August 11th, 2022

Melissa Gerard Vice President, LMA Group Inc.

Melissa Gerard is one of the owners of LMA Group Inc, a New York City based General Contracting & Construction Management firm.  LMA Group focuses on high end residential renovations for private clients in Manhattan and Brooklyn.  As an owner of the company Melissa wears many hats ranging from Estimating and Project Management to Business Development and running of the business.  Working her way up through the business as a woman has not always been easy, but knowing how to navigate what was once a man’s world and succeeding has been extremely rewarding. 

How women are assets to the construction world

Many of women's natural skills including compassion, organization, multi-tasking, warmth, and patience can greatly improve how construction projects and job sites are run.  Melissa will talk about how to put these skills to use.  She will share real life anecdotes about being a female in a male-heavy environment.

Justine Sears Owner, Moroso Construction

Deeply committed to her company, clients and team, Justine Sears is highly regarded in the construction and design industries for her skilled leadership of demanding custom projects, and for the clarity and equanimity that she contributes to the building process. Her expertise in guiding both the big picture and the details draws on an innate ability to foster strong relationships, and decades of experience managing architecturally significant residences and interiors.

A mentor and advocate for women in construction and adjacent professions, Justine actively builds community for these colleagues to connect and grow. She co-founded two highly successful initiatives where women uplift women: a San Francisco Bay Area networking group that offers camaraderie and opportunity for females in the industry, and She Builds SF, a chapter of Rebuilding Together’s national program promoting female skill-building and independence. Justine serves on the She Builds SF Steering Committee and on the Board of Rebuilding Together San Francisco.

Justine knew from a very young age that she would turn her lifelong fascination with residential architecture into a career, and each job she held over the years related to that singular goal. She first explored roles with designers and architects before finding her path in construction management, where she enjoys broader responsibility and involvement throughout a project’s entire process, from conception through execution.

Justine’s first construction job was on phase one of the SFO airport expansion, after which she transitioned to estimating and project management with a prominent high-end general contractor for nine years before joining Moroso in 2008 and becoming an owner in 2017. She earned her BA from Wheaton College.

Lead with Strength

How can we lean into decision making, lose self-doubt, become stronger leaders and more confident in our jobs?  Justine will share her 20-years of experience and growth in the construction industry and talk about what works and why.  She will discuss ways to lead difficult and often contentious conversations from a place of confidence and power.  Exploring ways to selectively use our best attributes as women and discuss why some of them, like self-reflection and empathy, can hold us back from being strong and decisive leaders.