Leadership Institute Wraps with Final Session on Work/Life Balance

The Leadership Institute Class of 2025 gathered for their final session on April 16–17 at the Osthoff Resort, capping off a powerful six-part leadership development experience. The final session focused on Work/Life Balance for an Effective Leader and featured a mix of expert insights, panel discussions and personal reflection.

The session opened with Dr. Brian Udermann’s engaging talk on the connection between personal health and leadership balance. Beth Ridley of Ridley Consulting Group followed with practical strategies for supporting employee mental health, equipping attendees with tools to lead with empathy and intention. Read Beth's guest blog post, Smart Leaders Drive High Performance Through Belonging—Not Burnout, for summary of the most impactful ideas and data that resonated with participants—and how you can start applying them right away.

A highlight of the evening was the lively panel discussion featuring leaders from across the industry—Matt Kunstman (OES), Jaime Kurten, PE (MSA Professional Services), Ashley Nelson, PE (REL), and Ryan Schanhofer, PE (KL Engineering). Their honest perspectives on the balance challenges and real-world solutions sparked deep conversations that extended well into the evening.

After dinner, the group continued the discussion informally with a bonfire under the stars—a fitting end to a session focused on balance and connection.

Jason Kotecki led a reflective morning discussion, followed by a practical session on situational leadership and delegation with Sean Spromberg, PE (MSA Professional Services). 

As the Class of 2025 looks ahead to graduation at the ACEC Wisconsin Awards Banquet on May 2, this final session was both a celebration of growth and a reminder of the importance of finding balance as a leader.