Hometown: Brillion, Wisconsin
Educational Background: Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Michigan Technological University
Describe Yourself in Three Words: Honest, Sensible, Easy-Going
Place of Employment and Position: Excel Engineering – Structural Designer
What do you enjoy the most about your current position?
At Excel I work in the Cold Formed Steel Framing department, designing CFS studs to be walls, walkway bridges, and many more structural components on buildings of all sizes. What I love about this role is the size of the jobs; most jobs are between 1 day to a week and all over the country. With jobs this size and variety it makes it hard to get bored at work!
What is the one thing you would do if you knew you could not fail?
I’d love to open a Brewery in Fond du Lac! I don’t know much (or anything) about running a business, but I really enjoy going to breweries as the environment is like nothing else. They are great places to make new friends and try new beer!
How has YPF contributed to your personal and/or professional development?
Joining YPF was definitely the best decision I’ve made since moving to Fond du Lac! I moved here about a year ago now, not knowing anything about or anyone in the area. Joining YPF was a great way to learn more about the community I have moved to. Since moving here I’ve only missed one Member Monday. At the Member Mondays, I have been able to make some great new friends I would not have met otherwise. I have realized post college it is more difficult to make friends, but YPF has made it much easier!
Who or what is your source of professional inspiration?
When I was in college I was very involved in a professional/academic society, The Society of Women Engineers (SWE). In it, we had a professional advisor, Britta, who is most definitely my professional inspiration! Britta graduated from MTU and works at Caterpillar in Peoria, Illinois, and makes time to raise her children, volunteer in the community, give back in time to the school she graduated, and inspire young women engineers like myself! I am really inspired to grow into a woman engineering professional like her and hoping to become more involved in the Fond du Lac professional community.
In keeping with YPF’s theme for this year, “Create Your Change,” how have you or will you create your change?
This year I am also hoping to ‘create my change.’ Being a year out of college, I am now trying to get more involved in the Fond du Lac community. For the first step, I am planning on joining/volunteering for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Secondly I would like to join the Programming & Activities or the Membership Committee. I’m hoping getting more involved in the community will help me set some roots in my new home!
What is your favorite thing to do in the Fond du Lac area?
My favorite thing to do in Fond du Lac is to go for walks at Lakeside Park. The water and lighthouse are so beautiful and a great way to relax with a view. In the summer I like to take my nieces and nephews there to visit the play park, go for a walk/bike ride, and pet the animals. I love that the park always seems to have something fun going on!
Where do you see the Fond du Lac area in 5 years?
In 5 years I’d like to see Fond du Lac more appealing to young adults. There seems to be many activities for families, children, and teenagers/young college people, but not as much for single young adults. I’d also like to see some focus on road construction and continue to remodel existing infrastructure instead of building new. I’ve only been here for a year, so it is hard to tell where the direction of the town is going, but from what I can see/hear, it seems to be going in the right direction!