Renee Hernandez discusses Women, Leadership and Transformation in Construction from her 20+ years of Industry Experience.
The Construction Industry has changed significantly over the past two decades. Once overwhelmingly male-dominated, it is now steadily becoming more inclusive as more women enter roles across operations, engineering, safety, project management, executive leadership to ownership.
Today, women make up more than 11% of the U.S. Construction workforce; the highest percentage in Industry history. Alongside this growth has come a broader cultural shift: leadership is becoming more collaborative, communication is more valued, and companies are recognizing that innovation depends as much on people as it does on technology and infrastructure.
Meet Renee Hernandez — the Chief Revenue & Strategy Officer at CITY RISE Safety, a California traffic Control Safety Company with over 500 employees and growing. This industry shift mirrors Renee’s own 20+ year journey in the Industry. She has seen Construction evolve from a time when women were far less visible in leadership to one where opportunities are expanding, mentorship is becoming more intentional, and expectations for leadership are shifting. She advanced from Inside Sales to Manager and now serves in an Executive Leadership role, all while pursuing and completing her education.
When Renee first entered Construction, she quickly learned that credibility had to be earned.
“You really had to know your product and your customer,” she recalls. “There were challenges in many conversations, and you learned quickly that knowing your stuff allowed you to hold your own.”
Her entry into the Industry began unexpectedly when she moved and took a job as a weighmaster at a quarry in search of steady work…
“I fell in love with being part of building and innovating things that exist in the real world,” she says. “You can actually see the change and the difference being made.”
From the quarry, she transitioned into the Concrete Industry, building experience and leadership skills while developing a deeper understanding of team dynamics. Over time, she realized Construction is ultimately driven by people — and that investing in people is one of the most important ways to strengthen the Industry for the future.
“My natural curiosity has always been about people and what inspires them,” Renee says. “I love bringing different strengths and perspectives together to create powerful teams.”
That people-first leadership style has left a lasting impact on many of the professionals she has mentored throughout her career. Jay Montero, Director of Sales at CITY RISE shares:
“Renee has shaped not only my professional growth, but the way I view leadership itself. She challenges and inspires people to grow while creating an environment where everyone feels supported, valued, and empowered to succeed.”
Stephanie Martinez, Sales Operations Manager at CITY RISE, reflected on the impact Renee’s mentorship has had on her career growth within the Traffic Control Industry:
“Throughout our 10 years of working together, Renee’s mentorship accelerated my confidence and capabilities in the Traffic Control Industry. Her guidance helped me take on greater responsibilities and grow into higher levels of leadership.”
For Renee, mentorship is about more than teaching technical skills. It is about helping people recognize their own potential, building confidence, and creating opportunities for the next generation of leaders to grow within the Industry. She encourages women entering the field to stay authentic and open to learning at every level.
“Stay true to who you are and your beliefs,” she says. “Pursue what excites you. Surround yourself with all types of people you can learn from.”
As Construction continues to evolve through new technologies and a changing workforce, Renee encourages embracing innovation while also protecting the human side of the business.
“We can’t lose the importance of relationships,” she says. “They will always be one of the most powerful tools we have no matter where the Industry takes us.”
She goes on to remind all levels of management, “metrics, KPIs and advanced technology will always be part of our future, to help us make decisions, monitor performance and at times predict the future. But we should always remember: it’s mostly the people driving those numbers. There’s an organic impact.”
For Renee, the future of Construction is not only defined by what gets built, but by the relationships, trust, mentorship, and collaboration that make every project and every career possible.
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About CITY RISE: Founded in 1988, CITY RISE Safety is California’s premier safety partner. From traffic control to portable sanitation, we deliver solutions that ensure safety and efficiency for any project or event. CITY RISE Utility and CITY RISE Traffic are affiliated companies of CITY RISE Safety. City Rise, LLC.