Dawn Barnes was raised in a big Italian-Hispanic family where resilience, hard work and competition were daily lessons. She gravitated toward building and creating, taking woodshop in high school, before starting her construction career in 1995. Nearly three decades later, she is founder and CEO of RGD Construction, a certified woman-owned firm in Las Vegas with more than $2 million in sales in an industry where fewer than 1% of firms are owned by women.
Barnes has established herself not only as a builder but also as an advocate. Through leadership roles with the National Association of Women in Construction and Women’s Business Enterprise Council-West, she champions women in construction and small business. She mentors entrepreneurs on certification and growth, while also expanding youth scholarships, launching welding programs and creating hands-on opportunities for students interested in the trades.
For Barnes, construction is about more than projects. It is about paving the way for her daughter and ensuring that the next generation has the confidence to build and lead.