LOS ANGELES (November 9, 2017) – Julie Allen, program manager for the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering’s $482 million Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement Project, has been named the 2017 Los Angeles Woman of Distinction by the Women’s Transportation Seminar’s (WTS-LA) Los Angeles chapter. WTS-LA, an organization dedicated to building the future of transportation in Los Angeles through the advancement of women, selected Allen for this first-of-its-kind honor in recognition of her significant and sustained impact in the City of Los Angeles.
“The Sixth Street Viaduct is the largest bridge project in the history of the City of Los Angeles and Julie’s leadership has been critical to meeting the challenges of this complex project,” said City Engineer Gary Lee Moore. “She is not only technically skilled as an engineer, but she is a talented manager and mentor.”
Allen is only the second woman to hold the title of Project Manager III, the highest level of project manager at the Bureau of Engineering. When Allen took over the project, she was the only woman engineer on the Sixth Street Viaduct team. Through her leadership, the team has become more diverse and includes several other women in management roles. She also participates in Engineering’s mentoring program as a mentor to women engineers.
“I am incredibly honored to receive this award,” said Allen. “Providing recognition to women in our profession encourages other women to become engineers and architects, something that makes our projects better and our workplaces more diverse and relevant.”
In addition to her role as a mentor, Allen regularly coordinates tours for Los Angeles youth, exposing youth from low-income communities to the field of engineering. She has also volunteered in her local community as a member of the Planning Commission and a Citizens’ Oversight Committee for a school bond construction program.
About Bureau of Engineering
The Bureau of Engineering is the City's lead agency for the planning, design and construction management of public buildings, infrastructure and open space projects. Projects include municipal buildings, such as police and fire stations, convention centers, and recreational and cultural facilities, as well as bridges, street and transit projects, and stormwater and wastewater systems. Open space projects include the development of parks and the restoration of wetlands. Engineering also manages permitting for construction in the public right-of-way, as well as the City's state-of-the-art online mapping system. Engineering's projects are nationally-recognized in the areas of environmental sustainability and design and fully support the City's goals of creating a prosperous, livable and safe city for all residents and businesses. For more information, please visit http://eng.lacity.org.
About WTS-LA
Founded in 1977, Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) is an international organization dedicated to building the future of transportation by fostering the global advancement of women. It has more than 6,500 members, consisting of both men and women, who help achieve the goal of furthering the recognition of and opportunities for women in transportation. WTS works to achieve these goals through its professional activities, networking opportunities, and unparalleled access to industry and government leaders.
Media inquiries: Mary Nemick, Director of Communications, Mary.Nemick@lacity.org.