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Noelle Idehara has dedicated her career to not only building better schools for students and staff but also teaching young people about the myriad opportunities that are available in the construction industry.

Her involvement in the ACE Mentor Program has inspired countless high school students interested in architecture, construction and engineering. At Lincoln High School, Idehara assisted in developing and teaching a new construction curriculum. At Mountainside High School, she collaborated with schools and apprenticeship programs to arrange construction site tours for student groups of all ages.

She has inspired youth by sharing her diverse experience in the construction industry during speaking engagements at Cleveland High School and Ida B. Wells High School. Idehara worked on the Ida B. Wells High School modernization project and assembled a team that was comprised of more than 50 percent women.

Idehara also played a crucial role in establishing Hoffman鈥檚 Project Engineering Committee. She has led training sessions to empower project engineers.

Ashley Johnson, lead carpenter at Mortenson, has built a seven-year career in construction through dedication to craft and continuous skill development. She completed a comprehensive apprenticeship program, gaining expertise in both concrete and finish work that enables her to oversee projects from foundation to completion.

Johnson鈥檚 technical proficiency spans the full construction process, allowing her to lead teams through complex builds with hands-on knowledge of each phase. Her approach to leadership centers on establishing clear objectives, defining team roles, and fostering workplace cultures built on mutual respect and accountability to professional standards.

鈥淲hat drives our team to success is having a clear goal and everyone knowing their role,鈥� Johnson explained. 鈥淗aving respect and empathy for one another and holding each other accountable to professional standards.鈥�

Johnson maintains active involvement in the construction trades community through membership in the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Sisters in the Brotherhood, organizations supporting skilled tradespeople and women in the industry.

During nearly three decades with McKinstry, Mark Jonson has been responsible for a variety of activities, among them the delivery of design/build construction and energy services performance contracting projects for clients.

His experience spans the spectrum of project delivery and includes estimating and financial analysis, conceptual design, audits and project development, pre-construction coordination, project management, commissioning and performance assurance.

Jonson is past president of SafeBuild Alliance Washington, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the construction culture and eliminating incidents and injuries on jobsites. Its vision, 鈥淶ero Incidents Through Collaboration,鈥� aims to encourage highly collaborative and innovative cultures to achieve its goal of incident-free workplaces.

In addition, Jonson dedicates time and resources to groups such as Seattle Colleges and the Washington Trails Association. He also serves as a mentor to undergraduate students at his alma mater, the University of Washington.

Kristine Kennedy describes Highway Heavy Hauling as 鈥渢he dream that became a reality鈥� in 2013 when she and her brother decided they could haul construction equipment better and safer than their competitors.

By the end of their first year, they had three employees and four trucks and trailers. A decade later, Kennedy had grown the company to more than 20 employees with drivers covering the entire Pacific Northwest.

Her leadership philosophy is to support others in their success at work and at home. Kennedy believes happy employees truly equate to a business that excels in the services it offers and in safe practices.

鈥淢y biggest accomplishment is remaining strong in my faith and trusting God to protect my family and my company, even when the risk is high,鈥� she said.

Kennedy chairs the Oregon Trucking Association鈥檚 Image Committee and serves on the Portland Freight Committee, Motor Carrier Transportation Advisory Committee and the state鈥檚 Mobility Advisory Committee. She is a member of the Northwest Utility Contractors Association and Associated General Contractors of America.

Rebekah Kilgore, purchasing manager with Hoffman Construction, has spent nearly 31 years with the company and 34 years in the industry building expertise in project management and subcontractor relations. Throughout her career, she has contributed to iconic Pacific Northwest projects including the University of Oregon鈥檚 Hayward Field renovation, Portland International Airport鈥檚 terminal core program, and the Lincoln High School replacement.

Kilgore has focused her work on connecting local and diverse subcontractors to major construction projects, helping small and emerging businesses grow while delivering complex builds. 鈥淪upporting those on your team and enabling them with the tools they need to do their job and grow is success for everyone,鈥� she explained about her approach to leadership.

She remains active in industry organizations including the National Association of Women in Construction, Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, National Association of Minority Contractors, and Portland Business Development Group. Her current work centers on leveraging three decades of construction experience to support colleagues and subcontractors in overcoming project challenges.

Kyle Lee鈥檚 career accomplishments include leading the expansion of Streimer鈥檚 business into the HVAC piping and plumbing markets, successfully managing several complex projects, and developing a team that excels in these markets.

He said the hands-on, problem-solving nature of mechanical construction drives him to succeed, from working through design and conceptual ideas, identifying potential roadblocks and developing solutions that bring everything together seamlessly.

鈥淪eeing systems evolve from abstract plans to fully functional, efficient operations is incredibly rewarding,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 that combination of technical complexity, teamwork and tangible results that continues to fuel my passion for this field.鈥�

Lee鈥檚 participation in career fairs allows him to share his experiences and expertise, providing students with a realistic understanding of the mechanical construction field as a career option. He also supports Portland YouthBuilders and the ACE Mentor Program, among other nonprofits and charities.

鈥淚 believe it鈥檚 essential to break outdated stereotypes about the industry and show young people the wide range of opportunities available, from hands-on trade roles to project management, engineering and beyond,鈥� he said.