E 55 | Debra Kaye Helps Grow Engineering Industry

In this week’s episode, Rebecca Jones is joined by the CEO and President of V&A Consulting Engineers, Inc, Debra Kaye. After becoming the majority owner of her firm in 2019, one of Kaye’s major goals as a leader is to provide her employees a healthy and sustainable work environment, where they are able to provide for their families and enjoy the work that they do. Growing up a tomboy, Kaye explains how she developed her competitive and determined nature. When asked to pick a word to describe herself with, Kaye chose two: genuine and tenacious. She takes pride in being straightforward and transparent in her worklife. Citing her mother as an inspiration for career balance, Kaye gauges her own success on a similar note - family can still come first with a rewarding career. Kaye is especially passionate about encouraging all individuals in her industry, especially women, and she makes it a personal priority to make sure individuals do not get left behind in her firm. When asked if she has any advice for young women, Kaye encourages to know your worth and not be afraid to ask for it. Being told “no” is not the end of the world and there are different ways to get things done.Thank you for listening and joining the SheEO Lead-In community!