www.pmmag.com/articles/105353-celebrating-10-influential-women-in-the-plumbing-industry

Celebrating 10 Influential Women in the Plumbing Industry

March 2024 Women in Plumbing hero image of woman engineer overlayed by circle of hexagon shapes with numbers from 1 to 10

Celebrating 10 Influential Women in the Plumbing Industry

Lead collage designed by Courtney Fathers. Image elements from anandaBGD / E+ / Getty Images and filo / DigitalVision Vectors / Getty Images.

Celebrating 10 Influential Women in the Plumbing Industry

Ten leading women share the value of a career in the trades, and how to attract more women into the field.

March 5, 2024

While stereotypes and traditional gender roles have long perpetuated the notion that plumbing is a man's job, women are challenging these norms and reshaping the landscape of the industry. As we celebrate Women’s History Month and Women in Construction Week, Plumbing & Mechanical is shining the spotlight on 10 influential women who are leading the plumbing industry to great success.

The skilled trades have been facing a labor shortage for years, and it doesn’t make sense to ignore half of the population because of their gender. One of the main barriers women face in entering the plumbing industry is societal perception. From a young age, girls are often discouraged from pursuing careers in male-dominated fields like plumbing, with societal expectations nudging them towards more "feminine" career paths. Consequently, the lack of female representation in plumbing perpetuates the belief that it is not a suitable profession for women.

These women are challenging stereotypes and demonstrating that gender is not a determinant of skill or capability in this industry. Representation is more important than ever, and each of the women below shares the value of a career in the trades as well as ideas on how to attract more women into the plumbing industry.

KATIE BYRD

CLARKSBURG PLUMBING

ALAYNA CHAVEZ

PARKER & SONS

TRACY GAWECKI

OATEY

AMY HART

CONTINENETAL PLUMBING SERVICES

LISA LYON

NIBCO

DEIDRA MCELROY

MAGNOLIA PLUMBING, HEATING, AND COOLING

KATE OLINGER

UPONOR

ERICA SULLIVAN

ERICA'S PLUMBING, AIR CONDITIONING & RESTORATION

DEVYNN THOMPSON

THOMPSON FAMILY PLUMBING

ANGIE TIMM

RESIDEO