When Erica Sinner, now the Founder of Ladies in Land, walked into her first land development meeting more than a decade ago, she noticed something immediately — there were very few women in the room. And the ones who were there seemed to carry an invisible weight, the pressure to prove they belonged.
“I felt like we had to know more, work harder, and be sharper just to stay in the room,” she recalls.
In that moment, a seed was planted. Erica stopped waiting for someone else to build that space, and in 2013, she gathered a handful of women in Houston for what she thought would be a simple meetup. There was no master plan, no organizational blueprint, just a desire to connect.
Those casual gatherings quickly evolved into structured Lunch and Learns, networking events, and professional development opportunities. By the summer of 2024, Ladies in Land had expanded to Austin, then Dallas, and soon Erica found herself chasing an ambitious goal: launching into 20 cities in a single year.
It was during this early growth that BGE entered the story — first as participants, then as leaders, and now as a regional sponsor across Texas, supporting chapters in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Frisco.
A Shared Vision
BGE’s involvement began organically. A few women from our land development department joined the Houston chapter to learn and connect, but the impact was immediate. Ladies in Land was bringing together women (and men) from every corner of land development: engineering, planning, surveying, real estate, environmental, construction, and more.
“It bridged gaps we didn’t even realize existed,” Melinda Salazar, Director, Land Development, recalls. “We were suddenly having conversations across disciplines that rarely interact day-to-day. It made the whole industry feel more connected.”
That cross-disciplinary connection became one of the biggest reasons BGE continued to invest time, energy, and leadership into the organization, eventually becoming a regional sponsor to help strengthen and expand chapters across Texas.
Education as the Path to Confidence
For Erica, Ladies in Land is not just another networking group; it’s an educational movement. She believes knowledge fuels confidence, and confidence opens doors.
BGE’s leaders echoed this sentiment. Jenny Urcan, Director, Land/Site Development, described how the organization gives women, especially those early in their careers, a place to ask questions they might feel intimidated to ask at work.
“It creates a safe space to learn,” she said. “Women can explore parts of the industry they haven’t been exposed to yet. That kind of confidence-building is invaluable.”
Today, Ladies in Land offers certifications, executive coaching, and a job board with dozens of opportunities. Every resource is designed to help women not only learn but also believe in their ability to lead.
Expansion into Jacksonville
One of the clearest examples of BGE’s impact came when Jenny Urcan helped launch the Jacksonville chapter.
“We saw what was happening in Houston and thought, why not here? Why not now? Jacksonville has incredible women in land development; they just need a place to gather,” she recounts.
Starting a chapter wasn’t just about logistics. It was about culture building. Jenny described the early meetings as “electric”, filled with women who had never been in the same room before despite working in the same industry for years.
“It showed me how much hunger there is for connection,” she said. “Women want to learn from each other. They want to grow. They want to lead.”
Her experience in Jacksonville became a model for how other cities could launch chapters, not from the top down, but from women within the industry who stepped forward to build community.
Looking ahead
As Ladies in Land expands across the country, Erica’s vision is turning toward the next generation. She sees universities as the roots of the tree, the place where awareness and
opportunity must begin. By bringing Ladies in Land into universities, Erica hopes to introduce young women to land development before they enter the workforce.
BGE’s leaders see this as a critical step as well. “If we want more women in leadership, we have to start earlier,” Melinda said. “We have to show young women what’s possible.”
What began as Erica Sinner’s desire to create a safe, empowering space for women has grown into a nationwide network reshaping the future of land development. And women like Melinda Salazar and Jenny Urcan are helping expand that vision across cities, companies, and the industry itself.
With BGE now serving as a regional sponsor across Texas, the firm is not only supporting the movement but also actively shaping the next generation of women leaders within its own walls.
By planting these seeds, the message is clear: the future of land development will be shaped by women who are educated, fearless, but more importantly, united.
About BGE, Inc.
For 50 years, BGE, Inc. has served public and private clients as a full-service, multidiscipline engineering consulting firm with integrated capabilities. BGE delivers a broad range of advisory services, technical expertise and innovative, sustainable solutions to support local, regional and national communities as they shape the future of infrastructure. Backed by five decades of civil engineering leadership, BGE partners with clients across the Southeast and beyond to solve complex infrastructure challenges. Explore our consulting services and solutions: https://www.bgeinc.com/
