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WIC Week: Celebrating LCI’s Female Lean Certified Leaders!

WIC Week: Celebrating LCI’s Female Lean Certified Leaders!

In celebration of Women in Construction Week, we want to recognize the 19 women who hold LCI-CPC and LCI-CPD certifications. As trailblazers in a field traditionally dominated by men, they are shaping the future of Lean and driving meaningful change.

LCI’s female certificants bring diverse backgrounds and experiences from across the built environment. We’re excited to share their insights on advancing Lean practices and fostering transformation in the industry.

LCI’s Female Certificants on Their Experiences

In celebration of Women in Construction Week, we asked several of our female certificants to reflect on their Lean journeys and provide their advice for the next generation of Lean practitioners.

Melissa Quintana – LCI-CPC

Hermosillo

1. How did you get started on your Lean journey?

I started my Lean journey almost 12 years ago. At the time, we were searching for ways to improve project efficiency, reduce waste, and create a more structured approach to managing construction processes. What truly resonated with me about Lean was its focus on collaboration, continuous learning, and problem-solving. Over the years, Lean has not only shaped the way I manage the projects but has also transformed my perspective on leadership and teamwork.

2. What’s the best career advice you’ve received?

I have received a lot of great advice throughout my career, and I believe that’s one of the most valuable aspects of working in the construction industry—its dynamic nature brings together people from different backgrounds, each contributing unique perspectives. This constant exchange of knowledge fosters continuous improvement.

However, the piece of advice that has had the greatest impact on me is: “Specialize and start as early as you can within your field. Find what you’re good at and what you love doing, then refine it—learn, teach, improve, and keep challenging yourself.”

This mindset aligns perfectly with Lean thinking. Mastering a skill isn’t just about expertise; it’s about understanding how it connects to the bigger picture, how it drives improvement, and how it creates value for the entire system.

3. What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?

The construction industry presents many challenges, but one of the most complex as a woman in this field is balancing personal and professional life. I am a mother of two daughters—one is 15 and the other is 8—and managing the demands of both family and a fast-paced industry like construction has been a continuous learning experience.

Lean completely changed my life. It wasn’t just a work methodology—it became a mindset that allowed me to regain control over my time. When I started using Lean principles at our projects, I noticed a shift: I was no longer constantly putting out fires or reacting to last-minute problems. I stopped taking work calls at home all the time because our processes became more proactive, structured, and predictable.

This is why I am passionate about sharing Lean with others. If it can help more professionals achieve better work-life balance, then every effort to promote Lean is worth it.

Margarett Bucshkamp – LCI-CPC

Petra Construction

1. How did you get started on your Lean journey?

I started my Lean journey while working for a design-build firm with a healthcare provider in San Francisco. This experience fundamentally transformed my perspective, highlighting inefficiencies and waste in the industry. Since then, I have dedicated myself to continuous learning on how to develop others through Lean Principles and Lean Construction.

2. What’s the best career advice you’ve received?

The manner in which you communicate is as important as the content. Set aside preconceived notions and approach each situation with genuine curiosity.

3. What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?

Many organizations, like individuals, struggle to sustain improvements. To overcome this, changes must become part of our identity or culture. Treat the change as essential, not doing it would be going against who we are and integrate it into established processes and habits.

Kristin Moreland – LCI-CPC-SME

Cherry City Electric

1. How did you get started on your Lean journey?

I started my Lean journey on a job site called KCRB in Portland Oregon. It was requested for all trades to participate in “Lean” on the site, we had some trade competitions using Lean ideas. I learned a lot in the field on how to implement Lean. I created several Lean ideas, earning some trophies and rewards with my team. Our company Cherry City Electric implemented our own “Kaizen gang” which I became a member of, and we have expanded our growth with Lean practices with inspiring our employees and industry partners through continuous improvement and respect for people.

2. What’s the best career advice you’ve received?

Never give up even when times get tough. You learn from each failure, grow, and inspire others to always strive to be the best you can be.

3. What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?

Being in a male dominated industry I think that earning respect from the majority is an accomplishment. I have gained respect due to my direct communication and intentions to make projects strive to be excellent in all aspects. Working with designers, other trades, and owners, while delivering a safe place to be heard and respected.

Emily Lowe – LCI-CPC, LCI-CPD-SME

Butz Family of Companies

1. How did you get started on your Lean journey?

I have always been one to challenge the norm, often questioning how things can be improved—made better, faster, easier. It wasn’t until late 2018, when I joined the Butz Family of Companies on my first healthcare project, that I got the opportunity to associate Lean terminology and practices to my natural way of thinking.

2. What’s the best career advice you’ve received?

Change can be uncomfortable, but learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. The only constant in life is change; and life happens, with or without you. And if you are not willing to change and adapt to new ideas, and new ways of doing things, then you risk the chance of being left behind.

3. What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?

One focus of my role is to inspire, motivate and coach teams to either continue to grow in their Lean understanding and implementation, or, in some cases, to try Lean tools and techniques for the first time. For those who are uncomfortable with change, the challenge to implement a Lean tool can be an intimidating task, if left unsupported. Early in my Lean journey, I easily felt defeated if I worked with someone attempting to implement a Lean process but who then reverted to a more familiar traditional method because “doing Lean” became too uncomfortable.

Today, after many steps to further my own Lean journey and self-development, I now realize that meeting people where they are, and challenging them to push their thinking to just beyond comfortable, is how I can best support the effort of transforming Lean in the industry.

Bernita Biekmann – LCI-CPD-SME

HKS Inc

1. How did you get started on your Lean journey?

A client, Bill Seed, introduced it on a project- Texoma Medical Center and the team was coached throughout that project with a Lean Consultant. That led to several opportunities on other projects.

2. What’s the best career advice you’ve received?

Be authentic.

3. What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?

It is always a challenge to introduce new ways of working to teams, especially people that are already highly effective. If you spend some time building trust, sharing case studies and getting them to try one thing, especially if it is something that will fix something that is an issue for them, you can then move on to bigger things.

Devra Brusso – LCI-CPC

Atlantic Constructors

1. How did you get started on your Lean journey?

I was first introduced to Lean through my previous employer, though they didn’t use the term explicitly. However, the principles were deeply ingrained in how we approached business every day. It shaped my mindset and the way I work.

2. What’s the best career advice you’ve received?

The best career advice I’ve ever received came both from my work experience and long before that. My grandmother always told me, “You should be learning something new every day—if you’re not, you’re not really living.” She also encouraged me to stay curious about the world because things are always evolving. That curiosity keeps life and work interesting.

3. What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?

Working in this industry, I’ve had to navigate complex situations, differing ideas, and a variety of personalities. I’ve overcome these challenges by fostering an open environment where new ideas are welcomed. Above all, I live by my motto—respect for people—which is also a core principle of LCI.

Virginia Cosgriff – LCI-CPC-SME

McGough Construction

1. How did you get started on your Lean journey?

I was first introduced to Lean in high school during a shop class. We participated in a Rube Goldberg competition where the challenge was to select, wash, and peel an apple in 20 steps. For anyone familiar with Lean, you can imagine how frustrating that was! That experience sparked my appreciation for efficiency early on, leading me to pursue industrial engineering.

2. What’s the best career advice you’ve received?

The best advice I’ve received is to be confident in myself. I’ve often found that men tend to exude confidence even when they know less, while women—despite being experts—sometimes hesitate to assert themselves. It’s important to trust in your knowledge and capabilities. You’ve put in the work, so own it!

LCI’s Female Lean Certificants

We’d like to recognize all of our LCI-CPC and LCI-CPD female certificants. We look forward to seeing this list grow in the years to come!

  • Andrea Klein, DPR Construction (LCI-CPC)
  • Andrea Sponsel, HKS, Inc (LCI-CPD-SME)
  • Annmarie Thurnquist, Jacobs (LCI-CPC-SME)
  • Bernita Beikmann, HKS, Inc (LCI-CPD-SME)
  • Christina Gedeon, Southland Industries (LCI-CPC)
  • Daniela Gracey, CRB Group (LCI-CPC)
  • Devra Brusso, Atlantic Constructors (LCI-CPC)
  • Heidi Gibson, Hammes Healthcare (LCI-CPC)
  • Emily Lowe, Butz Family of Companies (LCI-CPC; LCI-CPD-SME)
  • Katie Wells, LEED AP, Brasfield & Gorrie, L.L.C. (LCI-CPC-SME; LCI-CPD-SME)
  • Kristin Moreland, Cherry City Electric (LCI-CPC-SME)
  • Margarrett Buschkamp, Petra Construction (LCI-CPC)
  • Melissa Quintana, Hermosillo (LCI-CPC)
  • Michelle Taylor, Brasfield & Gorrie (LCI-CPC)
  • Rebecca Snelling, RS Consulting (LCI-CPC-SME)
  • Sagata Bhawani, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE, California State University – Fresno (LCI-CPC-SME)
  • Tammy McConaughy, Lean Construction Institute (LCI-CPC-SME; LCI-CPD-SME)
  • Victoria Navarro, AdventHealth (LCI-CPD-SME)
  • Virginia Cosgriff, M.S., Shingo Alumni, McGough Construction (LCI-CPC-SME)