AWWA Member Spotlight – Caitlin Cavanagh, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Caitlin Cavanagh, a water resources engineer at AECOM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, specializes in green infrastructure and stormwater management design. She has worked on projects across the East Coast to enhance water systems and community resilience.

Education/certification: B.S., Civil & Environmental Engineering, Villanova University; PE, Pennsylvania

Job duties: I have designed stormwater best management practices (BMPs) from Massachusetts to North Carolina. I also have a background in environmental impact assessment and permitting. I assist various project teams with permit and infrastructure loan applications for water improvement projects across the mid-Atlantic. Since earning my PE license, I have taken on a leadership role as a deputy project manager, leading teams and overseeing projects.

How and why did you get into the water sector? From a young age, I have always been interested in STEM fields and the environment. When I started college, I was drawn to civil and environmental engineering because I wanted to make a positive difference in the world around me. Water, specifically, seemed like THE place to do that. I get really excited talking to folks about all that goes into the clean water coming out of their taps, which is often overlooked. I get to play an active role in maintaining our world’s most vital natural resource. On top of all that, I can incorporate social and environmental justice into my daily life at work. It is the perfect combination for me! (Pictured above Cavanagh, presenting the 2023 PA-AWWA Rising Tide Award to Kelly Kowalski, at Glen Onoko Falls in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.)

What is an interesting project you’ve worked on? I have been involved in the green infrastructure (GI) aspect of the “Rebuild by Design: Meadowlands” project in New Jersey. This program emerged from the “Rebuild by Design Hurricane Sandy Design Competition” in the New York metro area. The Meadowlands project consists of five major parts that mix green and gray infrastructure upgrades to improve the stormwater capture, conveyance and ecological health of a 5,000-acre, low-lying area on the Hackensack River. About 16,000 people live in the project area. 

As a leading member of the GI team, I have enjoyed being a part of a large, interdisciplinary project team. I have learned a lot from residents during public engagement meetings, my teammates, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. I have also appreciated seeing how green and gray improvements work together to service an area that experienced catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Sandy.

What is one of your proudest accomplishments? Earning my Professional Engineer license. I will never forget the day I found out my test results – I was at our PA-AWWA Section’s Annual Conference!

Why do you think young people should consider a career in water? Water is the world’s most vital natural resource, and we need to protect it! As climates continue to change, our sector continues to evolve and become more and more critical. There are so many opportunities within the water sector — whether in design, policy or legal, operations, public outreach or others. It allows you to make a career out of something that touches people every day.

What do you think would help attract more young people into the water sector? Young people need more exposure to the water sector at an early age. Folks should be able to see what a career in water looks like as early as possible. High school career fairs, public outreach and plant tours could all be utilized to spark an interest in future water leaders. Young people also need to see diversity as well. If students or young professionals cannot picture themselves in the water industry, they will be less likely to seek it out. Everyone needs water, so everyone should feel like they have a seat at the table in our sector.

Describe your family and personal interests: I grew up in northern New Jersey with two younger brothers. I come from multiple generations of accountants, but I broke the streak by becoming an engineer. I live in Philadelphia with my cat, Ruby, and enjoy going to concerts and new restaurants with my friends. I also have a goal to visit all 50 United States (I am currently at 27)!

What would surprise people to know about you? I was a theater kid! I performed in multiple choirs, musicals, dance groups and orchestras before graduating from college. I don’t perform much these days, but I still find time to take ballet classes or go to karaoke with friends.