Katie Goldberg
Structural Engineer
KJWW Engineering Consultants
Age: 29
She has a cheerful disposition.
Ms. Goldberg received many recommendation letters for the Forty Under 40 award, many of which mentioned her positive attitude.
“Katie is that rare leader who blends uncompromising ethics with drive, ambition, optimism and fun,” Daniel Huntington, a client executive at KJWW, stated in her nomination.
“A few winters ago, a vibrant young woman stepped into our 7 a.m. meeting and lit the room with her cheerful disposition,” Theresa Mickelson, past president of Sunrise Rotary, stated in Ms. Goldberg’s nomination.
Ms. Goldberg said she tries to see the positive in every situation.
“I try not to let things get me down, there’s that old expression, ‘life’s too short,’” Ms. Goldberg said. “I think it makes a difference each day in whether or not you enjoy what you’re doing and it’s just not worth it if you’re not going to have a good time while doing it.”
She became an engineer because of her love for construction, she said.
“To design something on paper and then see an actual physical building come out of it, it’s rare that there’s an industry like that, of that magnitude,” she said. “I originally wanted to be an architect and then someone along the way, right before college told me, “if you can handle the math and science, you should be an engineer.’ And for some reason that stuck with me.”
Ms. Goldberg is a board member of Sunrise Rotary, Junior League and Cedar Valley Humane Society. She is a competition judge for Lego League and Future City, as well as a member of the 2014 Leadership for Five Seasons class.
She earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Iowa State University. Last year, she received her master of business administration degree from the University of Iowa, which she pursued to improve her project management skills.
“She has a drive and desire to push through challenging situations and she recognizes the long-term benefits of building relationships with coworkers and clients,” Kelly Altes, a project executive at KJWW, stated.
Ms. Goldberg lives in Marion with her husband, David.
-Gigi Wood
