Her Story
About Deborah
Deborah Sturdefant has been in construction since 1978 and has served as an APM for an electrical contractor for the past 10 years in Mesa, Arizona. She specializes in estimating, where she breaks down plans to calculate materials like conduit, wire, and equipment needed for projects such as data centers. In addition to estimating, bidding, purchasing, and tracking jobs, she manages IT for the office and field. Sturdefant holds degrees in project management, estimating, and computer science from Hartnell College in Monterey, California, Portland Community College, and Lewis and Clark College. She mentors interns from Arizona State University and has helped homeless and addicted individuals find jobs and transition off the streets, for which she received the Spirit Award from MDU. Sturdefant attributes her success to her relationship with God and keeping positive people around her from whom she can learn. She advises young women entering the industry to find mentors willing to teach everything and to take as much knowledge as possible from everyone around them. Despite ongoing challenges with respect as a woman in the field, she sees opportunities in project engineering from initial concept through completion.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Deborah
01What do you attribute your success to?
My success comes from my relationship with God. I also keep positive people around me that I can learn from, both good and bad, to grow and recognize warning signs.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Find a person that's willing to teach you everything and stay with them. Once you've learned all you can, find another one. Take as much as you can from everyone around you.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Challenges include still facing lack of respect as a woman in the field, though it's better than when I started. Opportunities lie in project engineering, being involved from the initial idea of a building through to completion.
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