Adhamina Rodriguez is the founder and CEO of AR Green Consulting, a boutique sustainability consulting firm based in San Francisco that strives to change the World one building at a time.
Adhamina brings over 20 years of experience in the construction industry managing interdisciplinary teams to improve sustainability in buildings and organizations. In her roles of Director of Sustainability, Project Executive, and Senior Project Manager for large corporations, Adhamina has managed hundreds of complex projects from beginning to end, has established strategic sustainability policies, and implemented green building design and construction to deliver healthier and better performing buildings.
Adhamina has served in the Board of several Energy and Sustainability Committees, is an official instructor in sustainability at U.C. Berkeley and has lectured at Stanford University since 2001. Adhamina is an Architect/Civil Engineer from the University of Seville (Spain), and has a Master’s Degree from Northwestern University’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. In 2011 Adhamina was recognized by Engineering News Record (ENR) as one of California’s Top 20 Under 40.
Read the full interview below to hear Adhamina’s ideas for leadership and how to have an impact in the workplace.
Q1: How long have you been in your current position?
2 years. Before that I worked for almost 17 years for a large corporation as Director of Sustainability and Project Executive.
Q2: What inspired you to work in this industry?
I am Architect and a Civil Engineer with a Master in Project Management. I was drawn to the building industry because of its unique combination of art and technology, and the enormous impact that buildings have on our environment and on our every-day life. We spend 90% of our time indoors, buildings are our habitat.
Q3: What would you tell women who are looking to work in tech? Any advice on how they can build their career?
Technology surrounds us, it is in every aspect our life, but even so, there is so much that we still can improve. There are traditional industries, like construction, that take longer to adapt than other industries like transportation or manufacturing. I encourage women to take on the challenge of transforming traditional men-dominated niches into progressive markets that help us close the gap towards a sustainable future.
Q4: Is your company a Pledge 1% member or do you personally give back to your community? If so, how do you give and to what cause?
Yes, my firm is a Pledge 1% member from day one and I have personally given back to my community during my whole career. I have a passion for sustainability, protection of the environment, and children, as they are our future. I have volunteered hundreds of hours to my local community educating and feeding people in need, and worked pro-bono to create a new playground in the City, and community centers in low-income areas. I have also volunteered as a role model in organizations that strive to close the gender and minority achievement gap in the STEM field including: “Techbridge Girl”, “Scientific Adventures for Girls”, and “Tech-women” ( a program managed by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to mentor to young women from Africa and the Middle East through exchange).
Q5: Do you serve as a mentor? What does mentorship mean to you?
Mentoring to me means teaching and coaching. I strongly believe that if we allow others to build on our foundation of knowledge, we will reach higher levels of sustainability from which we will all benefit. I have been a mentor and lecturer on green design and construction at Stanford University for the past 17 years to students from all over the world, and I am an official instructor at UC Berkeley Extension since 2009. My mentorship to many students has continued to date through email, and in person with some that followed me throughout my professional career as new employees.
Q6: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received to help you with your career?
Always move forward. Do not set yourself back, not even to get impulse!
Do not give up, work hard, and show confidence. If you do not believe in yourself, none else will.
Q7: What’s the one piece of advice you would give to yourself 5 years ago?
Do not be afraid to explore new possibilities. It took me many years to venture into opening my own firm, and now I could not be happier with my decision. Yes, managing your own company takes a lot of work, a learning curve, and making some mistakes. Learn from them and move on!
