“Beca is a productive environment where everyone is given the support to excel in his or her career.”
Helen has over 24 years experience in the design and construction of large commercial and institutional projects in New Zealand and the USA. She has a particular focus on strategic development and implementation processes for capital works projects, project management, design management and structural engineering.
After registering in New Zealand, Helen moved to the USA to complete a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1987.
She worked as a structural engineer at Rutherford & Chekene in California for a decade where she developed a special competence in seismic analysis and design. Helen returned to New Zealand in 1995 to join Beca’s structural section in the Wellington office, putting her seismic review skills to excellent use on a number of projects.
Helen’s background in structural civil engineering led to her current involvement in project management. She first became interested in “the big picture” through design management, which led her into project management.
One of Helen’s more significant projects was Auckland International Airport Ltd’s (AIAL) Pier A Segregation Project. As Project Manager, she was responsible completing the project within budget and without hindering airport operations. More than 12 million incoming and outgoing passengers passed through the constrained construction site, which saw an extra level added onto the existing pier. The project went on to win the ACENZ 2006 Gold Award of Excellence and NZ Property Council 2006 Award of Excellence.
Helen asserts that it is the people who work at Beca who contribute the most to her job satisfaction. “It’s all about people and making connections, and that’s what is so strong at Beca”, she says.