Leadership Roundtable for Worker Wellbeing

We invite you to an exclusive Leadership Roundtable on Construction Worker Wellbeing and Mental Health Safety, taking place on February 24, 2026, from 8:00 AM to Noon (registration, networking, and refreshments begin at 7:30 AM) at the historic Portland Golf Club in Portland, Oregon.

This invitation-only gathering brings together a select group of C-suite executives, business owners, and leaders of trade unions and industry associations to address one of the construction industry’s most urgent challenges: worker mental health, wellbeing, and safety. Co-sponsored by Google and Milwaukee Tool, the Roundtable reflects a growing cross-sector commitment to advancing systemic and cultural change - not incremental fixes.

As construction continues to face elevated rates of suicide, overdose deaths, burnout, and preventable mental health-related injuries, it is clear that data and good intentions alone are no longer enough. This Leadership Roundtable is designed to surface root causes, confront cultural and structural barriers, and develop high-impact leadership commitments aligned with core health and safety priorities.

This event precedes the Construction Mental Health & Wellbeing Conference (February 25–26, 2026), and participants are strongly encouraged to stay for the full conference experience.

7:30 – 8:00 AM
Registration, Networking & Refreshments

8:00 – 9:45 AM
• Welcome & Opening Remarks: Why Systemic Change Cannot Wait
• Making the Case: Industry Risk, Responsibility, and Opportunity
• Group Work: Mapping the Root Causes
– Psychosocial hazards across the project lifecycle
– Cultural patterns that reinforce silence, exhaustion, and stigma
– External pressures impacting workforce stability, morale, and retention

9:45 – 10:00 AM
Break

10:00 – 11:30 AM
Group Work: Systemwide Solutions for Upstream, Midstream & Downstream Impact
• Policy shifts at organizational and industry levels
• Cultural levers for creating psychologically safer teams
• Leadership actions to accelerate change across associations, unions, and contracting ecosystems

11:30 AM – Noon
Leadership Commitments & Next Steps
• Shared accountability for progress
• Building cross-industry coalitions for 2026–2027

Noon – 1:00 PM
Networking Lunch

Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas, Psy.D.
Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas is a clinical psychologist, international keynote speaker, and Co-Founder and Past President of United Suicide Survivors International. Shaped by the loss of her brother Carson, Sally has spent more than two decades helping workplaces—especially high-risk industries like construction—build cultures where people feel supported, connected, and safe. A lead author of the National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention and creator of the H.O.P.E. Certification, she blends research, lived experience, and practical strategy to drive sustainable, upstream system change. She is widely recognized for advancing the integration of mental health into core safety priorities and leadership practices.

Eli Embleton
Eli Embleton is a national leader in construction workforce culture and wellbeing, serving as a facilitator, leadership strategist, and Dream Manager with Zachry Corporation. His work focuses on strengthening trust, communication, and psychological safety across complex project environments. Grounded in the belief that human connection is essential infrastructure, Eli brings a pragmatic, field-tested perspective on shifting norms, addressing deep-rooted cultural barriers, and equipping leaders with actionable approaches that support both people and performance.

Alicia Scovill
Alicia Scovill is a respected workforce wellbeing consultant and facilitator specializing in psychological safety, peer-support development, and organizational culture change. With experience across construction, manufacturing, and energy sectors, she helps leaders better understand the lived realities of their workforce and implement meaningful, evidence-informed solutions. Known for translating complex mental health concepts into practical, immediately usable tools, Alicia’s work emphasizes upstream prevention, trauma-informed leadership, and cultures where seeking help is viewed as a strength.

February 25–26, 2026
Participants are encouraged to remain in Portland for the full Construction Mental Health & Wellbeing Conference, where hundreds of industry leaders will gather to shape the next era of workforce excellence in mental health, wellbeing, and safety.

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Host or Publisher United Suicide Survivors International