No.1 Must-Have: “Relationships. My mantra is never stop learning and growing, while being bold and willing to take calculated risks.”
Dr. Giovanna Brasfield — “Dr. G” to her friends and colleagues — currently serves as the construction diversity and inclusion expert at Brasfield & Associates. Brasfield is an advocate and leader in the construction industry who is passionate about the inclusion of others within construction and construction-related trades.
Brasfield holds not one, but two, doctorate degrees from the University of La Verne. Giving further credit to her excellence are her many awards, including: 2020 Mujer del Año (awarded by the Regional Hispanic Institute as part of the Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce); a 2020 and 2019 Top 50 Construction Influencers across the United States (awarded by Autodesk); finalist of the Rising Star Award (awarded by the Los Angeles Business Journal); and Game Changer (awarded by Diversity Professional Magazine).
“I think back to early on in my career, being faced with so many challenges both in academics and professionally — I didn’t intend to get two doctorates,” said Brasfield. After being told she was the wrong fit for her initial program, and quickly overcoming that difficulty, she landed on her feet with an instructor who truly challenged and encouraged her to grow. Ultimately, Brasfield defended two different doctorates in one year — all of which proves that molds are meant to be broken and greatness is always within reach if you keep pushing.
That push can lead to big things, not just for an individual’s career
but for an entire business. Brasfield hopes to impress that diversity, equality and inclusion (DE&I) efforts have tangible benefits for construction businesses.
“There was a time [in meetings] when there wasn’t a push to focus on DE&I or compliance, so initially, [my priorities were] just on the back end of the agenda.” After requesting to be moved up in the agenda to follow the business development team, Brasfield said she noticed a significant difference in attention to the topic.
“That changed the importance a lot,” Brasfield said. “Managers were more engaged, and it helped them understand the importance of DE&I. They started winning more work because they had genuine intent for inclusion. This created a culture that helped them change for the better. There was no longer a separation between the business and DE&I. Now they were thinking about how those efforts helped the bottom line.”
Brasfield says this shift is being reflected in the industry at large over the last year with a push for nationwide awareness and the discussion of social injustice. “2020 was the year of ‘say something,’ and the country faced challenging social justice issues. Now, 2021 is a year of taking action. More companies today are implementing initiatives to act on last year’s talk in a meaningful way. 2022 will be an amazing year to really see how committed companies are to creating change.”
Brasfield is a woman on a mission to lift up her colleagues and inspire them as much as possible. And it’s clear that her infectious enthusiasm has helped her industry contacts grow and succeed.
“I am committed to reaching back and supporting others in their own journey no matter the type of role people decide to take part in the industry. My journey is really based on networks. It’s so critically essential to one’s success. I’m very fortunate to be able to speak at schools and speak about the future for students and how to push forward for their careers. I try to make myself available as well and make sure the industry is welcoming and inclusive,” said Brasfield.
“When I was faced with adversity, it really ignited my passion to focus on helping on others,” Brasfield said. According to Brasfield, women in construction are just about 10% of the workforce. “And when you factor in ethnicity, that number drops even lower. When it comes to being a minority woman you are often faced with challenges.”
But Brasfield stresses the importance of not letting those challenges be a hindrance.
“One lesson for women in the industry is to always speak up. Always remember you have power and a voice. Remove that imposter syndrome early on and push forward as soon as possible. Don’t worry about why you are there. You are wanted at the table.”
Brasfield makes a point to speak to minority communities and encourage them to participate in the construction industry. “I love speaking to youth in Black and brown communities and pushing them forward. It’s my job to represent them and inspire them so that they know they can do anything,” said Brasfield.
