Leadership Institute Focuses on Managing Risk with Confidence

The Leadership Institute Class of 2026 gathered January 21–22 for an exploration of the risks engineering leaders face and how those risks are managed.

The session opened with a professional liability case study led by Katie Jones of O’Hagan Meyer, grounding participants in real-world scenarios that underscored the importance of informed judgment. Discussions then shifted to how contracts and communication influence risk, with Allison Schneider of Holmes Murphy highlighting how everyday leadership choices can either mitigate or magnify exposure.

Participants examined risk through a practical lens. Joe Bunker, PE, Strand Associates, shared real-life examples that brought risk management out of the abstract and into daily practice.

The program concluded with an enterprise risk management discussion led by Anne Black and Cassie Coopman of Mead & Hunt, tying individual decisions to firm-wide strategy and long-term resilience. 

The real value of the Leadership Institute comes from volunteers who bring candid experience, practical insight, and a commitment to developing future leaders.

The Class of 2026 walked away with tools to think beyond technical work and more like business leaders.