At a time of booming population growth and opportunity, VHB announces that Kathleen Keen, PE, has been named Managing Director of its Gulf Coast offices. An engineer and 14-year veteran of the company, Kathleen will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of VHB’s Tampa and Sarasota offices, as well as developing and implementing strategies to drive growth and success.
Kathleen brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to VHB Gulf Coast. Her strong background in civil engineering, transportation planning, design, and permitting, and managing large projects includes private, institutional, and public-sector clients like Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), Harvard University, and Boston Properties. As an advisor to Harvard University, Kathleen provided transportation planning and engineering services, master planning, corridor studies, development, and permitting on multiple projects, including the Enterprise Research Campus. She was also a key team member partnering with MassDOT and Boston Properties on the 1265 Main Street development and transportation improvements to advance one of Boston’s most critical transportation corridors along Route 128/I-95.
“Kathleen is a leader across VHB and a true champion of our OneVHB culture,” said Matt Lamb, Southeast Regional Manager. “New England region clients have trusted her to lead game-changing transformational projects, and we can’t wait to bring that same leadership to the Gulf Coast. Kathleen sees the big, strategic picture.”
Kathleen joined VHB as a Cooperative Education (Co-Op) student from Northeastern University, where she earned a BASc in Civil & Environmental Engineering. Her leadership and support as co-chair of the VHB Co-Op Open House for Northeastern students led to the company being honored with the 2022 Outstanding Employer Award from Northeastern University College of Engineering. She is also the co-director of VHB Cares, our employee-led giving program, which focuses on making a positive impact in the communities where VHBers live and work through charitable initiatives like the VBay online auction week. Under her leadership, VHB Cares raised more than $440,000 in 2023 for supported charities.
VHB Gulf Coast is involved with some of the region’s most important projects and clients, including transportation and traffic planning, studies, and design for Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT); Climate Action Plans for the Cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg; the Resilient Pinellas Plan; Water Street Tampa; Port of Tampa Bay; Hillsborough County Aviation Authority; Moffitt McKinley Hospital; safety plans for Charlotte County Municipal Planning Organization; BayCare Health System; and ongoing water quality monitoring and surveys for projects like the Weeki Wachee River Channel restoration with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD).
“This is an energetic and talented Gulf Coast team, and that’s reflected in the way we help clients foster safe, sustainable, and smart infrastructure that both benefits our community and protects Florida’s unique natural resources,” said Kathleen. “From aviation and healthcare, to real estate and transportation, there’s a lot of opportunity for us to make a positive impact in the region.”
Kathleen is also a member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and has presented at the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Annual Conference on identifying talent and defining culture in the new age of work.
To learn more about VHB’s Gulf Coast operation and how we can assist on your next project, connect with Kathleen directly via email or LinkedIn.