2013 40 Under 40: Sara Roberts, 39

Principal, KPFF Consulting Engineers, Seattle

By Jessia DuBois-Maahs, Contributing Writer May 14, 2013

Sara Roberts, PE, SE, 39

Principal, KPFF Consulting Engineers, Seattle

Princeton University, BS Civil Engineering

Inspired and encouraged by her single mom, Sara Roberts excelled academically in hopes of returning the support that enabled her to pursue her dream of becoming a structural engineer. Now a partner at KPFF, Roberts is dedicated to continuing the KPFF legacy and is a part of a company-wide boot camp that educates the wider company on the core values of its structural and civil engineering practice. She manages multidisciplinary and structural design teams for parking, transit, and airport facilities. One of Roberts’ most notable projects is the Port of Seattle Consolidated Rental Car Facility. This LEED Silver facility features five floors totaling 2.1 million sq ft and currently processes 12,000 to 14,000 rental cars a day. In addition, Roberts’ work on the Sakai Intermediate School in Bainbridge Isle, Wash., demonstrates her commitment to sustainable design and education. The school was featured in “The Green Guide Magazine” as one of the country’s Top 10 Greenest Schools and received the Earth Day Award for Eco-friendly Site Development. Roberts is currently working on an integrated project delivery (IPD) hospital expansion project where a true multi-party agreement is being used and the principles of lean delivery and construction are guiding every step of design and construction. Roberts also uses her passion for engineering and education to build models of projects from LEGOs and wooden building blocks with her two sons. She integrates her design knowledge in the renovation and restoration of her modest 1908 home—a passion Roberts shares with her husband.