When it comes to the benefits of being involved in AACE International,
Katrina Knight may be our best spokeswoman. As a student studying civil
engineering at Clemson University, Katrina had never heard of AACE
International or of cost engineering, for that matter. However,
when a professor nominated her for an
AACE International scholarship, a door
was opened. Katrina received AACE
International’s highest student award, along with an Association
scholarship, but more importantly, found a valuable resource in
AACE International. Since finding AACE International at that
time, Katrina joined the Catawba Valley Section in North
Carolina, serving in several capacities including section president.
Katrina then went on to serve as Region 3 Director on the
international level. She has also served as chairperson of the
Association’s Marketing Committee and a member of the
Education Board, and currently remains a contributing member
to the Education Board.
Katrina, who is an estimating engineer for Turner
Construction Company/Special Projects Division in Atlanta,
Georgia, got her start in project controls as a project engineer
with the North Carolina Department of Engineering. It was at
Crowder Construction, though, that she determined that she
wanted to specialize in estimating. At that time, she forged a
strong friendship with the only other woman in the office in a
technical role—the office estimator. “At that time, most of the
women were in support roles—administrative or secretarial,” says
Katrina, “so the one other woman engineer and I got to be very
close friends.” As the summer wore on, Katrina decided that she
liked her friend’s job better, and focused her career path on estimating.
Throughout her career, Katrina has performed estimating on
a myriad of projects for groups as varied as North Carolina
Department of Engineering to J.A. Jones Construction, finally
landing at her current position with Turner Construction. She
has tried to stick with estimating as much as possible, because she
likes the fluidity of the work—the constant movement from project
to project keeps work interesting.
When asked about getting through challenging work assignments,
Katrina specifically recalls a problem she encountered
while working for the North Carolina Department of
Transportation: Her project team ran into really bad soils on a
particular stretch of roadway, and the problem didn’t seem to
have any solution. This stretch of roadway happened to be adjacent
to one of Charlotte’s higher end neighborhoods, so there was
immense political pressure to get the project completed as quickly
as possible. However, they tried several different solutions to
stabilize the soil, engaged various experts, and the team was
stumped. Eventually, the problem was solved with a special soil
amendment; however, the experience was nerve wracking. The
lesson learned: “sometimes the best laid plan… is just a plan, and
you have to be able to move from that and be flexible.”
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Katrina believes the atmosphere in project controls and construction
is improving for women as time goes on. For examples,
in her current position at Turner Construction, there are more
women in a technical role than other jobs in the past. Previous
to this job, Katrina always was either the only woman or one of a
handful in a professional role. Today, there is a good mix of
women with varying degrees of experience from management to
new hires fresh out of school. Katrina notes, “I am noticing more
and more women at Turner, and that’s in all areas—from purchasing
to estimating to management to superintendents to project
management.”
Finding female mentors was one of the greatest benefits
Katrina got from being involved with AACE International. From
the time she won that AACE International scholarship award in
school, she was introduced to AACE International member
Jennifer Bates. Throughout her final time at school, and in the
early years of her career, Jennifer always made it a point to keep
in touch with Katrina, and she found that to be very beneficial.
Later, while making a presentation at an AACE International
Annual Meeting in Seattle, Katrina met Dottie Burton, another
prominent AACE International member. Dottie was a room
host, and helped Katrina settle her nerves to get through a successful
presentation. Katrina says, “although I don’t always keep
in touch with them on a regular basis, having them as a resource
has been very useful, and I look up to both women.”
In fact, when asked about advice for up and coming women
professionals, Katrina recommends that they find another woman
that you can talk to. Katrina suggests, “it might not be someone
that is in your company, it could be someone you meet through
organizations such as AACE International that you can talk to
and have as a mentor.” Katrina believes that having someone to
bounce ideas off of when you have a question or things are not
going your way can be very useful. “Someone that can share in
your joys and understand what you’re going through—those kinds
of relationships are so important because they always have words
of encouragement. Not to say that the men don’t, but from a
women’s standpoint, it makes a difference.”
Katrina lives in Atlanta with her husband Maurice, and sons
Maurice III - Tre’ (5 years old), and William (1 year old). She
calls Tre’ her “AACE International baby,” because she found out
she was pregnant with him right after she was elected as a
Regional Director. He was born that winter in the middle of her
term, and accompanied her to all of the board meetings and the
Annual Meeting, missing only one - due to weather. When asked
about the age old work life balance question for mothers with
young children, Katrina has it all under control, stating, “you
have to decide what is important, and at the end of the day, I
know that what’s most important to me is getting home to those
two little guys.”
article by Brook Maples, PE
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