Anderson is widely recognized for his work assessing hurricane‑related damage along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. He has led rapid evaluations following major catastrophe events, including the 2018 Florida International University pedestrian bridge collapse, the CDMX Metro Line 12 investigation in Mexico City and extensive structural assessments in Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island in Florida after Hurricane Ian IN 2022. His expertise in emergency response, litigation support and structural analysis has made him a trusted resource for property owners, insurers and legal teams navigating complex post‑loss conditions.

What is one challenge that you’ve overcome in your career?

My main career challenge has been aligning my expectations and skill set with my employer's. I have made several changes in my career path since I started, because I was not sure exactly what I wanted to do from day one. Like many junior engineers, I struggled with my expectations of the industry and with what the day-to-day work actually entailed. I tried out several opportunities, and at each stop, I gained a better perspective on my own talents and what is reasonable to expect from an employer. It was not a straight-line path, but over time, my expertise grew, and I came to understand my employers' needs better and their wants. This has created a sense of satisfaction and contentment in my profession that I did not have when I was 24.

What has been your favorite or most interesting project you’ve worked on and why?

It's hard to pick just one project, because I've done so many, and each has its own unique challenges and learning opportunities. If I had to narrow it down, I'd say it was our team's emergency response in the Fort Myers Beach area following Hurricane Ian's devastation. I performed structural and building envelope evaluations for numerous commercial, condominium, and residential properties along the coastline in a very short period of time. Many of these buildings were severely compromised, and access to the properties was challenging due to the damaged infrastructure. I had to ride on fishing boats to Sanibel Island, carrying a bicycle, so I could access properties that were isolated because the storm surge had washed out the bridge approaches. It was very demanding to complete a tremendous amount of work in a short time, but it was very rewarding to be part of the community's rebuilding.

What is the best career advice you’ve received?

The best career advice I have received is to take ownership of your work, regardless of its scope. As a young engineer, you often will not have direct access to the external client. However, if you treat your colleagues and coworkers like “internal clients,” you can develop the various skills that are required to be a successful relationship-building engineer. The skills include communication (most important!), task prioritization and delegation, and the ability to deliver high-quality results that meet the client’s needs. By modeling this behavior at a young age, I signal to management that I can handle project manager tasks and directly interface with clients. It is a simple piece of advice, but it helped change me from a passive employee to one who seeks out opportunities.

What's your career advice for other young professionals in the industry?

The best advice is to look out for challenging and new opportunities and then say “yes” when they arise. The best way to learn is to dive in headfirst, then figure out the details later with the help of your colleagues and mentors. The most I’ve grown as an engineer was taking on challenging projects that others hesitated to take on first. The best reputation you can have within a company is to be known as the person who says yes to any assignment and then does excellent work.

What’s the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is that every day is a new adventure, and I have the opportunity to learn something novel. Forensic evaluations require me to get out of the office and explore various types of structures, each with its own unique history. If you look closely and keep digging, you'll always find an opportunity to uncover a mystery. Also, I love asking questions to anyone with construction and design knowledge, and sometimes the best sources of technical savvy come from the trades workers and maintenance staff who actually build and maintain what we design. If you keep your mind open, there is always an opportunity to learn something new in this field.