A Dam Conversation With...
The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) is a national non-profit association dedicated to dam safety issues. Our mission is to Improve the condition and safety of dams and lower the risk of dam failures through education, support for state dam safety programs, and fostering a unified dam safety community. A Dam Conversation With… is a podcast from ASDSO sharing the stories of leaders and innovators in the dam safety community.
A Dam Conversation With...
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 Episode
Silas and Sharon discuss:
- Why Costco might be the best place to secure an internship
- Comparing a career in the public versus private sectors
- What to do at your first ASDSO Conference
- Making the transition from individual contributor to manager
- What it’s like to be a regulator for the largest state dam safety program in the country
We want to hear from you!
Have questions for our guests? Want to suggest a topic? Email us at [info@damsafety.org] – we’d love to hear from you!
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👷 Membership Benefits – Joining ASDSO gives you access to:
✅ Member discounts on training and products
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✅ Online member directory
✅ Surveys archive & Journal of Dam Safety
👉 Become a Member: https://www.damsafety.org/basic-page/become-member
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📢 This program is copyrighted in 2025 by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials. All rights reserved.