2025 Official Nominee for president-elect

Woman in floral jacket smiling at camera 

Vision statement

Together

Together has been my guiding value for as long as I can remember. Growing up as one of twenty-two cousins in rural South Texas, we spent holidays and summers together. When I moved to Houston to attend Rice University, I soon joined the MOB (Marching Owl Band) and ASCE student chapter. I wanted to do things together with new people. When I got my first grown up job, I was voluntold to attend the Houston Branch. At the hospitality table, I met many new people and began to forge relationships where we worked together to serve each other, future engineers and the community at large. From there, I stepped up to the Texas Section and the Environment and Water Resources Institute - always finding the opportunity to serve people with people.

Separate is not Together

When I was elected to ASCE's Board of Directors in 2016, ASCE routinely portrayed ASCE as a Venn diagram, with some overlap. Separate but equal areas within ASCE. I urged that we start thinking of these "separate areas" as parts of a greater whole. Before I finished my term, we had already evolved to Society Directors - not geographic and technical region directors. Together, not separate. There are still areas within ASCE where we have opportunity to come together.

What Motivates Me

Throughout my life, I've been an agent for change. This may seem contradictory to together but hear me out. I have always had a heart for the wall flowers, the outcasts, the people that just aren't part of the in crowd. That heart is rooted in that definition of together. If we were all together, then we wouldn't have the outcasts. This is true in our schools, our places of worship, our communities and even in ASCE. When I see and feel those being left out, I am motivated to act - to bring us together.

During my seven years as Director of Houston Public Works, I focused my energy on the people of Houston Public Works. I worked to center people so that we all could live into our organization's purpose - together we create a strong foundation for Houston to thrive - allowing us to act in unison, with one voice, together. I spent years decentralizing authority to match responsibility so people to make decisions and take action. Every member of Houston Public Works could directly see and know how their unique contribution was part of the whole, necessary for Houston, and the people of Houston, to thrive; together as one team with one purpose.

In large organizations, it is challenging to create that alignment. ASCE faces these same challenges on a global stage. It takes everyone within ASCE providing their unique contribution while working together for us to achieve our mission and deliver our vision - engineered and natural systems work in harmony for the benefit of humanity. Harmony. Heck, that's even better than Together. Harmony.

My Call to Action

I have always said that if my skills and desires align with the society's needs, that I'd step up. That day has come. ASCE's Strategic Plan is music to my ears. Our vision establishes purpose. Not only do we have a mission that is people based, but we also have a commitment to our members - in their wellbeing and future growth. The defined Strategic Shifts are like a roadmap:

  • Innovate - innovation requires all of us to be forward looking and adaptable; skills that are quite common among engineers when given the opportunity.
  • Advocate - be at the table. I've had the privilege of being at the table at the local and federal level. My voice is valued. However, there are too few of us at the table today.
  • Inspire - my family laid a path of possibility that allowed me to get here. We, individually and as a society, have an obligation to improve pathways so we can cultivate a global profession.
  • Stimulate - forward leaning policies must result in action - research into practical implementation and future ready codes and design standards.
  • Magnify - no place does together matter more than amplification. To amplify our impact, we need not only today's members but to attract future members by growing them or attracting them from the broad infrastructure community.
  • Deliver - I was routinely reminded by elected officials and members of the community that words didn't quench their thirst or fix their pothole. Ultimately our success lies in our ability to direct our resources into actions. If we are forward looking and adaptable, this will require us all to be willing to honor what was while embracing what could be.

With ASCE's Unified Event just around the corner, it's even more important that we recognize and embrace the value of each of our contributions so we can act together in a way to achieve our vision. I'll borrow from a fellow Texan, Lyndon B. Johnson: "There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves." 

My Commitment

I am asking you to elect me as ASCE's President-Elect. I remain committed to the value of together and am committed to the value that each member brings to ASCE. I have spent my life with a foot in multiple worlds - rural/urban, drought/flooding, geographic/technical regions. I believe that we can come from vastly different backgrounds, experiences, priorities, and values and still work together to a accomplish great things.

I commit to continue learning from each of you so that I understand what is important for your ASCE journey. I am also committed to working hard to represent you. I will make sure that I bring and amplify multiple voices at every opportunity. I am committed to doing this job together. Why? Because:

  • Together we can accomplish great things.
  • Together means no one has to go it alone.
  • Together means every person is valued and very voice is heard.

I would be honored to serve as your ASCE President-Elect, President and Past-President.


Biographical statement

Education

  • BS Civil Engineering, Rice University, 1991M
  • MA Public Administration, University of Houston, 2002

Certification and licenses

  • Licensed Professional Engineer (Civil), Texas, 1997-present

Work experience

  • Houston Public Works
    • Director, 2017-2024
    • Deputy Director - Engineering and Construction, 2016-2017
    • Sr. Assistant Director - Capital Planning & Programming, 2005-2015
  • Harris County Flood Control District, Project/Program Manager, 1999-2005
  • U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, AAAS/ASCE Congressional Fellow, 2003-2004
  • Klotz Associates, Inc. (Now Tetra Tech), Graduate Engineer/Assistant Project Manager, 1993-1999
  • Congressional Hearing Testimony
    • "CDBG Disaster Recovery: States, Cities, and Denials of Funding"; U.S. House Financial Services Committee - Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, July 15, 2021 (Virtual)
    • "America's Infrastructure: Today's Gaps, Tomorrow's Opportunities, and the Need for Federal Investment," Witness as an Industry Expert, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Budget, September 25, 2019
    • "Building Resilient Communities," U.S. House Committee of Appropriations - Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, March 13, 2019
  • Texas Legislature Testimony
    • Oral Impact of Winter Storm Uri, Representing the City of Houston, Texas House Urban Affairs Committee, March 10, 2021
    • Oral Testimony Against HB 2846 - Relating to the sale of Allens Creek Reservoir Project, Representing the City of Houston, Texas Senate Water & Rural Affairs Committee, May 9, 2019 and Texas House Natural Resources Committee, March 19, 2019
  • Congressional and Federal Agency Briefings
    • "Making Our Infrastructure Future-Ready: Modern building standards and the hazard data we need to support them"; September 2023
    • "Workforce Development"; U.S. House Public Works & Infrastructure Caucus (USH-PWIC), June 2023
    • Federal Regulations and Investments in the Water Sector, EPA Office of Water, March 2023
    • Making the Nation's Infrastructure Climate Resilient: ASCE and NOAA Working Together, Industry Expert, ASCE-NOAA Leadership Summit on Climate-Ready Infrastructure, February 2023
    • NOAA Architecture & Engineering Listening Session, January 2023
    • "Public Works: Protecting and Maintaining Critical Infrastructure and Services During Disasters" USH-PWIC, April 2021 (Virtual)
    • "When Disaster Strikes - A Public Works Perspective" USH-PWIC, November 2017
    • "Flood Risk Management"; Industry Expert Presenter, Congressional Staff Briefing, May 2015

ASCE involvement

Society level

  • EWRI Local Activities Committee, 2024-present
  • Committee on America's Infrastructure, 2020-present
  • Annual Convention Advisory Committee, 2019-2021
  • Board of Direction, Technical Region Director, 2016-2019
  • Task Committee on Governance Structure, 2016-2017
  • Public Policy Committee, 2016-2022
  • EWRI Governing Board, ASCE Presidential Appointee, 2013-2016
  • EWRI Municipal Water Infrastructure Council, 2014-2016
  • Flood Safety Policies and Practices Task Committee, 2011-2015
  • ASCE/AAAS Congressional Fellow, 2004, U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
  • Energy, Environment and Water Policy Committee, 2005-2012, Chair 2008-2012
  • Key Contact, 2005-present
  • Legislative Fly-In, 2005 to present
  • Strategic Planning Committee, 2004-2009
  • Committee on Diversity and Women in Civil Engineering, 2003-2004
  • 150th Anniversary Steering Committee, 2000-2002

Local level

  • Texas Section
    • 2014 Texas Civil Engineering Conference, Organizing Committee
    • Section Director, Houston Branch, 2012-2013
    • Vice-President Professional Affairs, 2008-2009
    • Director-at-Large, 2002-2004
    • Younger Member Committee Chair, 2002-2003
    • Texas Section 1997 Spring Meeting Planning Committee, 1996-1997
  • Houston Branch
    • Rice University Practitioner Advisor, 2024-present
    • Section Director, 2012-2013
    • President, 2010-2011
    • History Committee Chair, 2011-2012
    • I-Day Houston Steering Committee, 2010
    • Secretary, 2005-2006
    • Public Affairs Committee Chair, 2004-2005
    • SAGE (Services Activities, and Goals Evaluation) Committee Co-Chair, 2002-2003
    • Honors Committee Chair, 2002-2003
    • 150th Anniversary Champion, 2000-2003
    • Vice-President Technical Activities, 1998-1999
    • Infrastructure Seminar Planning Committee, 1998
    • Technical Programs Committee Chair, 1997-1998
    • Water & Drainage Committee Chair, 1996-1997
    • Primary & Secondary Education Committee Chair, 1994-1995
      • Houston Children's Museum, Houston PBS and in-school engineering awareness demonstrations, 1993-2004

Other volunteer activities

  • American Leadership Forum, Class 61, 2023-present
  • Trustee, Friends of the Texas Room, 2016-2022
  • The Houston Club
    • Director, 2018-present
    • President, 2022
  • Leadership Houston, Class XXIV, 2005-present
  • Timbergrove Manor Civic Club
    • Director, 2006-2008
    • Public Liaison Committee Chair, 2005
  • American Society for Public Administration, 2003-2006
  • Order of the Engineer, 2003-present
  • Society of American Military Engineers, 2001-present; Public Agency Committee, 2002-2004
  • American Cancer Society Junior Board, 1995
  • Science Fair Judge, 1995-2000 & 2006-2006
  • Rice Engineering Alumni, 1994 to present; Board of Directors, 1994-1998;

Awards

  • 2024 Government Engineer of the Year, American Society of Civil Engineers
  • 2024 Service to People, Texas Section ASCE
  • 2023 Engineer of the Year, Texas Chapter of the American Water Works Association - Southeast Branch
  • 2022 Public Official of the Year, University of Houston Public Administration Program
  • 2022 City Department of the Year, City of Houston (Director)
  • 2021 Zurich North America Climate Hero
  • 2019 President's Medal, American Society of Civil Engineers
  • 2019 Award of Honor, Texas Section ASCE
  • 2014 Award of Honor, Houston Branch ASCE
  • 2012 Government Civil Engineer of the Year Award, Texas Section ASCE
  • 2005 Volunteer of the Year, Greater Greenspoint Management District
  • 2004 Congressional Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
  • 2004 Commanders Coin, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Carl A. Strock, Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Commanding
  • 2004 Young Government Civil Engineer of the Year, American Society of Civil Engineers
  • 2004 Young Government Civil Engineer of the Year, Houston Branch ASCE
  • 2004 Edmund Friedman Young Engineer Award, American Society of Civil Engineers
  • 2001 Commanders Coin, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, Nicholas J. Buechler, Col, Commanding
  • 1999 Edmund Freidman Young Engineer Award, Houston Branch ASCE

Publications

  • "Cross-Sector Collaboration to Protect Critical Infrastructure: Barriers and Recommendations for Improvement,"; The President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council, Subcommittee Expert, 2023
  • "Learn the language of government," Civil Engineering magazine, May/June 2022, "Wish I'd Known"
  • "Flood Risk Management: Call for a National Strategy." Committee Member and Contributor, Task Committee on Flood Safety Policies and Practices, ASCE 2014
  • City of Houston Capital Improvement Plan Process Manual for Infrastructure Programs, v1, 2011
  • City of Houston Guidelines for Adjustment of Calculated Impervious Surface Based on Approved Stormwater Management Techniques, 2011
  • Local Implementation of a Federal Mandate: Implementing the NPDES Program in the Houston Masters Thesis, University of Houston, 2002
  • Promoting Civil Engineering to Elementary School Students - A Demonstration, 1995
  • Analysis of Houston Drainage Criteria Using XP-SWMM, 1995