Theresa Heneveld, P.E. is the Vice President of Environmental Engineering at Lockwood, Kessler, & Bartlett Inc.
Ms. Heneveld is responsible for overseeing LKB’s environmental engineering design and construction projects, including landfill capping and closure, hazardous waste site remediation, wastewater collection and treatment systems, and groundwater remediation systems.
She also manages projects related to landfill post-closure management and the preparation of hazardous waste site remedial investigations/feasibility studies, solid waste management plans, solid waste disposal contracts, and environmental assessments.
Ms. Heneveld is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of New York with over 40 years of engineering experience. She received her Bachelor of Civil Engineering Degree as a summa cum laude graduate from Manhattan College and went on to obtain her Master of Environmental Engineering Degree also from Manhattan College.
She is a member of the Solid Waste Association of North America, the New York State Association for Solid Waste Management, the Water Environment Federation, and the National Society of Professional Engineers.
In addition, Ms. Heneveld is currently on the Board of Directors of the Long Island Chapter of the New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE) and is a past president of the former Nassau County Chapter of NYSSPE.
Ms. Heneveld has received two Distinguished Service Awards from the NYSSPE Nassau County Chapter and in 2019 she was recognized in the Long Island Business News Who’s Who in Environmental Consulting, Engineering and Architecture.
Throughout her career, she has provided environmental engineering services to Long Island towns and counties, New York City, municipalities in multiple states, and other private clients.
She has been honored to work on a multitude of projects that benefit the environment in the fields of solid waste, water remediation, and wastewater treatment. Many of her projects have involved assisting municipal clients in transforming former landfills into useful sites for their communities.
While in the remedial design phase of these projects, she worked with her clients and regulatory agencies to develop these sites into various uses, including public works facilities and parks.
With limited open space available on Long Island and the New York City Metropolitan Area, this was the perfect opportunity to make use of former landfill sites.
Many of these sites were in ideal locations for reuse, whether near major roadways for a public works facility, or waterfront locations for parks including the conversion of the Merrick Landfill into the award-winning Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve for the Town of Hempstead.
Ms. Heneveld has also provided engineering services to improve water quality through groundwater remediation and wastewater collection/treatment projects.
What are the most significant challenges you have as a woman in your industry?
Some might say the most significant challenge for a woman in the engineering industry is the fact that we continue to be significantly outnumbered by men in this field. However, looking back on my career, I am happy to say that I feel I have been treated the same way as my male colleagues—with fairness and with respect.
I would say the most significant challenges are the same as those that women in other industries face, which are balancing family life and career. Although I was the first woman at the firm to come back to work following the birth of my first child, the firm’s management was extremely supportive, as were my clients, both of whom worked with me around a flexible schedule, which is now common practice today.
Together with my husband (also an environmental engineer), we were able to raise three exceptional children (none of whom are engineers!). Balancing two careers, three children and two dogs wasn’t always easy, but I’m happy to say it worked!
