Sundt welcomes Field Engineer Katie Worden to our San Jose office. Katie is from Discovery Bay, Calif., and earned a Bachelors Degree in Construction Management from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She is finishing her Masters Degree in Architecture from Cal Poly.
Before joining Sundt, she interned for a structural engineer and a few general contractors.
What led you to a career in the construction industry?
My interest started at a young age when I did a science fair project that involved designing three different bridges, building them out of balsa wood and testing their strength. When I got into high school, I enrolled in Manual Drafting, AutoCAD and Architecture. On top of all that, my mother was my teacher for those classes those four years. I decided on the educational path of Construction Management when a good friend from high school majoring in CM at Chico told me all about it. It sounded like my cup of tea. I love the idea of having something tangible at the end of the project.
What does your job entail?
My job is to work with the Superintendent and Project Engineers to help make the job go smoother. I give safety orientations, keep documents organized, and look for any issues there might be in the plans and get RFIs in. I am also in charge of meeting minutes for the subcontractor and owner, architect, contractor meetings.
What’s the best part about working at Sundt?
The people. I love the feeling of being part of a big family, and that was one of the qualities that I was looking for in a company. The people here know when it is time to keep your head down and work, but they also make a point to get to know you.
Seen any good movies lately?
The last one I saw was “Inside Out.” I am more into watching shows. My favorites are “Doctor Who,” “Sherlock,” “Vikings,” “Castle” and “Grimm.”
What’s your favorite book?
I read almost every evening and am reading the Game of Thrones series. My favorite book is Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” which is a classic staple, and Ken Follett’s “Pillars of the Earth.”
What’s your favorite travel destination?
One of my favorites is Prague, Czech Republic. I studied abroad there during undergrad and traveled all over Eastern Europe during the weekends. I love the architecture there. When they re-build, they essentially leave the shell of the building and re-build the inside. Most of the buildings were totally untouched by WWII. I would love to go back and extend the stay to Western Europe.
What do you do for fun away from work?
I do a few different things outside of work: play violin/fiddle (they are the same, just the style of music is different), line dancing, sailing with my dad and going to Disneyland. I have a season pass.
Dog person or cat person?
I like both, but I prefer cats over dogs. I mostly like cats because they are smart, independent and don’t have the need for constant affection. My first cat was the best. She went outside and caught catfish from my backyard.
What are some of the things you want to accomplish in the next few years?
I would like to finish my thesis for my Masters by Christmas, and perhaps learn the entire song of Seven Wicked Reels by the fiddle group Barrage. As far as professionally, I want to be a sponge and soak in as much as I can and become LEED AP.