Oh No, She Didn’t! Oh Yes, She Did!!! 

Our panelists will share their thoughts on diversity in the workplace, overcoming barriers, managing diverse groups, sharing lessons learned, mentoring, challenges and successes in their entrepreneurial journey. 

Panelists:

Sharon Douglas, Potere Construction

Sharon Douglas is the founder and owner of Potere Construction.  She is a graduate of Huston-Tillotson College in Austin, Texas.  After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration, she was commissioned to the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant, specializing in Transportation and Supply Management. 

Noelle Ibrahim, VRX, Inc.

A passionate, hands-on construction manager, Noelle Ibrahim, PE, grew up in Israel and earned her master’s degree in civil engineering at Columbia University in New York. After graduation, she performed engineering design and construction management for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the New York State Department of Transportation. For six years, she served as a project manager for design and construction management at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bridges & Tunnels. She was MTA chief of staff for one year before moving to Texas with her family. She then worked for an international engineering firm in Dallas before becoming chief engineer of construction for the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA).

Ms. Ibrahim managed an $850 million construction program for the NTTA that entailed simultaneous construction of complex transportation infrastructure projects. Her success in this demanding role contributed to her reputation as an exemplary leader and solutions-oriented project manager – and established her as a “go to” engineer in heavy construction settings. After 15+ years working on the owner’s side, Noelle founded VRX, Inc. in 2006 to initially focus on construction management/engineering. Over the last decade, Noelle has expanded VRX’s offerings, which now include comprehensive turnkey engineering solutions and environmental consulting. VRX has more than 85 employees and offices in Texas, Oklahoma, and New York.

Sherrill Lester, QMF

 Sherrill Lester spent eight years in advertising before purchasing QMF Steel in 1994.   She  is a member of the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Regional   Hispanic Contractors Association, WBENC, COMTO and the WTS. Sherrill is a graduate   of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program and an Advisory Board Member   of BB&T Bank.

Her company, QMF Steel, was named the 2017 SBA National Prime Contractor of the Year for their work on a federal government contract. QMF is a miscellaneous metal supplier and fabricator for major Design Build highway projects, Commercial Construction projects and Federal Government agencies.|

 Rosa Navejar, The Rios Group

 Rosa Navejar is a versatile and active member of the Fort Worth business community   who has worked to support M/WBE programs and companies for over 15 years. Rosa   has  a deep personal knowledge of the Fort Worth community, having lived there since   birth and having served as President/CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of   Commerce (FWHCC). She was the first woman to hold this leadership role.

Rosa is currently President of The Rios Group, Inc., a firm that provides Subsurface Utility Engineering, and Utility Coordination services. She manages staffing; outreach for business development, branding, and marketing; and contract implementation and timeline of projects.

 

 

Register Now! Please note, all no shows will be billed.