The Top 30 Influential Women of Texas recognition celebrates accomplished women whose leadership, professional excellence and community impact are helping shape industries and communities across Texas. The annual program brings attention to women making meaningful contributions in fields ranging from business and healthcare to engineering, infrastructure and public service. Among the distinguished leaders recognized in 2026 is Halff Vice President and Senior Client Advisor Emily Anderson, PE, PMP.
The Top 30 Influential Women of Texas awards honor women who demonstrate outstanding leadership, professional excellence and a lasting commitment to their industries and communities.
Anderson joined Halff in 2017 and has more than 25 years of experience leading infrastructure initiatives in the United States and internationally. Throughout her career, she has managed complex capital programs and advanced infrastructure solutions for communities while serving in leadership roles across the engineering industry. Her work spans infrastructure advocacy, regional water sustainability and collaboration across the public and private sectors.
Anderson serves as immediate past president and chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Houston. She also serves as a director for the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, helping guide long-term regional water sustainability, regulatory policy and risk governance.
Anderson’s recognition reflects her extensive leadership in the engineering industry and commitment to strengthening the communities she serves. She earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from Northwestern University and a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is a licensed professional engineer in two U.S. states and Alberta, Canada.
A few words from Emily Anderson:
The 2026 Top 30 Influential Women of Texas celebrations were truly unforgettable. They reminded me why leadership matters, why community matters, and why our stories, no matter where they begin, have power.
At Thursday’s reception, I shared a part of my story I don’t often speak about, that I was born in Liberia. I said something that has always stayed with me. “I could have been any girl in any village.” My life has been shaped by Ubuntu, “I am because we are.” Every step of my journey reflects the people who uplifted me, taught me, encouraged me, and believed in what I could become. It truly takes a village.
That village carried me into a career I never imagined as a child, leading infrastructure work that strengthens communities and championing the systems that allow people to thrive. Today, I have the privilege of serving as a visible example for women and girls in STEM, showing them they belong in the rooms where decisions are made, policies are shaped, and the future is built.
Friday night at the awards gala, I was especially proud to be joined by members of my Liberian family, whose resilience has shaped me. Even though we were separated for several years, they remain some of my greatest supporters.
My message was simple. Whether your story begins in a village on the west coast of Africa or a village on the west side of Houston, your voice matters. Your leadership matters. You can stand in your power and shape the world around you. I am living proof.
To everyone who has poured into me, encouraged me, challenged me, and walked beside me, thank you.
To the extraordinary women honored this year, congratulations!
To the village that raised me across two continents, I am because we are.
So grateful.
So lifted.
So humbled.
The Top 30 Influential Women of Texas recognized Halff Vice President and Senior Client Advisor Emily Anderson, PE, PMP, as a 2026 honoree for her professional leadership and contributions to the engineering and infrastructure industries. With more than 25 years of experience, Anderson has led complex infrastructure initiatives, advocated for regional water sustainability and served in leadership roles that help shape communities throughout Texas and beyond.
Source: Halff.com
