Q&A with Kathleen Freeman

How many years have you worked in the AEC industry? 14 Years (not including two 6-month internships)

Imagine you on your 1^st day of work at your very first job out of college, what advice would you give yourself? If you don’t like how you’re being treated, speak up and let it be known. Stay away from office politics and gossip.

What has been your biggest professional achievement throughout the duration of your career? Passing the Professional Engineering Exam.

Have you encountered any hurdles in your professional life that you believe were due to being a woman? I can’t think of any.

What would you tell a 5-year-old girl to get them excited about being an engineer? You can be or do whatever you want to do. There are no barriers just because you are a female.

How has your career path evolved since you started at 3J ? 1) I am now the direct supervisor of another person. 2) I am able to work from home three days a week.

Where do you see yourself professionally in 10 years? Retired!

Is there anything that makes 3J different for women than other firms? I’ve worked in just two companies since finishing school. Both companies have treated women well and with respect.

If you could have any super power, what would it be? Get by on 5 hours of sleep a night.

Kathleen leads 3J’s Water Resources and Flood Plain Management services. She has been at 3J since 2011, working extensively in the region for public agencies, including the City of Independence, Parkrose School District, Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation District and Washington County. Kathleen designs low impact stormwater management systems, preparation of watershed analysis including capacity analysis, modeling of channels and floodplain/floodways, and downstream analyses.