HNTB adds Kimberly Proia as vice president and project director in Seattle

HNTB has hired Kimberly Proia to serve as project director and vice president where she’ll be based in the firm’s Bellevue officer. 

She 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 is 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. 

“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.” 

Previously, Proia was project manager for design services of the $1.86 billion Green Line Extension program in Minnesota. This 14.5-mile, double-track light-rail project navigated through the cities of Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Eden Prairie. She was also project manager and engineering lead for an 18-mile commuter-rail corridor between Denver Union Station and Weld County, Commerce City and Thornton, Colo. 

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.