Employee Spotlight: Kristen Rowe

Employee Spotlight: Kristen Rowe

Job Title: General Engineer/Project Engineer

Location: Kwajalein Atoll Resident Office

1.  Describe your job on a daily basis?

I am the project engineer and primary COR (Contracting Officer's Representative) for the current on-island MATOC. (Multiple Award Task Order Contracting)  Basically I help ensure that the contractor is adhering to the contract requirements of each task order, I review and approve submittals and pay requests, and answer Request for Information (RFI’S). I also do any additional review needed to help the Kwajalein Office and our clients ensure that the contractor is performing adequately under the contract.

2.  What do you find most rewarding about your career?

Currently, since we live in such a small community here on Kwajalein, I find it very rewarding that all the projects I work on directly affect the health, comfort, and well being of my friends, neighbors, and myself.  It's great to know that the work I am doing has an immediate and perceptible impact on the lives of those around me.

3.  What challenges do you encounter when doing your job?

I still find it challenging to work within the bureaucracy of the federal government.  There is a lot more red tape, legal considerations working for the government rather than private industry. It can be frustrating that a task which I feel should only take a few days can take a month.  It can be a challenge to maintain my work ethic and drive while working within what I sometimes perceive to be burdensome regulations.  It's also challenging working in an environment that is highly corrosive and very far away from anywhere!

4.  Fill in the blank: I once met…

Burt Rutan (goggle him if you don't recognize the name, he has made many significant contributions to the aerospace industry)

5.  What inspires you or motivates you as you do your job?

Knowing that I am directly affecting the community that I live in is a big motivation.

6.  What do you like most about working for Honolulu District?

I like that there are a lot of varied projects and a vast geographic area of work which encompasses many different environments and challenges. While I do a lot of work for island structures in a highly corrosive environment here on Kwajalein, I had the opportunity to do the post-earthquake assessments in cold and snowy Alaska, and I also had the chance to volunteer for post-typhoon disaster assistance in Saipan.  The variety is what interests me most about working in the Honolulu District.

7.  What is your education background?

My undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder is in architectural engineering with an emphasis in structural engineering.  My Master's degree is also from the University of Colorado at Boulder in Civil engineering with an emphasis in structural engineering.

8.  Tell us about your first job?

My first job was as a structural design project engineer in Pittsburgh performing engineering analysis and design for many different projects at various U.S. steel facilities including coke ovens, quench towers and pipeline re-routes.

9.  What would be your ultimate dream job?

National Geographic wildlife photographer.

10.  What do you like to do when you’re not working?

When I lived state-side, I enjoyed skiing, hiking, and rock climbing. Now that I am on a three- mile long "island" my activities have shifted towards more water-based sports like scuba diving, underwater photography, deep sea fishing, and surfing.

11.  How does your job fit into the Honolulu District mission?

The USAG-Kwajalein Atoll's primary mission is supporting the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Test Site. As a project engineer on the Kwajalein Corps MATOC team, I support that mission by constructing critical infrastructure upgrades to keep the community running so we can support the military and civilian personnel living here, which directly fits into Honolulu District’s mission to provide vital public engineering services in peace and war to strengthen our Nation’s security.  For example, our community relies heavily on a non-potable water system to supplement the potable water available on-island. I am currently working on a project to repair the primary non-potable water tower on-island to help keep this critical water support system up and running for use in toilets and outdoor areas, without a functioning non-potable water system human waste disposal on the island would be very different!

12.  If you could pick one superpower, what would it be?

Flying!