GBA Graduates First Early Professional Class
This month, GBA graduated its first class of the Early Professional Class (EPC) of the Career Continuum, which was developed in direct response to our member firms’ need for efficient, career-long training, focusing first on those who are newest to geoprofessional consulting.
The EPC is designed to lay the foundation for successful geoprofessional careers, introducing those with less than five years of experience to key consulting fundamentals.
Graduates
| Brian Ackerman, P.E. (Apex Companies) | Kristen Kakascik (ANS Geo) |
| Omran Al Sulaimi (ANS Geo) | Helen Kopscik, E.I.T. (Bunnell-Lammons Engineering) |
| Nickolas Annala (Jorgenson) | Alexandra McCracken, P.E. (Shannon & Wilson) |
| Amanda Apicella (Geotechnical Consultants, Inc.) | Layane Thuise Mester (ECS) |
| Kevin Benecki (Triad Engineering) | Kaleb Meyer (UES) |
| Yingyi Blazer, P.E. (BSK Associates) | Kelly Overturf, E.I.T. (Geocon) |
| Tyler Chapko, E.I.T. (TREK Geotechnical) | Sharone Richards (CTL|Thompson) |
| Denis Diemer (ECS) | Andrea Cano Sanchez (Verdantas) |
| Clay Faircloth, E.I.T. (S&ME) | Michael Tchoumandrine (Froehling & Roberston) |
| Jimmy Fisher (Geotechnical Consultants, Inc.) |
More About EPC Training
Unlike traditional technical training, the EPC focuses on accelerating professional maturity by strengthening communication, decision-making, documentation, teamwork, and ethical thinking—skills that are often underdeveloped in the early stages of a geoprofessional’s career.
Courses were conducted virtually, predominantly using existing GBA reference materials, and covered topics like professional communications, soft skills, proposals, risk management, and contracts. The EPC blends real-world scenarios with foundational professional competencies to ensure participants can immediately apply what they learn to their day-to-day work.
Feedback
Nickolas Annala described the EPC as transformative, reporting that his ability to invest in and engage with clients has increased dramatically, which coincided with a career promotion and improved interpersonal relationships.
Yingyi Blazer, P.E. credits the course with significantly expanding her perspective, saying that it gave her the tools for richer, more strategic conversations with her boss.
Overall, this class of early-career professionals reported feeling more prepared, connected, and capable in their roles after completing the EPC.
Future Early Professional Classes are being populated with those on our waiting list. We will accept nominations for additional classes in Fall 2025.