In an industry built on collaboration, how we communicate matters as much as what we build. The words and tone we choose — in proposals, team bios, project narratives, websites, out in the field, and everyday conversations — shape how our work is perceived and influence the relationships we form with clients, colleagues, and communities.

This session explores how language can unintentionally create barriers or build bridges across diverse teams and equips attendees with the tools to communicate more equitably on paper and in person. Participants will learn and explore the following:

About the Speakers:

Jenny Chin, Director of Talent and Culture, Cochran

Jenny (she/her) is the Director of Talent & Culture at Cochran, one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest woman-owned contractors. She leads talent acquisition, employee engagement, culture initiatives, and inclusive recruiting strategies, helping ensure that Cochran’s people practices and communications foster belonging, accessibility, and equitable opportunities for employees, candidates, and partners. Her work includes advancing inclusive hiring practices, reviewing job descriptions and candidate-facing communications, and supporting community and workforce development initiatives.

An active leader within the construction and commercial real estate community, Jenny has served with industry organizations including NAWIC Puget Sound, CREW Seattle, and is CREDA WAs current Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee Co-Chair. She partners with business development, operations, and community organizations to advance inclusive communication, workforce development, supplier diversity, and employer branding initiatives. Jenny is passionate about helping organizations align their values with their messaging and creating environments where people feel welcomed, represented, and empowered to succeed. 

River Teslar, Business and Inclusion Training Manager, Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA), Washington State’s LGBTQ+ and Allied Chamber of Commerce

River (she/her) is GSBA’s Business Training Specialist. She received an AA in music from Navarro College and spent four years as a pharmacy technician before finding her true home within the nonprofit sector advocating for underserved communities. In the three years River has been at GSBA, she has developed the organization’s entire inclusion training curriculum and has conducted workshops for groups as large as 500 people. Participants appreciate her vulnerability, casual affect, and the open invitation to learn in a space free from shame. She is a spirited advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and delights in bringing her warmth and encouraging nature to business education and growth. As a trans woman with a background in advocacy and community work, she is excited to put those skills to use for the GSBA and all affiliated organizations.

Kabri Lehrman-Schmid, General Superintendent, Hensel Phelps

Kabri Lehrman-Schmid (she/her) is a General Superintendent with Hensel Phelps, where she leads the delivery of complex, large-scale construction programs across the aviation and higher education sectors. With nearly two decades of experience, she is responsible for project execution, stakeholder alignment, and operational performance, bringing a systems-based approach that integrates technical excellence with effective team leadership.

In addition to her project responsibilities, Kabri is a nationally recognized industry leader and advocate focused on advancing workforce sustainability, mental health, and inclusive field leadership. She translates complex leadership and workforce topics into practical, field-executable strategies that strengthen teams, expand access to opportunity, and improve how work is experienced across the industry.

Kabri is a co-founder of Build with Pride Seattle and serves on the board of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention, supporting initiatives that reduce stigma, increase access to resources, and foster a greater sense of belonging within the AEC community. 

James Malloy Harmon, PhD, CPSM, Marketing Manager, Natural Systems Design

James enjoys helping people express themselves in the best way possible to make their ideas shine. As the marketing manager at Natural Systems Design, James specializes in working across multidisciplinary teams to workshop, draft, and fine-tune messaging for pursuits, grants, and other communications for marketing and business development. As a member of SMPS Seattle, James has served on the board of directors for over four years — this year as President. With an eye towards advocacy, James prioritizes mentorship and creating best practices to raise marketing and communications standards within the A/E/C industry. With a career spanning more than 20 years, James has served in a variety of communications-related capacities, including as an editor for a publishing company and professor of English at community colleges and universities in Southern California and Washington. Off the clock, James enjoys reading and writing, but if that becomes too taxing, nothing is quite as inspiring as running along Washington’s many beautiful trails, designing costumes for Comic-Con, or strolling the neighborhood with his Bengal cat Baldwin.