Keeley Barry’s passion for engineering is obvious when you hear her talk about her job.  The Engineer in Training (EIT) works in the AE2S Great Falls, MT office.  She says, “When I think about AE2S, the first word that comes to mind is water. I love working here because I get to combine my love of engineering and my love of water together and call it my job!”

Her interest in engineering began during her childhood, when she developed a fascination with bridges.  “I started learning more about engineering in high school, specifically involving infrastructure. I realized that civil engineering was the path that would allow me to work in the infrastructure world that is critical to life as we know it,” Keeley says.

Keeley presenting at a valve and hydrant training course for the Montana Environmental Training Center, MSU – Northern.

She went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in General Engineering with a focus in Civil Engineering from Montana Tech.  Since being hired by AE2S in 2014, Keeley has worked on the Rocky Boy’s water supply project in north central Montana, as well as wastewater and drinking water projects for cities such as Great Falls, Billings, Bozeman, and Havre.  In April, she and the Great Falls AE2S Operations Manager, David Carlson, helped present a valve and hydrant training course for the Montana Environmental Training Center, MSU – Northern.

Keeley is also the current Chair of the Joint Montana American Water Works Association (MSAWWA) and Montana Water Environment Association (MWEA) Student and Young Professionals (S&YP) Committee. “I’ve really enjoyed being a part of the S&YP Committee as we’ve helped start Student Chapters at Carroll College and MSU – Bozeman. We also just hosted the third annual Fresh Ideas Poster Competition, which supports the winner to compete at the national level at the AWWA Annual Conference and Exposition. We have ambitions to expand to do more,” explains Keeley.  She says the S&YP group has been a great opportunity to get more involved in the water industry.

Keeley and her son Brayden (9) enjoying the outdoors together.

When she’s not working, Keeley enjoys kayaking, tubing down the river, dancing, and reading.  She’s also learning how to drive a semi, so she can help haul crops at her friend’s farm during harvest this year.

Keeley with the Yelloweye Rockfish she caught near Seward, Alaska.