The KPRS team was proud to celebrate our nominees for the 2026 Women’s Leadership Symposium & Awards with LA Business Journal. Taking place in June, the event honored the achievements of powerful women who make a difference throughout Los Angeles.
Susy Dowell, Project Manager was nominated for Mentor of the Year and Brenda Martin, Vice President of Finance was nominated for Champion of Women. Dana Catone, Senior Project Manager was named a finalist for the Accelerator Award during the event. Read more about the nominees and their accomplishments with KPRS –
…………………
For the past 25 years, Susy Dowell has helped KPRS build over 1 million square feet of office tenant improvements throughout the Los Angeles region. As a seasoned project manager, she continually works to champion women in construction alongside all team members. Susy’s experience in commercial construction has made her sought after by high profile banks, law, tech and real estate firms, and with clients like Microsoft, Apple, and NBC Universal.
Some of her most distinguishable work in Los Angeles includes the recent buildout of the Realtor.com offices in Westlake Village, offices for Microsoft in Santa Monica just steps from the beach, the transformation of American Business Bank’s headquarters in Downtown; the buildout for prominent Abramson Architects in West Adams, along with multiple projects for IDS Real Estate.
Just outside of LA, Susy oversaw the new the Yamaha Corporation of America headquarters project in Buena Park– a multi-phased expansion which provides the world-renowned brand increased capacity for their domestic operations. Susy also led two other high-profile projects for Microsoft’s OC-based offices in Aliso Viejo and Tustin.
…………………
Brenda Martin oversees the $1 billion financial operations for KPRS Construction and the KPRS Group of Companies as Vice President of Finance. Commercial construction projects for the organization include industrial, office, multifamily, tenant improvements and retail markets; with current clients such as Meta Housing, Habitat for Humanity, AMLI and Claremont McKenna College.
As the chief financial officer, she is responsible for the company’s internal financial management. Brenda oversees the accounting department and forecasts the financial standing of KPRS and in anticipation of upcoming projects. This includes management of all auditing, accounting, payroll and budgeting activities. She supervises all month-end Construction Management Reports, with each market group at KPRS.
Brenda is passionate about leading her team while continuing to expand the department. She is proud to balance the role of both executive and mentor. Day to day Brenda enables her team by showing empowerment and trust, creating an environment where team members are valued and take ownership.
…………………
Constructing a substantial volume of work in both the office and industrial markets for KPRS, Dana Catone’s leadership and technical expertise have made her a sought-after senior manager by both clients and peers alike. Dana is a leader and mentor to all team members, while also being aware of how women can be successful in a male dominated field.
Some of her most significant work within the LA region includes the construction of 8888 Washington Blvd in Culver City. The iconic building houses retail on the ground floor with offices now occupied by Pinterest. She was also part of the team who constructed Building Y at the Culver Studios, as well as the landmark Entrada building in Culver City. Dana is now providing oversight on construction of the newest Equinox located within Entrada.
Outside of Los Angeles, Dana recently completed work on the 3 million square foot Agua Mansa Commerce Park in Jurupa Valley for CT Realty. She and her team constructed the first of five buildings, infrastructure and offsite work to accompany it.