Jacquelynn Cadena
Owner, Cadena Inc.

Jacquelynn has built a two-decade career in drywall contracting that spans residential housing, hospitality and government work. She launched her company more than 20 years ago performing gypsum board installation in both single-family and commercial assemblies, growing from subcontractor to prime contractor as her project scope expanded.

Cadena’s field experience exposed persistent operational barriers that affect many wall and ceiling contractors. After struggling with the high cost of risk coverage, she invested in the insurance sector to better understand and navigate liability and workers’ compensation challenges that directly affect subcontractor viability. Facing labor shortages and workforce documentation issues, she became involved in helping workers pursue legal status, aiming to stabilize crews and reduce compliance risk on projects. When permitting delays slowed production, she engaged with city planning processes to better understand approval pathways and reduce administrative friction.

She sees the wall and ceiling sector continuing to evolve through improved practices and a more educated workforce. Over the past 20 years, she has observed greater acceptance of women in construction, noting that increased participation has helped narrow longstanding gender gaps. Cadena remains focused on affordable housing, with long-term plans to expand access to homeownership through new construction. She advocates for expanded grant funding to support first-time buyers and underserved communities.

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