EMILY COHEN
Reimaging a Construction Industry Where More People - Especially Women - Can Thrive
Emily delivers a powerful keynote address focused on courageous leadership and overcoming self-doubt to over 700 women attending Engineering News-Record Groundbreaking Women in Construction Conference.
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Choose Courage Over Fear: Cohen urges attendees to choose curiosity and courage instead of letting fear dictate their careers.
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Lead Yourself First: She emphasizes that the future of the construction industry relies on people who lead themselves well and tackle complex problems without waiting for permission.
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Push Past Failure: Cohen shares her own journey, noting she had to push past the fear of failure to build momentum and achieve success.
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You Belong Here: Her final message reinforces that women are powerful leaders in the industry and should show up with confidence.
Never Enough Makeup
Emily explores the hidden cost of self-doubt for women building careers in construction. Drawing on sixteen years in the industry, She reflects on the comments, assumptions, and moments that can make talented people question whether they belong—and why hesitation can cost the industry its future leaders, ideas, and innovation. It’s a candid call to stop chasing likeability, build trust through competence and accountability, set healthy boundaries, and lead with authenticity.
Emily speaks up to deliver a message for Women in Construction Week.
Not 'one day'. Today.
Meet Emily
Emily Cohen is the Chief Executive Officer of United Contractors (UCON), leading California’s most influential construction trade organization representing union-signatory construction firms.
A next-generation leader, Emily has spent 16 years as a relentless advocate and leading voice for California’s union contractors, their teams, and the communities they serve.
Emily is a frequent industry speaker on leadership development, on a mission to rethink and reshape how construction attracts and develops diverse talent—particularly women, at every level. She consistently challenges audiences of all sizes and backgrounds to confront a simple but powerful truth: leadership isn’t a title you chase. It belongs to everyone in the room and on the job site. And it starts with how you show up.
Emily serves on the Boards of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, the California Alliance for Jobs, and San Francisco Urban Research (SPUR) Association.
In the community, Emily is passionate about poverty alleviation work and serves on the Board of the world-renowned GLIDE Foundation, as well as the advisory board of Old Skool Cafe, a nonprofit restaurant dedicated to providing job skills and transformational support to at-risk youth in BayView Hunters Point.
In 2026, Emily was named one of the Bay Area’s Most Influential Women by the San Francisco Business Times.
Emily lives in San Francisco with her husband, Spencer, their two young children, Ellie and Henry, and their very-good-dog, Rowdy.
