People Connections
Meaningful connections with co-workers are vital to creating a positive and enjoyable environment and enhancing overall job satisfaction. Beyond mere professional collaborations, these connections cultivate a sense of belonging and support effective teamwork. They’re also instrumental in building trust and creating a support network that fuels individual growth and collective success. By recognizing the intrinsic value of these connections, organizations empower their employees to flourish, collaborate creatively and achieve their fullest potential.
KBR’s Singapore Team Welcomes Jenni Myles for Inspiring Visit
KBR team members in Singapore recently hosted Jenni Myles, KBR executive vice president and chief people officer, who shared insights into KBR’s People team vision and upcoming initiatives during a live town hall. This was followed by discussions on training and development prospects, talent management, and employee engagement activities. Various forums were held, including a women-led discussion on inclusion and diversity, women in engineering, women in management, and mentorship programs.
The visit also included a team lunch at Dignity Kitchen, run by Project Dignity, KBR Singapore’s community engagement partner. Project Dignity’s mission is to restore dignity to the differently abled and disadvantaged through vocation with passion and is a program that KBR Singapore employees strongly support and advocate. Cindy Berlandier, assistant general manager at Project Dignity, provided a tour of the facility and showcased the inspiring work that the charity does and the impact it has on the people who work there.
KBR proudly supports local charities such as Dignity Kitchen as these activites not only create positive changes in the world, but they also serve as a powerful connector between us as individuals.
Connection Drives Personal Triumph for KBR’s Callie Sepolio
KBR’s Callie Sepolio transformed her life after a conversation with a co-worker encouraged her to prioritize her health and fitness. Two years on, Callie has competed and won national fitness challenges, but more importantly she is able to be her best self.
Callie was struggling in so many ways after a year of lockdown with a newborn and a 5-year-old. She just wasn’t feeling herself in a lot of ways. One day she was in a Teams meeting with long-time IT co-worker, Billy Trowbridge. They talked about how she was struggling, and Billy encouraged her to attend Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping (FXB) gym in Spring, Texas, and try it out.
It was there that she learned about FXB's $10,000 National Challenge, an annual contest open to members who’ve been members for a year and have completed one of the 10-week challenge programs. They award the $10,000 prize to one man and one woman nationally who make the greatest progress. After hearing about this challenge, and looking for a drastic change to her life, Callie signed up to the annual contest.
“I worked on my nutrition, strength and cardio (kickboxing) five to six days a week for a year, Callie said. “In total I lost 30% body fat, cut my mile time by more than half, gained muscle, and lost 68 pounds total in a year. In February, during one of the workouts at the gym, Lance Farrell (owner of the FXB franchise) surprised me by announcing I was the national challenge winner and handed me a check for the winning prize!” Reflecting on her transformation, Callie said, “I have worked at KBR for around 17 years in IT, and it feels like we are a family. Had Billy not reached out when he saw me struggling, I don’t know where I would be. Even though the statistics on paper are impressive, the biggest wins were my improved mental health and confidence. Throughout my journey, I had the complete support of my team and leadership at KBR. A few other IT folks even joined the gym and gained positive control of their health. I can never say enough how much I appreciate my KBR family.”
Callie before (left) and after (right) wearing the same workout top — but fitting very differently.
Her passion for fitness is now influencing her co-workers, and an IT wellness group called “fITness” is being created to share tips for stress management and wellness as well as encouraging IT team members to improve their overall well-being and fitness.
KBR Business Development Teams Connect at KBR’s “Middle Game Training” Event
Business development teams across KBR, including contracts, pricing and proposals members, attended an off-site training in Destin, Florida, from April 10 to 14.
The training was focused on the “middle game,” which in relation to contracts is a phrase used to refer to the capture phase of a business opportunity. The sessions centered on what goes into the middle game phase including how to get to know the customer, sizing up the competition, developing win themes, and pricing.
Supporting our team of teams value, attendees were also treated to a welcome reception on the first night, which was a great way to kick off the event and allow people to make initial connections. Situated among the beautiful surroundings of Florida’s coast, the team took advantage of the outdoor location and enjoyed a pig roast on the beach, a wine tasting, and an evening to explore downtown Destin.
Ronya Misleh, senior proposals manager, said, “The best part of the training was meeting people from different parts of the business who have the same job that I have — or at least similar experiences. I had been on Teams calls and have sent emails to many of these individuals, so prior to this training we had a virtual relationship. It was great to be able to really put a face to a name — and a voice. The whole experience was so valuable and one of my favorite KBR memories to date.”
