PENSACOLA, Fla. – Congratulations to Construction Services Area Leader and Senior Project Engineer Elizabeth Graham, PE, and Pensacola Office Leader and Project Manager Julian Poole, PE, on their acceptance into the Florida Engineering Leadership Institute’s (FELI) Class of 2025.
FELI – part of the Florida Engineering Society (FES) – is a competitively selected professional development program designed to cultivate leadership skills among engineers in Florida. Graham and Poole are two of 40 total participants selected for the 2025 class.
Graham has been an active member of FES since 2021, while Poole is the President of the Pensacola branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), which often collaborates with FES and holds joint meetings.
Several of DRMP’s staff have been accepted into the FELI class over the years. Graham said she was inspired to apply for the program after hearing about the positive experiences several colleagues have had.
“Being accepted into FELI is both an exciting and meaningful milestone for me,” Graham said. “Personally, it represents a chance to grow through the impactful experiences that many of my peers have shared with me. Professionally, I look forward to expanding my network and having opportunities to contribute to my local community and the engineering industry within Florida.”
Poole said everyone he knows who’s participated in FELI had nothing but positive things to say, which motivated him to finally apply.
“I had been putting it off for a few years now, but my life isn’t going to be slowing down anytime soon,” he said. “The time commitment will require a lot of extra work, but I am looking forward to an exciting experience. I am grateful for the support from DRMP and plan to take advantage of a great opportunity.”
Poole said he’s excited to collaborate with a talented team and is eager to develop skills that will inspire him and others to consistently deliver their best work.
“I have been fortunate to have mentors at DRMP who have helped me navigate the increase in responsibilities throughout my career,” he said. “I am looking forward to an opportunity to focus on leadership skills and hope this program will help me become a more empathetic leader.”
Graham said she’s particularly excited about enhancing her communication skills and gaining new perspectives from group settings and discussions in the FELI class.
“I believe these insights will help me grow as a leader and contribute more effectively to my team,” she said. “Personal growth leads to positive team dynamics. The leadership skills, new perspectives, and connections I gain from FELI will not only benefit me but also ripple through to my team and organization, fostering a stronger, more connected environment.”
She said she most looks forward to meeting and collaborating with new people within the A/E/C industry.
“I’ve always found that the experiences and knowledge shared by others have been invaluable in shaping my own approach, and I’m excited to learn from this diverse group of professionals,” she said.
About DRMP
DRMP is a multi-discipline firm serving clients in the public, private and industrial sectors in the development of infrastructure and has been in business since 1977. DRMP currently employs 700 professionals in 24 office locations spread strategically across our service area. Today, DRMP is ranked among Engineering News-Record’s “Top 500 Design Firms” in the United States. For more information, please visit www.drmp.com.
