Building California's future
Learn more about the people and purpose behind Build California
BUILD CALIFORNIA IS A CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY REBRANDING AND RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN
Who We Are
Build California is a program of the AGC Construction Education Foundation (CEF), a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation that is dedicated to inspiring, developing, and equipping California’s current and future construction workforce.
Today 70% of college students graduate with student loans, averaging about $37,000 and dismal job prospects in their desired field. Despite increased media attention about on-going labor shortages and other workforce development efforts, young people simply aren’t considering (let alone pursuing) careers in the trades. According to AGC of America, 80% of contractors “report difficulty finding qualified craft workers to hire as [the] association calls for measures to rebuild workforce.”
So where’s the disconnect? The problem lies in people’s perception of the industry. We have to change hearts and minds – we have to redefine our industry; we have to re-educate Californians, and we have to invest in our own legacy so that future generations aspire to be tradespeople. Build California’s pioneering approach utilizes a mix of marketing, advertising, public relations, and grassroots outreach tactics in order to actively engage with Californians of all ages about the lucrative, long-term, and immediate benefits of careers in the state’s construction industry.
Our Mission: Build California is a comprehensive workforce development program created to inspire, engage and activate the next generation of California’s construction workforce. We do this by shaping positive perceptions of the construction industry, informing young people and their influencers about the real career opportunities in construction, connecting them to local training programs and employers.
Our Vision: Build California’s vision is to create a steady, motivated and skilled workforce pipeline for California’s construction industry. Our unique approach is defined by an ability to:
• Authentically showcase the diverse career and training pathways the modern industry has to offer.
• Effectively reach and inform audiences on multiple platforms with targeted messaging.
• Present a perspective on the industry that is actually “cool” to both young people & other target audiences.
Board of Directors
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Sarah Carr
Vice President, McCarthy Building Companies
Chair
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Daniel R. Dumke
Senior Director, Shawmut Design & Construction
Vice Chair
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Peter Tateishi
Chief Executive Officer, AGC of California
President
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Juliana Almanza
Chief of Staff, AGC of California
Treasurer
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Darla Macomber
Chief Operating Officer, AGC of California
Secretary
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Lisa Ballantyne
Senior Vice President, Turner Construction Company
Director
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Lisa Becerra
Chief of Staff, The Laborers Training School & Apprenticeship Program
Director
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Jim Blois
President, Blois Construction
Director
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Dr. Giovanna Brasfield
CEO, Brasfield & Associates
Director
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Bill Boyd
President, Sully-Miller Contracting
Director
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Patty Dutra Bruce
VP, Human Resources, Dutra Group
Director
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Raewyn Lelo-Butcher
Executive Vice President, Ghirardelli Associates
Director
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Leonard Gonzales
Executive Director, Laborers Training & Retraining Trust Fund NorCal
Director
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Kevin Halfhill
Senior Estimator, Otto Construction
Director
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Perry Hawkins
Financial Secretary, Operating Engineers Local Union 12
Director
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Dr. Irish Horsey
Director of Industry Advancement, Procore Technologies
Director
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Steve Ingersoll
President, Operating Engineers Local 3
Director
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Julie Irvin
Chief Financial Officer, A-C Electric Company
Director
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Nataline Lomedico
Chief Executive Officer/President, Giroux Glass
Director
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Steve Long
Director of Innovation and Learning, Dome Construction
Director
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Chris Pedroza
Executive Director, Carpenters 46 NorCal Counties Conference Board
Director
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Alena Quintero
Director of Business Development, DPR Construction
Director
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Josh Raper
Regional Manager, Western States Regional Council of Carpenters
Director
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Peter Razavi
Enterprise Sales Leader, Autodesk
Director
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Monty Richmond
Director of Human Resources, Underground Construction Co., Inc.
Director
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Justin Ross
Senior National Account Manager - General Contracting, Milwaukee Tool
Director
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Leslie Schlaegel
VP of Talent Development, Royal Electric Co.
Director
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Ben Walnum
Project Manager, Griffith Company
Director
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John Dunn
Regional Director of Apprenticeship, Bay Area Community College Consortium
Emeritus
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Cathy Skeen
Senior Vice President, NFP
Emeritus