DC's First Women In Workforce Conference

Aug 12

Project Manager, Barbara Price, gives Women in Workforce three C’s to remember.

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser held her first ever Women in Workforce Conference. The purpose of this event was for women professionals who are doing amazing things in Washington to share their experiences as women in the workforce. On behalf of the D.C. Department of Employment Services (DOES), Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes said,

“I have the honor of advancing Mayor Muriel Bowser's vision. We are proud to empower job seekers, motivate young adults, and create opportunities to connect the District business to quality, industry-trained talent from the nation's capital.

Our conference theme is Women with Passion. Women with Purpose. Women with Principle. We have brought together some of the leading women and men across industries to provide you with a full day of informative panel discussions and networking with some of the city's most respected and skilled professionals.”

Barbara R. Price, Coakley & Williams Construction's Project Manager building the new Edgewood Recreation Center in Ward 5, moderated the 45-minute breakout session discussing risk-taking behavior being a characteristic for success. Barbara has over 20 years of experience as a construction Project Manager, but she didn't always know that this was the path for her. Prior to construction, she spent 15 years serving our country in the U.S. Army as a nuclear, biological, radiological responder and trainer. She discussed her time after the U.S. Army, and the giant risk that she took by drastically changing careers. Now, she is extremely content, and manages construction projects ranging from $5-33 million.

Barbara also took the initiative to start up the paid internship program at Coakley & Williams Construction for high school students. This program supports the kids in surrounding communities of our projects. With the paid internship program, the youth can gain real-life experiences that they cannot gain anywhere else. Her most recent high school graduate, Lorris Watson, successfully interned with Barbara at the DC Department of General Services project, LEED Silver Edgewood Recreation Center.

During the discussion at the Women in Workforce Conference Breakout Session, Barbara used the opportunity to let the attendees know what has helped her as a woman in the workforce, and to get to a point where she is happy in her career and able to give back to others.