

Nikki Maginn
Founder-CEO Inside Out Engineering - Emotional Intelligence for Engineers
Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
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Nikki Maginn is a powerhouse at the intersection of engineering excellence and
human-centered leadership. A nuclear engineer, pilot, and former Division I athlete from the
University of Tennessee, she brings a rare blend of grit, curiosity, and compassion to every
stage she steps on. Nikki holds a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering and has complemented her
technical foundation with advanced leadership and management training throughout her career.
Currently, Nikki is the founder of Inside Out Engineering, a groundbreaking initiative that delivers
emotional intelligence training to engineers in industry, academia, and beyond. She is also an
advisor and coach to organizations seeking to build cultures of accountability, trust, and
innovation through people-first leadership.
Her career path spans high-stakes roles across the nuclear, logistics, and technology sectors.
As Director of Program Management at the largest material handling and logistics manufacturer
in the country, she drove multimillion-dollar cross-functional programs while cultivating cultures
of accountability, trust, and psychological safety. Prior to that, she held executive leadership
roles in the nuclear startup space, directing engineering operations for small modular reactor
development. Here Nikki negotiated nuclear fuel contracts, built partnerships with global nuclear
suppliers, ran new product development to ensure the ultimate safety and program performance
in one of the most demanding technical environments on earth.
In parallel with her technical and leadership work, Nikki has been a lifelong advocate for mental
health and emotional well-being in STEM. She has conducted research and facilitated programs
on emotional intelligence, resilience, and workplace culture, translating insights from psychology
and behavioral science into actionable tools for engineers and technical leaders. She has also
founded and led mentorship programs, women’s networks, and engineering education outreach
initiatives, ensuring that the next generation of engineers—especially women in STEM—enter
the field with both the technical expertise and human skills to thrive.
Nikki speaks and writes on topics ranging from courageous leadership and emotional
intelligence in technical fields to building mentorship cultures and leading with authenticity in
male-dominated industries. Her story challenges traditional notions of leadership—and reminds
us that empathy is not a soft skill; it is a core skill for the future of work.
Area of Expertise
Topics
Emotional Intelligence for Engineers - The Skills No One Taught Us
As engineers, we’re taught that technical ability is the most important thing. Then we enter the real world and realize it’s not enough.
You learn the code, the systems, the tools... but no one teaches you how to communicate your ideas to non-engineers. No one teaches you how to navigate conflict, build influence, or advocate for your work in a room full of decision-makers.
In this session, we’ll unpack:
The core foundations of emotional intelligence (EQ) that every engineer needs
Why EQ is the #1 skill that unlocks career growth, visibility, and leadership potential
Tactical ways to connect, communicate, and collaborate across functions — without changing who you are
If you’ve ever felt like your ideas get lost in translation or that your career isn’t progressing as fast as your skills, this session will shift that.
This isn’t soft skills fluff. It’s the missing system that helps engineers lead.
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