S2:E7 Coffee Conversations - The Rise of Women in Roofing

By Colin Sheehan, RCS Reporter. 

Co-chairs of National Women in Roofing discuss the importance of balance, diversity, equity and inclusion in the roofing industry.  

Jennifer Stone of Johns Manville and Renae Bales of KPost Roofing and Waterproofing join Heidi J. Ellsworth, RoofersCoffeeShop® partner, to talk about the growing involvement of women in the roofing industry. They also discuss National Women in Roofing (NWIR) and the networking, mentoring, education and recruitment opportunities it provides for female roofing professionals.  

“National Women in Roofing is a volunteer-based organization,” said Renae, “[we] support and advance women in the roofing industry.”  

Renea has been with KPost Roofing in Dallas, Texas for about 13 years. She started as an assistant and most recently was promoted to vice president. The company has been a consistent supporter of National Women in Roofing and provides everyone at KPost with a membership to the organization. 

Jennifer has been working for Johns Manville for about two and a half years, however her introduction into roofing was through horticulture and green roofing. “When I came into roofing, there were some issues with feeling included and seeing diversity,” said Jennifer. It was Jennifer’s friend and NWIR member, Liz Garza, who gave her some inspirational advice leading her to pursue a leadership position in the organization. “She said, ‘be the change.’” 

The women explained some overarching goals NWIR has set for the new year, one of those goals being cross-industry development. NWIR is looking to connect with other women’s associations and other people working in the trades who are looking to better the inclusion of women in the workforce.  

“There’s so much knowledge, there are so many wonderful women’s associations and wonderful associations within roofing and construction and [NWIR wants to] bridge that gap a little bit,” said Jennifer.  

The conversation continued towards NWIR’s priority on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The organization started a new committee, the DEI Committee, whose co-chairs are Rae July and Jess Cress. The committee looks at every program offered through NWIR through the lens of DEI to ensure NWIR is continuing to be force of cultural change and industry development.  

“The biggest thing for National Women in Roofing is the inclusion. Making everybody feel welcome, making everybody part of this fabulous group,” said Renea. “The inclusion goes all the way out to the field, between different races of employees or maybe it's even the same race, but it's a different culture within that race and how to break down those barriers,” said Renea. 

Diversity, equity and inclusion are three components of a complex whole. Each needs to be viewed separately, together and within the context of associations, business and life. NWIR is asking the bigger questions that delve into the challenging issues regarding what socio-economic equity looks like now, and what the organization can do to change that often unequal picture.  

“Diversity isn't just gender or race, it's economic, it's political association, it's so many things and how can we start to put that in a framework? This committee has come together and I'm really excited to see them start to get more involved and [create] some impactful program changes within National Women in Roofing,” said Jennifer.  

Read, Listen or Watch the full Coffee Conversation to learn more about the impact NWIR is having on the roofing industry.