Silent auction items needed

 

Kansas City District encourages professional growth

Trisha Sen, left recently become
assistant district maintenance engineer. 
Krystal Jolly, right recently became 
transportation planning coordinator. 

In a country where less than 20 percent of civil engineers are women, MoDOT’s Kansas City District continues to elevate and promote female engineers. 

 

Recently Trisha Sen ascended to the role of the assistant district maintenance engineer. Sen had served as a pavement specialist with the district for over seven years before stepping into this new role. 

 

Krystal Jolly recently accepted the position of transportation planning coordinator. She started her career at MoDOT as an intermediate traffic studies specialist.

Jolly said she wanted to experience both operation and program delivery and this new role provided that opportunity. 

 

“It was something new and challenging that allowed me to understand more of the business,” she said. 

 

Growth opportunities are encouraged at MoDOT, where employees are regularly promoted from within. 

 

“MODOT always encourages mobility throughout departments as well as pursuing leadership roles once the proper qualifications and experiences have been gained,” Sen said. “This opportunity presented itself at the right time.”

 

Jolly came to MoDOT after working as a corporate engineer. She said she sees MoDOT as a place that encourages employee growth. 

 

“I have communicated my interests and have had multiple people advise me on ways in which to reach those goals/heights,” Jolly said. “I’ve tried to take advantage of opportunities for not only professional growth but also personal growth.”

 

Both Jolly and Sen participated in MoDOT’s mentorship program.

 

Assistant District Engineer Susan Barry served as Jolly’s engineer. 

 

When Barry began her career, in the early 90s, women were less common on job sites.

 

That, for the most part, has changed, Barry said. But Sen and Jolly both said they have noticed females are still in the minority.

 

“When I came here, I was the only woman in the group,” Sen said. 

 

“Sometimes you feel like you have to work just a little bit harder,” Jolly said.

 

While only 17 percent of civil engineers in the country are women, Barry said MoDOT’s flexibility makes the department an attractive option for many women. 

 

“MoDOT is a good place for women engineers,” Barry said. “I’ve never had an issue with them not being flexible.”

 

Jolly and Sen have advice for other women at MoDOT who hope to move up in the department. 

 

“There are opportunities here,” Sen said. “All you have to do is seek them, ask for help and guidance, apply for the desired position, and one day you may see yourself in the desired position if you are the right candidate.”

 

Jolly encourages women not to compare themselves. 

 

“Don’t let anybody define you,” she said. “Your only competition is yourself.”

 

 

 

 

Kansas City selects REs for Stadium, Lee's Summit offices

Steve Sandifer,
Stadium Project Office

resident engineer 

The Kansas City District recently announced Steve Sandifer as resident engineer at the Stadium Project Office and Russel Penn as the Resident Engineer at the Lee's Summit Project Office. 

Both promotions begin July 16.

Sandifer and Penner served as assistant resident engineers before this recent promotion. 

Russel Penn, 

Lee's Summit Project Office

resident engineer

Governor signs fuel tax bill

Gov. Mike Parson visited Kansas City to sign Senate Bill 262, which will raise the gas tax in Missouri from 17-cents a gallon to 29.5-cents a gallon, gradually over five years. 

This bi-partisan bill is the state’s first gasoline tax increase in more than 20 years. The first increase of 2.5 cents per gallon will take effect in October, bringing the tax up to 19.5 cents.

 

“Gov. Mike Parson has been a champion of infrastructure his entire time in the legislature and as governor,” MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna said at the signing event.

 

Once the gas tax reaches 29.5 cents a gallon, the tax will generate $500 million annually for state, county and city roads.

 

“When it comes to infrastructure and workforce development, those are all things that we should all be working together on,” Parson said. “A lot of hard work went into this.”

 

The bill includes a process that allows Missourians to get a refund on their fuel tax.

 

“As long as people have options, that is the fairest way to do things,” Parson said.  

View more photos from the gas tax signing event here.