2026 ACI Emerging Leaders Alliance for Young Professionals

Eight ACI Members represented the American Concrete Institute during the Emerging Leaders Alliance (ELA) conference September 14-16, 2026, at The Landing Hotel in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

The Emerging Leaders Alliance (ELA) is a partnership among leading engineering and science-based organizations that provides high quality leadership training. For the past 18 years, the ELA has successfully hosted an interdisciplinary leadership conference for young professionals, providing advanced training in topics such as management, personal branding, social styles, problem solving, presentation skills, and global diversity.

Applicants with less than eight years of industry experience were required to submit a resume, nomination letter, and essay questions related to leadership.

Class of 2026 Emerging Leaders Alliance:

Jessica Viehman, EIT
Associate III
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE)
Pittsburgh, PA

Zoe Lallas, Phd
Associate
MJW Consulting, PLLC
Chicago, IL

Fred Aguayo
Director of Concrete Quality and Product Development
The Fricks Company
Fort Worth, TX

Adam Johnson
Lunar Regolith Simulant Intern
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Huntsville, AL

Mahdi Mirabrishami
Research Assistant
Penn State University
State College, PA

Palash Badjatya
Data Scientist
Verifi Concrete

Sulaiman Dawood, PMP
Senior Project Engineer
American Contracting and Environmental Services Inc. (ACE)
Baltimore, MD

Elissa Narro
Vice President
Concretos Narro
Saltillo, Mexico

This is ACI’s eighth year participating in the conference. Kanette Worlds, ACI Student, Young Member, & Faculty Activities Coordinator, also attended the conference as a partner representative. Other partners include The American Institute of Mining Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME), Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST), International Erosion Control Association (IECA), Society for Mining Metallurgy, & Exploration (SME), Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS).

Applications for this program may be submitted at any time before June 1.

Other Young Members Programs include:

Learn More by visiting the Young Member Portal.