Katie Herrera
Lead BIM Coordinator
Linton Team Member Since 2015

Celebrating Women in Construction Week: Katie Herrera, Lead BIM Coordinator | LinkedIn

What led you to a career in the construction industry?

I come from a long line of blue-collar workers. From plumbers to electricians, I grew up surrounded by family members who worked together on projects in construction. I was good at drawing and math. In fourth grade I wrote an essay about becoming an architect. When I was in high school, I decided that was the career path for me. I applied to the University of Kansas School of Architecture and was accepted. 

Did you find a job as an architect upon graduation?

I never became a licensed architect. I was just starting graduate school in 2008, the same year the economy went into a recession. My peers who were graduating with their architectural degrees suddenly couldn’t find jobs. I knew I needed to do something different, something unique. I decided to learn all I could about Building Information Modeling (BIM), the 3D design software used for planning and design of construction projects. At the time, BIM was new and a software called Revit was starting to become known. While most of the industry was still using CAD (2D drafting) for their construction drawings, I taught myself everything I could about Revit. Turns out this decision paid off. I was hired by architects during and after college. Then I got a call for a dream job as a software consultant. I helped dozens of firms up and down the East coast adapt to this new technology. I loved it.

When did you start working at Linton Engineering?

While I loved the fast-paced life of consulting, the lifestyle was grueling. I was always traveling. I knew I wanted to start a family someday. So, when I found a part time position eight years ago with Linton that allowed me to work remotely, I was thrilled. In my second year with Linton, I gave birth to my daughter. The flexibility to work from home and be there to raise my daughter has been priceless.  

What is your role at Linton Engineering?

I use my BIM skills to work on custom residential, historical, and commercial buildings. I also train my colleagues to use Revit. Working alongside our BIM manager we have not only been able to improve our drawing product but also the Revit templates for the use of our staff. This enables us to work smarter, not harder. I was recently promoted to Lead BIM Coordinator for the firm. Our expertise in this software as an office has made us very competitive amongst other structural engineers. We are working on more projects than ever before.

What has been one of your most challenging Linton projects thus far?

Suitland High School in Maryland. It was the biggest project we had ever done before, and we ended up incorporating Navisworks as well. We had a dedicated team on the project, but we needed everyone in the office to get us to the finish line. Everyone brought something to the table.

What would you say to women who are interested in pursuing a career in construction?

If you are considering a career in this industry, I highly recommend becoming a software expert. The industry is constantly looking for ways to save time, money and improve coordination during the design phase. Technology is constantly changing. As a software expert, you will instantly bring tremendous value to the industry. The sky's the limit!