National Women in Construction Week is this March 6-12, as well as Women’s History Month.

Being female leader in the construction field is gaining momentum and having access to perspectives on construction as a career path is crucial to climbing up the corporate structure.

Skanska USA offers this nurturing environment for experienced and emerging female construction talent. See below examples of their current talent exemplifying this excellence:

Theodora Diamantis, Vice President and Account Manager of Skanska USA Building brings more than two decades of experience to the organization, where she delivers high-profile, healthcare, higher education, cultural, commercial and state-of-the-art research laboratory projects in the NY/NJ regions.

Theodora is Skanska’s cultural and higher education sector lead for Metro New York, also serving key clients within the healthcare and life sciences sectors. Over the last 18 months, she has managed 10 projects totaling over $1 billion for The St. Nicholas Church Reconstruction, Row New York, a confidential museum client, NYU, Princeton University, Columbia University, Regeneron, The New York Economic Development Public Health Lab and The Westchester Medical Center.

Adding to her exceptional leadership within the organization, Theodora plays an integral role within Skanska Women’s Network (SWN), the firm’s first employee resource group that continues to advocate for holistic change as they aim to Be Better – Together.

Anita Nelson, Chief Strategy Officer of Skanska USA Building brings more than 19 years of experience to the firm, leading efforts to identify, develop, and help implement the company’s strategic goals. As part of the USA Building Senior Leadership Team, Anita analyzes emerging trends and harnesses market data and analysis to ensure the health, viability, and sustainability of the business.

Throughout her career, Anita has proven herself adept at tackling complex problems and has consistently exceeded expectations in a variety of roles. In recognition of her dedication, outstanding technical ability, and advocacy for women in construction, Nelson has accumulated several industry-wide awards, including Engineering News-Record’s 2019 Top Young Professionals list, Building Design + Construction’s 40 Under 40 2019 list, and Professional Women in Construction’s 2018 20 Under 40 Outstanding Women in Construction Award.

Nelson has established herself an advocate for women in construction, serving on the board of the Women’s Builder’s Council from 2017 to 2019, where she created Women Build New York, an event focused on tackling issues around inclusion and creating a culture of diversity within the industry.

As an emerging, barrier-breaking professional at the forefront of a new frontier for construction, Samiha Shakil, Senior VDC Engineer at Skanska, is an experienced and award-winning BIM Engineer with a demonstrated history of success working in the construction industry.

As a champion of implementing new and innovative technologies to the projects that she leads, Samiha has applied her expertise to notable projects, including BIM coordination at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), laser scanning on a Large-Scale Hospital Project, and 3D printing at the Boys and Girls Club.

Samiha was key to efforts supporting first-responders during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she leveraged her experience in 3D printing and design to print more than 500 faceguards, donating them to hospitals across NYC while adhering to strict safety protocols required by the healthcare industry. In 2020, Samiha was named one of Autodesk Construction Solutions’ 40 Under 40 Construction Champions.

About Skanska USA

Skanska uses knowledge & foresight to shape the way people live, work, and connect. More than 135 years in the making, we’re one of the world’s largest development and construction companies. We operate in select markets throughout the Nordics, Europe and the United States. Skanska in the U.S. is headquartered in New York City with 30 offices around the country. In 2021, construction in the U.S. generated $6.4 billion in revenue, and as a developer in the U.S., Skanska has invested a total of $3 billion in commercial and multi-family projects. Together with our customers and the collective expertise of our 7,300+ teammates in the U.S. and 30,000+ globally, we create innovative and sustainable solutions that support healthy living beyond our lifetime.