, her)
PD+E That Challenges in the Best Ways
Huddle Session
Building a successful PD&E Program for your Chapter that Inspires, empowers and challenges your members to grow and learn.
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About Heather
Heather Nelson brings more than 25 years of distinguished experience to the construction industry at Kimley-Horn, with a special emphasis on multimodal and building initiatives.
Her broad expertise covers aviation, roadway, and building construction, as well as the management and inspection of projects spanning from small, specialized endeavors to large-scale, multimillion-dollar capital improvement programs.
Heather’s construction management acumen encompasses every phase of a project’s lifecycle. She adeptly guides teams from initial scope development and documentation, through design, preconstruction permitting review, and the meticulous process of ensuring compliance with RFP scope requirements. Her strength lies in juggling multiple projects simultaneously, coordinating seamlessly with clients, stakeholders, and operations managers while providing hands-on, on-site supervision of construction teams.
Heather grew up in Colorado Springs, CO but currently resides in Crawfordville, FL. In her free time, she enjoys hunting, fishing and hiking with her husband.
Jessica Leavitt Ouattara
Marketing Your Chapter with Purpose
Huddle Session
Building a successful PD&E program for your chapter.
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About Jessica
Catherine White + Kate Howick
Membership : Attract + Retain
Breakout Session
Membership, Recruiting, and Retention: Tips & Tricks
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About Catherine
About Kate
Saturday, November 7th
Doreen Bartoldus
Construction Infrastructure : Building Your Career
Keynote Speaker
Dive into the pivotal lessons I’ve learned throughout my unconventional journey in the construction industry. From ground-breaking infrastructure projects to advancing in career roles, I explore the challenges and milestones that have shaped my professional life. This topic is ideal for those interested in understanding the complexities of building a fulfilling career in construction management.
About Doreen
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Terra Roux
Blueprint Reading 101
Breakout Session
Dive into the pivotal lessons I’ve learned throughout my unconventional journey in the construction industry. From ground-breaking infrastructure projects to advancing in career roles, I explore the challenges and milestones that have shaped my professional life. This topic is ideal for those interested in understanding the complexities of building a fulfilling career in construction management.
About Terra​
Amber Epperson
Intentional Networking
Breakout Session
Dive into the pivotal lessons I’ve learned throughout my unconventional journey in the construction industry. From ground-breaking infrastructure projects to advancing in career roles, I explore the challenges and milestones that have shaped my professional life. This topic is ideal for those interested in understanding the complexities of building a fulfilling career in construction management.
About Amber​
Jessica Leigh Lebos
Your Story, Your Blueprint: Crafting a Personal Narrative to Build Your Brand
Breakout Session
Learn how to identify your core "career story" (the throughline, not just a timeline.) There will be tips on translating that story into resume bullet points and a cover letter opening. You will walk away with a one-sentence personal brand statement they can use on LinkedIn, in interviews, and at networking events.
About Jessica
Jessica Leigh Lebos writes about interesting people, enchanting places, and the compelling (and often confounding!) connections in between. Her work can be found in regional and national publications, within nonprofit and corporate spaces, across media platforms, and inside books. She is the author of two books, Savannah Sideways and The Camellia Thief & Other Tales, as well as The Savannah Sideways Podcast, a 10-episode history-mystery that unravels one of the city's strangest stories. She has received multiple awards from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and introduces herself at cocktail parties as "Southern by marriage." Find more at savannahsideways.com or in the bushes stalking what's in bloom.