Kayla Hampe Structural Engineer and Aspiring World Traveler
1. What drew you to Hoyle, Tanner?
It was an opportunity to pursue my interest in bridge design with a diverse group of people that would allow me to be in an engaging and intellectually challenging career. It also helped that we had two offices in my home state and would cut my commute by more than half.
2. What’s something invaluable you’ve learned here?
Give four engineers a problem and they’ll probably give you four different viable solutions. Put four engineers together in a room with that problem, and they’ll collaborate to pull together the best pieces of each of their solutions, to create a better, more efficient, and simpler solution.
3. What’s your favorite time of year to work at Hoyle, Tanner?
The fall when I get to get out of the office for site observation on construction sites, so that I get to do what I love and enjoy the New England weather and take in the beautiful colors of autumn.
4. What’s the coolest thing you are working on?
The coolest thing I’m working on is a project in Peterborough, NH. It is one of the largest bridge reconstruction projects I’ve had the opportunity to work on and it has had numerous unique challenges both during design and during construction. It’s a beautiful reinforced concrete arch bridge with masonry stone facing that’s part of the downtown historic district. The project also involves roadway reconstruction, retaining wall replacement (with three different types of retaining walls!), and a partial dam reconstruction.
5. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you so far this week?
I won bingo during a fitness challenge at work!
6. How many different states have you lived in?
Two: New Hampshire (born and raised) and Pennsylvania during grad school.
7. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?
Penne and marinara sauce with mushrooms and onions, followed by moose tracks ice cream with whipped cream.
8. What kind of pet do you have and how did you choose to name it?
I have two cats and a dog. My oldest cat is Sebastian. I adopted him from the NHSPCA when he was about one, with the name Simba. I wanted to choose his name, but wanted it to be similar to Simba so he wouldn’t be confused. I decided to go with Sebastian to keep the “S” sound and keep it with the Disney theme. My other cat is named Reu (sounds like “Roo”) and I did not choose her name. I adopted her from my friend who moved to Australia for grad school and her name is supposed to mean “friend.” My dog’s name is Grady, which he was named as a puppy by someone else and we decided to keep it.
9. What is a fun or interesting fact about your hometown?
We have a historical marker for Wentworth Cheswell (a Revolutionary War veteran) who lived here. He rode in the opposite direction as Paul Revere to warn colonists the redcoats were coming; he was buried here in 1817.
10. What are three things still left on your bucket list
1. I’ve been to Canada, Australia, Mexico, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic, but I would like to see the Seven Wonders of the World
2. Learn Turkish
3. Go to a masquerade
11. Name three items you’d take with you to a desert island
1. A knife
2. My favorite book
3. A photo of my family
12. What characteristic do you admire most in others?
Integrity – it’s doing the right thing even when no one’s watching.
13. How old is the oldest item in your closet?
20 years old maybe?
14. Words to live by? Favorite Quote?
There are so many good ones out there, and I managed to narrow it down to four…
“Now these three remain: faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Martin Luther King Jr.
“Who you are tomorrow begins with what you do today.” Tim Fargo
“You don’t need anyone else’s permission to be happy. Your life is magnificent not because someone says it is, but because you choose to see it as such.” Ralph Marston
Often, we don’t know where a path will lead us, but we need to have faith and courage to take the first step to move forward and keep advancing. Each day our choices either move us towards the best version of ourselves or away from it, and forms who we become during our life journey. We can choose to be positive and see the brighter side, and not let others bring us down. Choose happy, be kind, and love one another. And don’t forget to laugh.
15. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A meter maid and a professional bass fisherwoman.
16. If you were to skydive from an airplane what would you think about on the way down?
Why did I jump out of a plane?
