NEW YORK, NY (November 27, 2019)—The Partners at Kohler Ronan, a leading MEP/FP Engineering Consulting firm, are pleased to announce that Talya Santillan, PE, LEED AP BD+C, has been elevated to Partner. Ms. Santillan joined the firm in May 2011 and served as Principal in the firm’s New York office since November 2017.
Rory Ronan, Founding Partner of Kohler Ronan, LLC Consulting Engineers, said of Ms. Santillan, “Talya designs building systems that meet an owner’s programming needs, budget, and operational abilities while enhancing the space for its occupants.” Further, he notes, “She is not only committed to the design of highly-efficient systems that minimize the impact on the earth’s resources, but to exceeding client expectations whenever possible. She is creative, resourceful, and particularly adept at communicating complex engineering systems.”
Ms. Santillan has a keen understanding of the nature of consulting engineering and of the importance of client service. She has stated, “We work in an engineering consulting industry where responsiveness and relationships are just as important as the engineering component of a job.” Ms. Santillan values relationships and has been praised by her clients, as well as her coworkers and colleagues. During the early days of her career, she learned the importance of knowing that the term “client” refers both to the external and internal persons of one’s firm. One’s peers are just as critical to the path to success as external clients. As such, Ms. Santillan has helped hire, train, and mentor numerous engineers over the years. By sharing key tools and the benefits of her experience, and by serving as a role model, she has contributed to the professional growth and development of those young engineers.
Ms. Santillan’s mentoring activities also extend outside of the workplace. She coaches basketball, tutors math, and participates in workshops to encourage young people to consider math and science as a career path. She especially enjoys career day events at her sons’ schools and her all-female, high school alma mater where she highlights the significance of females in engineering and the complexity and rewards of working in a largely male dominated field. Ms. Santillan stresses to students that knowledge, strong skills, and confidence will ensure respect and success in this industry, or any other, regardless of one’s sex.
Garnering the respect and admiration of her colleagues, Ms. Santillan has collaborated with several prestigious and award winning architectural firms on a variety of projects across differing building types. Such collaborations have resulted in a portfolio of significant and unique projects such as the new Collegiate School, a nine-story high rise on Manhattan’s Upper Westside, the LászlóBitó Conservatory Building at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, the New York Botanical Garden Edible Academy, and the extensive renovations now underway at the New York Public Library’s Mid-Manhattan Library and Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.
Ms. Santillan is a graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology and is a registered Professional Engineer in both New Jersey and New York. She is an active member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and Professional Women in Construction (PWC). In 2015, she was named among Consulting-Specifying Engineer magazine’s Top 40 Under 40. Ms. Santillan remains at the forefront of the industry and will continue to play a role in its future.
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About Kohler Ronan
Founded in 1998, Kohler Ronan is a multi-disciplined engineering consultancy dedicated to providing exceptional mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and technology design, as well as comprehensive energy analysis, sustainable design, and commissioning services. From our offices in New York City and Danbury, Connecticut, our team of over 60 professionals collaborate with prominent architectural firms on a wide array of regional and nationally-recognized project assignments including academic, cultural, and historic institutions.
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