Career Journey: Spotlight on Aliza Danker
“Relocating has always been a goal of mine,” says Aliza Danker, “and being able to relocate within Kleinfelder was the icing on the cake!”
Aliza is a Staff Professional on the Water Resources team and – up until last month – worked in Kleinfelder’s Rocky Hill, Connecticut office, where she started as an intern in May 2017 and was hired on full-time the following year.
On September 25, she embarked on a week-long, cross-country drive to relocate to her new Kleinfelder office, the Downtown San Diego headquarters, where she’ll keep her same role but support the Southern California Water Team.
“A silver lining of a couple trips getting canceled because of COVID is that I was able to save the PTO and use it for the trip out,” she says. “I’m so lucky the team has been so understanding and allowed me to do so.”
Aliza says that although she is staying in the same role, the change in geology and landscape of the West Coast will provide her with many new and exciting professional opportunities in the water engineering field. “I am most excited to get to explore this new environment year-round.”
She says that studying abroad in Australia first prompted her passion for traveling, and that “everywhere and anywhere” was on her list to travel.
“I’ve lived in Connecticut my entire life,” she says. “And, although I have grown an immense appreciation for my hometown, I am ready to see and experience new things.”
“The Southern California Water Team is excited that Aliza has made the trip out to join us here in San Diego,” says Nick Fontaine, Kleinfelder Principal Professional and Water Team Lead. “Aliza already has three years with Kleinfelder, which means she’s ready to contribute technical skills and an understanding of the Kleinfelder culture, and she also brings strong, established relationships, which will undoubtedly help us collaborate with our teammates on the East Coast.”
Nick also adds that Aliza is joining a group that already has ties to the Northeast: “Five of the Southern California Water Team members trace our roots to New England, and we can attest that her decision to trade her insulated boots for a pair of flip flops was a wise one,” he says.
Welcome (to San Diego), Aliza!
Aliza Danker is a Water Resources Engineer in Kleinfelder’s San Diego, CA office
