Welcome to A Dam Conversation With... Sharon Tapia!

This is an Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) podcast sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community. Your host for this episode is Silas Sanderson, P.E. In this episode, we welcome Sharon Tapia, PE, PMP, Dams Practice Lead at GEI. She has worked in multiple capacities related to dam safety and business operations in California for over 30 years. She brings an understanding of all the disciplines associated with dams and dam safety, with expertise in hydraulics, hydrology, structural, geotechnical engineering, and risk evaluation. Sharon holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from University of California Davis. She has served on various national boards including the board of directors for ASDSO and FEMA’s National Dam Safety Review Board. She is also a past president of ASDSO. Sharon, thank you for sharing your story and advice on career insights and technical expertise for engineers at all levels. Key Takeaways from This EpisodeSilas and Sharon discuss:Why Costco might be the best place to secure an internshipComparing a career in the public versus private sectorsWhat to do at your first ASDSO ConferenceMaking the transition from individual contributor to managerWhat it’s like to be a regulator for the largest state dam safety program in the countryWe want to hear from you!Have questions for our guests? Want to suggest a topic? Email us at [[email protected]] – we’d love to hear from you!Get Involved with ASDSO👷 Membership Benefits – Joining ASDSO gives you access to: ✅ Member discounts on training and products ✅ Unlimited access to ASDSO conference papers ✅ Online member directory ✅ Surveys archive & Journal of Dam Safety👉 Become a Member: https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member🤝 Join a Committee or Interest Group – https://damsafety.org/VolunteerOpps📚 Upcoming Training Opportunities – Browse live and on-demand webinars, seminars, and past sessions: https://damsafety.org/training-center 📢 This program is copyrighted in 2025 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. All rights reserved.