Board of Directors
Dawn Meeker
President
Marcum LLP (CT)
Dawn Meeker
Dawn Meeker is a Partner in Marcum’s Advisory and Consulting practice and a member of the CFO and Controllership group. She has more than 31 years of experience in both public and private accounting. She earned a Bachelor of Science, in Accounting from the University of New Haven, and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the state of Connecticut. Dawn advises clients on construction accounting software system implementations; and manages onboarding and training of all staff on these systems. She has a significant depth of knowledge within the construction industry due to her 20 years of experience serving as the Controller and Vice President with various companies in the drywall, electrical and mechanical construction trade industries. She oversaw all bonding processes, including all financial and banking operations. Dawn has also previously held Interim Controller roles for many of her clients, where she provided daily accounting and financial operational support and comprehensive oversight.
Dawn is an active member of the community and industry. She currently serves as the Chair of the Finance Committee for the Boys and Girls Club of New Haven, CT, where her values closely align with the mission of the organization. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants (CTCPA). Dawn has served as the PWC CT Chapter Secretary since 2020, and Membership Chair since 2021. She also continues to volunteer on the PWC Awards Committee.
Amy Ray
An award-winning professional services marketer, and designer with more than 20 years of industry experience, Amy blends design expertise with a deep understanding of business development, communications, and brand strategy. As Director of Business Development & Marketing for Babbidge Construction Company, Amy’s leads market positioning, develops client relationship experiences, and builds brand development and communications efforts—a role that is influenced by her background in fine arts, her experience as a creative director, and a lifelong love of the AEC industry.
Amy believes in community outreach and volunteers for several professional organizations. In addition to serving as the Vice President for PWC CT, she serves on the Programs and Communications committees. Amy is also an active member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS CT) and National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMAct). Amy earned her BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Hartford. In her free time, Amy enjoys spending time at the beach and attending sporting events with her family.
Leyna Erickson
Secretary
Assured Partners New England
Leyna Erickson
As the Construction Practice Leader for AssuredPartners New England, Leyna Erickson helps CEOs and CFOs ensure that their Insurance, Bonding and Risk Management programs are tailored to their businesses and are out-performing the industry-average program. Leyna has over 20 years of experience partnering with complex construction companies, delivering specialized expertise, building strong relationships and the deploying unparalleled resources for her clients. The connections she has grown over the past 20 years have inspired her passion for championing women in the AEC Industries, a mission that closely aligns with the Professional Women in Construction.
Leyna finds great joy in connecting with others through volunteering in her community and within her industry. She serves on the Board of the Farmington Valley YMCA and was a founding member of the Emerging Leaders Group of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Connecticut. In addition to her position on the PWC Board, she continues to volunteer on the PWC Programs Committee. Leyna holds her Accredited Advisor of Insurance designation and attended Manchester Community College. She is the proud wife of a Marine Corps veteran, the mother of two young sons, and when she’s not delving into the depths of insurance policies and contract language, Leyna is an avid obstacle course racer and outdoor enthusiast.
Kelly Barrett
Director
STV Inc.
Kelly Barrett
Kelly Barrett is an accomplished business development leader and project manager with over 20 years of experience across the construction, engineering, and federal sectors. With a strong background in strategic planning, client relations, and project management, Kelly has successfully led key initiatives for top firms like STV Construction, ARCADIS, and GM2 Associates. She excels in identifying new market opportunities, managing complex projects, and fostering partnerships that drive growth. Kelly holds an M.S. in Business Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a B.S. in Psychology from Eastern Connecticut State University. She is actively involved in industry organizations, serving on the boards of the Construction Management Association of America, CT chapter as well as Professional Women in Construction, CT chapter.
Carlos Vega
Director
Consigli Construction Company
Carlos Vega
Carlos Vega has been leading Business Development efforts for Consigli Construction’s Connecticut office (Western Mass is also part of this region) for 2.5 years. Carlos is responsible for identifying new business opportunities, cultivating relationships with potential clients, and driving revenue growth. Carlos is relationship driven and enjoys expanding his network over a good meal or cup of coffee and identifying new business opportunities for Consigli resulting in Raving Fans. He is involved with Circle of Care, a non-profit organization providing families with financial assistance when a child is going through cancer treatment. A 5x NCAA champion in swimming, Carlos spent 15 years as a collegiate swim coach at the NCAA Division 3 level, prior to joining Consigli. He currently resides in Connecticut with his wife, Alyssa, daughters, Penelope and Lucy, and pets, Ginger (dog), Maverick, Skimbal, and Paisley (cats), Cinnamon (bunny), Munchkin (hamster) and 8 chickens (whom he can’t remember all their names).
Jennifer Marks
Director
BL Companies, Inc.
Jennifer Marks
Jennifer Marks is a licensed Land Surveyor and Principal at BL Companies, an employee-owned firm delivering high-quality, integrated architecture, engineering, environmental and land surveying services to public and private clients for land development, building design and infrastructure projects. She has over 40 years of land surveying experience and is a licensed surveyor in multiple states throughout the region. She performs business development at BL Companies with a particular focus on the energy industry as well as commercial real estate. She has been successful in developing key client relationships and expanding the company’s geographic footprint throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. In addition, Jennifer has been instrumental in developing and leading the implementation of the firm’s strategic foundation and leadership development program. She is an experienced project manager and enjoys mentoring and sharing her wealth of experiences with others in the industry. Jennifer is currently active in Professional Women in Construction, the Connecticut Association of Land Surveyors and CREW CT. She resides in Branford, CT with her husband and has two post college-age children.
Taylor Crouse
Director
Gilbane Company
Taylor Crouse
Taylor Crouse is a Senior Project Manager for Gilbane Building Company. Taylor joined Gilbane as an Office Engineer upon graduating from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 2013. Since joining Gilbane, she has continuously demonstrated leadership by successfully completing Gilbane’s Management Candidates Acceleration Program (MCAP), championing Gilbane’s Connecticut Business Unit’s summer intern program for three years, and creating and implementing notable student engagement programs on several K-12 school construction projects. In her current role, Taylor is responsible for managing construction projects, mainly in the K-12 education market, and ensuring that all schedule, budget, safety, programming, and quality goals on her projects are achieved.
Taylor first became involved with PWC in 2016 as a mentor for the PWC Mentorship Program and, soon after, joined the PWC Mentorship Committee, where she has been volunteering her time since 2019. She resides in Woodstock, CT with her husband, Ian, and their young daughter.
Blerina Pina
Blerina (Bela) Pina, a Contract Surety - Sr.Territory Manager at Nationwide in Avon, CT. Nationwide is a Fortune 100 company and a Top 20 Surety company with 1.8B T-Listing. In her role, she underwrites an array of contractors to provide surety bonds, working with agents/brokers across various regions of the US.
Bela received her Bachelor of Accounting from Central Connecticut University and her Associate’s in Management from Capital Community College. She serves on the PWC Board of Directors for her 4th year, volunteers on the PWC Mentorship Committee, and was most recently involved with the Communications – Social Media Committee.
Her “why” for engaging with PWC-CT is to pay it forward. “I’ve had many mentors support me throughout my career, and my goal is to continue to pay it forward. PWC does just that with their mentorship, scholarships, and networking opportunities.”
Samantha Santos
Director
Turner Construction Company
Samantha Santos
Samantha Santos is the Business Development Engineer for Turner Construction Company’s Connecticut Business Unit. Samantha joined Turner upon graduating from the University of New Haven with a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering in 2017. In 2022, she graduated from Sacred Heart University with a Master’s of Business Administration. Over her time with Turner thus far, she has worked as an engineer and superintendent on projects ranging from $7M-$50M. She has also serves as purchasing agent, project manager for Turner’s in-house drywall company, cost engineer, and currently fulfils a role in Business Development. Sam takes pride in delivering high-quality projects to clients and developing a valuable dynamic across project teams.
Sam has been involved with PWC since 2022 and recently established PWC CT’s Emerging Leaders Committee. She is an advocate for young professionals in the industry and ensuring future leaders are supplied with the tools and support needed to help them succeed in the Construction industry!
Allison Puzycki
Director
Consulting Engineering Services
Allison Puzycki
Allison Puzycki is the Director of Marketing at CES. Dedicated to big picture marketing goals, she brings an extraordinary ability to orchestrate global company objectives. Allison is a master at uncovering the culture that exists within an established company and bringing those values to light. Combined with an endless ability to generate ideas and an energetic spirit, it’s easy to be drawn into her enthusiasm. Through a genuine interest in the people around her and the ability to easily assess each person’s strengths and abilities, she thoughtfully creates an atmosphere where all contributions are welcomed and each individual’s talents are celebrated in the true spirit of collaboration.
Allison has been involved with PWC since 2022 and serves as the Communications Committee Chair. When she isn’t promoting the AEC industry you’ll find Allison at home with her husband, Josh, their two sons, and Alfredo the family dog.
Patricia Bilotto, CPSM
Immediate Past President
van Zelm Heywood & Shadford Inc.
Patricia Bilotto, CPSM
Passionate marketer and business developer with over 30 years in senior leadership roles across professional services and product marketing. Currently at van Zelm Engineers, she excels in creating impactful brand positioning and content strategies, leveraging cutting-edge marketing technology for measurable outcomes. Her expertise includes strategic planning, multi-faceted marketing and business development, and maintaining valuable client and industry relationships. Patty is known for her leadership, market trend knowledge, and teamwork, and is adept at identifying opportunities, focusing efforts, and delivering tactical business solutions. Her skills span strategic planning, market research, B2B lead generation, and various marketing channels.