Kori Shingles
Senior Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion specialist
JE Dunn construction Company
ABOUT Kori:
I started at JE Dunn Construction as a Senior Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist in November 2022. The new role was the result of a carefully considered pivot from my previous work in municipal parks and recreation; I wanted to make more of a difference in the community, creating tangible results and providing a concrete support system for disadvantaged groups.
Despite my relatively short tenure in the construction industry, I have been able to have a remarkable impact that can be partially explained by two of my guiding principles. First, I believe that progress is made by treating problems, not symptoms; and second, that personal, face-to-face interactions are the key to building genuine, productive relationships.
In addition to my work building bridges between JE Dunn and minority/disadvantaged populations, I have led discussions within the company about how we do business, identifying barriers to success for our partner organizations and changing how we do business so that everyone benefits. These efforts have contributed to improvements in the local chapter of JE Dunn’s Minority Contractor Development (MCD) program, which helps minority and women owned businesses develop skills to become more competitive in the construction industry. I've helped revitalize JE Dunn’s relationships with local organizations of all sorts, from sub-contractors to community engagement to vendors for in-office lunches.