Armed with a wide range of career and life achievements, the individuals selected as ENR Midwest’s 2025 Top Young Professionals reflect a bright future for the region’s design and construction firms. Held annually, the program recognizes members of the construction industry who have built industry portfolios and donate significant time and expertise to serving their communities.
As varied and diverse as they are, these 20 young professionals have a lot in common, such as a commitment to improving practices and outcomes for their firms, using new technologies to make their work more efficient and beneficial to clients, leading sustainability efforts and promoting diversity and equity in both their professional and personal lives.
To judge this year’s contest, ENR tapped into the expertise of previous awardees. This year’s judges, each of whom was honored as a Top Young Professional in prior years, were: Emily Hyland of HDR Inc.; Abbas Kachwalla of AECOM; Sara Sadek of P.J. Dick; Megan McPhilimy of STV and Rory Mele of BHI. Judges did not score applications from individuals working at the same firm or with whom they had a conflict of interest.
In an industry struggling to attract and retain talent, these young professionals are scoring successes in their chosen fields, with one having started his own nonprofit to provide life-changing experiences for youth to use their hands and minds to create and build. Among others selected this year is a manager who demonstrates innovative leadership on projects around the world; another is a solid waste recycling planning and research expert who is steadfast in her commitment to create a more resilient planet; and there is a department manager overseeing nearly 100 employees and an annual budget exceeding $12 million who also takes responsibility for recruiting, training and mentoring his staff.
Read on to review the accomplishments of this year’s class of 2025.
“I enjoy listening to clients to try and understand how I can help them. Whether they have major or minor problems, I enjoy getting their perspective on the issues they are dealing with on a daily basis.”
—Cavin Berube, Senior Professional Engineer, Moore Engineering Inc.

Photo courtesy McCarthy Building Companies
Alex Belkofer
Tech pioneer promotes construction industry’s digital transformation
39, Senior VDC Director
McCarthy Building Cos.
St. Louis
As senior virtual design in construction director at McCarthy Building Cos., Alex Belkofer is a technology pioneer and evangelist who’s striving to remain at the forefront of the construction industry’s digital transformation. Belkofer works closely with project teams, owners and architecture/engineering partners to integrate VDC processes that improve project outcomes.
Belkofer earned a dual degree in architecture and construction systems management from Ohio State University in 2009, then secured his first professional job at P|C|S in Cleveland, where he was tasked with learning more about BIM and how the company could benefit from this emerging technology platform. After conducting research, attending conferences and workshops and connecting with other budding construction technologists, Belkofer resolved to devote his career to transforming construction delivery processes by leveraging the benefits of digital project delivery tools and practices.
In 2014, Belkofer joined Messer Construction Co. as virtual construction manager responsible for leading the onsite VDC efforts on a 10-building, $340-million residential district transformation project at Ohio State.
Since moving to McCarthy in 2017, Belkofer has grown the VDC group to 16 people and successfully led the kickoff, planning and execution stages of VDC initiatives on numerous large-scale projects across many building sectors, including health care, higher education, science and technology, commercial and federal government.
Belkofer regularly attends and shares his expertise at national construction industry events, including the DBIA national conference, Procore Groundbreak, Autodesk University, Revizto Global User Conference, HxGN LIVE Global and Hanson Wade conferences.

Photo courtesy Stantec
Cavin Berube
Helps clients manage budgets and projects
35, Senior Professional Engineer
Moore Engineering Inc.
West Fargo, N.D.
Cavin Berube has worked as a design engineer, professional engineer and project manager, going from working on heavy design work to assisting clients with management of their projects and budgets as well as providing updates to clients at city council meetings and keeping track of project budgets.
Berube, who until December worked for Stantec in the North Dakota-Minnesota region, graduated from North Dakota State University in 2011 with a degree in civil engineering. His first post-college job was with Moore Engineering, where he recently returned, and where he worked with numerous municipalities throughout North Dakota and Minnesota to help secure low-interest loans or grants for projects through numerous funding agencies as well as being involved in the design for different projects.
Berube has worked on the design for legal drains in Fargo and a combination of different sewer, water, storm sewer and street projects and water towers in various cities.
“I enjoy listening to clients to try and understand how I can help them,” Berube says. “Whether they have major or minor problems, I enjoy getting their perspective on the issues they are dealing with on a daily basis and then working with co-workers to help solve those problems.”
He has been a member of the local FM Engineers chapter throughout his career and is currently the president-elect of the group. As a trusted adviser, Berube helps cities as they tackle tough infrastructure challenges. He’s attended more than 400 city council meetings and dozens of public informational meetings, explaining the benefits of projects while also helping local leaders understand the technical aspects of construction projects.

Photo courtesy JE Dunn Construction
Alex Breitenbach
Building the JE Dunn brand in Wichita
36, Wichita Office Leader, Senior Project Manager
JE Dunn Construction
Wichita
Joining JE Dunn in Wichita in 2009 as an intern, Alex Breitenbach is now one of the 22 office leaders across the country. JE Dunn had not had an office in Wichita until 2020, when Breitenbach was presented with the opportunity to establish one. In less than four years, Breitenbach has led JE Dunn to become the city’s largest general contractor.
Long before his career began, Breitenbach’s entrepreneurial spirit and leadership characteristics manifested in various ways. At Kansas State University, he was a member of the local chapter of Associated General Contractors of America, a volunteer teacher at Junior Achievement, a four-year academic scholar and new member educator, recruitment chair, vice president and ultimately president of his fraternity.
After graduation, Breitenbach accepted a full-time position at JE Dunn in Kansas City, Mo. During his first eight years, he worked in project management for the health care group, serving in project management with duties related to field supervision, scheduling, quality control, safety, LEAN and MEP. He took part in 13 projects for some of the largest health care clients in the region and country. Breitenbach is known for taking time to get to know the client, their mission and goals and for infusing construction projects and teams with energy and passion.

Photo courtesy Bialosky
Hallie Crouch
Leads DEI efforts at architecture firm
39, Partner
Bialosky
Cleveland
Hallie Crouch is the first woman, first millennial and first nontraditional practitioner to hold an ownership position at the Bialosky architecture and engineering practice, which was founded in 1951.
While traditionally trained in architecture, Crouch found her true calling as a strategist and marketer on the front lines of the business. She guides business development, strategic visioning, best practices and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. She is often called upon as a moral compass and trusted adviser.
At a distinct moment of change at her firm, Crouch organized an offsite Women and Nonbinary Retreat with the consultant Advancing Women in the Workplace to gather these key voices for a focused, moderated experience. Crouch helped design the retreat to be a thoughtful balance of inquiry, data-sharing and visioning. Actionable suggestions and honest feedback were relayed to senior leadership. A Men’s Retreat was held, which also provided enlightening feedback. Crouch compiled all data and organized it to create a 16-item action plan. Notable results included an improved paternity leave policy, wider pay equity reviews, demystification of how projects are staffed and pursued as well as holding firmwide town halls to promote transparency. Crouch often presents on the topics of equity and alternative careers at design schools and architecture conferences and previously was an executive officer and secretary of the Cleveland Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Photo courtesy Shook Construction
Matt Danis
Inspires his teams and helped grow global revenue
39, Vice President, Great Lakes Regional Manager
Shook Construction
Brecksville, Ohio
Matt Danis joined Shook Construction as a marketing and business development intern and rose through the ranks to become business development manager by the age of 24. Four years later he advanced to the position of vice president of corporate development, demonstrating his ability to lead and inspire teams effectively. In this role, he spearheaded initiatives that helped to double global sales from $176 million in 2017 to approximately $350 million by 2022. His strategic oversight extended to managing marketing and communications, where he executed more than 125 proposals annually, contributing to the company’s revenue.
Danis’ leadership earned him a position on Shook’s board of directors at the age of 35, becoming the youngest board member. In 2020, Danis helped drive growth in market revenue from a level above $50 million to $150 million by 2023 for Shook’s Northeast Ohio building construction group.
He expanded Shook’s presence in water resources, health care, education and industrial and data center construction in helping to establish more than 100 new client relationships. In his current role, Danis continues to drive business strategy and oversees the execution of $150 million in construction projects. He manages more than 80 employees, oversees the recruitment/retention of talent and champions company culture.

Photo courtesy Nicole Franklin
Nicole Franklin
Champion for diversity and inclusion efforts
39, Business Development Manager
Bechtel
Lexington, Ky.
Since graduating high school, Nicole Franklin has worked hard in paving a career for herself in construction. Franklin began at Bechtel as a construction technician at the Washington state Hanford site, a decommissioned nuclear production complex where liquid radioactive waste is stabilized. Her role included helping to inspect complex electrical subsystems to ensure compliance with U.S. Dept. of Energy requirements. She was recognized for her abilities and promoted several times.
Franklin self-taught herself AutoCAD and was responsible for ensuring constructibility of the electrical design of an annex building, including a 2,500-sq-ft data center. Her final position at Hanford was as the construction coordinator responsible for turnover of 94 deliverables and overseeing a punch list of 7,000 items that included complex robotic systems.
Franklin moved to the Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Plant, where the Bechtel team destroyed 523 tons of stockpiled munitions. Franklin supervised the teams that installed complex robotic systems to dismantle chemical weapon canisters. Today, Franklin is a business development manager for Bechtel’s manufacturing and technology unit. She identifies new projects to design and build that are connected to battery manufacturing and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Also a diversity and inclusion champion, Franklin understands that attracting underrepresented groups to Bechtel is dependent on project sites being good places to work, which she endeavors to ensure.
“It’s really important for young people to have good role models and examples. I had some good ones, and I know they played a big part in how I ended up where I am.”
—Garrett Gonzalo, Client Executive, IMEG

Photo courtesy IMEG
Garrett Gonzalo
Serves as role model and mentor to help others succeed
36, Client Executive
IMEG
Saline, Mich.
Joining IMEG in 2020, Garrett Gonzalo manages 58 team members and leads one of the firm’s only chemical process engineering teams. Named client executive in 2023, Gonzalo’s team is one of the firm’s largest, annually generating the most revenue in fees.
Gonzalo has successfully tackled the transition period, wrapping up projects while assuming new responsibilities and ensuring clients still get quality service from his team. Gonzalo helped win one of the firm’s largest industrial projects to date—a multimillion-dollar roofing material manufacturing facility. Gonzalo and his team invested time in learning the client’s process and then met with the owner and project team to collaborate, problem solve and ensure all parties were on the same page as the design progressed.
Gonzalo has amassed experience in chemical process plants, solar panel recycling, higher education and commercial labs. He recognizes that the mentoring and technical development he received early in his career helped him succeed, and he leads his team by employing the same methods.
Gonzalo is also a volunteer youth soccer coach for two teams. “It’s really important for young people to have good role models and examples,” he says.

Photo courtesy HDR
Will Kirby
Striving to be a catalyst for environmental change
39, Transportation Sustainability Leader
HDR
Omaha
Throughout his career, Will Kirby has held various positions dedicated to improving the environment. He is currently leading the development of the Omaha Climate Action Plan, which is identifying the city’s climate risks and vulnerabilities and will include a set of suggested actions in order to enhance preparedness and resiliency.
As task leader for the Sustainability Playbook for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), Kirby led the coordination effort between the client and their sustainability committee to create a playbook and matrix to further enhance operational sustainability across the organization. His performance on this work helped HDR engage in additional work for SEPTA, which needed a climate resiliency plan.
Kirby also served as project manager on a feasibility assessment of the Douglas County landfill near Omaha. He led the team that reviewed the landfill’s existing conditions and developed an analysis that included modeling the deployment of solar production.
Kirby dedicates his time off work to volunteering. He participates in job shadowing and presents to elementary school kids to encourage their interest in STEM. He also regularly helps interns and co-op students interested in sustainability and resiliency explore opportunities in their field of interest. As an ambassador for the HDR Foundation, Kirby advocates for donations and encourages involvement and grant applications from colleagues to help spread resources to organizations they support.

Photo courtesy Elara Engineering
Dustin Langille
Industry thought leader focused on sustainability
39, Principal, Secretary and Higher
Education Practice Leader
Elara Engineering
Chicago
Since beginning his career at Elara Engineering, Dustin Langille has displayed a passion for creating a sustainable future, be it through designing energy-efficient building infrastructure systems or leading countless enterprise-wide initiatives that create opportunities for engineers to elevate their professional skill set.
Langille is an industry expert on decarbonization, net-zero, geothermal systems and large-scale institutional campus projects across the Chicago area. During his career, Langille has conceptualized, designed and implemented hundreds of building infrastructure projects, with several of them receiving industry awards for innovative approaches to reducing energy consumption.
Additionally, Langille advocates for long-term planning and system life-cycle analysis to identify economically viable sustainable design solutions that maximize benefits and minimize the cost to the client.
With expertise in energy modeling and renewable energy systems, he led the firm’s energy modeling program, which includes the adoption of cutting-edge modeling software used for energy simulations, LEED certifications and daylighting analyses for complex new and existing facilities.
In support of further company growth, Langille spearheaded the opening of Elara’s first satellite office in downtown Chicago and an expansion two years later that doubled its size to support the continuing rise in the number of staff.

Photo courtesy Terrracon
Matt Lehmenkuler
Embraces a culture of safety and business growth
30, Department Manager
Terrracon
Cincinnati
As department manager for one of Terracon’s largest departments, Matt Lehmenkuler oversees nearly 100 employees and an annual budget exceeding $12 million. His responsibilities include recruiting, training and mentoring staff while executing the department’s business plan.
Lehmenkuler fosters a culture of safety, business growth and project success, setting a standard within the organization. He actively promotes pretask planning for projects, takes the lead in safety initiatives and ensures adherence to safety rules and guidelines. Lehmenkuler has delivered numerous high-profile, large-scale projects including the $1.49-billion Amazon Air Hub project at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and the $600-million Southern Memorial Appalachian Highway—which was the largest single transportation project in the history of the Ohio Dept. of Transportation.
Lehmenkuler has volunteered in various community organization events, including the Polar Plunge benefiting the Special Olympics Ohio, Habitat for Humanity and ASCE/AISC steel bridge competition as a judge, and he has also been involved in the St. Jude Partner In Hope award.
He also regularly participates in industry associations and is involved with the American Society of Highway Engineers, the American Concrete Institute and ACI Young Professionals, among others.

Photo courtesy Kimley-Horn
Colleen Marnell
Leads expansive growth of Midwest region
38, Midwest Regional Leader and Senior Vice President
Kimley-Horn
Chicago
As of January 2024, Colleen Marnell was the youngest and third female regional leader in the history of Kimley-Horn. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 2008, Marnell joined the firm’s small development services team in Chicago, which led to her creating CAD standards, improving project structures and implementing tools that streamlined workflows.
The impact of Marnell’s leadership is evident in the Midwest region’s growth. From 2017 to 2023, while she served in various leadership roles, the region’s job starts grew from $70 million to $240 million; the number of offices expanded; and more than 10 new service areas were established. Marnell oversees more than 800 employees and numerous functional groups, including human resources, information technology and finance.
Marnell has a personal commitment to inspiring young women to pursue careers in STEM. She collaborates with her father, a high school chemistry teacher and adviser to the Society of Women in Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Technology (SWEET), to inspire young women to explore engineering careers.

Photo courtesy Burns & McDonnell
Vujadin “Wally” Petrovic
Proactively advances institutional knowledge
38, EPC Projects Manager
Burns & McDonnell
Chicago
Vujadin “Wally” Petrovic has consistently demonstrated leadership and a commitment to improving Burns & McDonnell’s processes and industry standards. Petrovic helped advance the company’s capabilities with gas insulated substations (GIS) and underground transmission and distribution projects. He also helped create the initial standards around building project management offices for utilities.
At the Riazzi GIS project—the company’s first gas-insulated substation delivered with EPC—Petrovic invested himself fully in the project, moving to Pittsburgh to be on the construction site every day during the pandemic. His work set a precedent for future projects, showcasing his ability to navigate challenges while delivering successful outcomes. He has partnered with technical leaders on Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) committees to help drive discussions around GIS substation construction.
Petrovic’s efforts have extended beyond project execution. In Toronto, he led the development of an electric utility’s project management office, redefining their estimating processes and tools and contributing to a more efficient project management framework. This experience enhanced the utility’s operations and gave Petrovic insights into utility operations and project management, which he has applied to subsequent roles.
Petrovic is committed to community service, particularly in STEM education. He has been actively involved with Chicago Public Schools and After School Matters for several years, focusing on STEM outreach to inspire and educate young students. His dedication to these programs stems from his belief in the transformative power of education, especially for underrepresented communities.

Photo courtesy Bechtel
Erick Ponce
Has led megaprojects in three countries
35, Construction Manager
Bechtel
New Albany, Ohio
Born in Guatemala, Erick Ponce earned multiple scholarships to Arizona State University and graduated with both an undergraduate and a Master's Degree in five years.
In his professional career, Ponce brings an innovative approach to offsite manufacturing, particularly as he manages a semiconductor fabrication project in Ohio where his team will produce many first-of-their-kind modules to deliver power as well as different types of water, gases and other utilities throughout the 2.5-million-sq-ft factory.
Ponce has led hundreds of field engineers and craft professionals at five different projects across three countries. He joined Bechtel after college as a field engineer at a liquefied natural gas project in Louisiana. After that, he was a field engineer/field supervisor at a plastic production plant. Next, Ponce helped build a copper ore processing expansion at a mine in Chile, where he directly supervised more than 1.2 million hours of work without a lost-time injury. He accomplished all this while supervising construction of a 120-meter service tunnel that was completed 62 days ahead of schedule. He was also the lead civil/structural/architectural field engineer for a massive water treatment unit in Trinidad and Tobago that treated water from 14 refineries.
Through his work with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Ponce encourages engineering students to enter the construction industry.
“What I enjoy most about my work is to lead impactful projects at Microsoft where I contribute to building sustainable data centers that power AI and cloud technologies.”
—Vivek Prasad, Lead Estimator, Microsoft (CO+I) Cloud Operations and Innovation

Photo courtesy Vivek Prasad
Vivek Prasad
Estimates costs for cloud and AI projects
33, Lead Estimator – Americas
Microsoft (CO+I) Cloud Operations and Innovation
North Liberty, Iowa
As lead estimator for the Americas for Microsoft, Vivek Prasad has played a pivotal role in the strategic development and financial management of data center projects. His responsibility encompasses the estimation of costs and resources for all new cloud and AI projects across the Americas, with budgets up to $2 billion. This role is central to Microsoft’s strategic initiatives, especially in aligning with the rapid technological advancements in AI and cloud computing.
“What I enjoy most about my work is the chance to lead impactful projects at Microsoft where I contribute to building sustainable data centers that power AI and cloud technologies,” he says. “Additionally, my role with the Open Compute Project allows me to collaborate with industry leaders to set global standards for efficiency and sustainability in data center infrastructure. It’s rewarding to know my efforts drive innovation and support a more sustainable digital future.”
Prasad has more than 10 years of experience in preconstruction and construction in mission-critical spaces and large capital projects in various market segments including data centers, sports, hospitality, life sciences, office buildings, federal and hospitals. He has led preconstruction on more than 50 data center projects from concept to GMP, ranging from $40 million to $1.7 billion in cost for various clients including Microsoft, AWS, Vantage, QTS, NASA and Edgecore.
Prior to joining Microsoft, Prasad was employed by Turner Construction, where he worked in the field on such projects as the DC United Soccer Stadium, which honed his practical skills and laid the groundwork for his understanding of large-scale project management. He also founded and participated in initiatives like Thirutham NGO, which improves educational access in underprivileged areas in India.
As an active mentor with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Prasad guides aspiring engineers, fostering their development and helping bridge the diversity gap in the construction industry.

Photo courtesy Michael Edwards
Kurt Rotering
Blazing the way in roadway signal upgrades
39, Vice President, Senior Team Leader
Olsson
Overland Park, Kan.
Making transportation work better is a focus for Kurt Rotering, who played a role in writing a Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grant application, enabling funding for public-sector agencies to conduct demonstration projects focused on using smart community technologies and systems to improve transportation efficiency and safety. This grant serves as a linchpin for advancing the primary goal of Operation Green Light, a cooperative effort in Kansas City to improve traffic signals on major routes throughout the area, accomplished through signal coordination, communications, incident response, knowledge and resource sharing. The positive effects are far-reaching, benefiting the public by enhancing traffic flow, fuel efficiency and reliability. These improvements extend beyond traffic infrastructure to disadvantaged areas with limited signal detection and communication.
Rotering also serves as project manager for the consultant support contract overseeing Phase 1 of the SMART grant. This phase evaluates various systems across six key metro corridors, engaging four vendors. It encompasses both historical and real-time data over a 12-month evaluation period. The findings will lay the groundwork for a Phase 2 implementation covering all corridors and signals in the metropolitan area, ensuring sustained improvements in arterial operations.

Photo by the Indianapolis Business Journal
Adrian Russell
Embracing diversity and inclusion efforts
36, Director of DEI and Procurement
Shiel Sexton Co.
Indianapolis
As director of diversity, equity and inclusion and procurement at Shiel Sexton, Adrian Russell has participated in landmark projects including Lucas Oil Stadium, Gainbridge Fieldhouse and the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Hospital.
Russell has helped elevate numerous diverse businesses that would otherwise have had little chance to succeed in an industry and market that have historically been challenged to embrace diversity. He leads the company in mentoring firms and people and is an authority for enacting effective diversity strategies at every level. Shiel Sexton’s own record on diversity has seen a positive shift with Russell’s input, with changes to interview practices, annual review processes, a new mentorship program and recruitment and retention strategies.
Russell is highly involved in the industry and actively helps represent Shiel Sexton in the Indiana Construction Roundtable, Indiana Subcontractors Association, AGC of Indiana, NAWIC, Build Your Future, the
ACE Mentor Program, Youth Build, Minority Engineering Program of Indianapolis and Junior Achievement. He founded the nonprofit Russell’s Building Camp that provides young people with experiences through a learning process focused on creating and building projects.

Photo courtesy HDR
Emily Sisk
Steadfast focus on improving the environment
34, Solid Waste Planner
HDR
Omaha
Emily Sisk’s appreciation for the environment is rooted in her childhood in rural Minnesota, where she and her family tended the land and raised livestock. Through the years and in her professional roles, Sisk’s focus on conservation has not wavered. She researches solid waste regulations and studies waste streams while also handling data analysis and report writing.
Sisk assists HDR clients in evaluating options to divert waste from landfills, including recycling, composting and special collection programs. Her deliverables include waste characterization studies, solid waste and zero waste plans, extended producer responsibility needs assessments, greenhouse gas calculations and reporting, and grant writing.
Sisk’s talents recently were put to use on the Colorado Needs Assessment for Recycling and Composting Infrastructure, the first producer-led needs assessment in the U.S., which detailed recycling opportunities. Sisk coordinated a 50-person HDR team working from 15 offices on the expedited project, valued at a fee of nearly $1 million.
“Growing up [with a] well and septic [system], I had never thought much about wastewater treatment plants, but learning the process ... was so interesting [that] I went for my master’s in environmental engineering.”
—AMANDA streicher, Wastewater Department Manager, Baxter & Woodman

Photo courtesy Baxter & Woodman
Amanda Streicher
Certified environmental specialist
34, Wastewater Department Manager/Costa Rica Manager
Baxter & Woodman
Naperville, Ill.
Although Amanda Streicher studied architectural engineering in college, an internship at commercial plumbing contractor JF Ahern shifted her focus to wastewater treatment. Prior to joining Baxter & Woodman in 2014, she was an assistant project manager intern on a project at the Jones Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in Milwaukee. “Growing up [with a] well and septic [system], I had never thought much about wastewater treatment plants, but learning the process through that experience was so interesting [that] I went for my master’s in environmental engineering to understand more about wastewater and to be suited to work in the wastewater [field],” she says. In her current role at Baxter & Woodman, she has participated in a variety of projects, including the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District in Aurora, Ill., where she studied the chemistry and theory behind odors. The project identified a variety of possible solutions for the client’s odor concerns. She is both a subject matter expert and a leader, managing nine direct-reports across two countries, all while winning and executing successful projects. Upon joining the firm, she became a certified environmental specialist, which has enabled the company to assist clients by ensuring that they build projects in an environmentally conscious manner.

Photo courtesy McCown Gordon Construction
Amber Struemph
Translates client vision into reality
30, Project Estimator
McCown Gordon Construction
Kansas City, Mo.
Taking the advice of a high school teacher to consider a career in the construction industry, Amber Struemph has never looked back. Since starting at McCownGordon, Struemph has worked on projects with sophisticated clients such as Cerner (now Oracle), MRI Global, the University of Kansas, Walmart, the General Services Administration and others. She is consistently selected for high-profile projects because of her ability to communicate between the client and the McCownGordon team, helping to translate the client’s vision into reality. She is also dedicated to continuing education, recently completing a stint as a project engineer as part of the McCownGordon cross-training program. She’s active in the construction industry, serving her second term as president of the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction. Struemph also piloted a new process in the firm’s internship program that brings interns into the preconstruction process, which helps them understand preconstruction and how it works. Her leadership, visibility and vocal advocacy of associate development leads newer associates to seek her out for guidance on developing and growing professionally. She recently hosted McCownGordon’s first Ladies of Estimating coffee event, an informal time for the women on the preconstruction and estimating teams to find community and share development ideas.
“As a traffic and safety engineer, I enjoy contributing to projects that impact the daily lives of all individuals.”
—Lauren Warren, Director of Traffic Operations, Cincar Consulting Group

Photo courtesy of Elisa Shultz
Lauren Warren
Succeeds at leading complex projects
39, Director of Traffic Operations and ITS
Cincar Consulting Group LLC
Livonia, Mich.
Known for strong project management skills, effective communication and conflict resolution skills as well as staff development, Lauren Warren leads complex projects, manages budgets and delivers on-schedule results to clients while also developing high-performing teams. She began her career at WSP (Parsons Brinckerhoff) in 2007 and worked on planning, operations, safety and design projects for a variety of public and private clients. From 2010 to 2017, Warren was involved in the WSP Developing Professionals Network, an internal emerging leader’s board created to strategize ways to move the company forward. During her tenure, she served as committee leads, vice chair, U.S. chair (2016) and past chair. She also led and executed LAUNCH, a three-day in-person orientation for more than 200 entry-level employees. In 2019, she was promoted to Michigan traffic lead, building and overseeing a 10-person team to deliver high-quality services for clients. In 2021, Warren joined C2G and was tasked with leading companywide efforts to build, grow and sustain a traffic engineering practice. In the past three years, she has built a team of seven traffic engineers. She manages staff, workload and employee reviews and oversees client relationships and opportunities. “As a traffic and safety engineer, I enjoy contributing to projects that impact the daily lives of all individuals,” she says.