July 21, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHICAGO - American Institute of Steel Construction Director of Workforce Development Jennifer Traut-Todaro, SE, LEED AP, will take on additional leadership responsibilities next year: president of the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI).

Traut-Todaro began her tenure as president-elect earlier this month and will officially begin her term as president July 1, 2024. 

“As we continue to transition out of social distancing and acclimate to the state of remote work and collaboration, it is becoming more and more important to engage our members and the profession in new ways,” Traut-Todaro said. “I plan to work on this specifically this year, drawing on ideas from others as well as testing out a few of my own. I am committed to reaching as many SEAOI members as we can, through a variety of programming that meets their needs.”

She has served on the Executive Committee since 2021, first as secretary and then as treasurer, and currently is the co-chair of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion ad-hoc committee.

She is particularly proud of co-founding (with Christine Freisinger of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates) the Women in Structural Engineering committee. Since its inception in 2010, the WiSE program has provided vital support for SEAOI’s members. It is now one of the organization’s most engaged committees, connecting female engineers with mentors, valuable contacts, and other resources.

“I’m particularly honored to follow in the footsteps of former AISC Director of Education Nancy Gavlin, who was the first female SEAOI president,” Traut-Todaro said. She will be the fourth female president in the organization’s 59-year history.

Traut-Todaro holds a Bachelor of Science in architectural studies and a Master of Architecture in structures, both from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has been a member of SEAOI since 2006.