Insights for what's next

Explore practical perspectives that turn complex challenges and emerging trends into real-world outcomes.

519 items
wastewater treatment plant
Big Questions

How can water and wastewater utilities achieve long-term sustainability?

Sustainability is no longer optional — it’s essential. Jacobs’ Lead Sustainability Specialist Dawn Lesley has dedicated over three decades to shaping how communities, industries and municipalities manage their most vital resource: water. Dawn’s experience combines technical expertise, visionary leadership and a values-driven approach to deliver measurable environmental and economic benefits across North America. A career rooted in sustainability Dawn earned a bachelor’s in biology from the University of Chicago and a master’s in bioresource engineering from Oregon State University, along with credentials as a professional environmental engineer. From the start, her focus has been clear: reduce waste, optimize processes and create ecologically responsible systems that minimize ratepayer costs. Pioneering energy initiatives Prior to joining Jacobs, Dawn initiated sustainability programs that pushed the boundaries of traditional engineering. She developed waste-to-energy initiatives, planned long-range infrastructure investments and identified opportunities for energy efficiency, renewable energy development and effluent reuse. The programs helped wastewater plants across the country achieve an average of 7% in annual energy savings, with one plant reaching 23%. Her influence spans more than 100 water and wastewater facilities, where she’s driven reductions in energy waste, improved effluent quality and fostered long-term operational resilience. Leading change at Jacobs As lead sustainability specialist for Jacobs’ Operations Management and Facilities Services practice, Dawn is driving innovation across water, wastewater, industrial and municipal facilities in North America. She trains operators, identifies efficiency opportunities, implements new technologies and fosters culture change to be sure sustainability is not just a technical upgrade, but a long-lasting mindset

Modern office building
Big Questions

How do you decide what really matters when shaping places?

Steve Foran doesn’t just plan spaces, he helps people see what’s possible. As Jacobs’ market growth director for Cities & Places in the Americas East region, he leads with curiosity and collaboration, guiding clients through complex challenges and turning ideas into action. Based in Atlanta, Steve’s career spans architecture, real estate consulting, sustainability and business operations. He has worked with universities, hospitals, corporations and government agencies to rethink how their spaces work, and how they could work better. His sweet spot? The early stages of planning, where vision meets strategy and the future starts to take shape. He’s also a team builder at heart. Steve leads a group of business development and client engagement professionals, in collaboration with our operations teams, to create opportunities for rethinking people-centric places. Known for his ability to simplify complexity, build trust and keep teams moving forward, Steve keeps projects grounded in purpose and people. His thought leadership has taken him from Georgia Tech to Shenzhen, China, where he has spoken on sustainable infrastructure and smart cities. He’s contributed to national conversations on space management, resilience and urban planning, all through a lens of connection, clarity and humanity. Leading with vision, grounded in people Steve’s leadership is rooted in relationships. He’s built long-term collaborations with clients by listening deeply, thinking strategically and delivering meaningful results. He has grown Jacobs’ presence in the East region by aligning market strategy with real-world needs and by making sure the people behind the work feel supported and valued.

Steve Foran
Q&A

Driving Innovative, Trusted Water Solutions: Meet Stephanie Harrison

From engineering to sales and now a design-build practice leader, Stephanie Harrison is well-versed in the varied facets of project delivery and understanding client needs. Stephanie started her career in Jacobs’ water group in Phoenix, Arizona working on planning, environmental and conveyance projects. Her passion for hands-on design and construction led her back to her home state of Colorado, where she played a key role in large-scale conveyance and design-build initiatives — deepening her technical foundation while building strong client relationships. As her career evolved, Stephanie stepped into a geographic sales manager role, where she championed Jacobs’ full spectrum of services — from digital solutions to transportation and environmental projects. Now, with over 27 years of experience, she’s leading the charge as a practice lead for owner advisor services and design for design-build in the water design-build group, combining her engineering know-how with a deep understanding of client priorities to drive innovative, trusted solutions across the water sector. Tell us about your new role at Jacobs. What excites you most? We’re seeing a clear shift in the water sector — more and more clients are looking for support in owner advisory and design services tailored for design-build delivery. I’m working with clients to navigate complex delivery models with confidence, clarity and the right expertise at the right time. We’re taking lessons learned from transportation and other parts of our business where we regularly deliver design for design-build services and bring that knowledge and experience to our water clients. With design

Stephanie Harrison
Q&A

Streamlining and Collaborating for Smart, Sustainable Solutions: Meet Lynette Baker

Lynette Baker is a dynamic leader who seamlessly blends environmental experience with strategic business acumen. With over 30 years in the environmental industry — including 25 at Jacobs — Lynette has earned a reputation as a trusted leader, shaping policy and infrastructure, steering operations and driving strategic initiatives, all while championing our most valuable asset: our people. She prides herself on being known as a dedicated and inspiring leader who can bring the right teams together using limited resources and creating extraordinary results. Her influence extends far beyond technical excellence. Recognized seven times in the past eight years by Engineering Georgia as one of the “100 Influential Women to Know,” Lynette’s career reflects a rare combination of technical depth, visionary leadership and a passion for people. From the field to the frontlines Lynette’s journey began in the wilds of the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska in 1995, shortly after earning her bachelor’s degree in environmental biology from Colgate University. Starting as a fisheries biologist, she quickly transitioned into wetland science — a move that launched a career spanning continents and disciplines. Since joining Jacobs in 1999, Lynette has built a robust technical foundation — conducting wetland delineations, endangered species surveys and cultural resource investigations across the U.S. and Europe. Her career evolved from environmental compliance into operational leadership, where she managed performance units and oversaw profit and loss as the transportation infrastructure operations leader in Georgia. She later moved into strategic sales, securing millions of dollars in contracts

Lynette Baker
biomimicry paper document mockup
Report

From Sustainability to Regeneration

After 3.8 billion years of evolution, nature already has solutions to our most pressing challenges. Discover how biomimicry — the innovation and design practice that learns from nature — can transform the built environment into a showcase for a regenerative world.

Natural capital
Report

Toward a nature positive future for the water sector

This paper explores how a natural capital approach that − framing nature as a core business asset − helps water utilities make informed decisions, manage environmental risks and enhance sustainability. It shares lessons from the U.K.’s policy and practice landscape and offers specific recommendations for water utilities in ANZ.

Bill Drake
Thought Leadership

Built to last: Reducing recurrent costs and extending facility life

Rising costs and aging infrastructure are pressing issues for hospitals in Australia and New Zealand. Bill Drake, Jacobs global principal, health care engineering, shares how long-term master planning, adaptable design and smart maintenance technologies can extend the life of healthcare facilities and reduce ongoing costs.

Filling glass with fresh water from tap
Thought Leadership

US PFAS regulation update: Planning for drinking water compliance

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) May 2025 announcement kicked off a new PFAS rulemaking process, but the original regulations are still in force. Reflecting on a recent Jacobs webinar, learn how water systems can plan for compliance now, what the revised rules may bring and why proactive utilities are pressing ahead.

Haneen Aljoudi
Q&A

Building safer futures: A graduate’s health and safety journey in Saudi Arabia

Haneen Aljoudi, a graduate engineer focused on health, safety and environment in Saudi Arabia, is gaining real-world experience on one of the Kingdom’s largest infrastructure developments. Through Jacobs’ Graduate Development Program, she’s learning how safety shapes every stage of construction—from inspections to risk planning—while contributing to safer project delivery and supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

Haneen Aljoudi
Jacobs Heath Infrastructure, Australia
Thought Leadership

Reimagining health infrastructure for a smarter, stronger future

With more than 17 years of experience in critical infrastructure, Jacobs' Chris Suttor shares insights on the pressures shaping modern health infrastructure—from rising costs and rapid tech shifts to the need for faster delivery and stronger social outcomes.

  • Future Foundations

    Co-creating the world to come

    From developing climate resilience and transitioning to a low-carbon future, to modernizing and transforming infrastructure, governments and businesses face critical challenges. How they respond will define our future.

    As our clients navigate these challenges, we help them think differently – working together to pioneer tomorrow's infrastructure solutions and build the foundations for a prosperous, secure future. 

    Visit Future Foundations
    Future-Foundations