Michael Baker International Strengthens Rail and Transit Team

Firm Announces promotions and new roles that support the growth of its Freight Rail services and align with unprecedented rail funding

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, today announced a series of promotions and new roles that strengthen its Rail and Transit team and support the growth of its Freight Rail services. These leadership positions will provide support to Class I Railroads and other agencies requiring rail design services nationwide and align with the unprecedented rail funding across the country. Reporting to Kirsten Bowen, National Director – Freight Rail Services, staffing updates include: Wendy Berrill, P.E., Director – Railway and Civil Design; Lisa Hoekenga, P.E., S.E., Director – Rail Bridges and Structures; Matt Kirby, P.E., M.L.E, M.ASCE, Director – Rail Public Projects and Programs; and Adam Walkowiak, P.E., CCM, Director – Rail Construction Services.

"Our nation's freight rail network spans nearly 140,000 miles and ensures a safe, cost-effective and efficient way to move bulk commodities, consumer goods and other products to their destinations," said Kirsten Bowen, National Director – Freight Rail Services, at Michael Baker International. "Each of our colleagues in these new roles will strengthen our firm's services to Class I railroads by providing streamlined services and innovative solutions that optimize opportunities for success."

Additional details for each role include:

• Wendy Berrill, P.E., Director – Railway and Civil Design: Ms. Berrill will be responsible for track and civil design staff for mainline tracks, industrial sidings, intermodal facilities and related projects for Class I and other rail clients. Ms. Berrill has more than 18 years of experience working almost exclusively on railroad design projects in roles ranging from design engineer to project manager. She has worked on intermodal yards, staging and storage yards, a railroad classification yard, mainline corridor projects, shooflies for temporary construction, industrial siding projects, and passenger rail transit projects.
   
• Lisa Hoekenga, P.E., S.E., Director – Rail Bridges and Structures: Ms. Hoekenga will be responsible for rail bridge and structure inspection, load rating, rehabilitation, replacement and related designs for Class I and other rail clients. She has more than 19 years of experience working on railroad bridge projects for both passenger transit and freight rail structures. She is knowledgeable of requirements unique to rail bridge projects, including minimizing any obstructions to operations and producing innovative construction method solutions, all while maintaining a strong focus on safety.
   
• Matt Kirby, P.E., M.L.E, M.ASCE Director – Rail Public Projects and Programs: Mr. Kirby will be responsible for Class I Public Projects work across the company. This includes development of agreements with Class I and state DOTs or municipalities, railroad coordination, and coordinating design reviews for projects on behalf of the Class I railroads, as well as overseeing owner's representation services for publicly funded programs related to Class I railroad involvement. He has 12 years of experience specializing in owner's representation and civil design services for rail projects and other work in transportation design.
   
• Adam Walkowiak, P.E., CCM, Director – Rail Construction Services: Mr. Walkowiak will be responsible for growing construction services (CS), specifically with the firm's Class I railroad clients. He has 17 years of industry experience and has been working on rail construction projects for the past decade, supporting each project in the design phase and taking it through construction to final closeout. After playing a key role in the firm's major rail projects for CSX, including the NWOH Intermodal Terminal Expansion, Pittsburgh Intermodal Terminal, Carolina Connector Terminal – which received the Dr. William W. Hay Award recognizing outstanding achievement in railway engineering, he will leverage this experience for continued success in the industry with our clients.

About Michael Baker International
Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services spanning five distinct Verticals: Infrastructure, Design-Build Services, Federal Programs and Services, Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) and Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS). The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design and civil engineering for diverse bridge, highway, water, rail and transit and aviation projects, as well as planning, architecture, environmental and construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner to clients, providing comprehensive services and solutions, delivering expertise and quality, and embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations – like intelligent transportation, engineered models and public safety software as a service (SaaS).

The firm's 3,900 employees across more than 85 office locations are committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement while Reimagining Michael Baker to become a full-service engineering and consulting firm over the next five years.

To learn more, visit https://mbakerintl.com/.

Contact: Julia Covelli
[email protected] 
(866) 293-4609

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