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Just as men in recent decades have been testing the waters in formerly women’s fields — teaching, nursing, administrative assisting and such — modern women are not afraid to step into male-dominated fields and prove they too, can do tough jobs. All around the Kitsap Peninsula, women are working in industries ranging from architecture and construction to information technology and law enforcement. And these ladies are not only not intimidated, they are having fun. Many of them also say they have received much encouragement from their male colleagues, and hope to see many other women following suit.
Dr. Angela Diamond, a vascular surgeon with Harrison Medical Center, is not only one of a small (but growing) number of women surgeons, she is actually the only person in a four-state region, and the only woman in the country, to hold three medical board certifications. Her certifications include general surgery, vascular surgery, and thoracic surgery. Since she joined Harrison in 2006, a varicose veins clinic has been added, in addition to thoracic stenting and clotted artery stenting procedures.
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| Dr. Angela Diamond, a vascular surgeon at Harrison Medical Center, is actually the only person in a four-state region, and the only woman in the country, to hold three medical board certifications — general surgery, vascular surgery, and thoracic surgery. |
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Diamond decided at a young age to go into the medical field. At 12, she fractured her right femur while skiing, and spent months recovering, including six weeks in a hospital. She became a volunteer at Evergreen Hospital, and went on to receive three bachelor degrees from the University of Washington before heading off to medical school. Several years later, she studied at Baylor College to become a heart surgeon (and was only the second woman to graduate from the program). As Diamond performed heart surgeries, she realized she enjoyed her work with vascular patients the most, and decided to take one more fellowship. She moved with her husband to New York City from Puget Sound, and become the first woman ever to graduate from the program at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.
“I’ve loved every single minute of it,” she says of her career. “I’m really blessed to be able to do something I really enjoy.”
Diamond thinks one of the main reasons women have not been as attracted to surgery as in other health care areas is the extra training/education required. “But I think more women are going into it and in the next 30 to 40 years we’ll see more women surgeons,” she says, and points out that Harrison has three women surgeons now, where it had none one or two years ago. As more women enter the field, more female medical students will see them as role models and be inspired to do the same, she says.
Architecture is another industry that is seeing more interest from women. O. Jeanne Ratcliffe-Gagliano says when her grandmother wanted to get a degree in architecture in the 1920s, she was not allowed. “Back in those days, they said women couldn’t be architects,” she says.
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Nikki Ramharter “manning” the controls of a construction crane on the Bremerton Tunnel project |
Ratcliffe-Gagliano, owner and principal of Ratcliffe-Gagliano Architecture in Gig Harbor, recalls being the only woman in some classes during her own studies in architecture. And although women are catching up to men as far as gender ratios in the industry, she says it can still be a challenge since the architect has to coordinate mechanical engineers, structural engineers and construction manager, all jobs usually held by men.
Ratcliffe-Gagliano started the company with her husband 18 years ago, working from home while raising their children. “Being an architect allowed me to be a working woman in the field on my own terms, in a way,” she says. When her husband moved on to start another company, PIN Foundations, Ratcliffe-Gagliano continued the business on her own. Her office has been located in downtown Gig Harbor for the last two years, and she now employs a drafter and an office assistant. The firm primarily does residential design but also offers services for small commercial projects.
When she first went solo, after being used to deferring some questions to her husband, Ratcliffe-Gagliano at first was uneasy. But now, not only does she feel more comfortable, she also sees perceptions changing in the industry. “The whole understanding from clients and peers has changed,” she says. “It’s not a hangup any more.”
This is how Karlena Lynn Bromiley feels about her field. An electrician who is currently a dispatcher in Bremerton and a business representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 46, she says it’s not unusual these days to see women doing the work. She’s even worked on an all-female crew before. Yet, when sent to a job on the East Coast, she was treated with a lot more surprised looks.
“They weren’t used to women in the skilled trades,” she says,” but I was always treated with respect.”
Bromiley went into an apprenticeship program in 1994, after a working as a bookkeeper and secretary. “I wanted a career where could earn a real living wage, and have benefits and retirement,” she says. The work allows for a combination of physical labor as well as mental involvement. “There is a lot of math and organizing involved,” she says. “I like it that you work your brain and your muscle.”
As the union rep, Bromiley represents the union to contractors, making sure members are treated fairly and consistently, and encouraging members to be involved in the community. And she still keeps her tools handy and visits job sites.
“Not every woman is suited to do a job where you don’t curl your hair and do your makeup,” she says. “You can’t be afraid to get your fingers dirty (in this field).”
It may be hard to imagine why a woman would want to get dirty working in any sort of construction environment, but ask Nikki Ramharter, and she’ll say there is nothing she would rather do. The 23-year-old apprentice operating engineer is currently involved with the Bremerton tunnel project, mostly operating the GPS equipment but also getting her share of heavy equipment driving. Ramharter has been operating all sorts of big machines, from dozers to excavators, since she was dispatched in June 2006 as an apprentice.
She got a construction job almost as a fluke, doing demolition, plumbing and miscellaneous projects. She became hooked on the idea, and after operating a backhoe, felt that was her new path. Not that Ramharter was new to the idea of more masculine-type work: a “tomboy” who worked on cars as a child with her father, she used to drive with him in a semi during his trucking runs across the country. Although on her present crew she’s the only woman, Ramharter’s not intimidated. “I feel like one of the guys, and it makes me feel good if I outwork them,” she says, and has this advice for other ladies: “If you’re thinking about doing it, just go for it. I was nervous in the beginning but I went for it and I’m really glad I did.”
Sheila Ross wasn’t initially certain either about going into the trades when she saw some signs, by happenstance, for jobs at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Ross was brand new to the area, and was looking for the nearby school for her children. She never found the school during that walk, but she did find a new career. At the shipyard since ’91 (moving through several trades), she has been an insulator for more than 11 years, working on piping and ventilation for ships. She is now a union representative as well, and the second woman to hold the office of vice president.
When she first started, there were not only fewer women but also few minorities at the shipyard. “I didn’t think I had much of a chance (to get a job),” she says. Now, she notes the yard’s workforce is much more diverse, and more women are joining all the time. “If you like doing things with your hands or crafts, this is a good job,” she says. “You can be very creative in what you’re doing, and when you get it done, you get satisfaction from seeing the results.”
Unlike Ross, Deanna Cain had no hesitation about seeking a job at the shipyard: Both her parents worked there during their careers. After working in the retail and grocery field for a while, at age 30 Cain decided it was time for a change (and more regular work hours). An insulator/carpenter, she does both installation/removal of insulation and woodworking (and at one point worked in a woodshops with big saws and big timbers).
“It’s quite physically demanding. You have to be in shape,” she says. When she started 14 years ago, women were not as common, but now they work as welders, machinist, pipe fitters — in just about any shipbuilding trade.
This is how Karlena Lynn Bromiley feels about her field. An electrician who is currently a dispatcher in Bremerton and a business representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 46, she says it’s not unusual these days to see women doing the work. She’s even worked on an all-female crew before. Yet, when sent to a job on the East Coast, she was treated with a lot more surprised looks.
“They weren’t used to women in the skilled trades,” she says,” but I was always treated with respect.”
Bromiley went into an apprenticeship program in 1994, after a working as a bookkeeper and secretary. “I wanted a career where could earn a real living wage, and have benefits and retirement,” she says. The work allows for a combination of physical labor as well as mental involvement. “There is a lot of math and organizing involved,” she says. “I like it that you work your brain and your muscle.”
As the union rep, Bromiley represents the union to contractors, making sure members are treated fairly and consistently, and encouraging members to be involved in the community. And she still keeps her tools handy and visits job sites.
“Not every woman is suited to do a job where you don’t curl your hair and do your makeup,” she says. “You can’t be afraid to get your fingers dirty (in this field).”
It may be hard to imagine why a woman would want to get dirty working in any sort of construction environment, but ask Nikki Ramharter, and she’ll say there is nothing she would rather do. The 23-year-old apprentice operating engineer is currently involved with the Bremerton tunnel project, mostly operating the GPS equipment but also getting her share of heavy equipment driving. Ramharter has been operating all sorts of big machines, from dozers to excavators, since she was dispatched in June 2006 as an apprentice.
She got a construction job almost as a fluke, doing demolition, plumbing and miscellaneous projects. She became hooked on the idea, and after operating a backhoe, felt that was her new path. Not that Ramharter was new to the idea of more masculine-type work: a “tomboy” who worked on cars as a child with her father, she used to drive with him in a semi during his trucking runs across the country. Although on her present crew she’s the only woman, Ramharter’s not intimidated. “I feel like one of the guys, and it makes me feel good if I outwork them,” she says, and has this advice for other ladies: “If you’re thinking about doing it, just go for it. I was nervous in the beginning but I went for it and I’m really glad I did.”
Sheila Ross wasn’t initially certain either about going into the trades when she saw some signs, by happenstance, for jobs at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Ross was brand new to the area, and was looking for the nearby school for her children. She never found the school during that walk, but she did find a new career. At the shipyard since ’91 (moving through several trades), she has been an insulator for more than 11 years, working on piping and ventilation for ships. She is now a union representative as well, and the second woman to hold the office of vice president.
When she first started, there were not only fewer women but also few minorities at the shipyard. “I didn’t think I had much of a chance (to get a job),” she says. Now, she notes the yard’s workforce is much more diverse, and more women are joining all the time. “If you like doing things with your hands or crafts, this is a good job,” she says. “You can be very creative in what you’re doing, and when you get it done, you get satisfaction from seeing the results.”
Unlike Ross, Deanna Cain had no hesitation about seeking a job at the shipyard: Both her parents worked there during their careers. After working in the retail and grocery field for a while, at age 30 Cain decided it was time for a change (and more regular work hours). An insulator/carpenter, she does both installation/removal of insulation and woodworking (and at one point worked in a woodshops with big saws and big timbers).
“It’s quite physically demanding. You have to be in shape,” she says. When she started 14 years ago, women were not as common, but now they work as welders, machinist, pipe fitters — in just about any shipbuilding trade.
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