SMART Local 66 is proud and excited to highlight just a few of our amazing sisters during Women in Construction Week.
Name: Christine Bong (Apprentice)
How many years have you been in the trade? What year apprentice are you? I joined Local 66, 3 years ago. I’m a 2nd year apprentice and I was a material handler.
What is your specialty and/or what do you dream of doing in the trades one day? I’m in building trades HVAC. Mostly doing duct support and installation. In the future, I think it would be great to have a leadership position either in the field or a business agent.
What company do you currently work for? I’m currently working at UMC.
What is your favorite job you have been on, or have done since you’ve been working in the sheet metal industry? I thoroughly enjoyed every job that I’ve worked on. If I was to pick just one, it would be Microsoft. I had a journeyman with an extremely great teachable spirit. He definitely taught me a lot!
Name: Allysa Blair (Apprentice)
How many years have you been in the trade? What year apprentice are you? I’ve been in the trade for 3 years. I’m a 2nd year apprentice.
What is your specialty and/or what do you dream of doing in the trades one day? I want to get really good at welding.
What company do you currently work for? Architectural Sheet Metal
What is your favorite job you have been on, or have done since you’ve been working in the sheet metal industry? WA State Convention Center- some diameters of the duct were at least twice my height!
Name: Elizabeth Booke (Apprentice)
How many years have you been in the trade? What year apprentice are you? I’ve been in the apprenticeship for a year and two months. I am a second year!
What is your specialty and/or what do you dream of doing in the trades one day? I currently don’t have a specialty. However, one day I hope to be an instructor for the JATC.
What company do you currently work for? Currently, I work for the port of Seattle.
What is your favorite job you have been on, or have done since you’ve been working in the sheet metal industry? My favorite job to work on was for siding replacement. I liked this job so much because it was the first job I was allowed to detail parts for.
Name: Taylor Morrissey (Apprentice)
How many years have you been in the trade? What year apprentice are you? 2 ½ years as a material handler and a ½ year into my first year of apprenticeship.
What is your specialty and/or what do you dream of doing in the trades one day? I dream of doing as much welding as I can in our trade and then maybe eventually teaching at the JATC.
What company do you currently work for? I currently work for Shinn Mechanical.
What is your favorite job you have been on, or have done since you’ve been working in the sheet metal industry? Definitely Shinn Mechanical at Space X Redmond. My crew has been so awesome and has taught me a lot in just a few months. Working and learning with them makes me excited for my career!
Name: Soph Davenberry (Journey Level / JATC Instructor)
How many years have you been in the trade? How long have you been teaching? I’m in my 28th year in the trade and my 3rd year of teaching formally as a night instructor at the WWSMJATC.
What is your specialty and/or what do you dream of doing in the trades one day? I work to assess and improve the operation of many types of building systems: HVAC, fire life safety, and energy management.
I’d like to elevate my participation in professional organizations such as AEE, ASHRAE, Women in HVACR, Tradeswomen Building Bridges, Arcade Wayfinding, and my local school district’s Capital Facilities Committee. I’m grateful to my employer and union for supporting me in some of these things – I dream of more collaboration between trades workers, designers, and policymakers. I want work boots to be welcome in the boardroom long after we build it.
What company do you currently work for? McKinstry
What is your favorite job you have been on, or have done since you’ve been working in the sheet metal industry? So many great experiences, hard to choose just one. I like working at heights, and once I had to calculate and measure the total airflow for the entire cross section of a light rail train tunnel.
Name: Cindy Ornelas (Journey Level)
How many years have you been in the trade? 6 years
What is your specialty and/or what do you dream of doing in the trades one day? Cindy’s dream was to become a Journeyman and she achieved that last December!
What company do you currently work for? Ocean Park Mechanical
What is your favorite job you have been on, or have done since you’ve been working in the sheet metal industry? Her favorite job has been a building in the Bell Town neighborhood of Seattle. She loves installing duct of all sizes and that project allowed her to do just that.
Name: Kellie Duke-Smith (Journey Level)
How many years have you been in the trade? Twenty years ago, I joined Local 66 as a material handler and shortly after joined the apprenticeship.
What is your specialty and/or what do you dream of doing in the trades one day? I’ve spent most of my career working in the shop.
What company do you currently work for? L&M Sheet Metal
What is your favorite job you have been on, or have done since you’ve been working in the sheet metal industry? I’m a 4th generation sheet metal worker and have had the privilege to work with many of my family members over the years. (Dad, daughter, cousins and brother).
Name: Brittany Hughes (Journey Level)
How many years have you been in the trade? 17 years
What is your specialty and/or what do you dream of doing in the trades one day? Detailing, inputting, shop work, field layout.
What is your favorite job you have been on, or have done since you’ve been working in the sheet metal industry? I really enjoyed working on the Amazon Spheres and UW light rail station, but working on a job from start to finish (detail, build, install) is incredibly satisfying. My favorite thing is seeing something difficult I’ve detailed after it has been installed.
