Women in Construction Spotlight: Kristen Wisely
By: Claire Sauer
Kristen has been a part of the L. Keeley team for a little over three years. When she first joined L. Keeley, she was hired as a Project Coordinator for both the Building and Industrial Groups. During this time, she helped both groups meet their administrative needs and work to ensure that projects were running smoothly. As both groups continued to grow, the need for this role in each group became clear. To fill this need, Kristen moved to the Building Group full-time.
Since joining L. Keeley, Kristen has constantly been empowered in her role. She feels that she is able to be the best version of herself and appreciates being given space to make her own decisions, make mistakes, or “Failing Forward”, and being able to learn from those mistakes and better herself. Kristen has been given resources and opportunities to grow and advance her career, something she had not experienced before joining L. Keeley.
Kristen has been in the construction industry for about 15 years. When she graduated college with a Bachelor of Arts in English, she knew that she did not want to pursue teaching. She made the transition into an administrative position and she knew that it was the right move for her. After a couple years of working, she knew she needed something more challenging. Construction has always fascinated Kristen and she loves the new challenges that each day brings. She has enjoyed every second of working in this industry and she takes great pride in seeing the final product from a project that she was involved in. Throughout her 15 years in the industry, Kristen has learned a lot, but the most valuable lesson she’s learned is to have integrity and to always be honest.
“If you make a mistake, own it. You cannot learn from your mistakes if you cannot acknowledge that you’ve made them.”
Kristen has worked in the male-dominated industry for a long time and has gained many valuable experiences along the way. One of the most important things that she realized early on in her construction career was recognizing her own worth and knowing that she was just as important to the success of the team as everyone else. Kristen continues to work on her confidence in her abilities, and she always maintains a constant focus on doing delivering the best product possible, regardless of the environment she’s in. If she could give one piece of advice to young women starting out in the industry, it would be:
“There are so many opportunities within the construction industry, ranging from engineering, design, project management, project coordination, and trades. Find opportunities that will give you the hands-on experience to see what fits you best. Ask to tour a jobsite, look for internships, find a role model that can show you all the possibilities.”
Kristen’s journey with L. Keeley has been transformative for her. From her first day on the job, she instinctively knew that this was the best decision of her professional career. She has fully embraced the culture, atmosphere, core values, and the people. She will be the first to tell you that her family noticed a difference in her when she started working at L. Keeley – she was happier. When Kristen looks to the future, she sees herself at L. Keeley helping her group grow and be the best that it can be. She wants to continue to make her team members’ jobs easier and provide constant support that allows them to perform to the best of their abilities.
Kristen, thank you for your dedication to our Building Group and your amazing outlook. Your bright attitude and daily puns bring a smile to all of our faces. You have an amazing future ahead of you!
