Empowered Women in Leadership

Empowered Women Empower Women | Origination of Hispanic Contractors of Colorado’s (HCC) Women in Leadership (WIL) Committee

On a summer afternoon in 2018, good friends Ale Spray, Lisa Larance, and Summer Westbrooks gathered–margaritas in hand–to discuss ideas, goals, and benefits of establishing an HCC committee designed to support women in the A/E/C industry. Ale was in the homestretch of her second term as HCC Board President and, with Ale’s on-brand vivacity, she set out with an idea in support of enhanced opportunity and community for women in the industry. Ale had selected two powerful, reliable industry women to help her in this mission.

Ale recalls, “Then HCC ED Chris Martinez and I were discussing the message HCC was sending by successfully supporting a female in the role of board president but also reflecting on how much work still needed to be done in elevating the role of women in this industry and the organization–the importance of providing a network of support and camaraderie to women entrepreneurs, members, young professionals, etc.?Chris said, “Before your term ends, we should launch a committee to support the women in HCC”. With that, the idea was born.

HCC Women in Leadership Committee was made possible with the buy-in of two ambitious female leaders–Lisa and Summer embraced Ale’s ideas and her commitment to be involved with the committee “at whatever capacity was needed.”

“Ale Spray approached me and said she had just pitched an idea to the HCC about creating a group called Women in Leadership and wanted to know if I was interested in helping to kick off the committee as a co-chair with Lisa Larance. Ale has been a mentor of mine for about eight years now, and I trusted her vision of what she wanted the group to be.” Summer Westbrooks

With HCC’s full support, the trio launched their first in-person event at the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus, it was a Women in Leadership Breakfast, in January 2020. The response was overwhelming, with attendance far surpassing expectations, but soon the momentum was disrupted with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“On a personal note, I was facing a challenging situation at that time but stepping in the auditorium and seeing that many friendly faces, the energy, and love I felt was part of my healing journey.” Ale Spray

Ale, Lisa, and Summer adjusted their approach but never steered away from their goals to bring women together and empower them. With wisdom and insight, they properly assessed that the need for women to have this community was growing, now more than ever. Meetings went virtual and the committee continued to thrive. Ale reflects, “With the determination that as construction was deemed essential during this challenging time, the role of women in the industry was also essential–so we were there for the members and anyone that was ready to join.”

“I grew up around powerful women, so I loved the idea of creating a safe space within the HCC for other females in the industry to create a strong network. The group kicked off in January 2020, and I believe women needed each other more than ever at that time – as statistics proved that women were leaving construction at the height of the pandemic in growing numbers. Though it was kicked off at the worst time possible, we had a great showing in each meeting. It was evident that women within the HCC wanted a support system, especially for female small business owners.” Summer Westbrooks

Spoiler alert, these three women in leadership succeeded and the WIL committee not only survived the pandemic but was successfully passed along to Susie Lanners and Jaime Clark fall of 2021. Together, Susie and Jaime added their creative aspects to the committee, designing a logo and selecting a tagline from committee contributions, “Where there is a WIL, there is a way.” Another successful year was achieved. Funds had been raised and presented to Hope Lives Here Colorado, an organization assisting victims of the Marshall Fire, along with many other accomplishments.

In late fall of 2022, Susie and Jaime sat down with Lindsay Brown and Erika Anderson–margaritas in hand–to share new ideas, goals, and thoughts for the future of HCC’s WIL Committee. “Pioneering a space is never easy, Susie and I faced real challenges. Knowing that I had a woman in leadership like Susie Lanners by my side made everything seem doable, and I have full confidence in Lindsay and Erika to continue the WIL mission and build upon the strong foundation.” Jaime Clark

Of the goals laid out by Lindsay and Erika one of the most notable is the “safe space” these leaders intend to establish for all WIL members. This is meant to encourage members to show up as they are, participate freely with true authenticity, and grow in their unique leadership abilities. Lindsay cites Abby Wambach, “If you’re not a leader on the bench, don’t call yourself a leader on the field. You’re either a leader everywhere or nowhere.”

First appeared in?Colorado Construction & Design Magazine - Spring 2023 (ccdmag.com)