ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Women are making inroads into the construction industry, but they remain vastly underrepresented on job sites. Ashley Kepley-Steward knows this firsthand.
As Director of Operations for Red Tree Builders–Alair Asheville, Kepley-Steward manages residential projects across Western North Carolina. She’s often interfacing with subcontractors, clients and vendors, some of whom are surprised to learn she’s the one leading the build.
“You’ve definitely got to prove yourself as a woman,” Kepley-Steward said. “And I also look young, so it’s kind of a double whammy.”
Kepley-Steward entered the field nearly a decade ago, when women made up less than 9% of the construction workforce. That number has ticked upward to just under 11%, but the gender gap remains wide, especially in leadership roles.
To help close that gap locally, the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains (BABRM) has launched a new chapter of the National Association of Home Builders’ Professional Women in Building Council. The council is designed to connect and advocate for women working in and around the construction industry.
“We had this group in the past and wanted to bring it back,” said Maria Aponte Zimmer, co-chair of the group and an agent with Hummingbird Insurance. “BABRM has grown and we have a lot more women participating in construction in many ways. It’s really exciting.”
The group’s first meeting in May drew several dozen attendees. Future plans include hands-on educational workshops and fundraising events to support a scholarship fund, which will help cover the cost of training for individuals entering the construction trades.
Participants span a wide range of roles and organizations within the industry, from builders at Ward Enterprises & Ventures and designers at More Space Place to sales associates at 84 Lumber and lighting specialists from Christie’s Lighting Gallery. That diversity is part of what makes the group so dynamic. Women from different corners of the industry are coming together to learn from one another and grow.
“There’s something powerful about gathering in a smaller setting,” Zimmer said. “Bigger association meetings can be intimidating. But here, women can talk through challenges, share ideas and feel heard.”
That sense of belonging is critical not just for individual career growth, but for the future of WNC.
“We’re in a housing crisis in Western North Carolina,” said Megan Carroll, executive officer of BABRM. “One of the biggest barriers to building more homes is a shortage of people to do the work. If we want to grow the workforce, we have to remove barriers and make construction more accessible to women.”
For that to happen, visibility is key.
“Representation matters,” said Kepley-Steward, who got her start as an intern at Red Tree in 2017 while studying construction management at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Over the years, Kepley-Steward rose through the ranks to her current executive role. Now, she’s paying it forward by mentoring a 16-year-old apprentice spending her summer shadowing the Red Tree team on active job sites.
Kepley-Steward’s advice to young women hoping to enter the field? Believe in yourself.
“The biggest thing to navigate as a woman on the job site is imposter syndrome,” said Kepley-Steward. “But if you have some confidence and you ask questions, then people are going to want to work with you and trust that you have their best interests at heart.”
For more about the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains, visit www.bablueridge.com.
