Employee Spotlight: Heather Anderson- Incoming Chief of Engineering and Construction
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Courtesy Photo | USACE Rock Island District incoming Chief of Engineering and Construction Division Heather Anderson in her current office. see less
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Employee Spotlight: Heather Anderson- Incoming Chief of Engineering and Construction
People who choose to work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers come from a wide range of backgrounds and educational paths. Heather Anderson, who was recently announced as the incoming chief of Engineering and Construction Division for the Rock Island District, is no exception.
In 1993, Anderson was working as a phlebotomy technician while studying engineering at the University of Iowa when an unexpected encounter set her career in motion.
“I drew blood from Doyle McCauley, who was the DPM [Deputy for Programs and Project. Management] here at the time,” Anderson said. “I saw his form read ‘civil engineer,’ and I told him I was going to school to be a civil engineer. He suggested I come interview for a student position. I was just striking up a conversation with someone I was sticking with a needle.”
That brief exchange led to opportunities Anderson could not have anticipated over the next 33 years — and counting.
“As an intern, I was able to work during the winter closure at Lock and Dam 14 while it was being rehabbed,” Anderson said. “It was a cool experience as a young engineer to be out on a project site right away and be part of a major maintenance closure. I was in awe of the fact that I was walking on the bottom of the Mississippi River because the lock had been dewatered. That was probably the best hands-on learning experience I had on a project.”
When work began on the Fish Passage Project at Lock and Dam 22, Anderson was selected as the project’s first engineering technical lead.
She also worked extensively on Environmental Management Program projects — now known as Upper Mississippi River Restoration program, and early days of NESP (to include floating guidewall design and Fish Passage at Lock and Dam 22) — as well as Lock Major rehabilitation and Major maintenance projects.
Anderson credits much of her professional growth to the mentorship she received within USACE.
“When I was a junior engineer, the senior engineers always treated me like an equal, even though I had so much to learn from them,” Anderson said. “This has been a fabulous place to grow up as an engineer.”
Although she’s never deployed outside of the District, Anderson has supported multiple flood response missions within the District.
“I was here for the Great Flood of 1993, and I was part of the flood response in the late 1990s in the Rock River area,” Anderson said. “During that 1993 event, I didn’t go into the field because I was pregnant, so I supported the mission from the office. Since 2008, I’ve worked primarily in the Emergency Operations Center, providing reach-back support and as Technical Manager for PL94-99 recovery efforts until 2016.”
Anderson and her husband raised three children. Balancing professional and personal responsibilities while completing her education and building a career which required careful prioritization.
“Time management was huge,” Anderson said.
After 33 years with the Rock Island District, Anderson has been responsible for an extensive list of projects. Still, she said her greatest professional pride comes from mentoring others and building up a team.
“Seeing people I hired, or recommended to the Corps, and what they’ve gone on to do has been incredibly rewarding,” Anderson said. “The projects are huge, and contributing to them is meaningful. But knowing I’ve helped build a team that will carry on the work long after me — that’s been the most fulfilling part.”
For those considering their future careers, Anderson offered perspective on engineering’s broader impact.
“A lot of fields offer a wide range of career paths,” Anderson said. “If you love problem-solving, troubleshooting and math, engineering is a great way to use those skills to benefit the larger population. The impact you make is generational. The projects we work on are incredible, and the team is motivated not by personal gain but by public service.”
