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UTILITY ASSISTANCE Celebrating Women in Engineering
In recognition of International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) on June 23, we would like to celebrate the women engineers who help drive progress at the District. Their leadership and dedication makes a lasting impact to the communities we serve.
One of those women is Emily Hovda Walton, a senior design engineer in Engineering Design. Emily joined the District in 2022 as an engineer II, and she was promoted to design engineer and senior design engineer in 2024.
Emily works on and oversees water main extensions for new developments and handles everything from designing pump stations and pressure-reducing valves, to sizing water mains and fire lines. She also plays a big role in system modeling, large service reviews and supervises a team of designers.
A standout project for Emily has been the Bellevue Water Main Extension, a five-mile transmission main that stretches from 36th Street to the Missouri River. It’s a multi-phase effort with a lot of coordination involved, including consultants, city officials, railroads and state and federal agencies. “It’s touched a little bit of everything,” Emily said. “It’s been a great learning experience, and definitely one of the more rewarding projects I’ve worked on.”
Emily’s interest in engineering started with a love for math and science. She was drawn to civil engineering because of its visible impact. “I like being able to step outside and actually see the projects I’ve worked on,” she shared. “Some of the infrastructure we work on has been around for over 100 years. The decisions we make now will have a lasting impact.”
After working as a consultant early in her career, Emily made the move to M.U.D. for a more hands-on role. “Being on the utility side means I get to serve the community more directly, which gives more meaning to what I do,” she said.
When it comes to supporting women in engineering, Emily says she’s been lucky to work with great mentors and a team that values different perspectives. “Engineering is all about solving problems, and having a range of viewpoints always leads to better solutions,” she said.
Her advice for young women thinking about the field?
“Engineering isn’t easy, especially in school, but it’s worth it. You’re building something for yourself. And the opportunities it opens are endless.”
Alongside Emily, the District has a handful of other women engineers whose work supports everything from project development to system reliability:
- Denise Dolezal, director, Gas Production
- Stephanie Henn, director, Program Management
- Sarah Jones, engineer II, Engineering Design
- Melissa Polito, director, Water Production and Pumping
- Lori Stanek, design engineer, Facilities Management
- Lisa Whorley, corrosion engineer, Infrastructure Integrity
Their dedication, creativity and leadership help power the work we do every day.
