Jasmine Collins Villalobos

I attribute my success first to the grace of God and the values instilled in me by my family—to persevere, remain grounded, and keep moving forward even when the path is difficult. My mother, a brilliant woman who built her own success in a male-dominated field, has always been one of my greatest inspirations. Her example taught me that obstacles are not reasons to stop; they are opportunities to become stronger and create a better path for those who follow.

That purpose is especially personal to me when I think about my daughters, Abby Collins and Katie Collins. I often tell them that I did not raise princesses waiting to be rescued by a prince—although there is nothing wrong with finding your prince! I raised strong, independent women who know their worth, can stand on their own, and are programmed to shatter the glass ceiling. I want them to inherit a world with fewer barriers, but more importantly, I want them to have the strength and confidence to break through whatever barriers remain. I hope that through my own efforts, sacrifices, and leadership, I can help clear that path—not only for my daughters, but for other women coming behind us as well.

I also attribute my success to a never-ending curiosity and commitment to growth. I have never wanted to stop learning or limit myself to one discipline. My journey from Architectural Engineering and Interior Architecture to construction and executive leadership has been shaped by continually challenging myself to learn more. That pursuit led me to Harvard University’s Public Leadership Credential in Policy and Finance, as well as professional credentials including Certified Healthcare Constructor, OSHA 30, and ASSE 6020 Medical Gas Inspector.

Ultimately, I believe my success comes from a combination of faith, family, perseverance, curiosity, and purpose. Success, to me, is not simply how far I can go—it is how much I can grow along the way, what example I leave for my daughters, and how many doors I can help open for the women and generations coming behind me.

The best career advice I have ever received is to never underestimate the value of mentorship, hard work, and the courage to step into opportunities that challenge you. Go at them full force—and with a smile on your face! Those are the moments you will remember. And if you fail, own it. Fall flat on your face—don’t even put your hands out! Then get back up as quickly as you can, shake off the dust, figure out what went wrong, learn from it, and go at it again.

Success isn’t about never falling; it’s about how quickly you get back up, what you learn from the fall, and having the courage to try again.

Throughout my career, mentors such as David Simpson “GC” and Scott Shiner “MEP” saw strengths in me that, at times, I had not yet recognized in myself. They challenged me to grow, encouraged me to step beyond barriers, and taught me that perseverance and a willingness to prove yourself can open doors you may never have imagined.

Their influence also taught me something that I now carry into my own leadership: teaching is one of the greatest gifts we can give our employees. Knowledge should not be guarded; it should be passed forward. When we pour our experience into others with patience, love, and respect, we are doing more than developing employees—we are developing future leaders.

Projects eventually end, but the knowledge we share continues through the people we helped grow. To me, that is a legacy worth leaving.

My advice to women entering this industry is to follow your passion, stay curious, and never stop learning. Listen to the experienced professionals around you—especially the skilled tradespeople in the field. Their hands-on knowledge is invaluable, and some of the most important lessons in construction will never come from a textbook.

And don’t be afraid to be the only woman in the room—on the contrary, enjoy it. Embrace what makes you different and use it to your advantage. Bring your own perspective, ask questions, know your work, and never feel that you need to become someone else to earn your place at the table. You belong there because of what you bring to it.

Be thoughtful with your words, but confident in your voice. Listen before you speak, and when you speak, make it count. Be willing to take on challenges that make you uncomfortable, because that is often where the greatest growth happens.

Finally, lift other women as you advance. Mentor, teach, share what you have learned, and create opportunities for those coming behind you. I have found that you often learn just as much by teaching as you do by being taught.

Most importantly, don’t focus on fitting into the room. Focus on what you can contribute to it—and never underestimate the power of being different.

I see one of the biggest challenges in construction today as a combination of workforce transition and the loss of generational knowledge. Construction remains a male-dominated industry, particularly in leadership and the skilled trades, but we are also losing something that was much more common 20 years ago: experienced craftspeople passing their knowledge, skills, and pride in the trades from one generation to the next. In a society increasingly focused on immediate results, that tradition of learning through patience, mentorship, and experience is becoming harder to preserve.

At the same time, I believe that challenge represents one of our greatest opportunities. We have the chance to intentionally rebuild that culture of mentorship, attract a new generation to the trades, embrace technology and creativity, and create more opportunities for women to enter the industry—not only to participate, but to lead.

Coming from humble beginnings in Costa Rica, I learned early that opportunity is something you sometimes have to create for yourself. Hard work, resilience, curiosity, and determination have allowed me to turn challenges into opportunities throughout my career. Today, I see an industry with enormous potential to evolve while preserving the invaluable knowledge of those who built it before us.

Our opportunity is not simply to build the next generation of projects—it is to build the next generation of builders and leaders.

Time is one of the values I treasure most because time is a precious commodity—once it is spent, we cannot get it back. I value being intentional with my time, especially the time I share with family and the people who matter most to me.

I also value purpose, kindness, and making a meaningful impact on others. Life is short, and I believe every interaction is an opportunity to encourage someone, teach something, learn something, or simply leave that person a little better than I found them.

Creativity is equally important to me. Whether I am dancing, sculpting, drawing, or painting, those forms of expression give me balance and allow another side of my mind to breathe. Interestingly, creativity also complements my engineering and construction mindset—it reminds me that there is rarely only one way to solve a problem.

Ultimately, the values that guide both my personal and professional life are time, family, purpose, kindness, and creativity. I want to use my time wisely, create things that matter, and make a positive difference in the lives of the people I encounter along the way.