CPEWC, composed of representatives from various engineering and technical societies in Central Pennsylvania, recognizes outstanding members of the engineering profession each year during their Engineers Week celebrations. The Technical Achievement Award is an honor bestowed to an individual who has made notable contributions to the engineering profession and its principles of practice.
“It’s a great honor to be recognized by the Council for this award, especially for Engineering Week, given that I’m not an engineer,” noted Virginia.
Though Virginia is not a Professional Engineer, she has played a central role in her 27-year career in advancing complex studies and environmental documents that have facilitated the successful delivery of numerous critical transportation projects. Virginia currently serves as an Assistant Director and companywide lead of NEPA Services for Transportation at McCormick Taylor. Her deep technical expertise in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 4(f), and environmental planning and compliance is a valuable commodity helping clients navigate challenges while considering and balancing potential impacts to environmental resources.
“I really enjoy the project delivery portion of my work. Like complicated projects, navigating my way through different kinds of stumbling blocks – the things that pop up. But I also like the training part that I’ve done over the years, providing expertise and sharing my knowledge.”
As a Certified Instructor for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration’s National Highway Institute (NHI), Virginia has delivered NEPA and Section 4(f) training courses nationwide. She credits several mentors she’s had at McCormick Taylor over the years for her understanding of the industry, application of NEPA policies and practices, and how to collaborate and work with others. Also influential, have been the professional organizations she’s been involved in including Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Professionals (PAEP), Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS), and the American Society of Highway Engineers (ASHE) for which she is currently serving as the President of the Harrisburg Section. Another industry passion of Virginia’s involves educational outreach which stemmed from a family connection to transportation as a child and a desire to share career opportunities.
“My grandfather had worked for an engineering firm, so I always knew about transportation as being a career path. But most children are not aware of it. So, I really enjoy sharing that background.”
Whether in the classroom, coordinating with agency officials, or at an industry event, Virginia continues to demonstrate her professionalism and expertise which has culminated in this award. We couldn’t be prouder of Virginia and extend our sincere congratulations to her for this lifetime achievement!
