U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District

Please join us in congratulating Mike Padilla, #USACEChicago project manager, for being selected as our Employee of the Month!🎉🎉🎉 Mike demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication on numerous projects, working with outside agencies and overcoming setbacks along the way. We appreciate his expertise and dedication to the USACE mission. Congratulations, Mike!

📣 #USACEChicago is proud to announce The Summer Internship Development Team, as our team of the quarter! Maria Cieniawski, and John Paguio, went above and beyond in developing and executing the summer internship program for Chicago District students. Their tremendous efforts in planning, resourcing, and coordinating events provided students with a variety of learning experiences, mentoring opportunities, and professional development. Thank you for your dedication to people and programs in our District! 👏 👏 👏

#USACEChicago District employees John Belcik and Akilah Martin accepted the Silver Ribbon Award on behalf of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for their part in the Chicago Waterways Restoration Framework Plan. The award was presented during the annual Friends of the Chicago River's Big Fish Ball Gala held on May 29, 2024. Pictured is Bradley Roback (Chicago Department of Planning and Development), John Belcik (USACE Fish Biologist), Akilah Martin (USACE Interdisciplinary Planner), Sally Fletcher (Friends Board President) and Margaret Frisbie (Friends Executive Director). The Silver Ribbon award goes to projects that exhibit an exceptional level of sustainable practices and design excellence on multiple levels. Award winners are making intentional choices to drive innovation for the continued protection and restoration of the Chicago-Calumet River system and surrounding watersheds. 📸 by Ian Vecchiotti.

🎉🎉🎉 It's employee spotlight day! Today, we are featuring Raymond Frana’s journey with #USACEChicago. Ray was also recently highlighted as the district's employee of the month! What brought you to USACE, Chicago District? 📌 The opportunity to be the Chief of the Fox River Section. Knowing Chicago had recently taken on the Fox River Project, I liked the idea of being part of something new and the challenges that come along with it. What type of work do you do at USACE, Chicago District? 📌 I am responsible for the overall operation and maintenance of 9 dams. I supervise 4 outstanding team members making sure they have the training, tools, materials, and freedom to perform the job to the best of their ability. I ensure water regulation on Lake Winnebago is a compromise between all competing interests. Basically, it’s my job to make sure everyone is always a little mad because they didn’t get exactly what they want. If you have a degree, what is your highest level of education? What was your major? 📌 I attended Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, IA. I have an Ag Chemical Applications Diploma (agronomy) and took a few survey classes. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? 📌 My greatest achievements have always been helping people. I deployed 3 times to Iraq working on Mosul Dam leading the automation of geotechnical instrumentation vital to monitoring the dam. My greatest accomplishment during the deployments was successfully training a team of Iraqis to design, install, program, and operate & maintain the system. I am proud to say this team is not only capable of maintaining that system but is also installing additional systems on other structures throughout Iraq. What message/advice would you like to send to others considering employment at USACE, Chicago District? 📌Chicago District is a great place to work and full of great team members. Want to join us? Learn how to apply here: https://lnkd.in/ghCgU3hS

🌟🌟🌟 Congratulations to #USACEChicago's own Imad Samara for receiving the Career Achievement Award from the Chicago Federal Executive Board!🌟🌟🌟 Accomplishments of honorees may include: ●Efforts resulting in a positive shift in workplace or community culture ●Long term process changes resulting in financial savings ●Endeavors of interagency collaboration to further the mission of their agency. You also must have over 20 years of federal service to be eligible. Congratulations, Imad!🏆

📣 📣 📣 #USACE Chicago is proud to announce the selection of Ray Frana, Chief of the Fox River Section in the Lake Michigan Project Office, as the District’s Employee of the Month! Ray went above routine stakeholder engagement by conducting two television interviews, informing the local community on the district’s ongoing efforts to manage Lake Winnebago System water levels in response to the unusual winter season. Ray’s commitment to the local community went beyond routine messaging, participating in an educational session at a senior living community in central Wisconsin. Congratulations, Ray! Thank you for all your hard work and for representing the Chicago District.

It's employee spotlight day! Today, we are featuring Akilah Martin's journey with #USACEChicago. What brought you to USACE, Chicago District? 📌 Natalie Mills reached out to me and informed of the Planning Branch openings. She believed I had the talent and skills needed to be an effective peer and community advocate at the Chicago District. I was seeking a position where I could partner with communities in a different way from previous career using the talents and skills I had amassed. What type of work do you do at USACE, Chicago District? 📌 I am a Planner, Public Involvement Specialist, and EJ Coordinator at the Chicago District. I am currently loving my role as the Public Involvement Specialist as it stretches and enlarges the bounds of my wisdom when partnering with PDTS and communities. If you have a degree, what is your highest level of education? What was your major? 📌 I received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Agricultural and Biological Engineering What do you consider to be your greatest achievement? 📌 My greatest achievement is when I decided to pursue a Coaching certification. I was serving as Associate Dean and one of my colleagues who served in this role previously, reached out to me to offer guidance as well as to coach me. We both knew that I required support and guidance to make an indelible impact on the folks who were my direct reports as we journeyed through a tough transition at our college. Her coaching was the most enriching experience that I had to date. I knew then that I wanted to pursue my own coaching certification so that I could be an agile leader, daughter, partner, friend, colleague, community participant, etc. After receiving my coaching certification I’ve had numerous opportunities to apply my coaching skills via projects such as: Roots Watering Hole Podcast, Re-Rooting Kinship and Oneness with Center for Humans and Nature, Green Lands, Blue Waters, Chicago Grows Food, Advocates for Urban Agriculture and many others. Do you have a favorite quote? 📌 “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” African Proverb What message/advice would you like to send to others considering employment at USACE, Chicago District? 📌 My message to a potential candidate: be agile, creative, open to transformation, push when necessary, stand in your truth and be collaborative.

Come meet with the Chicago District to talk about exciting opportunities to continue to serve. Representatives will be on site to answer questions so come out and find out about the Corps of Engineers and how you can put your talents to use solving the Nations toughest engineering challenges. https://lnkd.in/eajmgp54

📢 Mark your calendars! On Wednesday, May 15, 2024, the Regulatory Request System (RRS), a new national online application and management platform, will introduce an electronic submission option for permit applications. By offering online permit applications, the Corps aims to reduce paperwork and streamline the process, making it more efficient for everyone. RRS, currently in a beta version, allows users to learn more about the Regulatory Program and submit requests for pre-application meetings and jurisdictional determinations. Learn more about the new platform at: rrs.usace.army.mil #usarmy #usace #usaceregulatory #usaceregulatoryprogram #RegulatoryRequestSystem

USACE Chaplain (COL) Geoffrey Bailey visited with #USACEChicago employees this week, giving two employees coins for their exceptional work for the district. Stasi Brown received a coin for her work as the district's Victim Advocate and her work leading events throughout the month of April for the Sexual Harrassment and Assault Response Program (SHARP). Tonia Carr was acknowledged for her active role on the USACE Critical Incident Stress Management Program (CISM) and her involvement in the Special Emphasis Programs (SEP). She also conducts the onboarding for district employees ensuring they are inprocessed fully and correctly. Congratulations and thank you for your hard work and dedication! 👏👏👏