Building Confidence and Connection with LeaderFlow
The LeaderFlow development program convenes professionals from across the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry to focus on growth, communication, and leadership. We spoke with Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) Senior Consulting Architect Krystie Ortencio and Consulting Engineer Ezra Arif Edwin about their experiences with the program, how it changed their day-to-day work, and what they would tell future participants.
Tell us about your background and how you got to SGH.
Krystie: My path to SGH is unique. I began my career in landscape architecture, but I went back to school to earn my master’s in architecture after the recession hit. From there, I worked at an architecture design firm and an architectural consulting firm before making my way to SGH in Los Angeles. That broad experience gave me a strong foundation, and SGH helped me build the deeper technical knowledge I wanted in enclosure consulting.
Ezra: I’ve been with SGH for a little over nine years in the Chicago Structural Engineering division. Before joining, I lived in New Zealand, where I earned my undergraduate degree and worked in the bridge and infrastructure sector. Once I moved to the United States, I completed graduate school at Virginia Tech and then joined SGH.
How would you describe the LeaderFlow program?
Krystie: LeaderFlow brings together early- to mid-career AEC professionals and creates an opportunity for people with different backgrounds and perspectives to share experiences, learn about themselves, and build confidence. It is about bringing out the leader in each person while reminding participants that they are supported and needed in the industry.
Ezra: The full-day sessions explore all aspects of leadership. They start with understanding yourself, your strengths, and what leadership can mean to you, then expand outward to leading individuals, projects, firms, and practices.
What motivated you to join the program?
Ezra: SGH asked me to participate in the inaugural Chicago cohort. I didn’t have specific expectations going into the program, but it sounded interesting, and I hoped I would come away with useful takeaways. I definitely did.
Krystie: A Senior Principal approached me with the opportunity, and it felt like the right time. I enjoy collaborative learning environments and was ready to refocus on career growth after taking a step back while my kids were younger. It felt like meaningful support at the right moment.
What stood out most from the LeaderFlow experience?
Ezra: The first session on trust, growth mindset, and strengths helped me rethink how much time I spend focusing on weaknesses. One takeaway was that our highest ceilings are often tied to our strengths, so we should lean into those. The session on challenging conversations also stayed with me because it changed how I listen and respond, especially as I continue to grow in my role.
How has LeaderFlow changed the way you approach your work?
Krystie: After the program, I find myself speaking more confidently and trust that my voice is important. It also gave me time to think about what I need to bring my best self to work and home. That reflection helped me recognize that taking care of myself also helps me show up better for the people around me.
Ezra: One of the biggest changes for me has been pausing before responding in difficult conversations and focusing on understanding what the other person is saying, versus what I think they are saying. LeaderFlow also helped me separate leadership from management and recognize that anyone at any level can lead.
What value did you find in learning alongside professionals from other disciplines?
Krystie: The variety was great. Even though people came from different parts of the AEC industry, we were often navigating similar challenges. Hearing from people outside my immediate work environment reminded me that there are people across the industry working through similar questions about career growth, confidence, and leadership.
What advice would you give someone to make the most of the opportunity?
Ezra: Go in with an open mind and participate honestly. You get out of the program what you put into it. I hope to keep using my strengths to create opportunities for others, continue improving at challenging conversations, and find ways to bring different parts of my life together without shortchanging one area for another.
Krystie: I would tell them to go for it. It’s a special opportunity, and the work can help you in your career and beyond it. Moving forward, I plan to continue understanding who I am, what I value, where I should spend my energy, and how I can build a career and life that fits.