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Reclamation names Bartojay to lead Technical Service Center

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Reclamation names Bartojay to lead Technical Service Center
(photo courtesy Reclamation)

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton has selected Katie Bartojay to serve as director of Reclamation’s Technical Service Center in Denver, Colo.

The Technical Service Center provides cutting-edge solutions to water and power resource challenges for Reclamation and other federal agencies and includes a world-class materials and hydraulic engineering laboratory, according to a release.

As director of the Technical Service Center, Bartojay will lead more than 550 scientists, engineers and professional staff to support Reclamation’s mission and uphold interagency and international agreements to develop water resources. She oversees six service divisions, consisting of 32 research and technical services groups, and the Client Support Services Office. These groups work together in interdisciplinary teams to meet highly complex project and study needs.

“Katie’s extensive experience, and proven leadership, position her perfectly to lead our world-class technical service center, tackling technical challenges that impact our water and power management initiatives,” said Calimlim Touton. “Under her leadership, the Technical Service Center will continue to excel in developing water resources and fostering global collaboration.”

Bartojay began her career working on private sector construction projects and is a nationally recognized expert in concrete and dams. She joined Reclamation in 2005 as a journeyman engineer, excelled in various leadership positions in the Technical Service Center, and was selected to lead Reclamation’s Concrete and Structural Laboratory in 2020. She then served as supervisor of the Technical Service Center’s Client Support Service Office and managed a cross-functional team to align operations and budget staffs in support of senior project managers responsible for complex and client-sensitive projects.

“We are so very pleased to have Katie leading the Technical Service Center and its interdisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists, and other subject matter experts through a diverse portfolio of programs, projects and initiatives,” said Deputy Commissioner David Palumbo. “Her extensive experience across this landscape aligns precisely with our focus on providing advanced analysis and innovative solutions to water and power resource challenges to underpin our core mission across the 17 Western United States and beyond.”

Bartojay expressed her gratitude for her selection, stating, “I am deeply honored … and look forward to leading our world-renowned team of scientists to develop innovative solutions to the unprecedented challenges facing the American Western.”

Bartojay is a licensed professional civil engineer in Colorado and certified project management professional. She holds a bachelor of science in civil engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and was awarded the 2016 Engineer of the Year for the Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Department of the Interior. Additionally, she was selected by the American Concrete Institute as the 2016 Fellow.