Women in Glass™ Highlights Curiosity, Storytelling and Breaking Barriers

At GlassBuild America 2026, held Sept. 23-25 in Las Vegas, the final keynote ended the week on a strong note with the fifth Women in Glass™ breakfast and keynote address. Barbara Bouza, executive director at Live, Work, Play at CannonDesign, and former President of Walt Disney Imagineering and American Institute of Architects Los Angeles, gave this year’s keynote. 

Syndi Sim, director of sales and business development, Q-Railing, kicked the session off by highlighting the representation of women within NGA's leadership, noting that 80% of the staff and 100% of the senior leadership team are women. She also discussed the success of the California Glass Association Women in Glass chapter, as well as a similar chapter established in Texas. 

Bouza’s keynote centered on the importance of lifelong curiosity, learning and overcoming perfectionism. Drawing from her experience working for Walt Disney Imagineering, she emphasized that design should tell a story and create human connections. She said that architects and designers alike should always remember that you’re designing for the people who will inhabit that space.  

“I always want to make sure I’m learning. It’s so humbling to be a lifelong learner and to learn something different, especially if you’re a leader,” says Bouza, discussing how she found a love for playing the piano later in life. “It’s a reminder to ourselves to ask, ‘why not?’ What are we waiting for?” 

Bouza highlighted historical figures in the architecture realm like Julia Morgan and Norma Sklarek to illustrate the importance of visibility for women and people of color, not only in architecture, but across all industries. She says that when women see other women in positions of leadership, it creates an “I can do that, too” mindset.   

During the panel portion of the keynote, Bouza and Sim addressed common barriers to leadership for women, including the misconception that women must be perfect before accepting promotions, the tendency for women to delay leadership opportunities due to feeling "not ready," and the need for intentionality in recruitment and retainment to avoid male-only leadership structures.  

Bouza, Sim and NGA President and CEO Lakisha A. Woods emphasized the importance to all in the room, men and women, of creating a welcoming environment at work to help retain female talent. It’s not simply enough to hire women; leaders need to be intentional about supporting and promoting women within the company and ensuring they have a seat at the table.