Ivy Xiong is a licensed professional engineer with 11 years of experience in civil engineering with a specialization in complex integrated 1D/2D hydrologic and hydraulic modeling. Currently based in Dallas, Texas, Ivy is dedicated to technical excellence in all her projects and brings a passion for knowledge growth and mentoring to the water resources group. She serves in multiple leadership roles including ASCE EWRI Dallas Chapter Outreach Chair, ArchTam Dallas office Young Professional Committee Chair, and hiring lead for multiple departments in Surface Water.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry. 

My inspiration to become an engineer came from both my family and my education. I grew up in Beijing, at a time when there were many fast-growing cities in China. Both of my grandparents spent decades working as structural engineers on infrastructure projects and they would take me to their design institute where they had a big table filled with hand drawings (AutoCAD did not exist at the time).  

That exposure led me to realize I was interested in both the art of architecture and engineering sciences, and eventually I went to school to study water and wastewater engineering. During my senior year, I participated in an exchange program and was selected as one of the top two students to come to North Dakota State University, where I met a great mentor, and shifted into water resources. Over my studies, I found a passion for water. Water resources felt like a hybrid of art and science to me, and I have enjoyed the collaboration across disciplines that my career path has provided.   

Throughout my career and studies, I have been able to live in many places. From China to North Dakota, to California and now Texas. It has been inspiring to experience these different places and bring ideas and skills from each to new projects and challenges.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

I started at ArchTam two years ago as a technical reviewer and was quickly promoted to case manager for FEMA Letters of Map Revision (LOMR) and Conditional Letters of Map Revision (CLOMR) review. I’ve supervised over 100 cases for FEMA Region 6 (Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma) in the past two years. Concurrently, I worked as the hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) lead modeler for the TxDOT Southeast Connector Design-Build Project. This project has been one of the most rewarding and intense projects of my career, requiring the completion of H&H analyses and reports with over 500 pages within one year.  Over 14 large bridges and 90 piers, and their accompanying drainage, had to be considered for this report , and I also had to work with the roadway to ensure that the drainage would function properly. 

During the final design phase of the project, I developed a Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) two-dimensional (2D) unsteady flow hydraulic model to evaluate the drainage impact analysis for the proposed project within an extremely tight schedule. I worked very closely with the construction team and other stakeholders and when we shared the model with the client, we were able to provide cost-effective solutions to mitigate challenging flooding issues that could not be appropriately analyzed using the traditional one-dimensional (1D) approach within FEMA floodplain for the project. I was awarded the ArchTam Make A Difference Bravo Award for that work.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Across our different projects, we’ve had the opportunity to leave positive impacts on the many communities we’ve served. When I am working with communities as a FEMA case manager, I can review a submittal and help inform clients as to what’s needed within a certain timeframe. Not all clients are acquainted with the basics, so I can lay out a plan to help them complete their project needs — and benefit local communities in the process.   

One specific project with a positive impact has been my work with the City of Garland, Texas. I was involved as the drainage reviewer in their program to mitigate storm water flooding. I was able to directly benefit the community by consulting with the city bond program management team to help guide their work and create a design that would best meet the criteria for their submittal.  

We at ArchTam take our quality control seriously, for ourselves and for our clients, and I felt that we really maintained that quality during the design phases of this project.  We did our due diligence and used our knowledge to ensure the inlet and storm water system could mitigate the urban flooding issue, and ensure the drainage infrastructure was designed appropriately by the engineer consultants. If the community experiences flooding, that will lead to residents paying insurance out of their own pockets, but these solutions will help the community be more proactive. 

Share a piece of career advice. 

It is important to be well-rounded as an engineer and continue to build your ‘database’ of skills and experience across disciplines to help advance your career. And don’t be shy about asking questions or seeking out mentors to help you along the way.  

I’ve been very lucky to have a lot of great mentors through my journey from my family, my school, in the industry, or at different companies. They have always been willing to help and provide their unique perspectives to give me something new to consider.   

As an example, when I was a student, a mentor shared that even though you are an engineer you need to be skilled in business: it’s essential to explain your designs and business plan to others and provide a convincing case as to why you provide the better service. That planted a seed in my head and led me to pursue my MBA at the same time I received my master’s degree in engineering. I entered my career with a unique perspective and was able to better understand the full picture of the company’s functions including organizational behavior, economics and marketing.  

I think of all my skills as a framework for my career ‘database’, and I continue to find pieces to fill in the puzzle over time. I’m currently expanding my skillset with ongoing education in legal studies and construction management from the University of California, Berkeley, and I encourage the interns that I mentor to ask questions and be thoughtful about their own opportunities to expand their own ‘databases’.  

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Meegan Worcester joined ArchTam in 2023 as a graduate sustainability consultant. Prior to joining, she completed her undergraduate degree in Sustainability and Environmental Management at the University of Leeds, and then pursued a master’s degree in Sustainability and Consultancy. Since joining us, Meegan has worked on a range of projects across the practice service areas such as carbon management, sustainable infrastructure and climate resilience. 

What inspired you to join the industry? 

My interest in the environment stems from being born and raised in Saudi Arabia. I remember, as a teenager, being in a private car on a large motorway going to and from school every week just thinking about how this affected the environment and our health. Public transport was not the norm, so seeing the over-reliance of cars and limited public walking spaces, made me more concerned about the environment.  

When I moved to the UK in 2015 and started my A Level Geography course, I became heavily interested in climate resilience and adaptation, because after studying each topic, there would always be a discussion about sustainability and what challenges needed to be addressed in the future. In the classroom, we would explore challenges associated with the physical landscape such as more frequent extreme weather events increasing erosion along the UK east coast. We would also discuss challenges linked to economic and political pressures, such as resource exploitation of global commons, like oceans and forests.  

Prior to joining ArchTam, I studied sustainability for five years at university. I was incredibly interested in the complexity of the field and how the issues we face due to climate change cannot be solved with a one-size-fits-all approach. I wanted to be part of the industry actively and collaboratively solving these challenges and be able to put all the knowledge I had learnt into practice. 

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?  

One of my favourite projects by far has been assisting a global FTSE 250 company with setting science-based targets for nature (SBTNs). The Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) builds on the momentum of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). It provides a structure and approach for organisations to assess environmental impacts and set targets to reduce potential negative impacts and amplify potential positive impacts for nature and society.  

The first release of the SBTN target setting method in May 2023 includes integrated guidance for companies to assess and prioritize their material impacts on the environment. This includes freshwater quality and quantity, as well as inter-related land targets to protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems, alongside climate through the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). To ensure our client fully understood the five-step methodology and what would be required to set science-based targets for nature, we conducted a high-level review comprised of the latest information, resources and tools available from SBTN.   

This was my first project where I could listen to what the client thought of our deliverable and how it could be adapted to their wider business plan. During this process, I learnt that many of the sustainability frameworks, standards and methodologies out there can overlap with one another, which can be overly confusing and complicated for the client if they manage many of these at once already. It is important that we communicate this understanding to the client and identify where they have already gathered appropriate information that can be used elsewhere, as this will help prevent duplicating work, and help to build on any gaps they have to meet the new criteria, such as SBTN. Overall, it was interesting to see the interface of sustainability and business up close, which was one of my favourite modules that I studied during my undergraduate degree.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community. 

As part of the work for the client I mentioned above, I have contributed to writing their deforestation policy. This has involved a desk-top review of key policy, legislation, guidance and frameworks. The review encompassed a global remit, including the latest European Union (EU) regulations such as EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDDD) and EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), as well as relevant guidance and frameworks such as the Accountability Framework Initiative (AFi), High Conservation Approach (HCA), and High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA).  

The purpose of this desk-top review was to ensure the client develops a deforestation policy that aligns with current and forthcoming requirements and best practices. This will hopefully have a long-term positive impact on the client’s farmers and suppliers, as well as the local communities who depend on global forests and their ecosystems services. The policy will hopefully encourage farmers to adopt environment-friendly practices, enable suppliers to identify and address risks related to their supply chains to ensure long-term viability, and protect local livelihoods by preserving forests and ecosystems. 

Share a piece of career advice. 

If, like me, you are a recent graduate and you don’t know where to start, say “yes” to everything – even if the task sounds daunting and out of your comfort zone. As a graduate, you aren’t expected to be perfect, but you are expected to show interest in the work your team does and enthusiasm to get involved where you can. Also, be kind to yourself. You won’t know everything, and you will go through a steep learning curve to get where you want to be. Not every opportunity will come to you right away and sometimes you will need to be proactive and identify where you want to improve and how this can be done to align with your interests and career ambitions.  

Another tip is to think about what you want to build over the next however many months or years in this new role. One thing that has helped me visualise where I want to be in five years from now is looking at my team and identifying those with interests that aligns with mine and the types of projects they have worked on. It is only natural to look at others who lead by example – this has helped me recognise where I can develop my skills over the long-term. I also make note of how they conduct themselves on client calls or how they approach project management, and then identify where I can improve. 

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Zuliana Mawani has over 20 years of consulting experience in the Canadian water sector. She began her career at ArchTam as a process engineer in the wastewater treatment group, building a solid technical foundation and proficiency over a decade of work. She is mainly focused on municipal wastewater treatment honing her skills in process evaluation, optimization, and plant modeling, as well as process and mechanical design. Recognized for her collaborative management approach and problem-solving skills, she has consistently delivered outstanding solutions to clients on major water projects across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Ontario.

In 2023, Zuliana returned to ArchTam to take her current position as vice president and operations manager for the Water business in the GTA. Today, she provides day-to-day business leadership and direction, including staff management, project oversight, and client relations management to achieve quality and safety while meeting client goals. She is passionate about the culture of the Water group and strives to create an atmosphere where people enjoy the work they’re doing while simultaneously growing the business.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I always knew I wanted to be in a business that would have a lasting community impact. I enjoy the problem-solving aspect of engineering and had an affinity for math and physics, so it was a natural fit for me. I was drawn to the water sector because of its impact on people’s lives. Access to clean drinking water and sanitation can be a differentiator in the success of a community. I like the idea of solving problems and contributing to this fundamental service that we all need.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

When I was a younger engineer, one of the first projects I worked on was the Clarkson Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion in Canada. It was my first step into municipal engineering and the first project where I was given an opportunity to be heavily involved with the design development process.  I had a chance to put a solid mark on this massive showpiece project, and begin to hone in my wastewater process engineering skills by working alongside our in-house experts. It’s now come full circle as we have recently started working with the plant for their next expansion. I was able to work with the team to win the project and now we are delivering its next phase.

This project has been very symbolic – from first being on the front lines delivering the project, to being part of the team that is now establishing a legacy for Clarkson and for ArchTam.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

We have recently been working on the Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant, a landmark project for the city of Hamilton. The city and the province initiated the project with the goal of improving the condition and general health of Hamilton Harbour’s aquatic ecosystem and transforming the beach into a space that the community can utilize. This project has been going on a very long time with several partners in the industry, and it has been very challenging as it’s the largest plant using disk filter technology and requires some of the highest levels of contaminant removals of any plant in the province.  

ArchTam is a key player in this project, and through years of work and efforts, we have put in higher treatment levels which will produce cleaner water than normally required for a sewage treatment plant. This level of water treatment has never been seen before at this scale in the province and probably across the country. We’re seeing positive tangible impact on the health of the Hamilton Harbour, making the water cleaner for swimming and aquatic habitat.

The project has also been made into a place of learning, as we have incorporated a trail system behind the facility. The trails and walkways feature many interactive components and learning stations where the community can come and understand what each facility contributes to the water and wastewater plant and how it’s used and managed within the city. This project will be completed soon and will have a lasting impact on the city and people of Hamilton.

Share a piece of career advice.

I have always been ambitious, accepting several opportunities that came my way. I have heard people say, “No, you’re not ready for this,” “This is not your time,” “You’re not good enough for this,” and “This is not your thing.”  – and sometimes, they were right! – But that wasn’t a reason to stop. I went back to regroup and think about what I needed to do.  And then, I moved forward.

My advice is to keep going. Don’t let someone else determine where things stop for you.

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Elizabeth Levitz has more than 26 years’ experience in the consulting profession, with close to two decades of her career focused on water resources. During her 24 years with ArchTam, she has worked on various projects involving flood risk analysis and mitigation, civil design, shoreline restoration, project management and disaster recovery.  

Elizabeth is passionate about community flood resilience — working with stakeholders to recover from disasters and planning and mitigating for future events. She specializes in complex projects that require cross-discipline collaboration and innovative approaches to long-term floodplain management. Currently, she is a project and program manager for several flood resilience projects in Texas.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

My father was an instrumentation engineer at a chemical plant in Texas, so I have always been drawn to STEM fields. I entered this industry because I wanted to make a positive impact on the world and those around me using my engineering talents.  

I’m a native Houstonian and I have lived through many extreme flood events resulting in federal disaster declarations (Hurricane Alicia, Tropical Storm Allison, Hurricane Ike, and Hurricane Harvey to name a few). Each time these events happen, I am moved to help my community not only in the recovery efforts, but also to educate the public about flood risks and help them on their flood resilience journey to lessen the impacts of similar events in the future. 

The flood studies and mitigation designs we develop at ArchTam help communities become more flood resilient. Many of the communities we help are socially vulnerable populations who deserve our help. 

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why? 

I have worked with some amazing team members and clients on very impactful projects, so selecting a favorite is difficult. However, the program I’m currently managing — the River Basin Flood Study — is one of my favorites.  

The program is a 4-6-year effort to determine flood risk, develop flood mitigation strategies and, ultimately, recommend preferred flood mitigation projects to communities within a 25-county region impacted by Hurricane Harvey. We are one of the consultant teams and delivery partners working with the Texas General Land Office (GLO) to complete the Study. With over $100 million in investment from the U.S. Department of Housing Community Development Block Grants, the project will empower Texans with information and tools to reduce flood risk and become more flood resilient.  

The project is huge, including over 50 counties and over 50 team members. It’s fast paced and involves many people passionate about the project’s mission. It can be stressful at times, but also very rewarding. In addition to ArchTam, there are three other large consultants on the team, whom we would usually view as competitors. However, for this project we are all so motivated to see the Study succeed that we work as a unified team with a common mission: to collect, analyze and communicate disaster-related data to assist decision makers to better protect Texans from future disasters. 

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

Many years back, we worked with the GLO and the City of La Porte, Texas on a shoreline protection and beach nourishment project. The design included a shoreline armoring system comprising articulated concrete mattresses and a two-cell sand beach stabilized by four riprap armor stone groins. The project’s main goal was to protect 1,700 feet of shoreline that had significantly retreated over time; however, a co-benefit was increased recreation and tourism. The beach pockets and stone groins also provided habitat for migratory birds, such as the threatened piping plover and Rufa red knot.  

Upon reopening Sylvan Beach after construction was complete, the City received a heartwarming letter from a citizen regarding the project’s positive impact on the community. The sender thanked all those involved in the project for delivering an open space for all to enjoy, especially the children of the La Porte community. We finished the project over a decade ago, but I will always remember that letter and greatly appreciate that citizen for sharing their appreciation to us, the GLO and the City. 

Share a piece of career advice.

Be open to change and understand that it is the only constant in our evolving world. Early in my career, I was given an opportunity to learn about flood risk analyses through hydrologic and hydraulic modeling and mapping from experts at ArchTam. Initially, I was anxious about accepting this training opportunity because it required working with a team out-of-state for several months and being away from my family. However, this opportunity changed the trajectory of my career and put me on the path I was intended to walk down for my own personal growth.  

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Lucy Latham joined ArchTam in 2023 as a qualified sustainability professional with nearly 15 years’ experience leading international sustainability programs and delivering environmental consultancy services. Lucy delivers ESG projects for our private sector clients, as well as a variety of projects focused on urban development and sustainability, including with the World Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.  

What inspired you to join the industry? 

My love for nature sparked my early interest in studying environmental science, which I was lucky to have the opportunity to study at school. This interest further developed while I was pursuing my degree in the field, as I learned more about how interrelated environmental and social issues are — as well as the challenges and opportunities around connecting human development with the protection of our natural environment. 

My first role was in a small consultancy in Newcastle, supporting an electric vehicle accelerator project and, following this, I was offered a post to support Newcastle University understand its scope 3 transport emissions. This role broadened my experience by covering a wider variety of environmental projects and was my first opportunity to develop skills in operational environmental sustainability. When applying to ArchTam, I was attracted to the consultancy environment as I knew it would give me exposure to lots of different and new areas and give me the opportunity to build my technical knowledge. 

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?  

I am currently working with an industrial client to identify and procure a new Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) digital solution to support them in managing and reporting their EHS performance across numerous international sites. To select this solution, we developed technical and business needs specifications, following a series of stakeholder consultation workshops and assessed, shortlisted and interviewed several vendors in partnership with the client.  

The project has involved lots of stakeholder dialogue, which I really enjoy, to ensure that the selected software solution is fit for purpose and meets the needs of the business and users on the ground. We also dove deep into the software platforms, met the vendors and heard them pitch their products and technical capabilities. The client required a solution that was accessible and intuitive for its floor workers, including providing mobile phone access, but had the necessary analytical functionality for its EHS managers to conduct their reporting and improve performance. The client hosted in-person workshops in two of its main geographic hubs with the final-stage vendors to trial the software and evaluate the user experience; engaging with colleagues across different business units, job levels and geographies helped demonstrate the software’s global application. Getting under the surface of these different software solutions and having a critical eye to draw out any gaps between their offer and the client’s requirements has been an interesting challenge and learning opportunity.  

Digital EHS was a new area for me as well as my first opportunity to manage an ArchTam project. It has been a very rewarding learning experience and a great opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across ArchTam’s global business. Working across multiple time zones and ensuring everyone is abreast of activities and developments has been particularly challenging – attention to detail when organizing meetings is a must! 

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community. 

Very soon after joining ArchTam, I got the opportunity to support colleagues who were developing a suite of materials — including training slides, practical tools, and a guidance report — for C40 Cities (a global network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities that are united in action to address the climate crisis) to help the network better understand the importance of equity and inclusion in infrastructure and embed actions within their sustainable infrastructure projects. The vision for the project was to equip planners and city officials with the tools to address these issues head on, enabling sustainable development whilst improving access and quality of life outcomes for all. 

Working with the C40 Cities Finance Facility (a project set up to facilitate access to finance for climate mitigation and resilience projects in cities), our project team developed a guidance document which examined the various entry points for embedding equity and inclusion across the project preparation cycle. We also developed interactive trainings on equity and inclusion considerations across four key sustainable infrastructure sectors: nature-based solutions, net zero buildings, solid waste management and mass transit.  

I was excited to engage with something I care deeply about that could potentially drive meaningful positive change in cities and communities globally.  

It was also a great first lesson in ArchTam’s Sustainable Legacies strategy and our commitments towards embedding sustainable development and resilience and improving social outcomes. We hope these brilliant resources will support other projects across ArchTam and identify more opportunities for integrating equity and inclusion into our service offering.

Share a piece of career advice. 

Be open to trying different things – you never know which project, person or conversation is going to lead to an interesting new opportunity. 

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Kunal Olimattel is a resident engineer focused on water and wastewater treatment, with an emphasis on the removal of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS). She joined ArchTam in 2021, after completing her doctoral degree program in Environmental Engineering from the University of Central Florida. She recently completed work on the Toho Parkway Water Reclamation Facility Water Quality Evaluation and will soon be starting work on a PFAS treatment study for Seminole County in Florida.  

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry. 

As a child, I was told my grandfather — a civil engineer — built the apartment building we lived in. I now know he was part of the team that helped build it, because it takes a team to do something like that. But I remember going out and seeing the buildings my grandfather and his team built, thinking about the people who benefited from their work. That started me on the path to being a civil engineer.  

After I completed my bachelor’s degree and started my first job, I quickly realized the importance of reliable water infrastructure for communities. Fresh out of engineering school, I was tasked with stage testing a river and studying infiltration rate for a subsurface cooling water intake project for a large power plant in Chhattisgarh, India. The intake system comprised of a network of large diameter perforated pipes under the riverbed and extended across the riverbanks. The water seeped into the pipes and was conveyed to an intake well where it was pumped into the plant.  

During the study, I met local farmers from the protected Korwa tribe. I was inspired by their ingenious way of manually digging shallow wells using a pulley system made of bamboo. The farmers shared how they come to the riverbanks every year to grow produce which would be harvested before the arrival of the monsoon floods. These manually dug, shallow wells tapped into the equally shallow water table which was used to water the plants. Between the submersion of the area from a future dam, and the impacts of the power plant, the farmers had a lot of questions about how they would sustain themselves during those months.  

This experience was an impactful one. It shaped my understanding of water’s value as a resource and how people’s livelihoods depend on it.  

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

I’m always learning. And that means there’s a favorite part of every project I work on. An example is one of my current projects, which involves helping communities in Florida affected by hurricanes. My team and I are tasked with reviewing engineering applications for flood protection projects and putting together a cost-benefit analysis by comparing the storm damages before and after the mitigation project.  

It’s really interesting work. Not only have I learned about different ways of estimating storm damages and how flood mitigation projects are designed, but I also got to understand the workings of public grants from the side of the funding agency. The success of this project will grant funding to municipal groups, providing the resources they need to prepare and reduce the effects of future flooding events. 

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.

We are currently working with the Toho Water Authority in Central Florida. They’re servicing the Kissimmee, St. Cloud and Poinciana areas, which have seen steep population growth in the past decade. That growth has resulted in new service areas being added and booming customer numbers in existing service areas. ArchTam was tasked with evaluating nine water plants to improve the quality of their tap water and meet the growing water needs. 

During this evaluation, I conducted bench and pilot scale studies to evaluate two treatment options – effectiveness of force draft aeration and pH adjustments followed by chlorine oxidation for sulfide treatment for some of the plants. Results from pilot testing, like the optimal pH and CO2 doses, formed the basis of design for the full-scale treatment. So far, one project is under construction and another will begin construction shortly, while the remaining are in the design phase. 

I come from a background of research and experimentation, and I spend a portion of my time doing field experiments and practical research to study the effects of a proposed treatment. We begin by testing at bench scale in stepwise increments to optimize process parameters like chemical doses, contact times and feed quality. These parameters are further optimized by longer and more rigorous pilot scale studies. Based on this research, you get the design of the final system, which then gets put into place. And for me, as an engineer, there is nothing more gratifying than seeing projects come to fruition — as something that I tested on a bench goes out in the plant, which then serves thousands of people.

Share a piece of career advice. 

Do work that interests you and surround yourself with good people. As someone who is curious by nature, I want to know what’s going on with the water during treatment. At ArchTam, I get to find the answers to these questions regularly. I also have the privilege to work with, interact and learn from industry experts who have done pioneering work in their field.  I researched PFAS treatment during my doctoral studies and recently the EPA announced new PFAS regulations for drinking water. I see this as the ideal opportunity to leverage my doctoral research experience to help develop solutions that will ultimately benefit people and the industry.  

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Lamiaa Eldakhly has more than 25 years of experience in the railway industry, working on railway megaprojects in Africa and the Middle East. Throughout her journey she has specialized in systems interface and integration, collaborating with colleagues from various disciplines such as architecture, communications, signals and telecommunications, as well as civil, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering to create cohesive systems solutions. Lamiaa also works closely with clients and contractors to define, monitor and control systems integration processes, ensuring successful and fully integrated systems. 

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

I have always loved studying mathematics and logical thinking, which is what made me want to study engineering. After earning my bachelor’s degree, I became interested in joining the public transportation sector which serves people in their daily lives – improving personal mobility and access to jobs, education and leisure activities.  

Following graduation, I was fortunate to be involved in the Cairo Metro Line 2 project where I thoroughly enjoyed learning about system and sub-system details such as traction power supply, communication and signalling – and how they are integrated to form a robust transportation system. For every project I work on, there are always challenges to meet and new lessons to be learned and applied in future projects. This is why I believe that this field is exactly where I am meant to be.  

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why? 

My favorite project is the one I am currently working on — Finch West Light Rail Transit in Ontario — as a systems senior project manager. As technical advisor for this project, our team has been working with our client, Metrolinx, and the contractor to successfully deliver the project while following all safety requirements and the latest technology standards.  

The project is currently in the commissioning phase. While there have been some challenges with the systems and light rail vehicle integration, we held frequent meetings with stakeholders to discuss and resolve interface issues and worked frequently with the operator to accommodate their requirements in a timely manner. Collaborating with a highly cooperative and motivated team to meet these challenges has been the best part of this project. Once completed, this new line will bring much needed transit access to an underserved community. 

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community. 

The Finch West LRT is located near communities designated by the City of Toronto as Neighbourhood Improvement Areas, which need additional social and economic support. The Finch West corridor is home to more than 3,500 thriving industrial and commercial businesses, yet its residents face high unemployment and low income rates. They are also not within walking distance of community meeting places, green spaces and healthy food stores. A new LRT system in the area will improve access to amenities, recreational spaces and employment and education opportunities. The corridor will have enhanced connections into the local Humber College and adjacent neighbourhoods including feeder bus routes, pedestrian connections to the Humber River Valley, parks, mixed use areas, and community spaces.  

Share a piece of career advice.

Keep learning and stay updated on the latest trends and best practices in your area of expertise. Always be passionate about what you are doing and be open to explore opportunities to grow your career.  

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Joanna Redmond is based in Louisiana and has 16 years of experience in disaster recovery. Since joining ArchTam in 2018, Joanna has been involved in multiple federal-funded projects through which she’s supported communities impacted by natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding and wildfires. 

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry.

Hurricane Katrina brought major devastation to South Louisiana in 2005. It was the costliest hurricane to ever hit the United States. In response, the State started a housing program to help residents recover from the storm. This program was the first of its kind in terms of size and complexity — and it was also my introduction to the industry.  

In 2007, I was finishing graduate school and wasn’t sure of the next step in my career path. Through a friend in graduate school, I was hired by the consultant responsible for the Hurricane Katrina housing program. It was meant to be a temporary job until I could find something more permanent, however, I ended up staying on the housing program for seven years. I enjoyed the fast-paced, ever-changing nature of the project. There was no precedent for this type of program, so the processes, policies and systems were designed and built from scratch. It was a fulfilling challenge.  

While my initial step into disaster recovery wasn’t intentional, the decision to continue this career path certainly was. It is rewarding to serve communities that have been impacted by disasters — to be a part of their recovery and help them to be better prepared for the next storm event.  

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

My favorite is the relocation assistance project I’m currently managing in Houston, Texas. It involves locating and contacting approximately 600 former tenants of flood-prone properties purchased by the City of Houston using federal funds. The State is obligated to make sure the displaced tenants find new, affordable accommodation and compensate them for any moving costs incurred. Our role is to ensure that this program complies with federal regulations by locating the former tenants and informing them of their rights and eligible benefits under the relocation assistance program. 

Some people are easy to locate and engage as they have remained locally and have heard about the program. Others are harder, especially if they’ve moved out of state. In this case, we get creative using social media, newspaper adverts and encouraging the community to spread the word. I am very proud of the team supporting this project, we have banded together to support the State and have represented ArchTam well to our client. 

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community. 

The inherent nature of disaster recovery is to support communities. After Hurricane Harvey, I was involved in a large housing project in Texas that supported more than 1,600 families whose homes were damaged or destroyed during the storm. Most of the homes were in low-income communities where the cost of repairing or rebuilding the properties would have been unaffordable and impractical for most residents. In conjunction with the State and federal government, we implemented a program to help families repair and return to their homes and communities. We were responsible for designing the program policies and processes and provided program applicants with outreach, case management and construction management oversight. 

Share a piece of career advice

I heard this quote some time ago and it resonated strongly with me: “Your value does not decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth.” Prior to working at ArchTam, I experienced line managers who didn’t value my input and this had a negative impact on my morale. It’s important to keep your integrity and always do your best, even if your work is not appreciated or is undervalued. I carry this quote with me because it’s helped me appreciate the importance ArchTam places in acknowledging the value of their people.  

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After completing her degree in civil engineering, Harriet joined ArchTam as an early career professional straight out of university. For the past two and a half years she has worked as a coastal engineer for our engineering design projects that boost flood and coastal erosion risk resilience and environment protection for local communities. 

What inspired you to join the industry? 

I grew up in the coastal town of Dawlish in the southwest of England. Dawlish was heavily battered by storms in 2014, which led to the collapse of the coastal wall that supports the only railway to and from the town. I used to catch the train down to secondary school and my journey time doubled during the repair works, so I witnessed firsthand the devastation this caused. The emergency coastal engineering works to make the frontage more climate resilient inspired me to study civil engineering at the University of Southampton. This is where my interest in flood and coastal engineering grew. The ongoing challenge of implementing cost-effective, climate-resilient and sustainable projects makes it a fascinating field to be a part of.

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why?

For the past two years I have been heavily involved in designing the Langstone Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) project in south of the UK. Due for completion in 2025, the project aims to provide enhanced resilience against tidal flooding for the village of Langstone and A3023, the only road on and off Hayling Island.  

The site itself is heavily constrained and challenging. The village is bordered by Langstone and Chichester Harbours, which are environmentally designated at a local, national and international level, with a required 10 percent biodiversity net gain for land take of the foreshore habitat. As a result, new structures have a minimal footprint and sit adjacent to existing, deteriorating structures that must be considered in design and works sequencing. The village is also an important area for cultural heritage, falling under two conservation areas with eight listed buildings. This has partially dictated the aesthetics and form of the new structures. 

What I’ve enjoyed most about the project is seeing the design for the project come together, with a solution that – in my opinion – blends in and respects the unique historical setting of the village. I’ve had the opportunity to lead the development of a 3D BIM model for the project, which has formed the basis of a holistic design and has been used to support stakeholder engagement. 

As part of the project, I’ve also had the opportunity to lead the design for one of the seven frontages. This frontage is eligible for minimal central government funding (Grant-in-Aid) and would require funding from the community. For these works, I explored and developed four different tiers of options which would extend the life of the existing sea defences and maintain or increase the standard of protection offered to the residents. The options included: Tier 1 consisting of toe stabilisation works; Tier 2 consisting of patch repairs works to existing defences in conjunction to the toe stabilisation works; Tier 3 consisting of capital refurbishment of the existing defences; and Tier 4 option consisting of capital refurbishment of the existing defences, ecological enhancements and introducing new defences.  

I also considered how these options could be constructed in phases. For example, ensuring that the toe stabilisation works could occur before the wall encasement works for most effective deployment of capital investment. The output from this work was a prioritised remedial work schedule, with the top-tier design incorporating ecological enhancements such as ecoformliners and release of hard surfacing to intertidal habitat. It’s been a great learning experience to approach the design of this frontage differently, providing the community with options to maximize flood protection. The lower tier designs aim to extend the life of the existing sea defences and the highest tier design focuses on bringing the standard of protection up to a 1:200-year protection against still tidal water level.

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community. 

As part of the Langstone FCERM project, I have been involved in several stakeholder engagement sessions. My role involved presenting and answering queries on the technical design to the community and helping them understand the key drivers for the project. What’s been most rewarding with community engagement is seeing the level of public support go from below 50 percent at concept design stage to above 90 percent at the final stage of design.  

Photo realistic visualisations and 3D model demonstrations of the project have been greatly helpful in garnering support from the local communities. There’s still a way to go before the project obtains planning permission and is constructed but it’s great to see the community involved in the project at this pivotal moment. 

Share a piece of career advice. 

Say yes to opportunities! It’s often our own insecurities and doubts that hold us back. Even if the opportunity doesn’t work out as you had hoped, by taking an active role and saying yes, you will have taught yourself something along the way. Sometimes you won’t know a wrong turn until you take it. 

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Jordanna Rubin has 25 years of experience implementing resilient disaster recovery programs to improve social outcomes and support vulnerable and underserved communities.

Before joining ArchTam, she served as the director of resilience and sustainability for APTIM, environmental manager for the City of Miami Beach, assistant director for the Columbia University Energy Policy Center, and as an analyst for NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

Jordanna helped to relocate an indigenous community out of a high-risk zone in southern Louisiana, developed a COVID-19 food security program for vulnerable populations in Southern California and implemented residential resilience programs. She has also managed disaster recovery teams in California, New York, Florida, Texas and Guam, implementing programs that helped communities recover from disasters and enriched their futures.

Tell us about what inspired you to join the industry 

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 hurricane, hit the southeast coast of Florida. Having never experienced a hurricane, my family and I collected towels, buckets and some duct tape in case a window broke. As the wind and rain picked up, I rushed from my room and huddled under the kitchen table. I grabbed my cat and a few prized possessions – to which my parents looked at me with a confused look. We listened together to the noise that can only be described as a freight train roaring through the house and we waited, holding our breath until it was over.  

Our family was beyond lucky that day because at the last minute, the Hurricane “wobbled” and turned south. But many of our friends and family further south were not as lucky. We heard stories of friends losing their homes, friends huddled in their cars when the roof tore off, schools destroyed and infrastructure damaged. 

Looking back on that day, I remember the fear and helplessness we felt before mother nature. As I journeyed on my career path, I kept that memory in my mind as I worked not only to help survivors of other human-made or natural disasters but also to mitigate future impacts and build more resilient communities. 

What is your favorite ArchTam project that you’ve worked on and why? 

My favorite projects tend to be those where we bring together a multi-disciplinary team to work with a client. Our varying backgrounds and experiences shine a light on solutions that only a diverse team can create.  

Currently, we are supporting the Utah Department of Emergency Management to enhance their disaster mitigation programs. We have brought together a team of planners, mitigation experts and programmers to deliver a digital planning tool for the state. 

Our team started by analyzing available hazard mitigation plans at both the state and local levels to understand key mitigation objectives across the state.  We are currently reviewing available social vulnerability tools to compare the various indicators used to identify and support vulnerable populations in Utah. The final objective of this project will be to build the state their own tailored social vulnerability tool and incorporate community-tailored mitigation strategies within their mitigation portfolio.   

Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.  

In 2021, ArchTam supported the establishment of an emergency intake site for unaccompanied children who had come across the U.S. border. ArchTam provided clothing, toiletries, and medical and other services, to support more than 2,500 children. This included rapidly mobilizing architects, planners, engineers and case managers to design and create a safe and enriching environment for the children. I spent the first couple of months of the program supporting an amazing team that came together for one purpose: to support the children.  

People are at the heart of the work we do in disaster response and recovery. It’s all about helping people get their lives back. The most meaningful moment of this project was when I met the cutest little boy, dressed in the soccer jersey we supplied. He gave me the biggest smile, waved at me and in his best broken English wished me a “good morning and to have a happy day”! And that makes it all worthwhile.  

Share a piece of career advice 

You don’t always need to have all the answers and you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. You just need to be skilled in knowing how to find the right answer when you need it.

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