You never know what you might take away from a great professional event. Sometimes it’s a new idea. Sometimes it’s a fresh perspective. Now and then, it’s reconnecting with someone you haven’t seen in more than 40 years !!

In manufacturing and product development, the terms cost estimator and cost engineer are often used interchangeably. Although the roles can overlap, they contribute differently to the business. A cost estimator primarily translates a design into a cost. In contrast, a cost engineer uses cost knowledge to influence the design, guide sourcing decisions, and improve the value of the final product.

Cost Engineering is often associated with estimating: spreadsheets, labor assumptions, material pricing, and budget forecasting. That view is no longer broad enough. In many industries, the role has expanded well beyond technical estimation into a strategic function that influences supplier negotiations, sourcing decisions, business planning, and profitability. Today’s Cost Engineers are increasingly expected not just to calculate cost, but to explain it, challenge it, and turn it into better decisions.

During a recent podcast interview I recorded for one of Italy's leading coaching programs, I had the opportunity to discuss a concept I explore deeply in my recent book, Authentically Yours: "Courage is a muscle."

As Women's History Month comes to a close, many organizations move on quickly, closing the chapter on panels, spotlights, and internal campaigns. In technical fields like cost engineering and analysis, the month can feel peripheral to the "real work": building estimates, managing uncertainty, defending assumptions under pressure.

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, many organizations move on quickly, closing the chapter on panels, spotlights, and internal campaigns. In technical fields like cost engineering and analysis, the month can feel peripheral to the “real work”: building estimates, managing uncertainty, defending assumptions under pressure.

In cost engineering - especially within the electronics industry, as in my own work - it’s easy to think that mastery lives in spreadsheets, cost models, and perfectly formatted should-cost reports. Those tools matter, but they aren’t where deep understanding is forged. The most effective cost engineers I’ve known pair strong analytical skills with real-world experience. My own most valuable insights didn’t come from a cost model; they came from hands-on work: touching parts, building circuits, breaking things, fixing them, and seeing firsthand how manufacturing and assembly actually behave when theory meets reality.

This month, I want to do something a little different—I want to talk about me for a change.

September is here — and let’s be honest, we’re all feeling a little of the back-to-school blues. The long days of summer are winding down, vacations are over, and routines are back in full swing. But instead of sinking into post-summer sadness, let’s lighten the mood together.

Dear SPCEA Community - I’m thrilled to share some exciting news with you!!  My first book, Authentically Yours: The Global Woman’s Guide to Confident, Cross-Cultural Leadership, officially launches on December 1, 2026.

Okay, I must tell you something that blew my mind. Just this week, two different people casually mentioned that pumpkin spice lattes are coming back soon, and they’re already thinking about Halloween decorations.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had some truly powerful coaching sessions, received amazing questions from many of you, and reflected deeply on a core theme that keeps surfacing—intention.

Becoming a cost engineer typically requires a combination of education, skills development, and practical experience. There are multiple ways to become a cost engineer but here is one step-by-step guide on how you could do it:

Hey everyone! It’s Halloween week and I believe it is the perfect opportunity to talk about Leadership.

As the demand for cost engineers continues to grow, understanding the academic backgrounds that hiring managers seek has become increasingly important. In a recent survey conducted by SPCEA, we explored the educational qualifications preferred by employers when hiring cost engineers. The results offer valuable insights into the qualifications that are most valued in this profession.