Meet an Engineer: Kristi Boon, PE

It’s National Engineers Week! We are recognizing the great work MFA engineers do and celebrating the engineering profession with a profile of an outstanding MFA engineer every day this week. To learn more about MFA’s engineering work, visit our projects page, and read on to learn about today’s featured engineer, Kristi Boon, PE.

In what states are you licensed?

Washington, Oregon, and California.

How long have you been a PE?

5 years.

How long have you been with MFA?

4.5 awesome years!

Does anything memorable stand out from taking your PE test? Do you have any tips for studying?

It’s a long, exhausting day! I tackled one subject at a time when I was studying and took my own notes. The process of writing the important information and equations down helped solidify the information for me, and I was also very familiar with where all the information was in my materials instead of wasting time trying to search through reference books.

What has been one of the most memorable projects you have worked on, and why?

The Elk Creek Restoration and Side Channel Analysis. We were part of a design-build team working to restore a previously notched dam site area. The goal of the project was to design a side channel that would convey flood waters through the recreational area and prevent erosion and provide safe public access.

The Lower Grand Employment Area Action Plan project has also been an interesting. It involved the development of an industrial site on a former brownfield contaminated with chromium, and design of pervious pavement roads to alleviate stormwater problems and revitalize an underdeveloped industrial area in the City of Vancouver.

What does being an engineer mean to you?

It means finding solutions to challenges to better my community. I am passionate about many outdoor activities and thoroughly enjoy projects that allow me to be a part of improving the environment and access to the outdoors. For example, redeveloping brownfield sites helps preserve undeveloped land and open spaces for the community to enjoy, or can provide a place for the creation of new facilities that increase jobs and access to community resources.