HNTB Adds Two Rail Industry Vets

Written by Andrew Corselli
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Kimberly Proia

HNTB Corp. recently made a pair of personnel appointments–one on the West Coast and one on the East Coast. First, Kimberly Proia was named vice president and project director in Seattle. Then, toward the Atlantic, Debbie Gies joined HNTB in Boston as transit senior project manager.

Based in the firm’s Bellevue office, Proia, P.E., will serve as the deputy project manager for the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extension project, an 11.8-mile extension to the Sound Transit Link light rail system. In this role, she will be responsible for leading approximately 50 co-located project staff members and working with Sound Transit to determine where agency and consultant engineering resources are best directed to support project development.

With nearly 25 years of experience in rail transit, Proia has honed her professional expertise in program management, preliminary engineering, final design and environmental impact statements for rail-transit projects across the U.S.

Proia earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Purdue University. She also is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association and WTS International.

“Kim brings significant leadership experience and hands-on knowledge of rail-transit projects from planning and environmental clearance through final design and construction,” said Kevin Collins, HNTB Seattle office leader and vice president. “She is a well-known and respected professional within the transit industry and we are very excited for her to be an integral part of our leadership team, continuing to serve our clients and deliver transit solutions for the region.”

Based in the firm’s Boston office, Gies will work with transit agencies in the areas of project management, operations coordination, construction staging logistics and public outreach.

Debbie Gies

Gies comes to HNTB with more than 27 years of transit experience. She previously served as deputy director of light-rail operations for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). Gies is a member of the Women’s Transportation Seminar’s Boston chapter.

“Debbie brings an impressive background in transit system operations, having served in nearly every operations capacity for the MBTA’s Green line,” said Gary Bua, P.E., HNTB’s Massachusetts office leader and vice president. “Her wealth of knowledge and experience will help our transit clients advance projects to solve emerging mobility challenges in this region.”

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