Nashville District celebrates 2026 leadership graduates, highlights investment in workforce
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District celebrates the graduation of its 2026 Leadership Development Program Level 2 class in a ceremony held Sept. 17, 2026. The event marked the culmination of a demanding seven-month program designed to support the next generation of leaders within the district.
The seven-month curriculum, which began in February, immersed participants in advanced concepts of leadership. Dr. Michael Evans, the LDP instructor for the district for the past 14 years, explained that the program is built on a foundation of emotional intelligence.
"Everything circles around emotional intelligence at the end of the day," Evans said. "Everything comes back to self-awareness and understanding why you do what you do."
Evans emphasized that this commitment reflects how deeply the Army values its people, noting that districts running tiers 1, 2 and 3 of the Leadership Development Program invest nearly $800,000 annually.
"The investment that the district puts into individuals going through an LDP is tremendous," Evans said. "It says a lot about your organization here in the Nashville District and the Army Corps of Engineers as a whole. You’re lucky if most corporate agencies put 10% of their budget into training anymore."
Throughout the program, students engaged in a variety of activities, including team-building retreats, instructional sessions, formal mentorships and community service projects. They visited key district sites such as Center Hill Dam and Cordell Hull Dam, participated in mock interviews, and volunteered at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, sorting more than 8,600 pounds of food.
The graduation ceremony began with opening remarks from LDP facilitators Aric Payne and Dani Bautch, followed by reflections from Evans. The memorable part of the event featured speeches from 18 of the program's 20 graduates, each sharing their personal growth and commitment to applying their new skills.
Jaya Ghosh, executive officer for the Nashville District, articulated how the coursework targeted the interpersonal capabilities that traditional technical training often overlooks.
"Being a good supervisor isn't just about knowing the processes," Ghosh said. "LDP taught me how to communicate with intention, delegate without micromanaging, and give feedback that helps someone grow instead of just checking a box."
Brandon Whitley, Engineering Civil Site and Surveying Section chief, noted that his assessment found immediate areas for refinement in his management style.
"My initial assessment revealed that, although I was receiving feedback, I wasn't always actively seeking it or implementing it," Whitley said. "I will now create formal and informal channels for continuous constructive dialogue, ensuring that every team member feels heard and valued."
Whitley outlined several concrete goals he plans to enact with his team over the coming year.
"I will intentionally sit down with my team members to map their values to their tasks," Whitley said. "Lastly, I will commit to formal mentorship over the next year by mentoring at least two junior engineers."
Kathryn Morris, an attorney in the district's Office of Counsel, emphasized how the program pushed her outside her comfort zone through mentorship.
"As a legal adviser, I rarely seek the advice of others and was very uncomfortable asking for help, but Tim Dunn was the perfect mentor," Morris said. "He brings deep experience and a different perspective from operations. I learned the true value of mentorship, and as colleagues seek me out as a mentor, I now know what an excellent role model looks like."
Nashville District Commander Lt. Col. Guillermo J. Guandique gave the keynote remarks, stressing the importance of the district's investment in its workforce and the graduates' responsibility to foster leadership in others.
"How you pay this back is to recognize potential in others," Guandique said. "That's what your job is now." He emphasized that every employee "deserves good leadership," and that the LDP graduates were now equipped to provide it.
Bautch also presented a special peer-voted honor, the Emergent Leader Award, to graduate Brian Jones, recognizing the classmate who demonstrated the most significant personal evolution throughout the course.
"This recognition is not about who was the loudest or most experienced on day one," Bautch said. "It's about who stepped out of their comfort zone, shared authentic perspectives, took risks, and whose leadership presence notably transformed."
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of certificates by Guandique and Craig Carrington, deputy for programs and project management, and closing remarks by Evans, who wished the graduates continued success in their leadership journeys.
The graduates of the LDP Level 2 Class of 2026 are: Andrew Roth, AY York, Brandon Whitley, Brent Sewell, Brian Jones, Cayce Grall, Dellaria Martin, Eric (Tyler) Matthews, James (Josh) Garcia, Supriti Jaya Ghosh, Jesse Hall, Kathryn Morris, Michael Light, Robert Winters, Sidney Riddle, Stephen Logan, Stephen Panter, Tiffany Hines, and William (Dave) Patterson.
About Us
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District delivers engineering solutions, with our partners, to secure our Nation, strengthen our economy, and reduce disaster risk. USACE is engineering solutions to the nation’s toughest challenges while safely delivering quality projects on schedule and within budget.
Nashville District manages critical water resources infrastructure across the Cumberland and Tennessee River basins in a seven-state region. The district delivers navigation, flood risk management, hydropower, recreation, environmental stewardship, water supply support, regulatory oversight, and emergency response while operating dams in the Cumberland River Basin and maintaining navigation lock projects on the Cumberland and Tennessee River systems. Through this work, the district helps protect communities, support commerce, generate renewable energy, and improve quality of life.
The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/About/Districts/Nashville-District/, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorpsand on X (formerly Twitter) at http://www.x.com/nashvillecorps. Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest Nashville District employment and contracting opportunities at https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-army-corps-of-engineers-nashville-district.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
