In this feature episode of AEC Women on Top, host Lauren Homme sits down with Rhonda Pollard, a 26-year veteran of the commercial construction industry, to dissect the deep-seated architectural and social biases built into the corporate landscape. Moving chronologically through Row's multi-decade trajectory—from a 19-year-old communications graduate facing intimidating leadership in Kentucky to a Strategic Operations Lead overseeing multi-state partnerships for PCL Construction's hundred-million-dollar Northwest district in Seattle—the conversation acts as an unvarnished analysis of corporate gaslighting, glass ceilings, and the emotional double standards forced upon technical women.

The core of the discussion explores the strategic intersection of networking, leisure, and executive access. Row shares the systemic revelation that inspired her board work with The Pro Shop, a nonprofit established after realizing women accounted for fewer than 3% of participants at industry-wide charity golf tournaments. Lauren and Row break down why traditional corporate advice often fails women, detailing how executive "leapfrogging" occurs on the golf course where critical, five-hour business interactions happen entirely out of reach of middle management. From confronting a regional "boys' club" culture to navigating chronic autoimmune conditions while facing strict corporate expectations of presenteeism, this episode provides an open blueprint for human-centric boundary setting. Ultimately, it serves as a masterclass on how modern leaders can shed the traditional corporate script, undo decades of conditioning, and confidently lean into their authentic professional identity.