Whether it’s working with gas companies to make sure they comply with environmental regulations, running a team of engineers or raising three children, there does not appear to be a challenge that Lauren Parker will not take on.

“Her success has been entirely due to her hard work, persistence, commitment, and drive to constantly learn and improve herself,” said Dustin Kuhlman, CEO of Civil & Environmental Consultants.

Parker is the first female regional vice president of operations since the 1989 inception of the Civil & Environmental Consultants, a Pittsburgh-based engineering and environmental consulting firm with more than 1,300 employees across the country.

“She is a shining example of what is possible if you do those things in an environment like the one at CEC, where success is rewarded with opportunity,” Kuhlman said.

The 1999 Butler High School graduate, who prides herself in her ability to problem solve, has proved herself to be a role model for women looking to pursue a career in the more male-dominated engineering field.

“I think getting into this role is a way to show the other females in the company: Look, you can have little kids, you can have a family and you can figure out how to have work life balance and be highly motivated and still get ahead,” she said.

Parker, whose maiden name is Eisenhuth, went to Butler High School, just like her parents had.

“I enjoyed high school,” Parker said. “I got a good education that set me up for college. I was a cheerleader. I had a lot of fond memories of school there.”

Butler resident Lindsay Atkinson, a lifelong friend of Parker, said she remembers Parker’s dedication to education and her overall work ethic dating back to her high school days.

“She’s always been outspoken and determined,” Atikson said. “She’s the most intelligent person I’ve ever met.”

Parker said her motivation for getting into engineering spawned from her father, who also would take on any project that came his way.

“He’s very mechanically inclined,” Parker said. “He worked in a steel mill, but could fix anything: cars, houses, whatever.”

After high school, Parker would go on to graduate from Penn State Behrend with a degree in mechanical engineering. She was just one of two women in her graduating class.

Along with her mechanical engineer degree, she also has her professional engineer license in civil engineering. She was hired at Civil & Environmental Consultants as an entry-level civil engineer after graduating from college in 2004.

“Having spent the vast majority of her career at CEC, she knows and lives our culture, which is centered on care for our employees and a focus on client service,” Kuhlman said. “She has demonstrated this at each step of her impressive advancement in this organization.”

According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau statistics, women make up only 17% of the civil engineering workforce, while only 9% of mechanical engineering jobs are filled by women.

“I’ve always said ‘females are just as smart as males,” Parker said. “There’s nothing from a technical or job standpoint that we can’t do that a male can do.”

Parker did not let the statistics hold her back.

“It’s how I’ve always been in my career: I’ve said it out loud,” Parker said. “I don’t want to be treated differently because I’m a female. I want to earn it. I want to get what I get because I deserve it.”

Parker said that young women entering the field shouldn’t be deterred by the statistics either.

“Don’t be intimidated by thinking that engineering is a male-dominated field,” Parker said. “It is, but who cares?”

The rise of Parker’s career did not happen by accident, her hard work and determination has put her in a position to succeed. A major part of that, she said, was having confidence in herself and her ability.

“One of the keys to success for me has been that I’ve never been shy about speaking up,” Parker said. “I give my opinions, and (I am) strong in my opinions on things. It goes back to confidence and knowing that you are smart and know what you’re doing.”

Parker also said that having tact is just as important as a willingness to share one’s opinion.

“It’s also very important to know when to speak up and when not to say something,” Parker said. “That has helped me to be successful.”

Her work ethic plays a pivotal role on why she is so confident.

“I work hard,” Parker said. “My mindset is that, if I work hard, I can accomplish whatever is up next.”

With her role as regional vice president of operations, Parker is now responsible for six offices with more than 300 employees.

It’s a new role for Parker, one she saw as a new challenge.

“I wasn’t entirely sure if I would go down the operations path because I don’t do engineering anymore, at all,” she said. “So that’s a little bit of a departure.”

However, the opportunity to solve problems while growing revenue for a company where she started her professional career was challenging.

“Over the years, I have gained the trust from the founders and other senior leaders,” Parker said. “I think they knew me (and) that I make sure these offices are functioning properly.”

The move to regional vice president of operations also sets a good example for the other women at the company. When Parker started, she estimates that there were about 20 engineers — she and another women were the only females.

Now, she estimates that there are around 75 engineers with half of them being female.

“I think our company has gotten a lot more diverse,” Parker said.

Parker also said she believes the promotion sets a good example for the women in the company.

“Getting this role,” Parker said, “and being able to show the other females in the company, look, you can have little kids, and you can have a family, and you can figure out how to have a work-life balance and still be highly motivated and still get ahead.”

Parker’s approach to this role is to be helpful and keep a human element when managing her office. Her passion for people's success drives her leadership style.

“I’ve taken the approach that I’m here to help you,” Parker said “I do care about if people are happy in their jobs. I want them to stay here. They’re important to us, and I want to make sure everyone knows that.”

One of Parker’s favorite parts about her job is building the camaraderie with her colleagues.

“Even though I moved into this role in January,” Parker said. “I feel like we’ve all gotten very comfortable and are very open and transparent with one another.”

Parker who has seen the company she’s worked for grow and become more diverse has high hopes for the future of young women looking to get into engineering.

“I would say that right now, I think, is an excellent time to get into engineering,” Parker said. “We cannot hire enough engineers.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, engineering occupations are expected to see 3% grown in the coming years, with an expected 74,800 jobs added by 2029.

“The pay is pretty good coming right out of college,” Parker said. “If you want to pick a career path that is easy to find a job in and get pretty good pay, engineering is the way to go.”