People Who Lead: Rodrigo “Doc” Llerena, Safety Manager
We’re excited to introduce you to Rodrigo “Doc” Llerena, Safety Manager at Rodgers, as part of our People Who Lead series. Rodgers is built by people with a wide range of experiences, passions, and perspectives—and we believe that diversity makes us stronger. This series celebrates the unique journeys of our team members and the incredible work they do to shape the communities we serve.
What is your role/title at Rodgers? Safety Manager
How long have you been at Rodgers? 18 years
Tell us a little bit about yourself (where you grew up, etc.).
Telling my story isn’t easy, not because I’m ashamed of where I come from, but because the journey has been anything but easy. Still, I’ve learned that everyone carries a story that shapes who they are. Mine begins with hardship, but it is also filled with dreams, dedication, and deep sacrifice.
I was born and raised in the South Chicagoland area. I come from a proud, low-income American-Mexican family. Both of my grandfathers came to the United States through the Bracero Program, where they worked in agriculture and on the railroads in search of a better future for their families. They often shared stories about how difficult that work was—physically, mentally, and emotionally, but they were always grateful for the opportunity. Their work ethic, perseverance, and sacrifice became the foundation of our family’s values.
Those sacrifices created opportunities for future generations. My paternal grandfather eventually saved enough to purchase farmland, and over time, my father and his siblings built one of Southwest Michigan’s largest minority-owned blueberry farms. On my mother’s side, my grandparents became business owners and invested in apartment buildings, making it possible for all four of their children to attend college or own businesses themselves.
Despite the foundation my family had built, my childhood was humble. We believed hard work would eventually make the American Dream possible, but as a kid, it often felt like all work and no play. My mother emphasized the importance of education and encouraged me to get involved in sports, clubs, and school activities, but work was always part of life.
On weekends and school breaks, while other kids played, I helped repair our family’s apartment buildings in Chicago, worked on cattle and chicken farms in Mexico, and harvested blueberries and other crops in Florida, Texas, and Michigan. I often joke that I must be the first city-country boy you’ll ever meet. I’ve lived in both worlds, and I’ve learned from both.
How did you get interested/started in the construction industry?
To be honest, I never imagined myself working in the construction industry. From a young age, my passion was always in the medical field, and for a brief time, I even dreamed of becoming a stuntman. I wanted to live life on the edge while helping people. Eventually, I realized the stuntman life was becoming a little too painful to continue (lol), but my passion for serving others never changed.
During high school, I volunteered with a local fire and rescue service, earned my EMT-P certification, and enrolled in the Purdue nursing program. Then life took an unexpected turn.
A life-changing event led me to join the United States Navy. Because of my medical background, I became a Navy Corpsman. I had the privilege of serving alongside the U.S. Marine Medical Battalion, Special Boat and Assault Craft Units, and Naval Special Warfare. After 7.5 years of service, I was unfortunately medically retired due to injuries, and the transition was difficult.
Two of my military brothers helped guide me toward my next chapter. One encouraged me to pursue safety education, while the other needed a safety representative on a construction project. I took the leap, and what started as an opportunity quickly became a new passion.
What do you like best about being in the construction industry?
Working in construction safety has allowed me to bring together everything I’ve learned throughout my life, my upbringing rooted in hard work, my medical training, my military experience, and my passion for protecting people. I’ve come to realize construction is more than building structures; it’s about building people, teams, and a culture of safety and pride.
What accomplishments in your construction career are you most proud of?
To me, construction is an extremely dangerous form of art. We take raw materials, plans, and ideas and turn them into something tangible, often in an environment where one wrong decision can have serious consequences.
My proudest accomplishment may not be a traditional career milestone, but rather the moments when I found myself in the right place at the right time in that extreme atmosphere. The true-life-saving and urgent situations I have encountered are the moments I am most proud of. In those situations, I have been able to draw on the hyper-focus, clarity, discipline, and professionalism I developed during my military days.
There is something uniquely rewarding about being the person who can remain calm when things become chaotic, recognize what needs to happen, and step in to help someone when they need it most. Those moments remind me that the value of my career is not measured only by what we build, but also by the people we protect and the lives we may positively impact along the way.
Being able to help means the world to me. Those are the moments I can look back on, hold my head high, and know that I made a difference.
What does Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion mean to you?
I strongly support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and I also believe in hiring the best person for the job. To me, those two principles go hand in hand. DEI helps ensure that our definition of the “best” candidate isn’t influenced by bias or limited by unequal access to opportunities. It means broadening the talent pool, creating a fair, level playing field, and ensuring we don’t unintentionally overlook qualified, talented people. Ultimately, the goal is to find the best fit for the role, but to do that effectively, we need a process that is fair, inclusive, and gives everyone a genuine opportunity to succeed.
What does liveSAFE mean to you?
To liveSAFE is to choose to live fully, to embrace this one extraordinary life with wonder, gratitude, and intention.
When I pause to remember that our Earth is nothing more than a tiny oasis drifting through an endless expanse of space, I’m reminded just how miraculous it is that we are here at all.
The precise, delicate conditions that made life possible, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the warmth of the sun, the extraordinary balance of it all, are not things I ever want to take for granted.
We are here. We are alive. We are blessed.
And to me, living SAFE means honoring that gift by living this life fully, consciously, and with gratitude.
Why I Build With Rodgers:
There was one word that struck me deeply when I first joined Rodgers: passion. It wasn’t just a corporate buzzword; it was something I felt in my bones.
One quote has stayed with me throughout my journey: “If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your purpose.”
I didn’t set out to work in construction. My heart was always in serving others. Looking back, I can see that passion led me exactly where I was meant to be. Today, I have the privilege of helping protect and empower people every day, and in doing so, I’ve found my purpose.
