Cecilia LaVariega Salvans
Senior Urban Planner
AECOM
Allen, TX USA
“No matter where your career goes, always remember where you came from.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationCecilia LaVariega Salvans
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
I was born and raised in Palm Springs, California.
I attended the University of California, San Diego, and double majored in communications and urban studies and planning.
I gained experience in city planning during an internship for the City of Coachella but ultimately decided that I wanted to go out and make a name for myself rather than stay in the Coachella Valley.
I went back to San Diego and earned a certificate in geographic information systems, which helped me get an internship with URS Corporation, an AECOM company.
I stayed with URS, gained more experience, and worked my way up to leading projects.
After five years, my husband and I decided to move to Dallas, Texas—fortunately, I was able to transfer with my company.
I’ve been with AECOM for almost 13 years now and currently work as a senior urban planner.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
Communications
University of California, San Diego
Communications
University of California, San Diego
Bachelor
Urban Studies and Planning
University of California, San Diego
Urban Studies and Planning
University of California, San Diego
Certification/License
Geographic Information Systems Technician
San Diego Mesa College
Geographic Information Systems Technician
San Diego Mesa College
Career
Senior Urban Planner
I manage community development projects for clients.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Design
Engineering
Working with Others
Day to Day
My days involve project calls, analytical reports, conducting progressing reports, outlining project timelines and actions times for the week, and delegating to team members.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
If you have someone in your life that does this type of work, reach out to them to learn about what they do. If you don't have a connection like that, I recommend going to City Hall and seeing if there's anyone there who could answer some questions for you. You can gain so much knowledge from the people who are already doing the work. That's a great way to determine if a particular career or industry is right for you.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Bachelor
Communications
Communications
Bachelor
Urban Studies and Planning
Urban Studies and Planning
Certification/License
Geographic Information Systems Technician
Geographic Information Systems Technician
Hurdles
Challenges I Overcame
Cancer Survivor
Interviewed By
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