Leader Development Community

Vice Chair/Chair Elect: Mike Saum, AECOM

Immediate Past Chair: Zakary Payne, P.E., Matrix Design Group

Vice Chair, Secretary: Tom Bestafka, Larson Design Group

Vice Chair, Communication: Yvonne Rivera, GFT

Vice Chair, Programs: Cory Beam, Jacobs  

Vice Chair, Mentoring: Wendy Amann, Huitt-Zollars Inc.

Vice Chair, Outreach: Lt Col Josh Carroll, PE, PMP, USAF

Vice Chair, Uniformed Council Liaison: Vacant

Vice Chair, Young Professional Liaison: Vacant

LDP Co-Chairs: Brandi Smith, Cornerstone Engineering and Candice Scale, HDR

SAME National VP Liaison – Patrice Melancon, CWG Consulting

SAME National Office POC: Ree Miskimon, FSMPS

Goal 1: Strengthen Industry-Government Engagement
Lead efforts to foster communication and build relationships among military, public, academic, and professional organizations; further collaboration to identify issues and develop solutions in support of National security.

LDP provides a platform for industry and government members to grow professionally in a mutually supportive environment. Industry and government professionals interact under a common theme. The program also offers members of government and industry the opportunity to support the program as instructors and mentors.

Goal 2: Build and Sustain Resilient Communities
Lead efforts to prepare communities to absorb, recover, and adapt from natural and man-made threats, fortify our nation’s resolve directly where people work and live.

Leadership is key to decision-making. When faced with tough circumstances, a leader’s ability to respond to threats helps determine their resilience. LDP enhances that ability.

Goal 3. Develop Leaders for the Profession
Lead efforts to enhance leadership development and cultivate the talent necessary to address the nation’s grand challenges; ensure the enduring stewardship of the A/E/C profession.

Leader development is core to the Leader Development Program.

Goal 4: Enrich the STEM Pipeline for the Nation
Lead efforts to inspire, encourage, and enable youth to pursue STEM careers; help develop the technical capacity that our nation needs to remain globally competitive.

As a component of leader development, mentoring ensures knowledge, skills, and aptitudes are shared among the membership. Student members can especially benefit from mentoring to enhance their own leader development.

Goal 5. Prepare Service Members and Veterans for the A/E/C Industry
Lead efforts to fully integrate military and government members in the A/E/C industry; support training, credentialing, and networking initiatives that build, maintain, and translate skills to meet current and future needs.

LD provides a platform to leverage the leadership of service members and veterans as well as enhance leadership development for them to address challenges in the A/E/C profession.

LDP Chairs:

• Brandi Smith, Cornerstone Engineering
• Candice Scale, HDR

Immediate Past Chair: Col. Eric Wilbur, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.)

LDP Book Discussion Vice Chairs:

• Brandi Smith, Cornerstone Engineering
• Candice Scale, HDR

LDP Mentor Vice Chairs:

• Zachary Pesicka, WSP
• Steve Price, Stantec

LDP UPIC Projects Vice Chair: 

• Cdr. Roland de Guzman, P.E., CEM, USN (Ret.), Michael Baker International

LDP Evaluations Vice Chairs:

• Colleen Rust, EA Engineering, Science, and Technology
• Ryan Elliott, RHA

LDP Alumni Vice Chair:

• Cindy Miller, F.SAME, Jacobs

SAME National Office POC: Ree Miskimon, FSMPS

Mentoring Chair: Wendy Amann, Huitt-Zollars Inc.

LDP Mentoring Vice Chair: 

• Zachary Pesicka, WSP
• Steve Price, Stantec

AOF Mentoring Vice Chair: Rick Wice, F. SAME, Sundance, Inc.

Post-level Mentoring Vice Chair: Gerald Morris, F. SAME, Michael Baker International

SAME National Office POC: Ree Miskimon, FSMPS