Keynote Speaker

Erika Finan is a Rockland County native, born in NYC and raised in Pearl River New York. As a middle schooler she was the class president, involved in girl scouts, loved legos and exploring the outdoors. In high school, Erika volunteered in New Orleans to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. It was there where she understood the destruction of storms and learned about the levees designed to protect the city. In her senior year of high school, Superstorm Sandy hit New York and it was clear that climate change and high intense storms had an effect in her own backyard.

When it was time for college applications she knew she wanted to help people but was “too squeamish to be a doctor”. Having a love of solving puzzles/challenges and being good at math and science her mom, a math teacher, encouraged her to pursue an engineering degree. While she did not know what engineering entailed she was intrigued. 

Erika enrolled in Manhattan University, formerly Manhattan College, for her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. She returned to New Orleans with her college over winter break sophomore year and learned about the Army Corps of Civil Engineers involvement with the levee project. It became clear to her that there was a career for her to help others. While in college she became the president of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Manhattan College chapter and was active in the Society of Women Engineers. Outside of school Erika held various internships in engineering firms in NYC, explored all the city had to offer with her friends, and even ran her first marathon.

After graduation she started her career at Langan Engineering as a waterfront staff engineer. She also attendedManhattan University at night to pursue her master’s in civil engineering with a concentration in geotechnical engineering. During her early years she donned a hardhat and safety boots to conduct field investigations and construction inspections for various projects. Field work consisted of kayak inspections, boat rides through the New York harbor, and overseeing the transformation of the NYC waterfront. Over the years Erika transitioned to the design side and helped engineer revetments, platforms and bulkheads. Her favorite completed design project to date is the Bronx Hip Hop museum. 

Today she is a project manager at the firm managing close to a dozen projects along the waterfront. She loves the impact that her work has, which is taking underutilized waterfront property and designing the shoreline and upland to resist the impacts of climate change. She loves that her projects create equitable public spaces for the community to enjoy. She is also the chair of the ASCE Metropolitan Section Geo-Institute, and was part of the Beverly Willis Architecture Firm Emerging Leaders. In her free time Erika enjoys exploring the city, watching Rangers games, and running along the waterfront of NYC.