Sammi Shepherd, Senior Project Manager

My name is Sammi Shepherd. I am the Senior Project Manager for Swinerton’s OCLA Education Group. I have been with Swinerton for two years.

Building Success Together: Celebrating Women in Construction Week at Swinerton

At Swinerton, we believe that diversity strengthens our teams and enhances our ability to deliver exceptional projects for our clients. As we celebrate Women in Construction Week, we’re spotlighting the invaluable contributions of women across our organization and exploring how our Women’s Business Resource Group (WBRG) is fostering connection, growth, and advancement.

Finding Her Voice in Construction

For Sammi Shepherd, Senior Project Manager for Swinerton’s OCLA Education Group and leader of the Women’s Business Resource Group, construction has been a lifelong passion. After studying architecture and engineering, Sammi found her true calling in construction.

“I always liked design. I’ve always liked the field, I’ve always loved dirt,” Sammi shares. “From my earliest experiences, I was drawn to the tangible aspects of building—not just designing on paper, but bringing structures to life.”

Now leading complex projects like the 78,000-square-foot Library Learning Commons at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, Sammi appreciates that no two days are ever the same. “Every single day is something different,” she explains. “That’s why I absolutely love what I do. You come into work with the mindset of accomplishing specific tasks, but the day often takes unexpected turns that require your immediate attention.”

The Importance of Women in Construction

Women bring unique perspectives and strengths to the construction industry. At Swinerton, we recognize the value of diverse viewpoints and multitasking capabilities that contribute to project success.

“Women are important in construction because we bring different ideas, different ways of doing things,” Sammi notes. “We bring multitasking personalities and can juggle multiple priorities efficiently.”

The Women’s Business Resource Group: A Path Forward

Swinerton’s Women’s Business Resource Group serves as a vital platform for networking, mentorship, and professional development. The group aims to create a supportive community where women can find resources, build connections, and advance their careers.

“Our goals and mission is to create a group where women feel like they have a sounding board, a place where they can find mentoring, and where they can connect with people like themselves,” Sammi explains. “It’s about helping each other grow within the company.”

Finding Your Voice

Sammi’s advice to women entering construction is simple yet powerful: “Women need to find their voice. They need to speak up for themselves. They need to be the ones looking out for themselves because, at the end of the day, no one’s going to look out for you if you don’t.”

She encourages women to communicate their career aspirations to leadership. “It’s very important to have good communication with your leads,” she advises. “We’re not going to know as management what you really want to do unless you show us initiative.”

Join the Movement

Swinerton’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is exemplified through our Business Resource Groups, providing avenues for connection and growth. The Women’s BRG specifically offers women and their allies opportunities to network, develop professionally, and contribute to Swinerton’s continued success.

“A call to action to all Swinerton women and men is to join together, help each other, be that resource for each other that we know we can be,” Sammi concludes. “As single individuals, we’re good, but as partners, we could be so much stronger.”

Join us as we celebrate Women in Construction Week and recognize the tremendous contributions women make to our industry, our projects, and our communities.