Alejandra “Ale” Spray is the CEO and president of the Hispanic Contractors of Colorado.
Prior to this role, Ale was the community empowerment manager for Mortenson, where she was responsible for successfully overseeing community participation plans to maximize opportunities for small, women, minority and other diverse groups and workers on Mortenson’s projects.
Born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and resident of Colorado since 1999, Ale has more than 20 years of construction experience. Throughout her career, Ale has held roles such as project engineer, marketing director, business development and community empowerment manager.
Ale received her bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the Institute of Technology and Higher Studies of the West in Guadalajara, Mexico. In 2016, she became a member of the Latino Leadership Institute, a University of Denver leadership program. In 2020, Ale received her diversity and inclusion certificate through the University of Cornell and in 2021, she completed the Governor’s Fellowship program. In 2022, Ale received her corporate social responsibility certificate through the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business, and in June 2023 she became an alumni of the esteemed Leadership Denver fellowship program with the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation.
Ale has been extremely involved in the community, holding such positions as chairman of the board for the Hispanic Contractors of Colorado and the governor-appointed advisory council for the State of Colorado’s Minority Business Office. Currently, Ale serves on the boards for Centura Avista Adventist Hospital in Louisville, Bellco Credit Union, Mile High Youth Corps, STEMblazers and Colorado Succeeds and is vice chairwoman of the board of the Construction Education Foundation, where she is the first woman and Latina to serve in such role.
Ale frequently shares her story as a woman in the construction industry on panels, career fairs and workforce initiatives for diverse talent, where she also speaks to the importance of diversity and inclusivity on construction projects. Some of the events at which Ale has been a guest panelist/speaker include:
- Rocky Mountain Partnership’s inaugural LatinaCON conference
- Adelante Community Development’s inaugural Latina Convention (all in Spanish)
- Denver International Airport Commerce Hub’s Business Diversity Summit
- Adams County Education Consortium’s Classroom to Career Symposium
- Latinas Líderes & Emprendedoras panel
- Mortenson’s annual Women in Construction event, “The Other F Word” (talking about fears)
- ENR’s Groundbreaking Women in Construction Luncheon roundtable discussion facilitator “Empower Yourself Now – How to Mute that Inner Critic”
Ale was recognized as the 2018 Business Developer of the Year by the Colorado Chapter of Society of Marketing Professional Services and the 2018 Rock Star of the Rockies by the Metro North Chamber of Commerce. In August 2021, she was listed as a finalist for the Denver Business Journal 2021 Outstanding Women in Business. Hispanic Lifestyle included her in the 2022 Latinas of Influence list. In 2023, she was named as finalist for the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business as well as the Ally of the Year by the Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.
Ale’s proudest accomplishment and highest title is being mother to Nicole and Alexander, two energetic teenagers who keep her grounded. Ale is committed to help and mentor young professionals and is a strong advocate for diversity, equity and inclusive practices for the betterment of the construction industry and empowerment for women in the corporate world.