RK&K is excited to announce the promotion of five team members who exemplify the firm’s core values and culture and guide the firm’s vision and growth for the future.
Meet the newest directors and learn more about their technical experience, their 2022 project goals, and how they provide exceptional service to our clients.
Kelly Duffy, PE
Kelly Duffy, PEDirector, Wastewater
Kelly specializes in managing and designing wastewater treatment plants and collection systems. Her experience includes traditional and alternative delivery projects across all project phases. Kelly is a collaborative team leader who consistently delivers reliable, robust, and cost-effective designs resulting in long-lasting client relationships built on trust.
As a director, how will you make sure your team is technically strong?
We stay technically strong by working as cohesively as possible – exchanging input, sharing ideas and knowledge, and checking each other’s work. We will stay on the forefront of treatment technology innovations through our participation in different organizations and rely on our more seasoned experts and what we have learned working on other innovative, award-winning projects like the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Regional Sewer Authority’s North River Wastewater Treatment Facility Enhanced Biosolids Reuse and Reduction Project.
What projects are you most excited to work on in 2022?
Our group has several exciting projects this year. We have some new clients, new projects with existing clients, and several projects under construction. We are particularly excited about a large project for WSSC, a new membrane bioreactor for a new client in southern Maryland, several treatment plant upgrades in western Maryland, a new biosolids dryer system in Delaware, and a new preliminary treatment/storage facility for Hampton Roads Sanitation District.
Why RK&K?
Over the years I have worked on numerous interesting projects with many smart people. Opportunities abound at RK&K, and it is a great place to learn and grow and stay for more than 20 years so far! RK&K uses creativity and experience to develop solutions that improve living conditions for people, plants, and animals. We implement technologies that provide better levels of treatment than have ever been used before while finding ways to make them cost effective and operable by staff.
Contact KellyLucia Noya, PE
Lucia Noya, PEDirector, Environmental Water Resources
Lucia specializes in water resources/ecological restoration with specific experience in planning, analysis, design, technical direction, project management, MS4 compliance, funding sources and construction oversight of environmental and water quality improvement projects. Her extensive professional portfolio includes stormwater management, low impact development, green infrastructure, stream restoration, and wetland creation projects. In addition to her success throughout Maryland, Lucia has been instrumental in expanding RK&K’s footprint throughout the Southeast.
As a director, how will you make sure your team is technically strong?
Since our clients, projects, and the stormwater industry are dynamic and ever evolving, it is important to develop new skills as regulations change, technologies develop, and new strategies are implemented. As a result, it is essential to provide training plans tailored specifically to each employee, as well as the group. Training plans should use new and existing tools as engineering technologies are rapidly changing, provide the framework for technical direction, and foster a culture that promotes teamwork.
What projects are you most excited to work on in 2022?
My passion for water resources drives me to make a difference. Projects that improve stormwater infrastructure can reduce both long-term risk and costs for private and public clients. I am excited to continue to help our clients manage their stormwater assets, making sure they are sustainable, meet their long-term maintenance goals, identify funding sources, and improve drainage and water quality through innovative treatment practices. I am looking forward to working on projects that use green infrastructure in the best ways possible to improve waterways, minimize erosion, and foster green communities like those that my team has completed in Gwinnett County, GA and in the Chesapeake Bay Region with the Green Streets programs.
Why RK&K?
It’s all about the people! We have teams full of talented, creative individuals. I am so fortunate to work in a field I love surrounded by people who strive to deliver creative and innovative solutions to our clients.
Contact LuciaJason Peterson, PE, CCM
Jason Peterson, PE, CCMDirector, Construction Management
Jason is responsible for construction management and inspection teams, including more than 150 employees in the Carolinas. His extensive background includes construction, engineering, and inspection (CEI) services for major transportation projects, including planning and design through full construction oversight and inspection to maintenance and asset management. Jason has a great understanding of the North Carolina Department of Transportation, local municipalities, state and federal agencies, and local utility companies.
As a director, how will you make sure your team is technically strong?
Our goal is for each person to continue to learn and improve their craft. This includes having a plan that pushes each team member to advance their skills through classes, study courses, group sessions, and hands-on training. My team has already done incredible things, such as developing an award-winning paperless ticket initiative for construction and we will continue on this path of creativity and continued improvement.
What projects are you most excited to work on in 2022?
Our CEI team recently won and will start work on multiple project-specific contracts in both North and South Carolina this spring. We are also starting or continuing new municipal CEI contracts with the City of Raleigh, Town of Rolesville, New Hanover County, and Wood Engineering. Leading CEI teams across our footprint allows us to keep our people working while providing stellar service to our clients.
Why RK&K?
RK&K’s reputation for quality work, exciting projects, and great people led me here and keeps me excited each day. The culture is amazing and the ability to be a leader in our industry makes RK&K the best place for me.
Contact JasonStuart Samberg, PE, PTP, PTOE, RSP, DBIA
Stuart Samberg, PE, PTP, PTOE, RSP, DBIADirector, Traffic
Stuart is responsible for all facets of transportation engineering, from planning and analysis to design. This includes traffic studies, signal design and timing optimization, ITS, corridor studies, traffic signing and marking plans, maintenance of traffic plans, street lighting, and intersection geometric improvements. Stuart will be part of the team responsible for traffic operations in RK&K’s Southeast offices.
As a director, how will you make sure your team is technically strong?
My team will stay ahead advancements by maintaining our focus on delivering high-quality products for our clients and doing so by focusing on good technical work and continuous quality control efforts from all staff. We will leverage and re-imagine new technology to find better solutions, like the improvements and training we implemented for several signal timing and installation projects in Virginia.
What projects are you most excited to work on in 2022?
I am always excited by a lot of the things our group works on, but 2022 I’m most excited to is continue our work on the I-24 SMART Corridor project in Tennessee and our completing construction support with the opening of the I-66 Express Lanes.
Why RK&K?
What has kept me at RK&K is the wonderful people. The people here are technically strong and have a low-ego approach that keeps everyone focused on delivering success for our clients and their projects.
Contact StuartTina Swiezy, PE
Tina Swiezy, PEDirector, Water Resources
Tina is responsible for all facets of water resources design related to highway infrastructure in North Carolina. She is a key leader and supporter of growth efforts in South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, and her leadership has resulted in many successes in her area and discipline. In true RK&K fashion, Tina collaborates with resources across the firm to best serve clients.
As a director, how will you make sure your team is technically strong?
I work with teams across the company to continue our focus on workshare. We are also expanding our water resources modeling expertise as well as bridge replacement design, grant writing, and resiliency design skills marketing. The team will use their experience and new processes to find better answers to complicated problems, like how we used a GIS-integrated stormwater management model to image and repair the Kenan Stadium trunkline system for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
What projects are you most excited to work on in 2022?
The continued strong bridge replacement workload in North and South Carolina is always exciting and the growing stormwater work for municipal and resiliency clients is booming. We are also excited our South Carolina Department of Transportation Scour Program is going great and will continue into 2023.
Why RK&K?
I chose RK&K 25 years ago because they were highly recommended by those who worked here and they have a great culture that seemed like a great fit for me. All these years later, it is obvious I made the right decision!
Contact Tina