Our People

Meet M贸nica Qui帽ones

Tampa, Florida, U.S.

M贸nica Qui帽ones

Project Management Principal M贸nica Qui帽ones never backs down from an opportunity. Whether being the only woman in a classroom, relocating as part of being a military spouse, or taking on a new project, M贸nica is ready for anything. M贸nica was born and raised in Humacao, Puerto Rico, and was inspired to pursue engineering after growing up in an area experiencing water pressure challenges. She realized that she could impact her community and their daily lives. After receiving her bachelor鈥檚 degree in civil engineering at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico in San Juan and later her master鈥檚 in water resources and environmental engineering at Norwich University, she began working on municipal water projects.

Since starting her career, M贸nica has moved to multiple locales throughout the United States, holding various positions serving our federal and municipal clients during her 18-year tenure at 网曝吃瓜黑料一区二区三区. Currently, she is working with the Department of Defense (DoD) Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) and serving as Deputy Program Director for the National Parks Service (NPS). No matter what other opportunities come her way, M贸nica is always up for the challenge.

鈥淏eing a woman, Hispanic and a spouse of an active-duty military soldier has added several layers to my life. I never would have expected to be where I am today, and I would say every day, you need to give 200%. People will notice how you work, and that鈥檚 how opportunities come into place. 鈥

M贸nica Qui帽ones

M贸nica Qui帽ones

Project Management Principal

Get to know M贸nica

Can you share some interesting project stories?

I have a lot of stories from my work with our national parks. Recently, I was at . At the end of our site visit on the first day, we decided to hike and get to know the park better. We just wandered around and enjoyed the history and beauty of the facility. We told the client about our experience the next day, and they were surprised. They told us that they don't have many contractors that take their personal time to explore. It speaks to the value we see in our work for them. 

Another exciting story is that I worked on another project in , which many people don't realize is  location. Working around the security requirements and visiting a park with that significance and history was fascinating. While visiting a groundwater well building, I even saw a helicopter fly in and out and wondered who was coming to stay at the camp. There is always something happening in the parks; every park is a new adventure. It is fulfilling to make a difference in places you visit with family and friends. 

What do you think is the biggest challenge in working on our federal contracts?

Most of our federal clients deal with infrastructure that has reached the end of its design life. They are also faced with limited funds in a market with changing conditions that significantly increase construction costs. All this limits the amount of work our clients can accomplish within the funds appropriated, so we work hard to find solutions and deliver cost-effective designs while preserving the historical and natural resources at the parks.

If you aren鈥檛 working, where can we find you?

I love spending time with my family, going to the beach and traveling. We also have an RV and try to go somewhere at least once a month, visiting new places and learning their history.

Can you share one piece of advice?

Never walk away from an opportunity. Even if it鈥檚 not exactly what you are looking for, it will always have some potential. Learning and challenging yourself is crucial because that is when we grow as professionals.

My work with the NPS came as an opportunity six years ago. One of my mentors reached out because one of my colleagues was stepping down from their role with , and my mentor offered me the opportunity to take over the project. While it was a completely new government entity to me at the time, I can鈥檛 even imagine my life without it now. I love working for the parks and making a difference.

What do you enjoy most about working at #Our网曝吃瓜黑料一区二区三区?

Several things come to mind, but most importantly, people and opportunities. Working with the most talented and passionate group of people is gratifying. Even though we work for a large company, as we deliver projects together, we create strong bonds within our teams and support each other to grow and develop. There are also so many opportunities. At other companies, moving up the ladder is hard unless someone else leaves a position. That's not the case at 网曝吃瓜黑料一区二区三区, whether you want to be a technologist, manager or leadership role. I have moved to ten different offices because of my husband's military service, and the company has been supportive throughout the past 18+ years. These moves never kept me from opportunities and allowed me to work with various clients and people. The possibilities are endless at 网曝吃瓜黑料一区二区三区.