Emily McKinnon

If she hadn’t become a civil engineer, Emily says she’d likely have become a physician like her father. But we’re delighted to have her problem-solving prowess here at SmithGroup, working with clients from conceptual design to construction document development and construction administration. "It’s exciting to have to work through the site and design parameters to get to a solution," says Emily. "You have to enjoy what you do to be successful, and I certainly do. Engineering can be fun!" Emily brings to the table knowledge in stormwater management design, hydrologic/hydraulic analyses, utility design, grading and permit acquisition—and she appreciates that SmithGroup’s multidisciplinary team members all contribute their own specific areas of expertise. "I didn’t envision having the opportunity to work with such a professionally diverse group of colleagues on a daily basis," she notes. Emily’s best piece of advice: "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take."