Tradeswomen Taskforce: 2025 Taskforce Institute & Professional Development

The National Taskforce on Tradeswomen’s Issues will hold a 4-day conference in Chicago focused on advancing access, opportunity, and equity for women in construction trades.

Registration is closed.

Friday, September 19

Organizing for Change, Preparing the Next Generation, Creating Respectful Workplaces

• 8:20 a.m. – Welcome from Co-Chairs of the National Taskforce on Tradeswomen’s Issues
  • Janelle DeJan & Connie Ashbrook

• 8:30 – Organizing for Power: Workshop on Organizing for Change
  • Facilitator Aimée-Josiane Twagirumukiza, Midwest Academy

• 10:00 – Introducing the Next Generation of Young Women to the Trades
  • Moderator Janelle DeJan, Taskforce Co-Chair, Electrician, IBEW Local 130, New Orleans Louisiana
  • Latisa Kindred, Electrician, IBEW Local 134, Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructor at Simeon Career Academy High School in Chicago, IL and Leadership and her students
  • Judaline Cassidy, Plumber, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer, Tools and Tiaras
  • Mary Vogel, Co-Founder and Advisory Committee Member, Massachusetts Girls in Trades
  • Kelly Fair, President, Polished Pebbles

• 11:00 – Q&A: Respectful Workplaces
  • Rise Up
    • Karen Dove, Executive Director, Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional Employment for Women
  • Using Procurement to ensure Respectful Workplaces
    • Amy James Neel, Workforce and Contracting Equity Manager, Portland Community College
  • Your Rights to a Respectful Workplace
    
    • Jessica Ramey Stender, Policy Director & Deputy Legal Director, Equal Rights Advocates
  • Climate Scale to measure Respectful Workplaces
    • Erin Flynn, Outreach Program Director, Oregon Health Sciences University

Sunday, September 21

Building Toward Action  

• 1:10 – Welcome from Co-Chairs of the National Taskforce on Tradeswomen’s Issues
  • Janelle DeJan & Connie Ashbrook 

• 1:35 – Reflections on the Conference
  • Facilitator Jessenia Rivera, IUOE Stationary Engineer, TWTF Communications Committee Chair

• 2:05 – The World of Tradeswomen/History of Our Movement
  • Dr. Lynn Shaw, Electrician and Educator
  • Noreen Buckley, Electrician and Advocate for Tradeswomen Building Bridges

• 2:40 – Tradeswomen Data
  • Results from Tradeswomen Survey on Health, Safety and Well Being
    • Cassandra Chlevin, Research Associate / Project Manager
  • Data on Tradeswomen in State Apprenticeships
    • Ariane Hegewisch, Senior Research Fellow

• 3:30 – Ways of Tradeswomen Leadership
  • Facilitator: Kristine Azzoli, Restoration Mason and Welder, New York
  • Juanita Douglas, Executive Director, Tradeswomen, Inc. California (Carpenter, Surveyor)
  • Rose Evans, Sheet Metal Worker, New York
  • Jessenia Rivera, IUOE Stationary Engineer, New York

• 4:20 – Closing Remarks, Evaluations, and Gratitude