In this episode, I speak with Dr. Claus Daniel, Associate Director for Advanced Energy Technologies at Argonne National Laboratory.
Born into a family of carpenters in Germany, Claus was the first in his family to finish high school and attend college. Encouraged by an observant elementary teacher, he pursued material science after discovering a passion for physics and chemistry and a childhood encounter with an astronaut who was also a material scientist. He later moved to the United States to improve his English and earned a Wigner Fellowship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he helped build an influential battery program. After spending time in industry at Carrier, he returned to the US National Lab System at Argonne, where he leads an organization of scientists, engineers, and analysts working to develop breakthrough solutions to grow the economy through a reliable and secure energy system and a strong workforce.
In our leadership segment, Claus talks about how he repeatedly chose harder paths from changing countries to starting battery work where it was not expected. Through those challenges, he learned to balance influence with listening so teams can diverge before converging on decisions. Strategic focus, reflection, and resisting reactive communication became central to his approach to leadership.
Claus's advice to engineering leaders? When communicating about your work, don't talk only about gadgets. Frame engineering as solving societal problems.
Schedule reflection, know what you can influence, and practice the discipline captured in the Serenity Prayer to lead with focus and impact.
Explore the full episode summary, including guest bio, key takeaways, transcript, and recommended resources in the shownotes at www.drangeliqueadams.com/podcast
In this episode, I speak with Barbie Bigelow, CEO of Emerald Growth Partners and an independent board director, strategist, and digital expert. Barbie is a first-generation college student who pivoted from pre-med to chemical engineering, then discovered a love for computing during an internship at a paper mill. During her internship, she saved the company millions of dollars and was offered a full-time position, but decided to pursue graduate school instead.
After graduate school, Barbie started at IBM and kept saying yes to stretch roles that led to system architect, integrator, business leader, and CIO and CTO positions across multiple industries.
In our leadership segment, Barbie talks about how in her first CIO role, a unified platform proposal was rejected by the top leader. After a hard reset, she coached her team to relearn the business unit by unit, delivered targeted wins, and converted a skeptic into a champion who later endorsed the broader platform.
Barbie's advice to engineering leaders: be relentlessly curious, practice the now what mindset, and triangulate for the truth by aligning strategy, actions, and data. Lead with authenticity, personalize your coaching like Pat Summitt, and always do what you say.
Explore the full episode summary, including guest bio, key takeaways, transcript, and recommended resources in the shownotes at www.drangeliqueadams.com/podcast
In this episode, I speak with Dr. Zach Sims with Small Business Consulting Corporation. He is a Technical Director of Laboratory Capability Integration and Transition with Air Force Global Strike Command. Zach followed an early inspiration from his engineer father, studied physics, then pivoted to applied materials and energy engineering. He worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, completed a PhD through the University of Tennessee's Bredesen Center, became a Lawrence Fellow at Lawrence Livermore National Lab, and moved into joint faculty at the University of Tennessee. He now serves as a technology and stakeholder advocate linking Air Force needs with national lab capabilities.
In our leadership segment, Zach talks about how while at the University of Tennessee, he organized idea days to match Tennessee Valley Authority program leaders with university researchers. He aligned two very different stakeholder groups by setting a clear objective, curating the right presenters, enforcing audience-appropriate depth, and giving direct feedback to ensure outcomes.
Zach's advice to engineering leaders? Grow by taking progressively larger risks and building the resilience to recover from mistakes. Tailor your story to the audience, deliberately practice your communication skills, and use listening and reflection to convert stakeholder needs into actionable steps.
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 Whaley, founder and principal consultant of Escape to Expand, where he brings together people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to unlock their full potential.
Chris fell in love with engineering after seeing Star Wars. He started his engineering journey in aerospace at UT Knoxville, pivoted to industrial engineering, and developed leadership through a decade in the volunteer fire service. He moved into project management at Phillips, earned a PMP and Six Sigma Black Belt, led large reorganizations, and advanced to VP of HR with a global assignment in Amsterdam before launching his consulting firm.
In our leadership segment, Chris discusses how, as a new HR business partner in a multi-billion dollar medical device business, he faced inconsistent talent perceptions among senior leaders. He accelerated an externally calibrated leadership assessment program, shifting his mindset from optimizing HR timelines to serving the business need. Chris's advice for engineering leaders,
Build trust by delivering and collaborating, seek cross-functional projects for visibility, learn fast by pairing immediate strengths with targeted mentoring, and use storytelling to connect data to meaning.
Explore the full episode summary, including guest bio, key takeaways, transcript, and recommended resources, in the show notes at drangeliqueadams.com/podcast.
In this episode, I speak with Dr. Srijib Mukherjee, senior scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Srijib entered engineering as an accidental tourist, switching from physics to electrical engineering in India before earning a master's and PhD in the United States. He built a career across utility operations, trading, consulting, and teaching and now works in research with a joint appointment mentoring graduate students. His through line is curiosity, humility, and seeking broader impact across engineering, business, and academia.
In our leadership segment, Srijib discussed how early in grid operations he had to earn credibility with tough, highly experienced operators. He chose humility, listened, learned the system hands-on, and focused on team trust and shared problem-solving. That mindset carried into later roles where he emphasized ownership, ethics, and mentoring.
Srijib's advice to leaders: treat leadership as a responsibility, not a status. Balance IQ with EQ, take ownership for outcomes, and let peer respect validate your readiness. Prepare to make unpopular decisions, stay authentic, and build teams that elevate the whole organization.
Explore the full episode summary, including guest bio, key takeaways, transcript, and recommended resources in the show notes at drangeliqueadams.com/podcast.
In this episode, I speak with Paulo Novaes, Chief Technology Officer at Aperam. Paulo grew up around engineering through his father, loved math and lab work, and ultimately chose metallurgy and materials engineering. He faced rejections to elite academies, persisted, and launched a career in specialty steel, moving from shop-floor engineer to multi-site leader.
In our leadership segment, Paulo discusses his approach to leading cross-border teams. He rejected fast top-down rollouts in favor of collaborative, on-site, people-first approaches. He built buy-in by traveling to each site, listening deeply, and co-creating roadmaps with local teams.
Paulo's advice to aspiring engineering leaders: Practice a beginner’s mindset, get comfortable acting with incomplete information, and prioritize soft skills, purpose, belonging, and self-care. The goal is sustained team performance and human-centered leadership.
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 Dr. Terry Alger, Vice President for Applied Research and Development at UL Solutions. Terry discovered mechanical engineering at West Point, found his passion in combustion and engines during graduate work at the University of Texas, and built a career spanning hands-on lab work, automotive research, and organizational leadership. Terry views leadership as a force multiplier, allowing engineers to stay connected to complex problems that fascinate them but can't fully take on themselves due to bandwidth, while also providing an opportunity to mentor and grow others.
In our leadership segment, Terry gave us not one, but two great examples of the different ways engineering leaders can impact their environments. As a technology leader, Terry challenged industry orthodoxy by promoting cooled exhaust gas recirculation, or EGR, when lean burn was the prevailing trend, eventually influencing the direction of the automotive industry.
As an organizational leader, he identified that the best project managers were those with broad experience and responded by creating a rotational program for early career engineers, strengthening both talent development and management pipelines.
Terry's advice to aspiring engineering leaders? See yourself as a leader from day one and act accordingly. Communicate simply and directly, pair complementary strengths, study leadership deliberately, and embrace failure as part of innovation while staying humble enough to pivot when data proves you wrong.
Explore the full episode summary, including guest bio, key takeaways, transcript, and recommended resources in the shownotes at www.drangeliqueadams.com/podcast
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/
In this episode, I speak with Ben Roehrs, an integrated circuit design engineer for the Molecular Imaging division of Siemens Healthineers.
Ben was inspired to pursue electrical engineering by his uncle, an engineer at Boeing. His academic path included co-op experience at BMW, a self-initiated international internship in Germany, and a master’s degree that led to a technical role at Siemens Molecular Imaging.
In our leadership segment, Ben talks about how he found himself in a complex international collaboration where his team risked losing credibility. Without formal authority, he stepped up to fill a leadership vacuum by improving communication, documentation, and team responsiveness—ultimately salvaging the partnership and raising team standards.
Ben shares that leadership without positional authority relies on influence, emotional intelligence, and initiative. He advises early-career engineers to develop patience, refine communication, and embrace opportunities to lead by example before seeking formal titles.
Takeaways, transcripts, and more in the show notes: https://drangeliqueadams.com/insights/
In this episode, I speak with Bob Colwick an electrical engineer with the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Bob's fascination with puzzles and unseen forces led him to study electrical engineering. Inspired by a mentor during undergrad, he added an MBA to his technical toolkit, enabling him to lead effectively across utility operations, first in power distribution, and now in generation at TVA.
Bob discusses how, when faced with a delayed project, his emotional self-regulation and trust-based relationship with his team member helped him uncover a personal issue affecting performance.
Rather than solve the problem technically, he created space for empathy, which led the team member to resolve the situation independently. Bob advises engineers to recognize that leadership is not simply engineering for people. It's a different skill set that requires emotional intelligence, humility, and constant adaptation. He encourages engineers to cultivate trust, read widely, and develop the ability to ask the question behind the question.
Takeaways, transcripts, and more in the show notes: https://drangeliqueadams.com/insights/
In this episode, I speak with Mike Stone, a retired chemical engineer whose career responsibilities progressed from production engineer to vice president with many stops along the way.
Mike began his engineering path inspired by older cousins working in chemical engineering and driven by a desire to escape farm work. He earned his engineering degree from UT and built a diverse career spanning multiple chemical industries, eventually moving into business management and strategic planning.
Mike talks about how he was thrown into leadership early without formal training and how he initially struggled with managing people and navigating complex cultural dynamics. A pivotal moment came when he was sent to lead a newly acquired company under challenging circumstances without a proper handoff or leadership preparation.
In our advice segment, Mike stresses the importance of gaining early exposure to leadership, business, and financial literacy. His core message is, engineers must invest in themselves continuously to gain separation from their peers and approach their careers with a CEO mindset.
Mike provided a recommended reading list, which I will include in the show notes.
Takeaways, transcripts, and more in the show notes: https://drangeliqueadams.com/insights/
