Katie Bartojay
WASHINGTON – Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton selected Katie Bartojay as the director of Reclamation's Technical Service Center in Denver, Colorado. The Technical Service Center provides cutting-edge solutions to water and power resource challenges for Reclamation and other federal agencies and includes a unique world-class materials and hydraulic engineering laboratory.
As the director of the Technical Service Center, Bartojay leads more than 575 scientists, engineers, and professional staff, to support Reclamation’s mission and uphold interagency and international agreements to develop water resources. She oversees six service divisions, consisting of 36 research and technical services groups, and the Client Support Services Office. These groups work together in interdisciplinary teams to meet highly complex project and study needs.
“Katie’s extensive experience, and proven leadership, position her perfectly to lead our world-class technical service center, tackling technical challenges that impact our water and power management initiatives,” said Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “Under her leadership, the Technical Service Center will continue to excel in developing water resources and fostering global collaboration.”
Bartojay began her career working on high profile and diverse private sector construction projects and is a nationally recognized expert in concrete and dams. She joined the Bureau of Reclamation in 2005 as a journeyman engineer, excelled in various leadership positions in the Technical Service Center, and was selected to lead Reclamation’s Concrete and Structural Laboratory in 2020. Before her selection as the Technical Service Center director, Bartojay served as the supervisor of the Technical Service Center’s Client Support Service Office and managed a cross-functional team to align operations and budget staffs in support of senior project managers responsible for complex and client sensitive projects.
Deputy Commissioner David Palumbo welcomed Bartojay to her new position, noting, “We are so very pleased to have Katie leading the Technical Service Center and its interdisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists, and other subject matter experts through a diverse portfolio of programs, projects and initiatives. Her extensive experience across this landscape aligns precisely with our focus on providing advanced analysis and innovative solutions to water and power resource challenges to underpin our core mission across the 17 Western United States and beyond."
Bartojay’s extensive experience in engineering and construction, coupled with her forward-thinking and collaborative leadership approach, will enhance the Technical Service Center’s crucial role in providing technical assistance and managing water resources.
“Katie’s selection is a pivotal moment for the Technical Service Center and Reclamation," said Reclamation’s Chief Engineer Dr. David Raff. "Her exceptional technical acumen, innovative mindset, and proven leadership will elevate our engineering excellence, enhance our technical assistance programs, and forge stronger partnerships, both domestically and internationally, to provide sustainable water management solutions to water and power resource challenges for federal, non-federal, and international partners.”
Bartojay expressed her gratitude for her selection, stating, “I am deeply honored to support Reclamation as the director of the Technical Service Center and look forward to leading our world-renown team of scientists to develop innovative solutions to the unprecedented challenges facing the American Western.”
Bartojay is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Colorado. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and was awarded the 2011 Engineer of the Year for the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Department of the Interior. Additionally, she was selected by the American Concrete Institute to be a Fellow of the Institute in 2016.
