I know we are in good hands when Kimberly is the PM. She possesses a special combination of entrepreneurial creativity and project management rigor.
Mark Perry, Unit President
Kimberly Porsche is Tetra Tech’s February 2023 PM of the Month. Kimberly serves as a Major Project Department Manager where she provides project management and technical leadership for complex design-build, design-build-operate, and engineering projects in the bioenergy, mining, abandoned mine land reclamation, and environmental remediation markets.
“I know we are in good hands when Kimberly is the PM,” said Mark Perry, Unit President. “She possesses a special combination of entrepreneurial creativity and project management rigor.”
Kimberly earned her Master of Civil Engineering from University of California, Berkeley.
“Thank you to Tetra Tech and my colleagues for this recognition,” said Kimberly. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with an amazing team and manage projects in new markets.”
What impact do your projects have on the environment and communities you work in?
I have always had a passion for reducing the global environmental impact of resource supply chains by focusing on the full life cycle of a product, specifically the end life. At Tetra Tech, I have had the opportunity to work on projects that provide solutions to current problems, such as energy or resource supply, by reimagining how we approach legacy waste issues. Our bioenergy projects transform agricultural, food, wastewater, and municipal solid waste into renewable energy and natural gas to provide fuel and power to communities while reducing fossil resource consumption, as well as the environmental impact of the source waste.
I have also led projects focused on developing sustainable supplies of critical minerals through the remediation of abandoned mine lands. These projects not only restore environments previously impacted by legacy mining operations, but they provide novel and sustainable sources of rare earth elements that are instrumental to the manufacture of renewable energy technologies, such as batteries.
What is your approach to managing a successful project team?
When managing multidisciplinary teams on projects, communication and teamwork are keys to being successful. My role as a PM is to make sure everyone on the team is on the same page in order to complete our project goals and build positive working relationships. With the large teams I manage, I rely on and trust in my team’s ability to always deliver high-quality work.
In addition I am responsible for mentoring and overseeing other PMs. I am happy to pass along my knowledge and share how to effectively manage projects and equip the next generation of PMs.
How do you maintain client satisfaction across a variety of complex projects?
From the start of a project, it is imperative that the overall goals and expectations are clearly established with the client and communicated to the project team. Large-scale and complex projects can easily get off track if client expectations are not established. PMs need to maintain a laser focus on achieving these goals and expectations through consistent, effective, and efficient communication, along with implementation of a robust project controls program.
Building and maintaining client relationships are critical to managing successful projects. When collaborating with clients across multiple, complex projects, it is important to have strong client relationships in order to easily execute project operations. The better relationship I have with our clients, the better I understand their needs and deliver on projects to meet their goals. Clients depend on us through every stage of the project, so I make sure they know that they can trust our team to deliver on time and on budget.