Monica Hilgenberg

I attribute my success partly to luck, particularly the good fortune of being surrounded by supportive teams and leaders throughout my career. Over the past decade working in safety, I have been fortunate to work with managers who cared about understanding my strengths and then gave me opportunities and autonomy to use those strengths effectively. I also attribute my success to being willing to learn, building strong relationships, genuinely caring about people, and consistently showing up for others. I believe you cannot ask someone to change something about themselves if you have not first built trust with them. Many of the professional relationships I have developed have become genuine friendships because the people I work with truly matter to me. For me, safety is deeply personal. Whether I am supporting a client, coworker, employee, or the families of the people I serve, I believe in being present, supportive, and focused on people. When I concentrate on building relationships, and genuinely caring about others, the rest tends to fall into place.

The best career advice I have received is to stay curious. I believe curiosity encourages us to keep learning, ask questions, seek different perspectives, and remain open to growth. You don’t have to know everything, but you do have to be willing to ask questions, seek feedback, and continue growing. Especially in safety and risk management, there is always something new to learn. Being open to learning from others has helped me build confidence, expand my knowledge base, and become a better resource for the clients and teams I support.

My advice to young women entering safety and risk is to stay curious and never stop learning. You do not have to know everything, but you do need to be willing to ask questions, seek feedback, and remain open to changing, growing, and improving. Safety and risk are constantly evolving, from OSHA regulations to manufacturing standards, so being willing to learn from others will help you become a stronger resource for the teams and clients you support. I would also encourage women not to be intimidated by the fact that safety has traditionally been a male-dominated field. Women bring a fresh perspective and a valuable voice, and our experiences can add value because we may approach situations through a different lens. Be willing to speak up and recognize that your perspective has a place at the table. Most importantly, continue developing relationships and remain open to new opportunities. Curiosity, feedback, adaptability, and a willingness to learn can help you build both credibility and confidence throughout your career.

One of the biggest opportunities in safety and risk is helping organizations move beyond simply meeting compliance requirements and develop a genuine culture of safety. Safety requires an investment, and it is not traditionally viewed as a direct money-making function within a business. The real value of safety, however, is people. It is about asking why people should be safe and how we can help employees make better decisions so that everyone goes home in the same condition as when they arrived. One of the most rewarding parts of my work is seeing an organization make that transition: moving from a compliance-focused mindset to one where safety is genuinely part of the culture.

Integrity and authenticity are extremely important to me. I believe in being genuine with the people I work with, treating others with respect, and leading by example. I also value continuous learning because I consider myself a lifelong learner and remain constantly curious about how I can improve and become a better resource for others.

Genuine care for people is another fundamental value for me. I am passionate about helping people stay safe, and I believe that strong relationships are an important part of accomplishing that. I want the people I work with to know that I genuinely care about them, their success, and their well-being.

I also believe in approaching challenges with a positive attitude and remaining open to learning from others. Whether I am working with a client, coworker, or employee, I want to build trust, communicate honestly, and support people in meaningful ways.