Gail Morelle, vice president at Christa Construction, was inspired by her father’s career in the HVAC trade to pursue a path in construction. “I started my journey working with an electrical contractor and have been in the construction industry ever since,” she explained. After gaining experience with other contractors, Morelle joined Christa Construction, where she worked directly with the former owner, Dave Christa, and eventually became a partner.
With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Morelle has spent 15 of those years at Christa. In 2020, she and her partners took ownership of the business. Reflecting on the construction field, she remarked, “It’s always been predominantly men. I don’t think many women consider construction as a career. However, the industry offers many different avenues, whether it’s fieldwork, office roles like estimating, compliance management or business development.”
Morelle has noticed that women in construction often need to work twice as hard to be recognized. She also believes there is a misconception that construction work is solely about being out in the field. “While we do have female project managers at our sites, there are numerous roles within the industry that don’t require fieldwork,” she said.
Becoming a partner and vice president at Christa Construction stands out as the most meaningful milestone in Morelle’s career. Another significant achievement was her involvement in getting a nonunion apprenticeship program approved by the New York State Department of Labor. This program offers individuals in New York the opportunity to work in the field, alongside additional classroom training, to become construction managers. Graduates receive a certificate from New York state. So far, two Christa apprentices have completed the program, with two more currently enrolled.
“Visiting jobsites and witnessing the progress of construction projects is what drew me to stay in the field,” Morelle reflected. She finds immense satisfaction in transforming vacant land and repurposing buildings for adaptive reuse. Multifamily affordable housing projects are an important sector of business for Christa Construction across New York state. For Morelle, seeing clients finally secure a safe, affordable home is deeply rewarding. “That’s probably the most fulfilling part of my work — partnering with developers who focus on affordable housing.”
She recalled a powerful moment when her brother spoke at a ribbon-cutting ceremony, emphasizing the security of having a warm, safe home during their childhood. “I never thought about it that way, but he was absolutely right,” Morelle said. She firmly believes that having a place to call home and knowing there are people who care can change lives. Safe, affordable housing, in her view, can alter the course of a person’s future.
Growing up with four brothers, Morelle was often seen as tough. “We often say, ‘No crying in construction.’ But I believe you can be a woman in this industry and still succeed,” she remarked. Despite spending most of her time working with men, she has found her place and strives to be recognized in an industry that hasn’t always been supportive of women.
Active in nonprofit organizations, committees, and various industry groups, Morelle hopes the industry will become more welcoming to women. She also advocates for more women-specific training programs.
Within Christa Construction, Morelle is committed to creating a supportive environment for female staff. “I want them to feel heard and included. We often organize ladies’ nights, and we recently participated in a Habitat Women’s Build,” she shared. “I believe that fostering empowerment among the women at our office is one of the meaningful contributions I’ve made.”
