LJA On Air: Recent Episodes
LJA Engineering
Welcome to LJA On Air, the LJA podcast featuring news, knowledge, and insights from Leaders and Industry Experts in every area of our over 300 service offerings. LJA is an Employee Owned, award winning, multi-disciplinary engineering firm with 40 offices across Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Florida. Listen as we explore how and why “We build Civilization.” Whether you want to work with us or for us, this podcast is one of the best places to start. At LJA we mean it when we say “We Build Civilization.”
On this episode of LJA On Air, we talk to Christopher Mundie, Vice President, LJA Transportation. Chris speaks to how he found himself at LJA and the work he had to put in and continues to put in as a leader in the Transportation sector. He also touches on what he sees on the horizon for transportation and the industry as a whole.
What do a history degree, a bridal shower, and an interest in water and the environment have in common? That would be Victoria Nation, an EIT with LJA Engineering and her journey to LJA and the Water Resources team. Her path to LJA is definitely a unique one and having a history degree has given her a surprise advantage in her career at a civil engineering firm. Listen to this episode to learn more about Victoria and the Water Resources group at LJA Engineering.
Meet Todd Thurber, Sr. Vice President, Transportation. Todd always knew he wanted to be an engineer or an architect. When he decided he liked moving dirt and seeing what transportation did to the economy, what it did for people, and how it allowed people to travel, he became a civil engineer specializing in transportation and never looked back. Todd discusses his career beginnings and the future of Transportation at LJA Engineering.
In this episode of LJA On Air, we interview Vince Salazar who tells us his unique story at LJA – from the file room to Vice President in Land Development.
James Ross took over as President and CEO of LJA Engineering in September 2020 when LJA’s founder and president Calvin Ladner passed away. In James’s own words, he has big shoes to fill. Listen in on this great conversation to find out why and how James is doing just that.
In this episode of LJA On Air, Margaret Holmes, GIS Manager explains what GIS is and how it touches everything, even if you don’t realize it, such as how 911 calls are routed. Margaret comments on her career path, GIS at LJA, and LJA’s proprietary program called LUKE (Let Us Know Everything), a modern day 311 system designed for the users experience and operational ease.
In this episode of LJA On Air, we interview Amit Sahdev, Vice President, LJA Energy Services. From the beginning, Amit knew that he wanted to leave this world in a better place than how he found it. When the opportunity arose, he gave up a job offer at Amazon to work for LJA Engineering, where he knew he could make more of an impact on the industry within the energy services sector and the future of renewable energy. Amit discusses how LJA is expanding into the renewable side and where we can offer our services and our expertise to that growing field.
In this episode of LJA On Air, Heather Sides, RPLS, PLS, CFedS, Vice President, LJA Surveying discusses her superhero origin story – how she got to be where she is today as the first female Vice President, LJA Surveying—and sheds light on her experience as a woman in the engineering field (some of the challenges that presents, as well as things she and LJA Engineering are doing to promote and build up women in the industry).
John S. Grounds III, PE, PhD, D.WRE, CFM delivers a historic perspective on flooding issues in Harris County, Texas and answers the big question Houstonians have: Why does Houston flood?Dr. Grounds has over 30 years of unparalleled civil engineering experience which has included the planning, analysis and design of complex drainage and flood control projects, water resource systems, water supply, conveyance systems, site grading and drainage, and hydraulic structures.