Carrie Schindler
San Bernardino County Transportation Authority
San Bernardino, CA USA
"There will always be challenges. It’s your response to the challenges that determines where you end up."
Career Roadmap
Carrie's work combines: Engineering, Government, and Working with Others
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
While pursuing my civil engineering degree, I found my calculus and physics classes to be pretty challenging. They didn't come naturally to me. I had to stay determined and retake classes in order to succeed. We had to take three calculus and three physics courses but I ended up five semesters of each. I questioned if this was really the right path for me. My doubts were cleared once I got into the upper division classes. My GPA shot up and I finally felt like I had to aptitude to do this.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Civil Engineering
San Diego State University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
Inspired by my grandfather who was a civil engineer, I developed a passion for engineering at a young age.
2.
I attended San Diego State University where I overcame the challenges of calculus and physics—I took on additional semesters in order to master them.
3.
After graduating college, I entered the private sector and began designing transit systems.
4.
I eventually transitioned to the public sector for a better work-life balance.
5.
I worked in flood control, navigating high-energy construction projects, and learned to advocate for myself.
6.
I joined the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority and advanced to deputy executive director where I oversee a $1.2 billion budget and 110 staff members.
7.
One of my proudest achievements was securing $218 million for the I-15 widening project, despite last-minute state-level opposition.
8.
I spent ten years working on the Redlands rail extension, a project close to my heart, combining my passion for transit with my professional skills.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
This is hard. Am I really doing the right thing?
How I responded:
While pursuing my civil engineering degree, I found my calculus and physics classes to be pretty challenging. They didn't come naturally to me. I had to stay determined and retake classes in order to succeed. We had to take three calculus and three physics courses but I ended up five semesters of each. I questioned if this was really the right path for me. My doubts were cleared once I got into the upper division classes. My GPA shot up and I finally felt like I had to aptitude to do this.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I experienced some hardship and discrimination as a female in an engineering field. It led to feelings of imposter syndrome. I found that it's very important to surround yourself with people that you trust to help work through these hurdles.