Drew combines architectural training, construction management expertise, and over two decades in the design and construction industry. As Program Director for the Alamo Colleges District 2017 Bond, he has guided teams through complex projects that deliver modern, inspiring learning environments. His leadership is marked by a personal connection to education, deep roots in San Antonio, and a commitment to building stronger communities through collaboration, innovation and client partnership.

Tell us about your role at ArchTam and the markets you serve.

I serve as Program Management Director and Market Sector Lead for San Antonio, Austin and Houston. In this role, I oversee major programs — including the $450 million Alamo Colleges District Bond Program — while also supporting several clients in the Austin and Houston areas. My day-to-day includes guiding teams, building strong client relationships and creating new opportunities for growth across these regions.

What inspired your career path in program and construction management?

I began my career as a licensed architect in the state of Texas. While I love design, I was drawn to the construction management side of the industry, where I found my skill set and leadership style really aligned. Making the transition opened doors to working with a diverse range of stakeholders, including contractors, architects and clients, on projects that truly make a difference. Today, I get the best of both worlds: the ability to apply my design background while leading diverse teams to deliver impactful results.

You have a special connection to Alamo Colleges. Can you share more about that?

Yes, this program is especially meaningful to me because of my family’s ties to Alamo Colleges. My mother took night classes at San Antonio College while raising me as a working parent. Seeing her dedication gave me a personal appreciation for the role community colleges play in changing lives. To now lead a program that strengthens these institutions in my hometown of San Antonio feels like coming full circle. It’s both a personal and professional chance to give back to the community that shaped me.

What makes the Alamo Colleges program unique?

Scale and impact. We are managing 24 construction and renovation projects across five colleges and three education centers. These projects range from advanced science and technology labs to first responder academies, digital libraries and student support spaces. The work touches every corner of the community, creating opportunities for students from all walks of life to succeed. The program also reflects Alamo’s national recognition for serving Hispanic and working-parent populations — something I saw firsthand through my mom.

Can you share your successful experience with Austin Independent School District’s (ISD) bond program?

We have a wonderful team at Austin ISD. I support our program director and her team of managers and coordinators to successfully deliver a great program. This role has allowed me to work closely with our team to deliver both new and renovated learning environments for Austin ISD’s staff, teachers, students and their families. It’s rewarding to know that these projects directly shape the educational experience of thousands of students in Austin and strengthen the broader community.

What advice would you give to young professionals starting in this field?

Stay flexible and open to opportunities. Don’t be afraid to step outside what you think your role should be. My own transition from architecture to construction management ended up being one of the best career decisions of my life. Say yes to opportunities, dive in and learn as you go — you never know where they may lead.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

The people. Every day brings new challenges, new collaborations and new solutions. No two days are alike, and that variety keeps me energized. I value the strong teams I get to work with, both within ArchTam and alongside our clients and partners. Together, we’re building not just facilities but environments for work and education within our communities.

Finally, what do you love most about your hometown of San Antonio?

San Antonio is a big city with a small-town feel. It’s rich in culture, history and community. From elementary school through college, my career and family, I have always loved this city. It’s home — and that makes the work I do here even more rewarding.

Drew’s leadership stands out as a powerful blend of technical expertise and personal dedication — driving transformative projects that uplift higher education and strengthen communities across Texas.

The post People Spotlight: Meet Drew Dodson appeared first on Blog.

Rosa and Ken now join Bill Hanway, our global sports and social infrastructure lead, and Marc Colella, our global buildings and systems engineering lead, alongside our legacy Fellows in shaping the future of Technical Excellence at ArchTam.

The Fellows Induction Ceremony honored each Fellow’s decades of contribution, innovation, and dedication. They are more than experts; they are mentors, thought leaders, and true pioneers whose work continually raises the bar in our industry.

Recognizing their achievements was a powerful reminder of how they set new standards in their fields and make a profound difference in the communities we serve.

At the following day’s Fellows Summit, we explored how this prestigious program can inspire the next generation of technical leaders and deepen our collective impact. In a series of thought-provoking sessions, we discussed each Fellow’s unique role in bringing our vision to life with our people and clients, examined pathways for our technical careers, and planned for the legacy of expertise we aim to leave.

A Tribute to Rosa and Ken

Rosa and Ken are extraordinary, each bringing a unique technical focus that resonates across our company. To highlight their contributions, we’ve captured their stories in two special tribute videos that showcase their respective journeys, impact – and the future they’re helping to create.

Early in my career at ArchTam, I was guided by brilliant mentors who, in many ways, were Fellows long before this program officially began. Their generosity with their knowledge and insights inspired me, and it’s a legacy I see carried forward by our Fellows today. This sense of shared purpose, of lifting up the next generation, is something I know Rosa, Ken, Bill, and Marc deeply embody.

Our Fellows are remarkable leaders whose dedication, drive, and collaboration ensure that our TechEx Factor will continue to power what we do and how we do it. I am excited to see how they will continue to develop our people, engage our clients, and push our industry forward as we work together to deliver a better world.

The post Celebrating our technical luminaries appeared first on Blog.

This time, we connected with Kelly Young, lead bridge engineer based in South Carolina, to learn how she progressed in the technical excellence career path.

Hi Kelly. What do you do for ArchTam? 

As the lead bridge engineer for South Carolina, I’m currently working on exciting innovations in bridge design, including high fidelity 3D bridge models. I have been with ArchTam for 13 years and I live in Greenville, South Carolina, with my husband, two children and our dog.

Tell us about your journey and how you got here. 

I began my career as a bridge inspector for ArchTam in Atlanta after graduating from Georgia Institute of Technology. I spent one year doing bridge inspections, gaining hands-on experience, learning about bridge elements and the different types of failures and deterioration.

My first major milestone was completing my first full bridge design. This project was a key initial step in moving from inspector to engineer. I was the youngest engineer in the group, tasked with designing and planning production for the bridge. The project had a tight deadline, so I had to learn quickly and work efficiently. We submitted the final design and plans on time, and I saw my first bridge design being built just a few months later. That was my first big step to becoming a bridge engineer.

I also found a great mentor in Chris Johnson, my manager in Atlanta. He guided me through my career not only technically, but also with balancing work and home life.

With a growing interest in design, I took on the role of engineer. That’s when my foot stepped on the gas — my technical career took off and has not slowed down since. I focused on bridge repair, working on everything from minor joint replacement and spall repairs to deck replacements, strengthening methods for structural components and developing numerous hydraulic bridge-jacking designs.

Working on a variety of project types greatly expanded my technical knowledge in the bridge design field. I also had the opportunity to manage smaller tasks and test my knowledge by teaching junior staff.

Then, my husband and I relocated to South Carolina, and after 10 years of being in a bridge engineering support role, I became the lead bridge engineer in South Carolina. My role shifted from a singular focus on production to leading tasks and signing and sealing plans. This experience created an opportunity to innovate the bridge design process and push our current capabilities forward.

What was a career defining moment for you?

My career defining moment is currently in the making. I’m working with a team to create a high fidelity 3D bridge model per specific client standards. Once complete, this model will be fully adaptable to any project location based on the most used bridge elements, drastically reducing the time it takes for the layout, detailing and potential rework of the bridge.

Computational design and parametric modelling have the potential to spark a major shift in transportation services. We have the chance to raise the current standard and pave the way for a new era of bridge design.

What’s something you wish someone told you years ago?

Don’t be afraid to ask. Not just about needing help with a problem you can’t solve or where to find resources, but with bigger things as well. If you want to try something new within the scope of ArchTam, ask. You don’t have to do just one type of work. ArchTam offers a whole world of opportunity.

If not this path, what would have been your career plan B?

I would be a softball coach. I still get the opportunity to take my daughter to Georgia Tech softball games and watch my former teammate coach, but if I wasn’t an engineer, I’d be out there too.  Go Jackets!

The post Career Path Spotlight: Kelly Young appeared first on Blog.

The way we work has changed a lot over that time, but that feeling of pride that comes from delivering the right technical solution for our clients has remained a constant — it never gets old, and it powers our culture of TechEx.

I often hear that people join ArchTam for the opportunity to address some of the world’s biggest infrastructure challenges, and they stay because those opportunities keep coming — not just the projects to work on, but the chance to develop new technical skills, to work alongside the industry’s best technical experts, and to build careers that make a real impact on the communities we serve.  

Our industry is rapidly-evolving, and continuous learning is critical to our ability to deliver excellence today, and every day.

ArchTam’s Global Technical Academies are ‘built by us, for us,’ leveraging the skills of our own experts to provide structured technical training courses that build knowledge and networks, extend skills, and grow careers.

Thousands of our team members around the world are participating to power their own professional and technical development, and help sharpen our competitive edge. During a site visit to the multi-award winning Tseung Kwan O Lam Tin Tunnel in Hong Kong — a project we helped deliver — I saw first-hand the transformational impact we can make when passion, pride and industry-leading technical expertise combine.

We asked some of our Global Technical Academy alumni to share how they are applying the skills gained through participation to further advance their careers.

Renee McKay – Graduate Sustainable & Resilience Consultant (Wellington, New Zealand)

“The Sustainable Legacies Technical Academy courses helped me bridge the gap between university and work. Particularly helpful for me were the courses on the assessment of climate change risks, adaptation pathways, and reporting frameworks. These have prepared me for the emerging task in our New Zealand team of helping businesses and organizations (particularly in the energy sector) assess their climate risk and become more aware of their possible weaknesses to climate change as well as in the transition to a zero-carbon economy.”

Yuelin Liang – Associate Director, ITS (Edinburgh, Scotland)

“Program Controls is one of the most challenging topics in Global Program Management, so I participated in the 12 lessons of Global Program Management Academy training. It was a transformative experience that provided a comprehensive perspective on managing projects on a global and large scale. Each training module was designed to meet the needs of participants across all levels of expertise, catering to both novices and seasoned professionals like myself to foster continuous growth and development. Overall, the GPM Program Controls training has been a pivotal milestone in my professional development, propelling me towards greater success and fulfilment in the dynamic realm of project management.”

Mira Bourova – GIS Manager (Chicago, United States)

“In the Summer of 2023, I participated in the Sustainable Legacies: Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation, and Transportation Innovations courses. As a GIS Manager with ArchTam for more than 5 years — and with a 20-year career in GIS — I was looking for a better understanding of the projects ArchTam is involved in when the discussion comes to addressing sustainability and innovations in transportation. As a result of participating in these Academy courses, I was able to develop a deeper understanding of the processes, procedures, and expectations in our company, allowing me to better support my Florida Transportation team and my new Chicago team. I think these are valuable courses to take.”

Tamer El Bagoury – Principal Engineer, Mechanical (Qatar)

“Participating in the Water Academy has been a game-changer for me, even though I don’t have a background in water engineering. The courses provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and best practices involved in designing and constructing pumping stations, insights into hydraulic systems, water management, and the latest technologies used in the field. I have successfully applied my newfound skills to design a stormwater pumping station, and I was able to approach the project with confidence and deliver exceptional results. This knowledge has greatly broadened my professional outlook and allowed me to contribute to projects in ways I hadn’t previously envisioned.”

Monica Waits – Rail Deputy Department Manager (Philadelphia, United States)

“Completing the Transit Rail Network course within our Transportation Academy has broadened my outlook on ArchTam’s technical capabilities, and expanded my professional network. The Academy modules were conducted in a way that allowed me to balance my professional development with my design work, and I appreciated having the opportunity to exchange knowledge — and build relationships — with a diverse group of participants from around the world. I can now apply the lessons I’ve learned to the projects I am designing.”

Kamalen Diaz – Civil Engineering (Austin, United States)

“As a young engineer with just over a year of experience, the Transportation Academy’s Transportation Innovations course was transformative for me, providing an overview of transportation innovations, implementation, and operations and alternative delivery contracting approaches, all of which broadened my understanding of the transportation industry and ArchTam’s role within it. I have applied my newly-developed skills on projects already — providing technical support for the implementation of a state DOT Cooperative and Automated Transportation (CAT) Program. This opportunity allowed me to apply the innovative concepts learned and collaborate with fellow course participants and experts. The academy promotes both professional and personal growth, and I highly recommend it to young professionals looking to grow within ArchTam and the transportation industry as a whole.”

Mackenzie Hirt – Federal Air Force PFAS Program Manager (Austin, United States)

“Participating in the Environment & Energy Academy provided accelerated learning and global networking opportunities. Personally, completing the PFAS course provided me a sense of place and better understanding of how our PFAS remediation practice fits into the larger pursuit of protecting human health and its alignment with ArchTam’s purpose of ‘delivering a better world’. Through this course, I was exposed to PFAS experts across our enterprise. I was able to immediately apply what I learned to a design-build groundwater pump-and-treat project limiting the offsite transport of PFAS at a Department of Defense facility. It’s always exciting to learn how others at ArchTam are solving our clients’ problems. I’m thankful to be a part of an organization that prioritizes learning and invests in cross-geography collaboration through programs like our Global Technical Academies.”

Explore career opportunities to work with us and to learn how you could help us further build our TechEx Factor.

The post Building our TechEx Factor through continuous learning appeared first on Blog.