Know your value.

That message from Amanda Woods, PE, senior vice president and director of transportation at DRMP, reflected the mission of the 13th annual WTS Central Florida Chapter “A Walk in Her Shoes” event, where transportation and engineering leaders gathered for an honest and vulnerable conversation about work-life balance, career growth, and the realities of leadership in deadline-driven industries.

“Early on, I did not know my value. And that translates to money,” Woods said during a panel discussion moderated by Erin Johnson, a partner at JCJ Insurance Agency. “You need to educate yourself. You need to be bold. You need to go in there and say, ‘I want this. I’m worth this. I deserve this.’”

Amanda Woods speaks during a panel discussion at the WTS Central Florida Chapter "A Walk in Her Shoes" event. 

Woods’ comments about knowing your value resonated with fellow panelist Gail Woods, PE, vice president and senior project manager at GFT, who said seeing Amanda Woods’ promotion announcement years ago pushed her to rethink her own career trajectory.

“I ended up moving to a new firm,” Gail Woods said. “Know your worth. Ask the questions.”

Hosted by the WTS Central Florida Chapter, the event also included a community service component benefiting Dress for Success, a nonprofit that supports women entering or re-entering the workforce through professional attire, resume assistance, and career coaching to help them achieve financial independence. DRMP employees, who are also WTS members, collected gently worn shoes, clothing, and handbags for donation at the event.

L-R, Amanda Woods, Hannah Guglielmello, and Kim Sadowski of DRMP pose with donations of shoes, clothing, and handbags they collected for the WTS Central Florida Chapter, "A Walk in Her Shoes" event.

The panel also featured Kenyatta Lee, chief of external affairs for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and Lizette Martinez, PE, senior vice president of Avant Engineering Group.

Johnson opened the discussion by addressing the blurred boundaries many professionals face in an “always on” culture driven by smartphones, email, and remote connectivity.

“Technology is great. It makes working accessible from anywhere,” Johnson said. “But burnout is really prompting us to have these conversations about creating clear boundaries between home and work.”

Donated shoes collected for the WTS Central Florida "A Walk in Her Shoes" event are displayed at The Venue on Lake Lily in Maitland, Fla. 

The panelists shared what daily life looks like behind leadership titles in transportation and engineering.

Martinez shared she often works through lunch. Amanda Woods described days filled with client and internal meetings that frequently stretch into the evening.

“If you don’t have a meeting on your calendar in the morning, there probably will be one on there in the afternoon,” she said. “I, too, eat my lunch usually at my desk.”

She said even small moments of separation have become intentional. Sometimes she leaves the office briefly just to sit alone in her car after picking up lunch from a drive-thru before returning to meetings. At home, her husband typically has dinner waiting by 7 p.m., creating a sense of structure around an otherwise fluid schedule.

Gail Woods said long hours have defined much of her career, particularly early on when work-life balance wasn’t a topic of discussion. Proposal deadlines and submittals often led to 10- and 11-hour workdays.

“I’m a boomer,” she said. “We don’t know what (work-life balance) means.”

Gail Woods speaks during the WTS Central Florida Chapter "A Walk in Her Shoes" panel discussion. 

Reflecting back on her early years in her career, she acknowledged the personal cost that came with prioritizing work for so many years.

“I know I shortchanged my son because I put work in front of him,” Gail Woods said.

The discussion also centered on the support systems that helped – or hindered – career growth.

Martinez became emotional while describing the role her wife has played in helping her manage business ownership and daily responsibilities.

“I would probably not be able to do all things I do without my wife,” Martinez said. “She is truly my ride or die.”

Audience members listen during the WTS Central Florida Chapter "A Walk in Her Shoes" event

Lee shared a similar perspective, describing her husband as her “No. 1 supporter” through career moves, multiple relocations to different cities, and the challenges of raising children away from extended family.

She also reflected on how childhood experiences influenced her career path in transportation and aviation. After losing her father at a young age, Lee’s mother worked multiple jobs while raising the family as a single parent. Limited transportation options forced Lee to learn public transit early in life, while her first plane ride at age 10 sparked a fascination with aviation that eventually inspired her career.

“I’m an accountant by trade, believe it or not,” she said. “It took me several years to get to aviation, but it worked out, and now I’m here.”

Gail Woods offered a more cautionary perspective on the role relationships can play in professional growth. She reflected candidly on an unsupportive marriage that limited opportunities throughout much of her career.

“Make sure your spouse will encourage you and work with you and not put you in positions where you have to suffer like I did,” she said.

Amanda Woods challenged the idea that work-life balance exists in a perfect or permanent form.

“There are a lot of struggles,” she said. “And I don’t necessarily believe that there’s truly a work-life balance.”

DRMP employees pose for a group photo at the WTS Central Forida Chapter "A Walk in Her Shoes" event.

She described learning to create intentional boundaries by scheduling personal commitments with the same discipline as work meetings. Weekly dinners with her parents, planned time with friends, and hobbies, such as pickleball, became ways to protect her time outside the office.

“Setting those boundaries… that’s how I’ve learned to do it,” Amanda Woods said. “It’s really just scheduling and making sure I’m paying attention to myself.”

Other moments in the discussion highlighted how risk, identity, and fulfillment shape career decisions. Martinez spoke about losing her father at age 9 and how that experience created a sense of urgency that influenced many of her choices, including launching her own engineering firm at age 32.

“It was a huge risk for me and my wife,” Martinez said, recalling how the couple drained their savings while building the business. “Luckily, we were extremely successful.”

An attendee asks a question during the Q&A session at the WTS Central Florida Chapter "A Walk in Her Shoes" panel discussion.

When asked what brings joy outside of work, the panelists described routines that help them disconnect and recharge. Martinez discussed earning her private pilot’s license and how flying forces her to focus completely on the present moment. Lee described investing in home exercise equipment, such as a Peloton bike, and walking as essential for maintaining mental clarity and managing stress.

“My Peloton has been a salvation for me,” she said. “Do something that is going to make your life more convenient.”

The discussion closed with advice for younger professionals entering the industry.

Martinez encouraged attendees to be honest about what they want from work and life rather than conforming to expectations. Gail Woods urged attendees to understand who they are and build a strong support system around them. Amanda Woods returned to the theme that anchored the entire conversation.

“Prioritize yourself because then you can prioritize others,” she said.

For the professionals gathered at “A Walk in Her Shoes,” the message was not about achieving perfect equilibrium between work and life. It was about understanding personal value, setting boundaries, and building a career that supports professional success and personal fulfillment.