ASCE installs Kristina Swallow as president

Reston. Va. — With Kristina L. Swallow, P.E., ENV SP, F.ASCE, as president and Robin A. Kemper, P.E., LEED AP, F.SEI, F.ASCE, as president-elect, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) now has a trifecta of women serving in its highest leadership roles. Swallow and Kemper, inducted on Tuesday, Oct. 10, are the fourth and fifth women to serve in this office for ASCE, respectively. With this induction, Norma Jean Mattei, Ph.D., P.E., becomes past-president of the Society.

An active member of ASCE for more than two decades, Swallow is a program manager for the city of Las Vegas, leading a team of engineers responsible for delivering public works projects and planning the sanitary sewer collection system.

“I became a civil engineer to make a difference in my community. As president, I hope to continue to raise the profile of our nation’s engineers as leaders influencing decisions that are shaping our communities. Infrastructure is being talked about on the national stage, so this is a crucial time for us to share our solutions to modernize our infrastructure systems in a sustainable matter that is built for the future,” said Swallow.

Swallow served as the first board-appointed governor of ASCE’s Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute and was a member of the society’s Transportation Policy Committee, which develops and maintains ASCE’s official public policies related to transportation. Among many past roles, she served ASCE’s Region 8, which represents members from Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, Utah and Arizona, most recently as director from 2012-2015 and as governor from 2005-2008. She served as president of ASCE’s Southern Nevada Younger Member Forum, Las Vegas Branch, and Nevada Section and chaired the Nevada State Infrastructure Report Card Committee. In 2009-2010, Swallow was an ASCE Congressional Fellow, working in the office of Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), for whom she went on to become legislative assistant managing transportation policy.

Swallow earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and holds a master’s degree from the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is a licensed engineer in the state of Nevada.

President-Elect Robin A. Kemper is a Risk Engineer for Zurich North America advising owners and engineering, construction, and architectural firms on matters of professional liability, builders risk, risk management, and best operational practices.

“To be taking on this leadership role alongside two other women is a unique opportunity and I am honored to serve with them,” said Kemper. “I am looking forward to growing and strengthening our organization together. I have found this profession is a great one for me and I encourage all young people, both girls and boys to consider this career path.”

An active member of ASCE for more than three decades, Kemper currently serves on ASCE’s Raise the Bar Committee and the Committee on Professional Conduct. She was ASCE’s liaison with the New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers and served as past ASCE representative with Engineers Without Borders USA. Her many Society leadership roles include terms as a district director and New Jersey Section president. She has also chaired several ASCE committees, including the Member Communities Committee, EWB Task Committee 3, and the Region 1 Formation Team.

She earned the ASCE Civil Engineer of the Year for the New Jersey Section in 2015, the William H. Wisely American Civil Engineer Award in 2013 and the Central Jersey Branch Appreciation Award “For her Extraordinary Efforts in Establishing Our Region 1 Governance Ahead of Schedule for 2007,” in 2006.

Kemper holds a Master’s of Engineering and a dual bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and building science, all from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in Troy, N.Y. She is a licensed professional engineer in six jurisdictions.

In addition to the president and president-elect, there were several other ASCE national offices installed at the business meeting during ASCE’s Annual Convention in New Orleans after winning election in June:

• Region technical director—Marsha Anderson Bomar, AICP, ENV SP, F.ASCE
• Region 1 director—Anthony L. Cioffi, P.E., M.ASCE
• Region 1 governor—Danielle H. Spicer, P.E., LEED AP, ENV SP, M.ASCE
• Region 2 governor—Khaled Alamdeen, P.E., M.ASCE
• Region 3 governors—Therese R. Kline, P.E., M.ASCE; Christopher J. Rousseau, P.E., M.ASCE
• Region 4 governors—Christina L. Ammens, P.E., M.ASCE; RD Odell, P.E., M.ASCE; Brian Reynolds, P.E., AICP, M.ASCE
• Region 5 director—Peter M. Moore, P.E., F.ASCE
• Region 5 governors—Ali M. Mustapha, P.E., F.ASCE; Shelly Brock Watson, EIT, M.ASCE
• Region 6 governors —Steven P. Johnson, P.E., M.ASCE; Tim C. Newton, P.E., M.ASCE
• Region 7 governors — Serkan Sengul, P.E., M.ASCE; Melantha D. Norton, P.E., ENV SP, M.ASCE
• Region 8 governors —Florence M. Ching, P.E., M.ASCE; Fred M. Nelson, P.E., L.S., F.ASCE
• Region 9 director—Kwame A. Agyare, P.E., MBA, ENV SP, M.ASCE
• Region 9 governor—Yazdan T. Emrani, P.E., M.ASCE
• Region 10 governor—G.L. Sivakumar Babu, Ph.D., F.ASCE