We’re celebrating some of the women leading the way at KAI, spotlighting the incredible women in senior leadership in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. These trailblazing professionals are not only shaping the built environment but also paving the path for future generations. Stay tuned as we continue to unveil new spotlights, sharing inspiring stories and celebrating their contributions and leadership.
Lydie Mizele
Lydie Mizele, Engineering Design Manager for KAI’s Dallas-Fort Worth Engineering Group, says that being able to work on projects that impact and transform people’s lives, including her own, has been the most rewarding part of being a woman in engineering. As a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lydie has had to overcome many challenges in her career.
“It is sometimes said that a woman in engineering must work twice as hard to prove themselves. Regardless of the challenges or others’ opinions, I learned to be patient and focus on my work. As a woman, I often worked hard without recognition, but this never deterred me from pursuing my dreams. Instead, it motivated me to strive even harder to become the kind of leader anyone would love to have,” remarked Lydie.
After relocating to the United States, Lydie encountered communication barriers in her non-native language as English is her second language. Despite her qualifications, she encountered difficulty securing employment due to lack of local work experience in the U.S. Determined to overcome this obstacle, she pursued a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering at the University of North Texas. Through her studies, she not only mastered new engineering software but also familiarized herself with U.S. codes and requirements, propelling her into a successful career in engineering.
As a Design Manager, Lydie is responsible for planning, organizing and directing the completion of projects while also ensuring that projects are completed on time, on budget and within scope.
Citing her cousin, an engineer, and her former boss, Don Penn, CEO of Don Penn Consulting, as career inspirations and mentors, Lydie has had the opportunity to work on community-focused projects, including the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford. She later gave birth to her son at the hospital after completing the project.
Working alongside the many women at KAI, Lydie says never feels alone. Leadership was a crucial factor for her when choosing KAI, and she is grateful that KAI’s leaders value everyone’s opinions, regardless of gender.
“KAI is a diverse firm that values the contributions of women engineers,” commented Lydie. “As a mother of three, there are days when I work late to finish a project and still must wake up early to drop my kids off at school. I’m grateful to KAI leadership for providing us with a flexible work schedule.”