Her Story
About Dawn
Dawn Marie Ashcraft is a highly experienced construction professional and Construction Manager at Beta Engineering, bringing nearly 25 years of experience across construction management, quality assurance, materials testing, project engineering, inspection, and project management. Her career began in 2001 after transitioning from banking, when she joined the City of Greeley, Colorado, as a quality control testing technician. During her six years with the city, she performed quality assurance testing for asphalt, concrete, and soils while also supporting construction inspection activities. This early experience established a strong technical foundation and sparked a lasting passion for the construction industry.
Throughout her career, Ashcraft has progressively taken on greater responsibilities, including materials testing, project engineering for a $35 million apartment complex, and project management for a concrete construction company. She later served as a construction inspector and Senior Construction Manager with the City of Brownsville, Texas, where she further developed her expertise in overseeing construction projects and coordinating field operations. In March 2026, she joined Beta Engineering as Construction Manager, taking on the responsibility of overseeing electrical substation construction projects for power companies. In this role, she brings together her technical knowledge, field experience, project management capabilities, and understanding of construction processes. Her appointment also represents a significant milestone as she became Beta Engineering's first female Construction Manager.
Ashcraft attributes her professional success to her genuine passion for construction and the satisfaction she finds in bringing projects from concept to completion. She particularly enjoys the transformation of a blank canvas into a finished structure and takes pride in seeing the results of her work come to life. Honesty, integrity, follow-through, and accountability are central to her approach, both professionally and personally. She also believes in pursuing opportunities with confidence rather than allowing fear to stand in the way of progress. Outside of work, Ashcraft enjoys golf, long hikes and other outdoor activities with her dog, international travel with friends, and spending quality time with her daughter and granddaughter. Through her career and personal life, she continues to demonstrate a commitment to growth, perseverance, and building meaningful results.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Dawn
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to genuinely loving what I do. I have always enjoyed building things and seeing a project come together from beginning to end. There is something incredibly rewarding about starting with a blank canvas and watching it transform into a completed building. That passion for creating, problem-solving, and seeing tangible results has continued to motivate me throughout my career.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to believe that I could do whatever I set my mind to. My former boss with the City of Greeley reminded me that I was already thinking and working like an engineer and that I should not feel that I needed another degree to validate my abilities. He encouraged me to recognize the knowledge and experience I already had and trust in my capabilities rather than spend unnecessary time and money trying to prove myself. That advice taught me to have confidence in my skills, experience, and potential.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to be confident in your abilities and not let rejection or other people’s perceptions discourage you. If you know you belong in the room, own your place and make your voice heard. Women can sometimes be judged differently for being assertive, while the same qualities may be viewed as confidence or determination in men. Stay focused on your goals, remain professional, and do not allow stereotypes or labels to diminish your confidence or ambition.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is navigating a traditionally male-dominated industry, where women may still encounter assumptions about their capabilities or be held to different standards. At times, I have felt that women have to work even harder to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and value. At the same time, there are tremendous opportunities for growth and advancement. Someone can begin as a project coordinator, progress into project management, or pursue fieldwork and gain firsthand experience seeing projects develop from start to finish.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are honesty, integrity, and accountability. I believe in being truthful, doing the right thing even when no one is watching, and following up and following through on my commitments. Building trust with others is important to me, and I strive to demonstrate these values consistently in everything I do.
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