skip to main content
Kristina Swallow
Kristina Swallow
01:10

Kristina Swallow

Nevada Department of Transportation

Las Vegas, NV USA

"Remind yourself that life is all about choices—and you have control over those choices."

Career Roadmap

Kristina's work combines: Engineering, Government, and Helping People

See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.

Take Roadmap Quiz

Day In The Life

Director

I direct the planning, design, construction, and operation of the state's transportation system.

My Day to Day

My day includes a lot of meetings and preparation. The issues being discussed are largely big picture policy items and not the tactical day-to-day decisions, though some of those happen too. The focus is on how to best spend the limited resources we have (primarily human and funding) to ensure that the state's transportation system is best meeting the needs of everyone using it.

Skills & Education

Advice for getting started

I've switched jobs often throughout my career, so that's been an item of criticism. In response to that, you really need to know why you're switching so that you can communicate it to others. In my case, each new job resulted in a new opportunity to learn and grow. As for being told that I'm intimidating, I try to ask for clarification to better understand what areas I need to improve so that people don't feel that way. Is it my communication style, a way I manage meetings, or something else?

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Civil Engineering, General

    University of Arizona

  • Graduate Degree

    Civil Engineering, General

    University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life took a while to figure out

  • 1.

    I knew I wanted to be a civil engineer from a young age because my dad was a civil engineer, so I gained exposure to the work early on.

  • 2.

    I earned my bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, moved to Las Vegas because of the promising job opportunities, and started working in flood control, land development, and traffic.

  • 3.

    As I gained experience, I became curious about the regulations dictating civil engineering projects, so I applied for a fellowship in Washington, D.C., to learn more about transportation policy.

  • 4.

    My fellowship ended after a year but I stayed for two more years and worked in surface transportation authorization—I really learned how hard it is to get legislation through all the negotiations.

  • 5.

    When I came back home to Las Vegas, I worked for the City of Las Vegas and gained more experience in local municipal design.

  • 6.

    After years of involving myself in volunteer work, I ran for president of the American Society of Civil Engineers—I was only the fourth female president and the first president from Nevada!

  • 7.

    During the last nine months of my presidency, I decided to leave my job with the city so that I could focus all of my attention on the American Society of Civil Engineers.

  • 8.

    After my presidency ended, I received the opportunity to work as the director of the Nevada Department of Transportation—I’ve loved the work since my first day on the job!

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Peers:

    You switch jobs too frequently. You're intimidating.

  • How I responded:

    I've switched jobs often throughout my career, so that's been an item of criticism. In response to that, you really need to know why you're switching so that you can communicate it to others. In my case, each new job resulted in a new opportunity to learn and grow. As for being told that I'm intimidating, I try to ask for clarification to better understand what areas I need to improve so that people don't feel that way. Is it my communication style, a way I manage meetings, or something else?

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

Click to expand

  • I think the key to work-life balance is realizing that you can do it all over time but you can't do it all at once. I've sacrificed relationships in order to pursue my interests, but that's a choice I made because I wanted to pursue those things.