Mastering Engineering Leadership

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Gary Null, Assistant Department Head for Undergraduate Affairs in the Industrial Systems and Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee.

Gary’s 30-year career spanned three “dreams”: serving as a Navy officer and later Army civilian manager, working for his dream company, General Motors, and ultimately becoming a professor at the University of Tennessee. His path was sparked early by growing up near Detroit’s auto industry and inspired by Top Gun’s portrayal of Navy service, which led him to the Naval Academy. His journey was not strictly planned but evolved through opportunities, flexibility, and a willingness to move forward without regret.

In our leadership segment, Gary discusses how, during Base Realignment and Closure period in the Army, he led a downsized department responsible for global Army vessel maintenance. With limited staff but ample funding, he built coalitions of contractors and engineers from multiple organizations, fostering unity with simple but powerful tactics like shared polo shirts and dinners, while negotiating with leaders to secure resources.

Gary urges engineers to “get comfortable being uncomfortable” by embracing new challenges like public speaking, technical tools, and team collaboration. He stresses humility, warning against overconfidence and advocating for leaders to remain receptive to advice until the moment a decision must be made.

Explore the full episode summary, including guest bio, key takeaways, transcript, and recommended resources in the shownotes at https://drangeliqueadams.com/podcast/.

Hi everyone, Angelique here.

Today I'm taking a break from new production to celebrate Labor Day.

As a replay, I'm bringing back episode two with Joy Harris.

We talked about a challenging leadership situation where she had to rely on emotional self-awareness and self-regulation to maintain a strong relationship with an important stakeholder.

These topics are on my mind because I just covered them with my students in my engineering leadership course.

I love being able to use this podcast in the classroom to show how real leaders apply these skills in practice.

Enjoy this replay of my conversation with Joy Harris, and I'll be back next week.

In this episode I speak with Paul Young. Mayor of The City of Memphis, Tennessee.

Mayor Young was inspired to pursue engineering after watching A Different World, a late-1980s/early-1990s television sitcom set at the fictional Hillman College that explored college life, social issues, and Black culture, and became especially influential for inspiring young viewers to pursue higher education and professional careers. He earned his degree in electrical engineering at the University of Tennessee, but soon realized he was drawn more to community development.

A pivotal sermon from his mother led him to pursue a graduate degree in city and regional planning, which laid the foundation for his career in rebuilding neighborhoods and eventually serving as Mayor of the City of Memphis.

In our leadership segment, Mayor Young talks about being confronted with widespread scrutiny over the arrival of Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer project, a development covered extensively in the local press. Balancing environmental concerns, economic opportunity, and community trust, he is navigating heated public debate while standing firm in his values—a timely example of leadership under the spotlight of real-world headlines.

Mayor Young emphasizes that leadership is not about titles but about filling gaps in organizations, treating people with respect, and building a reputation that inspires others to advocate for you—even when you’re not in the room.

Explore the full episode summary, including guest bio, key takeaways, transcript, and recommended resources in the shownotes at https://drangeliqueadams.com/podcast/.

In this episode, I speak with Chris Roberts, a fractional Chief Digital Officer and Founder of Intevate Labs, where he helps companies translate strategy into working systems using AI-enabled automation, commerce, and data platforms. 

Chris discovered his engineering aptitude early, receiving encouragement from teachers for his math and science skills. After earning a mechanical engineering degree from MIT, he pursued management consulting, blending engineering problem-solving with process and systems improvement, for major manufacturing and technology clients. His career evolved into innovation strategy, leading him to found Intevate Labs. 

In our leadership discussion, Chris talks about how he had to lead professionals twice his age with decades more industry experience. He learned that listening, understanding others' concerns, and effective communication are critical to overcoming resistance and fostering collaboration. 

Chris encourages engineers to focus on improving emotional intelligence, especially listening, reading the room and understanding motivations as it enhances leadership effectiveness and personal relationships. He stresses seeking candid feedback from trusted mentors to accelerate growth. 

Explore the full episode summary, including guest bio, key takeaways, transcript, and recommended resources at https://drangeliqueadams.com/podcast/

In this episode, I speak with Eduardo Arreaga, Chief Financial Officer at Neurovitals Inc., which delivers personalized AI-driven mental health care by combining metabolic science, neuroscience, and real-time lab insights. 

Eduardo was inspired to pursue mechanical engineering by his father's 30-year career at John Deere and the manufacturing-rich environment of Monterrey, Mexico. After starting in design, quality, and production at Carrier Corporation, he leveraged a company-sponsored master's in finance to move into financial planning and analysis for manufacturing. This led to a 12-year career at MSCI and financial services before transitioning to the startup world. 

In our leadership segment, Eduardo discusses the challenge of building a finance team from scratch in a fast-paced startup environment at mortgage startup, Stavi. He needed to intentionally define and model team behaviors, create a sense of urgency without burnout, foster collaboration across functions, and adapt corporate process discipline to a less structured, rapidly evolving culture. 

Eduardo stresses that leadership is a skill developed through constant practice, intentional learning, and mentorship. He encourages aspiring leaders to practice listening, learning, and teaching daily. Seek mentors who complement their goals and be willing to go beyond their job descriptions to grow their leadership capabilities. 

You can learn more about Eduardo and get his recommended resources in our show notes at drangeliqueadams.com/podcast.

In this episode, I speak with Randy Gibson, senior advisor to the executive team of Gresham Smith, a multidisciplinary architecture, engineering, and design firm that delivers strategic people-focused solutions across the healthcare, aviation, transportation, water resources, and corporate markets.

Randy began his career with a passion for buildings, originally considering architecture before pivoting to structural engineering. His professional path took him from small consulting firms to nuclear power then into a 27-year tenure with an AE firm where he rose from engineer to COO. He later served in C-suite roles focused on strategy and growth.

In our leadership segment, Randy shared two pivotal leadership moments, leading a skeptical team at a branch office early in his career and later heading a new division with expertise outside his own. Both required overcoming deep mistrust, building individual relationships, and communicating vision with patience and consistency.

Randy advises engineers to actively seek leadership experiences, embrace diversity of thought, find mentors earlier than he did, and continuously develop soft skills. He emphasizes that leadership is about people, not just organizations, and that investing in relationships is key.

You can learn more about Randy, including reading his full bio, recommended resources, and links to connect with him in our show notes at https://drangeliqueadams.com/podcast/

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Dennis Burianek, Director of Business Transformation at MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

Dennis grew up in Seattle, fascinated by planes, spacecraft, and his older brother’s career in aerospace engineering. That early interest led him to study at MIT, where he earned his BS, MS, and PhD in aerospace engineering before joining MIT Lincoln Laboratory, where he has spent his entire career solving complex national security challenges. His career evolved from hands-on technical roles to cross-functional program management and senior leadership.

In our leadership segment, Dennis shared a high-stakes scenario leading a spacecraft project where a hardware failure forced rapid, high-pressure decision-making. He balanced technical rigor with leadership judgment, emphasizing the need to uncover root causes, resist premature solutions, and communicate clearly with stakeholders while managing team stress and maintaining morale.

His key advice to aspiring engineering leaders: Be curious and experiment with leadership in and outside of work. Don’t assume introverts can’t lead. Leadership is learned, not inherited, and there are many styles. He encourages engineers to read, reflect, and explore leadership frameworks to discover their own path.

Takeaways, transcripts, and more in the show notes: https://drangeliqueadams.com/podcast/

In this episode, I speak with Phil Byerly, a former supply chain executive turned business consultant.

Phil stumbled into engineering thanks to a late suggestion from his mother and his strength in math and hands-on work. He ultimately chose industrial engineering, drawn by its blend of people, systems, and business. After graduation, rather than taking a flashier aerospace job option, he chose a manufacturing role with VF Corporation, valuing the people and growth opportunities there. His 34+ year career at VF (one of the world's largest apparel and footwear companies with brands such as The North Face, Vans, Timberland, and Dickies.) spanned engineering multiple functions, including plant management, and executive roles in global supply chain.

A key leadership challenge was aligning operations and finance forecasting to reduce miscommunication and improve performance. Phil tackled this by embedding finance personnel into collaborative planning meetings, removing executive presence to encourage candid discussion, and encouraging team members to "dollarize" unit forecasts. This cross-functional integration improved accuracy, accountability, and team development.

Phil encourages aspiring engineering leaders to “go for it” and “start now.” He advocates for hands-on experience, building trust and work ethic, developing interpersonal skills, and investing in self-awareness. He also emphasizes humility, communication, and his personal faith as the foundation of his leadership.

Takeaways, transcripts, and more in the show notes: https://drangeliqueadams.com/podcast/

In this episode, I speak with Chris Ritter, Technical Manager for Century Aluminum's Mt. Holly Smelter.

Chris's early fascination with how things work, along with a strong interest in math and science during high school, sparked his decision to pursue chemical engineering. His engineering path began with a co-op experience while at Clemson University, leading to a long-standing career at Mt. Holly. He started in process control and steadily grew into a leadership role, ultimately becoming the plant’s technical manager.

In our leadership segment, Chris discusses how he navigates a complex role that involves managing direct and indirect reports across various departments, including lab operations and IT, mentoring a new generation of engineers, and bridging communication gaps between corporate and local functions. One key challenge he described was leading through uncertainty and renewal while preserving institutional knowledge and culture.

In our advice segment, Chris emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, sharing knowledge rather than hoarding it, and leading with empathy and clarity. He encourages aspiring leaders to understand the "why" behind actions, communicate expectations clearly, and keep the main thing the main thing.

Takeaways, transcripts, and more in the show notes: https://drangeliqueadams.com/podcast/

In this episode, I speak with Eric Higgs, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee.

Eric began his career in engineering thanks to a high school band teacher who nominated him for a youth employment program. That opportunity paired him with a city engineer, igniting his interest in the field. After studying chemical engineering, he joined Procter & Gamble and moved through roles in manufacturing and brand management before eventually becoming a general manager at Kimberly-Clark and Bridgestone, and later transitioning to lead the Boys and Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee.

In our leadership segment, Eric talks about the core challenge when transitioning from corporate leadership to the nonprofit sector. He had to shift from primarily head- and hands-driven strategies to leading with heart while still leveraging data, strategy, and accountability. A key focus became simplifying complex strategies and cascading them through the organization in ways that inspired ownership at every level.

Eric advises engineers to actively pursue leadership roles and develop both management and leadership skills. He emphasizes becoming a student of each new role and organization, adopting learning agility, and understanding both the culture and the people.

Takeaways, transcripts, and more in the show notes: https://drangeliqueadams.com/insights/