International Women in Engineering Day: Employee-Owner Spotlights

Throughout history, women have been underrepresented in STEM fields. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 15% of engineers in the United States were female in 2019. 

International Women in Engineering Day is celebrated annually to elevate women in the field of engineering and recognize their achievements. This day is particularly special at our organization because we strive to create an inclusive and diverse environment where women can grow in their careers. 

To celebrate the holiday, we are sharing the journeys of a few of our women engineers. Among these incredible women are:

• Courtney Frock - Environmental Engineer
• Jessican Lyman Browne - Managing Director
• Ashley Galagusz - Tunnel Practice Lead
• Pushpita Kumkum - Civil Engineer
• Keri Brown - Civil Engineer 2
• Jenn Cahill - Distributed Energy Solution Growth Lead 
• Jhoana Durán - Civil Engineer/Design Engineer
• Poonam Pai - Senior Structural Engineer

Check out their stories below.

When did you know you wanted to become an engineer and what led you to become one?

Courtney: When I was in high school I participated in the Black & Veatch Explorer Post program. I got to meet some amazing people and fell in love with the endless possibilities that a career in engineering could provide.

Jessica: I knew in high school that I loved to solve complex math problems – my parents told me that engineering was a great place to do that, so I selected engineering as my major and loved finding the hardest math and systems problems to solve.

Ashley: I was set on becoming a veterinarian throughout my childhood and early teens. It was only in high school when I volunteered at an animal shelter that I realized that becoming a veterinarian was not the path for me! Feeling a bit lost, I talked to my parents about possible careers and my dad (a structural engineer) recommended that I look into engineering as I had always been strong in math and science. After doing some research, I decided to pursue a degree in civil engineering.

Pushpita: I am originally from Bangladesh where we receive a free college education if we can pass the nationwide entrance exam - both for medical and engineering. It’s a common notion that engineering is not for girls and that frustrated me. I wanted to study engineering, so I did!

Keri: Since I was a kid my goal was always to help the environment, but I had never considered becoming an engineer because I didn’t think it was achievable. Upon completion of my biology degree, I went to graduate school to do research on renewable fuel technologies. Once I started doing well in the courses students referred to as “weed outs”, I gained the confidence to continue on pursuing an engineering degree. My path to engineering was not a linear one, and I have felt behind at times since I was 29 years old when I started my career, but I still would not change it because my past decisions have had a domino effect, leading me to a career with ample opportunities for growth, and one that I am passionate about.    

Jenn: In college, I was chemistry pre-med and hated biology, so I decided med school was not the right path for me. My uncle and several cousins were engineers and we had several conversations about what they did. I loved math and physics, so it made sense for me to stay with those topics in school and the natural choice was engineering after that. At the time, I chose mechanical engineering because I felt I could work in so many different industries and it gave me a lot of options for my future.

Jhoana: In college, I was unsure of which major to pursue. One of my friends suggested civil engineering since I was interested in architecture. So I decided to take a few intro courses in civil engineering. During the first three weeks, the Engineers Without Borders UNLV student chapter’s president came into one of those classes and let us know about their sanitation project in Nicaragua to build composting latrines. I always wanted to be part of something like that, so I decided to pursue it. After that day, I made an appointment with my advisors and made the official switch to the College of Engineering. I was also fortunate enough to travel to Nicaragua for the build of the latrines after my first semester. While on the trip, I could see and feel the impact of the students’ and professionals’ efforts it had on the community. After our first day of construction with the help of the community members, it hit it home for me.

Poonam: I realized I wanted to become an engineer while in school. I was good at math and science which further motivated me to go in the engineering direction. 

Why did you choose to work as engineer at Black & Veatch?

Courtney: I joined Black & Veatch because of the professional development opportunities and our early career rotational program, EDGE. Through EDGE I have grown my professional network exponentially and had the opportunity to experience working across industries. With Black & Veatch’s continuing education program, I was also able to pursue my master’s degree and I am happy to report I just graduated from the University of Kansas with my MBA!

Jessica: I leverage my engineering background everyday as a consultant, working at Black & Veatch allows me to work with clients to solve their technical problems and figure out solutions and see them implemented and that is very rewarding.

Ashley: I was drawn to the scale of the projects that Black & Veatch was involved in, including the Coxwell Bypass Tunnel project and the Integrated Pumping Station project in Toronto, Ontario. I also really got along with the Black & Veatch professionals who interviewed me and with the engineer who introduced me to Black & Veatch (he is now my supervisor!).

Pushpita: What makes Black & Veatch stand out from the rest of the consulting firms is the people who work here. I never feel stressed about work because somebody is deliberately putting me under pressure. Everybody is so friendly, cooperative and always ready to help you grow which is amazing. 

Keri: Black & Veatch was my first choice of company to work for because I had heard great things about the company culture and I specifically wanted to work in the water sector under the leadership of Cindy Wallis-Lage. Additionally, I appreciate the fact we are an employee-owned company, which sets us apart from most of our competitors.

Jenn: I started with an internship at Black & Veatch and being able to work while I was in school put me light years ahead of others in my field. I enjoyed the people I was working with and thought the work was interesting, so I stayed on after graduating and have never left. I’ve been able to jump around within the company and gain experience in all aspects of execution, strategy, supply chain, field assignments, overseas assignments, sales, client relationships, etc. I love the variety of opportunities that BV has afforded me.

Jhoana: At first, I thought the culture seemed pretty cool. As well as the benefits, the flexibility and the projects. Now it’s all of that, plus the people I get to work with!

Poonam: I felt connected Black & Veatch’s core values like integrity, respect, ethics, ASPiRE values, Mission, Vision & Strategic Destination.

What advice do you have for a young woman who is considering becoming an engineer?

Jessica: Make sure you realize that engineering is a door to a great world of complex problem solving. Engineers are needed everywhere and show up in diverse roles and responsibilities because of our ability to problem solve.

Ashley: Go for it! Think about what interests you the most, do some research on engineering programs and then apply. Don’t worry too much about deciding exactly what type of engineer you want to be. There will be many opportunities to get involved in different aspects of engineering throughout your career.

Pushpita: I am not going to sugarcoat and say that it's always going to be fun and smooth. But ultimately you are going to love it!

Keri: I encourage those just starting out their career to decide what they want their work-life balance to look like and set professional boundaries to match that. There will be times when you have to turn away work because you do not have the time or bandwidth to do it, and that is okay. Women are more likely to be people-pleasers and sometimes we suffer for it, so we have to practice and get comfortable with saying “no”. 

Jenn: There are a lot of paths to consider. If you find yourself on one you don’t particularly enjoy, don’t hesitate to find parts of that path that you enjoy and see if there is another path that may be a better fit with your strengths. There are so many different types of engineering and activities to explore. The path isn’t always easy, but it’s worth it in the long run.

Jhoana: Learn how to advocate for yourself. Meet other women in the industry and ask a million questions about their journey. It’s very likely to remove any doubt you may have had, inspire you, and make you realize how much you can accomplish. 

Poonam: Support other women in the industry so we can make it a more inclusive place! And always have confidence in your knowledge and skills.

How do you personally celebrate International Women in Engineering Day?

Courtney: I like to send appreciation emails to my incredible female mentors.

Jessica: Women in engineering solve problems and support each other in great team work. That comradery, collaboration, and perseverance to finding a solution is worth celebrating on International Women in Engineering Day – and everyday.

Ashley: I reach out to all of the amazing women that I work with (or previously worked with) and wish them a happy International Women in Engineering Day! I think it’s important to take the time to celebrate ourselves and our achievements

Keri: I am celebrating International Women in Engineering day by contemplating how I can be a better advocate for women in my field of work. I will mentor and be mentored by women of different backgrounds, I will recognize and uplift my female colleagues and interact with them so they know they can come to me whenever they need to be heard.  

Jenn: I take a few moments to reflect on my personal achievements and celebrate my victories. I also reach out to several of my friends, peers and mentors in engineering and take a moment to celebrate them. Last year, a friend of mine (also an engineer) went to lunch and brought flowers to celebrate!

Poonam: The best way is to get inspired & acknowledge all the wonderful women who work to break down barriers! 

Diversity within engineering fields is critical for generating more innovation and creativity. At our organization, we pride ourselves on creating a welcome and inclusive work environment for every employee-owner. And we hope that by sharing these spotlights, we can inspire future generations of women engineers. 

To learn more about our company culture, click here. 

Interested in joining our team? Check out open positions here.