Hermanus Steyn & Julia Knudsen: The Power of Partnership

We’re an interconnected nationwide team, but we each have our own reasons for being passionate about the work we do. This month, learn about the careers and partnership between two engineers in our Portland office, Hermanus Steyn and Julia Knudsen.

Tell us about yourself and your role at Kittelson.

Julia: I’ve spent my entire career at Kittelson. I started as an intern and have been here for over 20 years. Early on, I worked on a research project that sparked my interest in guidebooks and manuals. That experience shaped my career trajectory.

I took a few years off to be home with my kids, and when I returned, I had to figure out how to reestablish my passion and role. I realized that research and project management were where I thrived. I love working on complex projects, keeping teams together, and pulling expertise from the right people to deliver a product on time and on budget. Over the years, I’ve worked with state and local agencies across the country, which has given me insight into the constraints practitioners face and how we can develop guidance to help them solve real-world problems. That combination of national research and local application has been incredibly fulfilling.

Hermanus: I’ve been with Kittelson for 25 years. I originally came over from South Africa for an exchange, and my background was purely roadway design. At that time, Kittelson didn’t do much design work, so I had to learn operations and safety from the ground up. Over time, I combined those disciplines with my design experience, which gave me a strong foundation: operations, safety, and design. That perspective still shapes how I approach projects today.

What I do now is participate in brainstorming sessions with project teams and clients across the U.S., figuring out how we can make communities better through the facilities we plan and design. My passion is solving problems. I love starting with a sketch during a brainstorming session and seeing that idea evolve into CAD files and eventually a built project. That transformation tells a story, how an idea becomes reality, and that’s what keeps me excited about this work.

How did your partnership begin, and what type of work have you collaborated on over the years?

Julia: Hermanus was one of my first connections with Kittelson when I was a senior at the University of Portland. He mentored me early in my career … I even designed my first traffic signal with him! Later, when I returned after taking time off, one of our first big projects together was updating Montana Departments of Transportation’s (MDT) Roadway Design Manual. That project taught us how to tackle complex guidance documents, and from there we worked with Oregon DOT, Tennessee DOT, and many others.

Tennessee has been one of our strongest clients. We’ve collaborated on about 10 different guidance documents for them. We’ve also led national research projects together, including the Green Book Visioning project, which was exciting because it allowed us to take lessons from state-level work and apply them nationally.

Hermanus: Montana was a turning point. We raised our hands for that project even though it was new territory, and we figured it out together. That manual ended up influencing the first chapter of the current Green Book, which was pretty exciting. Since then, we’ve worked with agencies across the country, Florida, Massachusetts, and more, helping them update or rewrite their guidance.

What makes our partnership strong is that we think similarly about scope, scale, and budget, and we share a passion for delivering quality. We’re also not afraid to take on challenges. If we don’t have a clear path, we trust ourselves and the process to figure it out.

Over nearly a decade of collaboration, what have you learned from each other that has shaped your approach to projects?

Julia: I’ve learned to trust the process and trust Hermanus. Early on, I was hesitant to take on unfamiliar topics, but his confidence gave me the courage to dive in and figure things out. That mindset has helped me grow tremendously. I’ve also learned a lot technically from working alongside him.

Hermanus: I’ve learned how much stronger we are together. Julia is an incredible writer and communicator, and I bring technical depth. She can take complex technical content and make it clear and accessible. We’ve also learned to create redundancy in our team so staff can come to either of us and get the same guidance. That consistency builds trust across the firm and helps us mentor the next generation.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a great teammate?

Julia: Focus less on becoming an expert in one thing and more on who you work well with. Understand your strengths and find people who complement them. For me, working with someone who values high communication, like Hermanus, makes all the difference.

Hermanus: Say yes and figure it out. We’ve taken on projects that might have seemed daunting, but trusting each other and the process makes it possible. My advice: build strong relationships and don’t specialize too early. And as the firm grows, make an effort to connect with peers in different markets. Those relationships are invaluable.

What excites you most about the future of transportation?

Julia: I’m excited about the continued integration of context-based design and the energy of the next generation. Younger staff bring fresh ideas—data analytics, AI—and they’re fearless about tackling new challenges. Supporting them and seeing how they take things to the next level is incredibly rewarding.

Hermanus: Transportation is changing fast: micro-mobility, connected vehicles, new design philosophies. The shift back to principles over rigid standards is exciting because it keeps us thinking critically. That’s why we became engineers—to solve problems.

Fast Lane Facts

One skill every engineer should have?

Julia: Writing

Hermanus: Critical thinking

Tool or resource you can’t live without?

Julia: Track changes!

Hermanus: Phone a friend. I think that’s what I appreciate about Kittelson, there are amazing individuals within this company and so many resources; I know someone will know where to find the insights or peer reports I’m looking for.

Go-to comfort food?

Julia: Tacos

Hermanus: Pizza

Favorite way to recharge?

Julia: Go for a walk, travel

Hermanus: Debrief with each other, talk about life, families, relationships