3 Nashville Women Wielding Hammers & Wearing Hard Hats

The article highlights three Nashville women—Carrington Fox, Pamela Leonard, and Nolee Anderson—who have carved out successful careers in the male-dominated construction industry. It explores their paths into the field, the challenges and advantages they experience as women in trades, and their motivations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women comprise only 9.9% of all construction jobs, making their stories particularly notable. Carrington Fox transitioned into carpentry three years prior after two decades of writing. She enrolled in the Building Construction Technology class at Tennessee College of Applied Technology, where she learned various building skills. Her blog, “Build Me Up, Buttercup,” documents her journey, emphasizing personal growth through new challenges. In 2018, she was recognized as the Tennessee Outstanding Technical Student of the Year. Currently, she works at The Wills Company Design/Build/Handyman firm, appreciating the daily variety and continuous learning opportunities from experts in diverse building trades. Fox observes that working in a male-dominated field can have its unique dynamics but also offers advantages. Her personal advice is the carpenter's adage, “Measure twice, cut once,” and she finds joy in backyard chickens, sidewalks, and estate sales. Pamela Leonard, a licensed general contractor and owner of Redmont Enterprises, developed an interest in construction from a young age, influenced by her engineer father and design-savvy mother. Her childhood experiences included building structurally sound forts. She pursued a general contractor's license after discovering her passion for renovating and building fixer-uppers. Leonard finds satisfaction in every aspect of her work, from client interactions to project completion. She enjoys the creative, problem-solving, and management aspects inherent in construction. While acknowledging gender bias, she views these challenges as motivation and believes being a woman in the industry offers distinct advantages, leading clients to specifically seek out her services. Her parents instilled in her the importance of honesty, which she considers crucial for earning and maintaining client trust. Outside of work, she recharges by spending time with her two-year-old child and enjoys running, sunshine, and chocolate. Nolee Anderson, the youngest of the trio, decided to pursue carpentry three years prior while in college, drawn to the Carpentry and Sustainable Construction program at a local trades school. She found it combined intellectual and physical engagement, equipping her with practical skills. Anderson highlights the creative nature of trades work, noting the inspiring creations by carpenters. She describes being a female carpenter as a “second full-time job” due to constant scrutiny but also recognizes the advantage of standing out. She values her community of female carpenters and makers who provide mutual support and promotion. Anderson partnered with Wolverine to launch JOIST, a program teaching basic building and carpentry skills to young women in Nashville, aiming to empower them and elevate the standards for women in trades. Her father’s advice, “The harder you work, the luckier you get,” resonates with her. Essential to her job are a sense of humor, quality workwear, and dedicating time to personal creative projects to avoid burnout. #NashvilleWomen #ConstructionIndustry #FemaleCarpenters #TradeJobs #GenderEquality #CareerTransition #Entrepreneurship #CommunityInvolvement #ProfessionalDevelopment #NashvilleWomen #ConstructionIndustry #FemaleCarpenters #TradeJobs #GenderEquality #CareerTransition #Entrepreneurship #CommunityInvolvement #ProfessionalDevelopment