Her Story
About Keri
Keri Lara is a Senior Safety Specialist at J.E. Dunn Construction in Omaha, Nebraska, where she is dedicated to fostering a culture of safety through behavioral-based leadership, trust, and relationship building. Since beginning her construction safety career with Kiewit Construction in 2013, she has developed extensive expertise in construction safety, risk management, incident prevention, regulatory compliance, and leadership. Keri believes that safety is ultimately about protecting lives, and she is passionate about empowering field teams by earning their trust, demonstrating respect, and creating environments where every worker feels valued and accountable.
A lifelong learner, Keri has earned numerous professional credentials that reflect her commitment to excellence in workplace safety. She is a Certified Healthcare Safety Professional (CHSP) and Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST), has completed the Certified Leadership program through the University of Nebraska Omaha, and holds OSHA 500 and OSHA 510 certifications, qualifying her to teach OSHA 10- and 30-hour courses for both construction and general industry. She has also completed specialized training as a Fall Protection Competent Person and Excavation Competent Person and maintains professional membership with the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. In recognition of her accomplishments and leadership, Keri has been selected to be featured in the 2026 edition of Influential Women representing Omaha, Nebraska.
Keri attributes her success to her unwavering faith, her determination to continually grow, and her commitment to leading with integrity and respect. As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry, she has embraced the challenge of proving herself through knowledge, professionalism, and authentic leadership while encouraging others to pursue continuous education and never stop learning. Outside of work, Keri enjoys spending time with her husband, their ten grandchildren, and tackling home improvement projects together. She also supports charitable organizations, including homeless shelters and Toys for Tots, reflecting her belief that leadership extends beyond the workplace through service to others and making a positive difference in the community.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Keri
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say, the fact that I'm a driven person And God, first and foremost, you know, I… when I was younger, I wasnt probably the most ideal daughter, and God gave me an opportunity to be successful, and I told him if he gives me that, then Ill continue to run with it forever, and I… I haven't stopped yet.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I was having a frustrating moment with my old boss, and somebody just told me to live well. At the end of the day, I'm succeeding more than that individual did. So just live well Be a good person.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be determined be educated, and don't stop. be a leader, be a leader, Integrity is everything. Respect is everything, so if you can hold those two things, then you… I think you'll go far.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
As women in construction, we face the challenge that we work with men all day. You know, its hard to gain the respect and the trust of people whove been doing this for quite a long time, and the trust of, no offense, of men who don't value women and construction. And so thats really, really hard. And then you have, you know, leadership problems with, you know, people in positions higher than yours, and when youre trying to do the right thing, and maybe the funds ain't there Can be challenging. opportunities are to get more education, to obtain more knowledge, and leadership skills are really, really great to learn, so that way you can deal with people. I'm really focused on a behavioral-based safety program when it comes to to safety, and so, when I came into this job, they don't like safety people, because the safety people here were And so Ive been really working with my team to gain their trust, to show I value and respect them, and and its working for me.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Respect is number one. Because, you have to, you have to have respect for yourself and other people, and following that is integrity, because you have to… you have to mean what you say, and say what you mean. And you… you know, as women in construction, you gotta hold yourself to a different standard than men You know, you cant ruin your reputation, you know, because thats the most important thing you got Case in point, me coming to J.E. Dunn, they remembered who I am, they valued who I am, and that means something, you know, when you're out in a field like this.
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