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WIS #21 – Building Bridges: Creating Sustainable Inclusive Cultures

By Tamara Parris
Published: December 1, 2020 | Last updated: November 22, 2023
Key Takeaways

In this episode we share stories about the challenges women face in historically non-traditional roles, addressing barriers they have experienced, provide insightful tips and tricks to stay empowered and focus on best practices organizations must take to create and sustain inclusive cultures.

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Join us as Tricia Kagerer, EVP of Risk at Jordan Foster Construction, and author of "The B Word's," DPR Construction's National EHS Leader Michelle Gray and EHS Manager Grace Herrera share their career journey's! They share stories of challenges women face in historically non-traditional roles, addressing barriers they have experienced that still exist today. They provide insightful tips and tricks to stay empowered as women face today's unique challenges and focus on best practices organizations must take to create and sustain inclusive cultures.

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Our Guests

Tricia Kagerer EVP Risk Management Jordan Foster Construction and Autor of "The B Word’s"

Tricia is the author of the upcoming book “The B Words; 13 Words Every Woman Must Navigate on the Journey to Self-Defined Success” where she highlights challenges and breakthrough strategies for women entering non-traditional roles in the workplace.

Tricia is the Executive Vice President of Risk Management for Jordan Foster Construction a large construction organization that performs civil, multifamily and general contracting across Texas. Tricia leads the risk management, safety and leadership teams.

Tricia is a construction industry expert and speaker on various leadership, risk management and safety topics, including crisis management, emergency response best practices, education across cultures, and servant leadership and diversity.

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She holds a master’s degree in dispute resolution from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and her bachelor of science in business administration and bachelor of arts in communication—public relations from Regis University in Denver, Colorado.

Her professional credentials include Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU); Certified Safety Professional (CSP); Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS); Associate in Risk Management (ARM); Associate in Claims Management (AIC); licensed Texas claims representative and commercial agent; and served as a construction panel arbitrator with the AAA.

My mission is to support and promote women into nontraditional roles in the work place. I strive to make a difference in my corner of the world every day.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/triciakagerer

Cell: 915-203-4518

Email: [email protected]

www.triciakagerer.com

Michelle Gray National EHS Leader for DPR Construction

Michelle is a Safety Professional with the highest level of technical, analytical and communication skills proven by 20+ years of career progression in Environmental Health and Safety; utilizing risk management problem solving skills to help reduce loss of lives, property and reputation. She has expertise in construction-industrial, commercial, civil, federal and residential; general industry, manufacturing and, oil and gas industries make her a valuable resource. Her experiences working from both the contractors’ perspective as well as within the insurance industry, have helped develop a wide variety of problem-solving approaches. She continually strives to put workers and safety first by bringing best practices into management systems.

Michelle will provide safety leadership oversight and support to ensure that DPRs Fundamentals of Safety are developed, implemented and measured. If corrective actions are necessary, a plan will be developed with DPR project management that will support the project on their path to an Injury Free Environment.

She assists in providing leadership and direction to, Clients and Owners, Executive Management, Field Management and Craft Workers, through assistance in developing, educating and measuring DPR’s Safety Fundamentals. Work with management to maximize performance, accountability, and motivation of workforce while maintaining DPR’s Values: Integrity, Uniqueness, Enjoyment and Ever Forward.

Michelle collaborates with stakeholders to promote safety consciousness and reduce accidents through planning and implementing company values; works with management to identify areas for proactive/preventative safety measures and develops/conducts intervention as needed. Participates in developing and conducting safety processes and participates and/or leads safety related initiatives; assists in the development of safety professionals and superintendents in their understanding of an Injury Free Environment.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-gray-92641b72/

Grace Herrera EHS Systems Manager for DPR Construction

Grace is the EHS Systems Manager for DPR Construction where she is responsible for working cross-functionally to nurture, grow, and support the national EHS software rollout and sustainable growth model for EHS data metric platforms. Grace is responsibe for Collaborating with Safety Leadership Team, HT SME group and RISQ leaders to ensure EHS platforms are

supporting the EHS/RISQ processes continued growth and integration of EHS and Operations platform.

She is an expert on data analytics and software implementation that focused on processes that save lives and promote safety. Grace is also an expert on safety leadership, diversity and culture. Grace as over 18 years of safety experience working in manufacturing, construction, and insurance industries.

Grace has authored and co-authored many published articles and presented at several national professional development conferences including ASSP, AGC National Conference and IRMI. She was named one of the 2010 “Top 25 Women to Watch” by Business Insurance.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-herrera-2023b238/

Cell: 915-504-4134

Email: [email protected]

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Written by Tamara Parris

Tamara Parris

Tamara Parris is the VP of Community and Business Development at Safeopedia, and owner of EHS Professionals Group on LinkedIn. Her passion is working with other EHS Professionals to collaborate in thought leadership, networking and connecting our industry peers to resources that will increase profitability and safety practices within their workplaces. Tamara has been in the Health and Safety field for over 20 years, her industry experiences include the Construction sector, CCTV and Security, and Commercial Retail industries.

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