We will be celebrating the kickoff of a new LEAP cohort with a networking mixer bringing together LEAPers of all ages, ACEC Arizona Board and Representative Justin Wilmeth.

ACEC Arizona Staff will lead a session covering program goals, curriculum highlights,
ground rules and networking objectives to set the stage for future classes. This is LEAP’s great “Icebreaker” session where attendees will gain a better understanding of themselves
and the other members of their class through an organized and structured self-assessment evaluation
and feedback process. Attendees will learn how to apply Real Colors in various scenarios for example
clients coaching and managing teams. We will tailor exercises for internal work teams and external
relationships., the session will be facilitated by a leadership professional from the National Curriculum & Training Institute.

This session provides strategies and tools for marketing and selling consulting engineering services. It emphasizes actionable insights, including client decision-making, compelling storytelling, and persuasion techniques, to help participants secure profitable projects and strengthen their firm's competitive edge. Participants will learn how to build strong client relationships, navigate the business development process, and develop winning proposals. A new segment explores how AI can enhance marketing efforts, while additional resources for the engineer's toolbox will offer practical support for ongoing success. One of the session's highlights is the sales call exercise, where we apply business development skills with guest clients. The entire day's discussions will also help attendees prepare for a real-world interview exercise starting in Session Four and culminating in Session Five. Barbara Shuck will lead this session.

Communication is at the heart of every activity a leader is involved in. Whether it’s written, verbal or non-verbal, your communication style makes an impact.

This session is packed with useful tools and insights to leverage your ability to make an impact. These skill building activities will challenge you to grow and develop your personal presence and composure as you and your LEAP peers experience a fun and memorable session.

This session will also provide clarity as to the role of communication in your leadership career through insights and dialogue. This includes an interview with LEAP Alumni Jason Mikkelsen, Vice President/Western Region Director, Building and Engineering Services for HDR. He will discuss the importance of communication and continuing to evolve as a communicator in your leadership career.

Additionally, throughout the day, participants will learn best practices to present themselves well regardless of their title or the context. These best practices will include the following:
• -Improving your understanding of the four types of confidence and how to build it in yourself and others on your team.
• -Discovering the difference between eye contact and connection. paying attention and presenting yourself with intention, becoming more self-aware, and being intentional in your choices to truly make an impact, whether you are speaking or listening.
• -Learning how to introduce yourself in a way that is memorable and methods to share an impactful story with clarity, verbal efficiency, and presence.
• -Gaining feedback on your communication style strengths and what opportunities there are for you to improve in this format.

This session will be led by Hilari Weinstein

Morning Session. This morning session will help attendees understand how to transition to leadership and will include discussions about understanding company boundaries, delegation, providing feedback, and thinking like a leader instead of an engineer. We will hear interesting perspectives from industry veteran Lisa Freestone. A second portion will be dedicated to a deeper discussion and exercises about Leadership in Your Professional Practice. Barbara Shuck will lead this session.
Afternoon Session. Building on strategies discussed in the marketing and business development session, this class focuses on applying storytelling and persuasion tactics to deliver compelling project interviews. Participants will learn how to differentiate their team strategically, align their presentation with client needs, and create a narrative that resonates with selection panels. The session includes practical exercises to refine verbal communication techniques, structure engaging content, and deliver with clarity and confidence. Teams will collaborate to prepare for the real-world interview scenario introduced in Session 2, applying the skills and insights gained throughout the program. This session, led by Barbara Shuck, ties the marketing and business development strategies together, emphasizing how preparation and strategy lead to successful project wins.

Morning Session. This exciting session culminates the Marketing and Business Development How to Win Work and extends the Communicating to Lead sessions. The engineering teams will deliver their project presentations as shortlisted competitors to a selection panel, which includes the guest clients from the sales call exercise. Each team will have a chance to put communication and strategy skills to the test as they stand and deliver their well-developed strategies and responses. The guest clients will have questions, and the LEAP team members will be challenged to respond confidently and clearly. The best part of this interview session is gaining valuable, candid feedback from the guest clients.
Afternoon Session: Hilari Weinstein and Barbara Shuck will provide in-depth feedback based on the Communication and Marketing/Business Development training that they have provided in previous sessions. We will address the weaknesses and strengths of each interview team and give the LEAP team members an opportunity to identify areas where they want additional advice and insights. The focus of this in-depth feedback session is to help engineers understand the importance of communication and strategy that encompasses the full spectrum of leadership communication success.

AI has the potential to transform how leaders work — streamlining routine tasks, unlocking data-driven insights, and enhancing creative problem-solving. When leveraged mindfully, AI becomes more than a tool; it becomes a strategic thought partner in decision-making, planning, and innovation. This timely, hands-on workshop is designed to equip leaders with the confidence, skillsets, and mindsets to integrate everyday AI into their professional workflows.

Through structured practice, tailored leadership examples, and the CRAFTing Framework, this session empowers leaders to improve decision-making, communication, and strategy through responsible AI use. This seminar delivers practical tools and powerful frameworks for immediate application.

Actionable Outcomes
• Discover high-impact AI applications in leadership, planning, and communication.
• Identify and avoid common pitfalls that reduce AI effectiveness.
• Apply the Leadership CRAFTing Framework to generate more effective AI outputs.
• Build leadership-specific prompt libraries designed to support everyday workflows.
• Practice with tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Gemini through guided exercises. This session led by Tyler Moberg is an AI learning specialist and founder of Amplified Impact. He is a national trainer for The Bob Pike Group who has nearly two decades of leadership and consulting experience helping professionals integrate AI tools thoughtfully and strategically. He is known for translating complex tools into practical strategies that build skill, confidence, and measurable results. Tyler holds a master’s degree in leadership from Bethel University.

Attendees will build on their existing skills as they apply leadership knowledge to project management,
managing multiple projects, managing people, and managing time. This session will provide tips and tools on how to prepare a proposal that will set you up for financial success, predict if your project is on budget, how to talk to clients about schedule delays and additional services, how to work with staff to keep them on task and under-budget and why your role is really a client “manager”.
Project Manager’s Toolbox for ease of Delivery
• Work breakdown structure (WBS)
• Your project execution plan.
• Logical sequencing of work packages in the WBS,
• Assigning labor and costs to each,
• Resource loaded schedule
• Adjusting the schedule for available resources. This session will be led by Bill Carroll.

Dan Oblinger is a hostage negotiator commander, author, international keynote speaker, and consulting business negotiator. He specializes in working with architects, engineers, and construction managers. Whether speaking at conferences, facilitating workshops for active listening and negotiation skills, or coaching and consulting with companies to build strong agreements, Dan loves to share his craft and enhance culture.

Morning Session: Each LEAP graduate takes a career path that is individual. Many surprise themselves as they utilize what they learn, capitalize upon opportunities and make choices that allow them to have an impact while adapting to the values which drive their careers at various life stages.
This engaging and eye-opening session helps participants broaden their perspective of what is possible career-wise and get an idea of what happens after graduation.

Possibilities, Priorities, and Direction

Engage in activities that will help you clarify what values and preferences impact the shape of your career now and in the future.

Afternoon Session: Hilari Weinstein and Barbara Shuck will share best practices and techniques for developing a polished and professional virtual presence in this interactive session. Engineers will learn how to excel in client and internal meetings, as well as virtual interviews, by leveraging effective communication strategies tailored to online platforms. Attendees will practice virtual communication skills in real-time, receive feedback, and refine their approach. The session also includes group discussions focused on honing each participant’s virtual presentation persona, ensuring they leave with practical tools to navigate any online setting confidently.

Morning Session
An update from the ACEC Arizona lobbyist, Tom Dorn Afternoon session Understand professional liability insurance. Avoid
litigation! This session is an introduction to professional service contracts. Learn fundamental risk
management principles and how to deal with risk. Define level of performance and rising above the standard of care. Learn about constructability reviews and design quality management to reduce risk. What are your construction
responsibilities? Know how to respond to indemnity demands and joint defense arrangements. This session will be led by ACEC Arizona Legal Counsel.

An important component of any leader’s effectiveness is the ability to teach what they know to help others succeed. Each participant will pick any leadership topic that they want to gain insight on and learn a systematic way of constructing a lesson to communicate that topic to maximize comprehension and retention. They will come to class prepared to teach a five-minute lesson related their topic to their fellow students. Time will be allocated to allow dialogue and discussion on the topics addressed. This session will be led by Hilari Weinstein.

A graduation ceremony and party (LEAP sponsors, colleagues, family, and friends are encouraged to attend), and graduation speeches reflecting on lessons learned and career goals will be presented by the LEAP class.