As a part of Inclusion Week, April 13-17, Niagara College’s School of Trades, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Community Relations teams, in partnership with the Niagara Home Builders’ Association, are hosting a panel event on April 13 from 1 to 2 p.m. to celebrate women in construction.
This hybrid event (Welland Campus and via Zoom) will feature an engaging discussion with inspiring women from across the construction industry, who will share their personal experiences, insights, and the diverse opportunities available in this dynamic field.
Following the panel, a Q&A session will provide participants the chance to ask questions and dive deeper into the panelists’ career journeys and the evolving role of women in construction.
NC students, employees and external partners are welcome to join.
Please register.
About the panelists
Terri Johns
Terri Johns is a seasoned urban planner with over 40 years of private sector experience, known for delivering strategic, high-impact planning solutions across the GTAH and Niagara regions.
She began her career with May, Pirie and Associates in Burlington and later led the Planning and Development division for the Starward Homes. In 2014, Johns founded T. Johns Consulting Group (now known as Landwise), where, as Founder and President, she drives the firm’s vision and leads complex land use planning projects for institutional, residential, and development clients.
A committed community leader, Johns was awarded the Order of Hamilton in 2024 for her volunteer contributions to YWCA Hamilton and the West End Home Builders’ Association. Through her work and service, Johns champions the voice of women at decision-making tables and fosters thoughtful, transformative community development.
Rhoda Cipparone
Rhoda Cipparone is currently the lead designer for Aristocrat, where since 2008 she has led both commercial and residential design projects, bringing strategic vision and refined creativity to every space.
Her career began as the Visual Fashion Display Coordinator to four Eaton department stores. After her move to Niagara, Cipparone followed with opening several Women’s wear boutiques featuring young Canadian designers. The success of her retail spaces led clients to seek her expertise for their own homes, inspiring her to establish an interior faux finish and design firm.
Today, Cipparone continues to shape distinctive, functional environments, drawing on her entrepreneurial background and decades of hands-on experience.
Kelly Gonzalez
Kelly Gonzalez is the Safety Coordinator at Cotton Inc. in Niagara Falls. For the past 10 years, she has managed the company’s Health and Safety Program, including oversight of WSIB claims management. In addition to her safety leadership role, Gonzalez serves as the liaison to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MOE), ensuring Cotton Inc. remains compliant with all environmental regulations.
Gonzalez has proudly held the designation of NCSO (National Construction Safety Officer) for the past decade. As the first woman in Ontario to earn this designation, this achievement holds special significance for her. Her commitment to renewing the certification every three years reflects her dedication to maintaining the highest professional standards in construction safety.
Gonzalez is an active member of several industry committees, including the Women in Construction Committee and the Safety Committee with the Niagara Construction Association, as well as the Niagara Region Labour Management Health and Safety Committee.
Gonzalez believes that being an approachable presence on job sites is essential. By fostering open communication, she ensures workers feel comfortable raising safety concerns–because she strongly believes that safety is everyone’s responsibility.
Annette Dearling-Manchester
Annette Dearling-Manchester is a full-time professor in the Carpentry and Renovation program at Niagara College.
Dearling-Manchester started her career as an Architectural Technologist with a small residential builder/renovator in Oakville where she performed a wide variety of duties from designing to estimating and project management. To satisfy her creative side she returned to school as a mature student to gain her degree in Interior Design.
Upon graduation, Dearling-Manchester started her own design consulting firm and worked for a local architect along the way as well as heading a design department for a production home builder in Burlington.
She was fortunate to land a teaching job at Niagara College in 2009 where she has been able to share her passion and enthusiasm for all things related to construction and design. Encouraging your people to follow their dreams, especially your women has been the most rewarding part of her career.
Kelly Anderson (panel moderator)
Kelly Anderson is the Sales and Marketing Manager at Silvergate Homes as well as the current Chair of the Niagara Home Builders Association.
She brings fresh energy, creativity, and vision to both her projects and the broader building community. Known for her confident yet approachable style, Anderson is passionate about creating homes that feel elevated, functional, and effortlessly stylish.
Whether she’s collaborating on a new community, advocating for the industry, or sharing her love for modern living, Kelly is all about building more than homes; she’s building connection, confidence, and a lifestyle that reflects today’s homeowners.
Inclusion Week
For the full schedule of events, visit www.niagaracollege.ca/edi/inclusion-week.
