lucky to have found that civil engineering would be something I like doing and have stuck with for my entire career. I’m extra lucky that I get to work on projects in some of the best places in the world….National Parks, mostly in the US but also in some international locations.

I was good at math and science, but writing and reading were especially painful. My brother majored in engineering so I thought I could. My guidance counselor suggested engineering and when I looked at curriculums for engineering degrees, civil seemed like I’d be outdoors, where I prefer to be…so it was sort of by the process of elimination.

I like to look at the way things function and see if there’s a way to make them work better. I get to figure out how to put parts and pieces together like a big puzzle to get a project built. Best of all I get to do the majority of my projects in US National Parks in the Intermountain Region.

preparing plans, specs and cost estimates for contractors to build water and wastewater improvement projects, so a lot of time on a computer. However, I communicate all the time with operators, facility managers, manufacturers, program managers, contracting officers and whoever is needed to help me figure out how to successfully complete projects. I enjoy bringing teams together and I learn something new nearly everyday.

that civil engineering can bring you to so many places and in so many directions. I’ve had the opportunity to visit the most beautiful locations because of my expertise…New Zealand, Baja Peninsula Mexico, Guyana South America, Honduras, mountains, rivers, caves, campgrounds, trails…wherever people concentrate civil engineers need to assist with solutions for water and sewer. Visiting these places is wonderful but connecting with the communities there is the most rewarding.