On May 20, Bernstein Shur hosted the 11th Annual Women in Construction & Project Development Event, bringing together more than 250 women and men from across Maine’s construction and development community for an evening centered on connection, storytelling, and shared experience. This year’s theme, “Being in the Room,” focused on what it means to show up fully in spaces where leadership is earned, built, and continually redefined.
The heart of the evening was a series of personal and professional stories from three featured speakers. Rebecca Hatfield, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer at Hancock Lumber, reflected on the formative lessons passed down from her mother and how they shaped her through loss, reinvention, and leadership across multiple male-dominated industries. Her message emphasized that power is not something to be granted, but something individuals already hold and grow into over time.
Cordelia Pitman, VP of Project Development at Wright-Ryan Construction, shared her unconventional path from aspiring astrophysicist to architect to construction leader, offering both humor and practical insight along the way. Her “3 P’s”—Polite, Professional, and Persistent (plus a reminder to have Phun)—offered a simple but memorable framework for navigating career growth, while her reflections on “being in the room” underscored that presence is built through showing up, collaborating, and doing the work over time.
Jennifer Packard, President and Principal of PK Realty Management, shared a global journey that took her from a Camphill village in France to BMW headquarters in Bavaria before ultimately landing in Portland. Her remarks reframed discomfort and uncertainty as a natural and even necessary part of growth, describing those moments as the “fertile unknown”—a place at the edge of learning rather than something to avoid.
The evening also highlighted the leadership behind the event itself, including two Bernstein Shur Shareholder attorneys—emcee Asha Echeverria, who founded the event 11 years ago and continues to shape its vision, and moderator Mary Costigan, who guided the discussion with thoughtfulness and ease. Their contributions helped create a cohesive and engaging conversation that reflected the spirit of the night.
The event was made possible through the support of sponsors BerryDunn, Machias Savings Bank, Wright-Ryan Construction, and Lisa Whited, along with the continued participation of a growing community that has supported this gathering for more than a decade.
Bernstein Shur is passionate about and committed to supporting this important industry in Maine by providing community for women who work in and lead it. The firm has a broad representation of female professionals supporting the construction and adjacent industries, including Asha Echeverria and Maggie Shields in Construction; Paige Eggleston and Anne-Marie Storey in Labor & Employment; Helen Coburn, Abby Barkwell, and Carli Labrecque in Business; Suzanne Breselor Lowell, Mary Costigan, and Erin Diekema in Real Estate; and Rachael Becker McEntee and Kat Joyce in Energy. Together, they reflect the firm’s collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to serving clients across the construction and development sectors.
