Four Women Who Redefined Courage in AEC Leadership

Courage That Shapes the Profession 

Women’s History Month offers us an opportunity to celebrate the leaders who have shaped industries and professions through determination, expertise, and vision.  In the AEC industry, many of those stories share a common thread: courage.  The courage to step into leadership when the path is undetermined.  The courage to build organizations that endure.  The courage to persevere through challenges both professional and personal. 

Few honors capture that spirit better than the Jerry Allen Courage in Leadership Award.  The award recognizes leaders whose careers demonstrate not only professional excellence, but also the strength of character required to guide organizations and people through defining moments. 

Four women have received the distinction of winning the Jerry Allen Award: Marian Young, Sonia A Martinez, Nathelyne A. Kennedy, and, most recently, Amy Jones. Their careers span decades, disciplines, and leadership roles, yet each represents a distinct expression of courage in AEC leadership. 

From building respected firms to guiding teams through uncertainty, their leadership has left lasting marks on the organizations they served and the professionals who worked alongside them. Their stories offer a powerful reminder of how courageous leadership continues to shape the future of the engineering profession. 

Amy Jones: Leading Through Uncertainty 

When Amy Jones stepped into the role of CEO at O’Connell Robertson in late 2019, she expected the normal challenges that come with a leadership transition.  Instead, only a few months later, COVID-19 forced firms across the industry to make rapid decisions with little precedent and even less certainty. 

For Jones and her leadership team, the immediate priority was determining how to keep the firm operating while protecting employees and maintaining client relationships.  Within days, they were assessing technology capabilities, prioritizing access to remote systems, and identifying the resources needed to move an entire workforce out of the office. 

Jones responded by leaning heavily into communication.  Rather than allowing teams to drift into isolation, she established consistent daily and weekly touchpoints across offices and departments to keep employees connected and informed. 

That focus on communication and relationships helped stabilize the firm during uncharted times.  Over the first five years of Jones being the CEO, O’Connell Robertson has doubled both its staff and revenue, a remarkable outcome given the volatility of the moment she inherited. 

For Jones, courage in leadership means trusting experience and instinct when the path forward isn’t fully clear. 

Nathelyne A. Kennedy: Breaking Barriers and Building Opportunity 

Long before conversations about representation became central to the AEC industry, Nathelyne Kennedy was already changing what leadership could look like. 

In 1959, Kennedy became the first Black woman to earn an engineering degree from a college or university in Texas, a milestone that placed her among the earliest pioneers expanding access to the profession.  Over the decades that followed, she built a remarkable career as both and engineer and an entrepreneur. 

She founded Nathelyne A. Kennedy & Associates in Houston, growing the firm into one of the most successful Black female-owned engineering companies in Texas.  The firm contributed to major infrastructure projects across the region, including work related to Houston’s transportation network and airport development. 

Even late in her career, Kennedy remained deeply engaged in the technical work of engineering.  Colleagues recall her reviewing drawing and project details well into her 80s, reflecting a lifelong dedication to the craft and her profession. 

Her influence extended beyond projects.  Kennedy served as mentor and role model for generations of engineers, demonstrating that leadership is not only about professional achievements, but also about opening doors for others. 

If Kennedy’s story reflects courage in breaking barriers, the story of Sonia Martinez reveals another dimension of leadership courage: perseverance in the face of profound personal challenge. 

Sonia A Martinez: Leadership Through Resilience 

At BCC Engineering, Sonia Martinez was central in shaping the firm’s growth and operational strength. As Chief Financial Officer, she helped guide the company through a period of significant expansion, building financial and organizational infrastructure that allowed the firm’s technical teams to focus on delivering complex engineering projects. 

During her tenure, BCC grew from a small team of roughly ten employees into a multidisciplinary firm with more than 140 professionals across multiple offices.  Colleagues often referred to Martinez as “The Queen.”  This reflected her ability to anticipate challenges, manage complex contracts, and keep the firm moving forward. 

Her leadership became even more remarkable as she faced a deeply personal battle.  While continuing to serve in her role and support the firm’s growth, Martinez was also fighting cancer. 

Through it all, she remained committed to the people and the organization she helped build.  Her steady leadership during that time left a lasting impression on colleagues and underscored the meaning of courage in leadership. 

Yet again, if this story highlights resilience, the leadership of Marian Young reflects another form of courage: the long-term vision required to build organizations that endure. 

Marian Young: Building a Legacy of Leadership 

Long before conversations about diversity in AEC leadership became widespread, Marian Young was helping shape the future of the profession through firm-building leadership and long-term vision. 

As a leader at PBS Engineering and Environmental, Young played a key role in guiding the firm through years of growth while maintaining a strong culture rooted in collaboration, technical excellence, and employee development.  Her leadership helped establish PBS as a respected multidisciplinary engineering firm known for both the quality of its work and the strength of its people. 

Colleagues often pointed to Young’s steady leadership style and commitment to building something lasting.  Rather than focusing solely on short-term success, she invested in the systems, culture, and professionals that would allow the firm to grow and succeed well into the future. 

That approach reflects a broader truth about courageous leadership.  While some defining moments arrive suddenly, others unfold over decades through consistent vision, discipline, and care for the organizations leaders help build. 

Together, these stories reveal that courage in engineering leadership takes many forms, but its impact always extends far beyond the individual leader. 

The Many Forms of Courage in Leadership 

The stories of Marian Young, Sonia Martinez, Nathelyne Kennedy, and Amy Jones span different eras of our profession, yet each reflects a common thread: the courage to lead with conviction when the path forward is not always clear. 

For Young, courage meant trust in building a firm designed to last.  For Martinez, it meant guiding an organization through growth while facing profound personal challenges.  Kennedy demonstrated courage by breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for others in a profession where few had gone before.  And Jones showed how steady leadership and clear communication can guide teams through moments of uncertainty. 

Taken together, their stories illustrate that courageous leadership is rarely defined by a single moment.  More often, it is revealed through decisions leaders make every day: supporting their teams, strengthening their organizations, and committing to the long-term health of the profession. 

During Women’s History Month, their leadership serves as both recognition and inspiration.  Their careers remind us that the future of the AEC industry continues to be shaped by individuals willing to lead with resilience, integrity, and a deep commitment to the people and communities their work ultimately serves. 

source https://zweiglist.com/four-women-who-redefined-courage-in-aec-leadership/