Emily C. Anderson, P.E., P.ENG., P.M.P.

Throughout her distinguished twenty‑five‑year career, Emily C. Anderson, P.E., P.Eng., P.M.P., has spearheaded transformative infrastructure initiatives across the United States and internationally, including work in Iraq, the West Bank, Libya, Australia, and Canada. A seasoned strategic leader, she currently serves as Vice President and Senior Client Advisor at Halff Associates, Inc. in Houston, Texas, where she guides multi-million-dollar capital programs and advances resilient infrastructure solutions for communities across the region. Her international leadership includes serving as Engineering Manager for the Jacobs Infrastructure Practice in Alberta, Canada, where she directed the Water Engineering Group, and contributing to multi‑billion‑dollar programs with AECOM in Perth, Western Australia, and Tripoli, Libya. Anderson began her career as a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow with the National Academies in Washington, D.C., followed by eight years with Montgomery Watson Harza (MWH) in Cleveland, Ohio, where she built the technical foundation that continues to define her excellence.

Anderson is the first Black President in the history of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Houston, one of the region’s most influential business associations representing hundreds of engineering firms responsible for designing Houston’s critical infrastructure. During her 2025–2026 presidency, she strengthened infrastructure advocacy, fostered collaboration, and elevated the collective voice of engineering firms across the region. She currently serves as Immediate Past President and Chair of the ACEC Houston Government Affairs Committee (GAC). She also serves as a Director for the Harris‑Galveston Subsidence District, appointed by the Mayor of Houston, where she helps guide long‑term regional water sustainability, regulatory policy, and risk governance for a rapidly growing metropolitan area that depends on resilient water management.

Her leadership and service have earned significant recognition. In 2025, the Mayor of Houston proclaimed May 20 as “Emily Anderson Day” in honor of her contributions to the city. She is a graduate of Leadership Houston Class XXXVII and is currently a Fellow with the American Leadership Forum Class LXVII. She was named a 2024 Role Model by the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce and previously honored as one of Northeast Ohio’s Top 25 Under 35 Movers and Shakers. Anderson also participated in the prestigious American Marshall Memorial Fellowship, journeying to Europe with the German Marshall Fund in 2008. Her global leadership extends further through her service as a former Regional Director for Western Australia within the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) International Australia Section and through her continued engagement in initiatives such as Engineers Without Borders that strengthen international collaboration in engineering and public infrastructure.

A passionate advocate for STEAM education, refugee empowerment, and global access to clean water, Anderson has served on more than a dozen nonprofit and professional boards. She is widely recognized for championing equity, mentorship, and opportunities for women and minorities in engineering, embodying principled leadership and a deep commitment to building a more just, sustainable, and resilient world that reflects her belief in service, community, and long‑term impact.

Emily C. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from Northwestern University and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in the USA (P.E.) and Canada (P.Eng.) and a Project Management Professional (P.M.P.).