BOSTON– Lisa A. Brothers, President and CEO of Nitsch Engineering, has been named a 2015 WomenUp: Local Woman of Influence by the Boston Business Journal. At a breakfast event on December 8, the honor was given to 23 visionary leaders who are helping to shape Boston’s economic future. Ms. Brothers was recognized for her leadership in the engineering field, her activities advocating for women in the workforce, and her role as a mentor to both women and men.
When accepting the honor, Ms. Brothers said, “Nitsch Engineering does a lot to get girls into STEM fields, including hosting an annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day for the last 14 years. I’m also personally passionate about the retention and advancement of women in the engineering and transportation fields. Even with women earning 18-20% of engineering degrees, they only represent 12% of the engineering workforce. This shows that we’re doing a better job of getting girls into the pipeline – although there’s still plenty of room for improvement! – but we have a hard time keeping them in the field. There really is an unconscious bias around women in engineering and leadership positions, and we need to continue to educate and have a dialogue around the issue. At Nitsch, I’m really proud to note that 38% of our engineers are female, which is a small step in the right direction.
“I’m truly honored to be considered a woman of influence, and I am going to continue to do my small part to keep the conversation going about the value of diversity and inclusion, and the importance of having women in leadership positions and in the board room, using every opportunity I am given … something I know all the other honorees today are also doing.”
Ms. Brothers has 30 years of experience in the design, construction, and management of roadway, site development, sustainable design, and infrastructure-related projects. As President and CEO of Nitsch Engineering, she is responsible for the vision, growth strategy, strategic direction, and overall performance of the firm. Ms. Brothers has been actively involved in the American Council of Engineering Companies/ Massachusetts (ACEC/MA) for more than 25 years; she currently serves on the ACEC/MA Board as National Director and on the Government Affairs Committee, and she is a past President (2010-2011) of the Chapter. Ms. Brothers is a member of the Environmental Business Council of New England’s Board of Directors. She is past President (2003-2004) of WTS Boston and currently serves as co-chair of the Public Art Committee. Ms. Brothers holds a BSCE from the University Massachusetts-Lowell, an MBA from Northeastern University, and is a 2004 graduate of ACEC National’s Senior Executive Institute.
The other 2015 WomenUp: Local Woman of Influence honorees included:
• Jen Andruzzi, Executive Director, Joe Andruzzi Foundation
• Vicky Wu Davis, Executive Director & Founder, Youth CITIES
• Nicole Bernard Dawes, Founder & CEO, Late July Snacks
• Yvonne Garcia, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Client Solutions, State Street Corporation
• Lilli Gordon, Chief Executive & Founder, First Aid Beauty
• Laurie Halloran, Founder, President & CEO, Halloran Consulting Group
• Dr. Terrie E. Inder, Chair of the Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital
• Jean MacCormack, President, Edward Kennedy Institute for the US Senate
• Sue Marsh, Executive Director, Rosie’s Place
• Cathy Minnerly, Executive Vice President & Principal, NAI Hunneman
• Colette Phillips, President & CEO, Collete Phillips Communications, Inc.
• Dorothy Puhy, COO, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Valerie Roberson, PhD., President, Roxbury Community College
• Prof. Daniela Rus, Director of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT
• Agnes Bundy Scanlan, Northeast Regional Director of Supervision, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• Elizabeth Sheehan, President, Care 2 Communities
• Lauren C. Solotar, CEO, May Institute
• Karen Spilka, Masachusetts State Senator
• Addie Swartz, Founder & CEO, reacHIRE
• Melissa A. Walsh, Senior Director of Global Philanthropy, AbbVie
• Elaine Weddington Steward, Vice President & Club Counsel, Boston Red Sox
• Frederica Williams, President & CEO, Whittier Street Health Center
