Why I Think Young Professionals in Infrastructure (YPI) Is the Community You Did Not Know You Needed

I have been working in the infrastructure space for a few years now, and one thing I kept noticing was how disconnected everything felt. You had engineers on one side, lawyers on another, finance people somewhere in between, and nobody was really talking to each other in a meaningful way — especially not the younger folks who were just getting started.

That changed for me when I came across Young Professionals in Infrastructure, better known as YPI. And honestly, it kind of shifted how I think about my own career in this industry.

So What Exactly Is YPI?

Young Professionals in Infrastructure is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that focuses on bringing together the next generation of infrastructure professionals. It was founded in 2015 by a group of young professionals who were already active in the infrastructure space, specifically in alternative delivery methods like public-private partnerships, also known as P3s.

What makes YPI stand out from a lot of other professional organizations I have come across is that it is entirely member-led. There is no big corporate machine running things behind the scenes. The people driving the work are the same young professionals who are also in the trenches working on real infrastructure projects every day. That gives it a sense of authenticity that you do not always find in industry groups.

YPI is incorporated as a Delaware nonprofit and holds 501(c)(6) tax-exempt status, which means it operates like a trade organization focused on bettering the profession rather than generating profit.

The Three Pillars That Actually Matter

YPI does not just throw networking happy hours and call it a day. The organization is built around three core pillars that guide everything they do.

Relationship Building is the first one, and it goes deeper than just handing out business cards. YPI creates spaces where young professionals from public agencies, private firms, legal teams, financial institutions, and engineering companies can actually get to know each other. The infrastructure world is relationship-driven, and building those connections early in your career is genuinely valuable.

Education and Professional Development is the second pillar. YPI organizes programming specifically designed to help members grow their expertise. This includes things like a book club, a jobs platform, and events that bring in speakers from across the industry. For someone who is newer to the P3 and infrastructure space, having access to that kind of curated learning is something money cannot really buy.

Diversity and Workforce is the third pillar, and I think this one is often underestimated. The infrastructure industry has historically not been the most diverse space, and YPI is actively working to change that. Through its Diversity, Inclusion and Workforce Committee, the organization is pushing for more representation and trying to address the real workforce challenges that the infrastructure sector is facing as a whole.

Who Is Behind YPI?

The organization is led by an Executive Committee that currently includes three Co-Presidents: Michael Lyndon-James, Adi Jamadar, and Matthew Komisarjevsky. Supporting them are a Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice Presidents covering events, professional development, membership, and education.

Beyond the executive team, YPI has a Board of Directors that reads like a cross-section of the infrastructure world. You have people from public agencies like USDOT, the Virginia Department of Transportation, and the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority sitting alongside professionals from firms like Arup, HNTB, Ashurst, Morgan Stanley, Fitch Ratings, and Kiewit. That kind of breadth is exactly what makes the organization’s network so useful.

There are also five active committees: Diversity and Workforce, Education, Events, Membership, and Professional Development. Each one is member-run, which means if you join and want to get involved, there is a real path to do that.

Membership and Organizational Support

YPI offers individual and organizational memberships. On the organizational side, companies like Arup, HNTB, Mayer Brown, and Ashurst currently hold Executive Organizational Membership, which gives you a sense of the caliber of organizations that see value in what YPI is doing.

If you are working at a firm that does any kind of infrastructure work — whether that is project finance, engineering, legal advisory, construction, or public administration — becoming a member puts you in a room (virtually or physically) with peers who understand the specific challenges and opportunities of this space.

Why I Think This Is Worth Your Time

Here is my honest take. Most of us spend the early years of our careers with our heads down, trying to prove ourselves and do good work. That is important. But the infrastructure industry is also one where who you know and what you understand about how different sectors fit together can make a real difference in your trajectory.

YPI is one of the few places where you can build that broader understanding without it feeling transactional. The people in the organization are genuinely interested in making the industry better, not just advancing their own careers. That energy is contagious.

If you are under 40 and working in any part of the US infrastructure ecosystem, I would genuinely encourage you to check out what YPI is doing. Whether you go to an event, join a committee, or just follow along with their newsletter, you will come away with a better picture of where the industry is heading and who is helping to lead it there.

How to Get Involved

Getting started with YPI is pretty straightforward. You can visit their website at ypinfrastructure.com, where you will find information about individual and organizational memberships, an events calendar, a jobs portal, and a way to subscribe to their newsletter. They are also active on LinkedIn and Instagram if you prefer to follow along on social media before committing to anything.

The infrastructure sector is one of the most important and underdiscussed areas of the American economy. Roads, bridges, transit systems, water infrastructure, energy networks — these things shape daily life in ways most people never stop to think about. The people building and financing and managing these systems deserve a strong professional community.

YPI is building that community, one young professional at a time.