Eileen M. Vélez-Vega: Builds Aviation Internationally
Assistant Vice-President
Kimley-Horn Puerto Rico LLC
Age: 35
Years in Aviation: 13
Memberships: SWE, ASCE, TRB, CIAPR, SHPE, AAAE, LLS
Did you know?
Vélez-Vega attended Space Camp in NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fl. In 1994.
Eileen M. Vélez-Vega’s love for aviation began with her mother, who in the 1960-70s wanted to be an airline flight attendant for Pan Am. Though her mother wasn't able to pursue her dream, she always told Vélez-Vega about her love for airports and travel. This fostered a love for aviation in Vélez-Vega. Today, she is the assistant vice president and one of the managing partners of Kimley-Horn Puerto Rico LLC and has contributed to the effort to establish this subsidiary, which is the first international office established by Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. Previously, Vélez-Vega was an aviation project manager for Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. in West Palm Beach. Her practice continues to be aviation and she is currently the consultant for the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and the Aerostar Airport Holdings LLC, which manages the recently privatized San Juan International Airport. In spring 2014, Vélez-Vega relocated to manage the Kimley-Horn Puerto Rico office where she is currently the office practice leader and oversees all the operations in the office. Vélez-Vega received her Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Mississippi State University, and her Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. As an engineer at Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., Vélez-Vega gained experience as a civil-aviation engineer in the design of airport infrastructure for commercial and general aviation airports. Prior to joining Kimley-Horn, Vélez-Vega was a research civil engineer in the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development. Vélez-Vega is a young member of several TRB pavement committees and leads the ASCE Transportation and Development Institute’s Airfield Pavements Committee. She has also been involved in the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and has served in local, regional and national officer positions within the organization. In 2013, Vélez-Vega received the SWE Distinguished New Engineer Award recognizing the first 10 years of her successful career. Vélez-Vega had a stem cell transplant in 2012, and has been in remission for three years. She has done two half marathons with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and is part of their patient advocate program as well as on Board of Directors in Puerto Rico.
