Building Better Belonging: A Guideline for Effective Teams

Includes a Live Web Event on 04/22/2026 at 2:00 PM (EDT)

Overview
Speaker(s)

Experience Level: Any level of experience

Effective teamwork begins with belonging. Every team benefits when all team members believe they belong and are valued. Motivating team members to that point may not be intuitive. It takes practice to observe concepts of leadership, communication, and respect; then to develop the tools best suited for your personal style; and finally put them to use within your team. Team leaders and members seem to struggle more in teams that are diverse. The solution is the complex concept of belonging, and this session will provide actionable steps to help engineers understand that a few simple steps are all it takes to create a high-performance team.

This is an impactful presentation real-life examples that set the stage for connecting your team. We provide steps for how to start building a new team and also how to smooth out an existing team through creating a more inclusive space. We give what-to-do and what-not-to-do examples that get in the way of team cohesiveness. The future of engineering includes the skills of participating in, and managing, teams. We welcome all people to come and learn about how to connect, belong, and grow yourself and your team.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Identify leadership and communication styles in self and others.

2. Understand Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and how it affects teamwork.

3. Use strategies for implementing inclusivity and belonging in diverse teams.

1 PDH

Pricing:

NSPE Members: FREE

Non-members: $75.00 (Join NSPE today and save on this purchase.)

To register, add this webinar to your shopping cart and check-out in the NSPE e-store.

Susan Habina Woolard, P.E.

Town Engineer

Town of Matthews North Carolina

Susan Habina-Woolard, PE, is the Town Engineer for Matthews, NC where she works on various planning, design and implementation projects in transportation, stormwater, right-of-way management and policy development. Prior to joining Matthews, Susan worked with the Charlotte DOT and various other municipalities in North Carolina and Ohio, for over 25 years. Susan holds a Bachelor and Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Dayton (OH). She is the 2025-2026 NSPE Engineering Access and Growth Committee chair, 2022-2024 NSPE Southeast Regional Director, 2018-2020 Chair for the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Development Committee, 2015-2016 President of PENC, and a co-founder of the NC Women in Engineering Conference. When she’s not working or volunteering, you’ll see Susan jogging or biking along the greenways in and around Charlotte or searching for that next great find at a thrift store.

Scarlett Kitts, P.E., ENV SP

Dams Regional Lead

Black & Veatch

Scarlett Kitts, PE, is a site-civil engineer for Black & Veatch specializing in dams. She is the 2023-2024 Past-President for Professional Engineers of North Carolina (PENC), a member of USSD and ASDSO, past-chair of the hospitality committee for the NC Women in Engineering Conference, and a long-time member of ASCE. During her collegiate years, she proudly rowed for Tennessee Tech’s concrete canoe team during ASCE Regional Student Conferences – many years ago. Currently, Scarlett calls Greensboro home and participates in the many cultural activities Greensboro has to offer, including many festivals, Together Women Rise, and performing in a German band.