Sarah Vasconi Vowels, 36

Much like many Tampa residents, Sarah Vasconi Vowels relishes spending time in the city’s spectacular new Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. But for Vasconi Vowels, the experience is exponentially more meaningful, because she was part of the Skanska construction team that designed and built the park.

“My mom calls me every time it’s on the news,” Vasconi Vowels says. “I live basically a mile and a half from the park. It’s nice to have something I built that I can visit on a frequent basis.”

Growing up, Vasconi Vowels was drawn to the arts and earned an undergraduate degree in architecture. But her logical nature steered her toward an interest in the more practical aspects of building design and construction.