I advise infrastructure owners on how to make their projects a success, from the early stages of business planning and financing through procurement to delivery. I spend most of my time with clients, acting as the interface with the other Arup service teams we bring in during the project lifecycle.

I joined Arup as a structural engineer after switching from my studies in physics because I wanted to do something connected with real world experience. Our firm’s work inspired me to join. I first heard of the firm when I found the Arup Journals in the library of the UC Berkeley School of Architecture, where I learned architecture and engineering. The journals, which dated back to the 1960s, showcased Arup’s world-famous projects, including the Sydney Opera House, Lloyds of London, the Pompidou Centre in Paris. They conveyed a firm where architecture and engineering are considered together to deliver a whole that is bigger than the sum of the parts. The essence of Sir Ove Arup’s concept of Total Design.

Arup has given me three different careers, from vertical engineering to horizontal engineering to advisory, with the trust, flexibility and openness to support me trying new things. When I established our Infrastructure Advisory business I acquired new skills in finance, economics, and project delivery. In the Americas region Advisory is now a significant part of the business.

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Joining Arup is joining a community of professionals who aspire to better themselves and better society. ”

The job has taken me all over the world. One of my most memorable and earlier projects was in Texas designing a nearly invisible suspended structural system supporting 40mm thick sand-blasted glass panels outlining the Byzantine chapel to display one-thousand-year-old restored Byzantine frescoes. The Glass Chapel was housed within a dark space with natural light around the perimeter and lighting for the glass and the frescoes. I worked hand in hand with the architect, my Arup colleagues, and the builder to protect these culturally significant artworks and deliver this unique structure. This type of close and open collaboration is a hallmark of Arup and enables us to deliver better outcomes for clients and develop ourselves.

I’m excited to be a part of a new adventure in New Zealand. I’m helping the light rail team deliver the business case, building the team’s capability and as a result make a splash in the industry and grow Arup’s presence. The light rail project will be a catalyst for the city’s urban development. While it’s specific to Auckland, there is a similar story in my own hometown of San Francisco and many other countries where the challenge is to find better development approaches for social and economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Working on this project is an opportunity for me to get to know New Zealand better. I’m keen to understand the nuances and history of the country, and the influences of Māori culture. There’s also the beautiful landscape to explore when I am there and as I am designing a personal project, which is a house on the Northern California coast. I am always building things, even when I’m not at work!