Bio: Allison serves as the Director of BuildStrong Academy of Colorado, where her leadership focuses on addressing the construction labor shortage through impactful training programs and community-driven solutions. A Michigan native, she earned her degree in geology from Grand Valley State University and began her career as an exploration geologist in Alaska. After transitioning into the homebuilding industry in Colorado, she quickly advanced to operations manager for a local builder, honing a broad set of leadership skills. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to equity and dignity for all people, helping individuals achieve financial mobility and build meaningful careers in the trades. With a focus on training new skilled trades workers and providing upskilling opportunities, Allison’s efforts address the critical shortage of labor in construction—a key factor in making housing more affordable by improving efficiency and reducing costs. Allison’s vision for the academy integrates her personal values with her professional dedication to operational excellence and workforce development. She is proud to lead a team making a tangible impact in the Denver Metro community and beyond.

Bio: Beth Best is the Industry Partnership Coordinator at EPIC Campus, a Career and Technical Education high school, where she cultivates partnerships with businesses, industry leaders, and community organizations to support a thriving Work-Based Learning program. Her work connects students to meaningful, real-world experiences that inspire career exploration, build professional skills, and empower them to confidently pursue their future goals.

Bio: James Gable is serving as a Senior Superintendent for Adolfson and Peterson Construction. James is a national General contractor specializing in commercial construction, K-12 and higher education. James is also starting his year as the District 26 Immediate past District Director having served in the highest levels of Toastmasters district leadership for the past 3 years and now serving as a mentor to the new leadership team. Attracting and retaining workers in the construction industry is a passion of his. James will serve as the moderator over a panel of experts to dive into the detail on how our industry can survive.

Bio: Andrea is a Certified Executive Coach with an MBA, the host of the Ambition Theory Podcast, a Forbes contributor and a top-rated speaker. She is passionate about coaching construction professionals to develop themselves, set leadership goals and get results. Since 2018, Andrea has coached and trained over 1,000 construction professionals. Before becoming a coach, Andrea was a marketing leader that worked on some of the world's best-known brands.

Bio: Dave is the founder of The Career Shop; an executive recruiting firm built on firsthand industry experience. His background includes leading field crews in heavy civil construction, working as a union carpenter, cofounding a property preservation company, and leading business development in restoration, reconstruction, and mechanical engineering design including energy modeling, audits, and commissioning. Dave rose from recruiter to VP, helping scale a startup into a top performing search firm recognized by the Denver Business Journal four years in a row as a top ten staffing company. He brings a practical, no-nonsense approach to talent strategy. Based in Boulder County, he spends his free time with his wife and two daughters

Bio: My name is Zoey Ripple and I am a regional Account Executive at Aerotek. I started as a recruiter in 2014 and now run both the recruiting and sales teams for our Colorado offices. Our team focuses recruiting and staffing within construction field roles and I love working with my clients and internal team on how to attract, place and retain top talent in the construction trades.  In my spare time, I am passionate about real estate  and development and am a licensed realtor in the Colorado area. I love to ski, hike, and bike and enjoy exploring Colorado towns with my husband, Billy, and our 1 year old lab mix.