People Spotlight: Meet Jess Yoder
Our People Spotlight series gives you an inside look at our technical experts around the world. This week we are highlighting the director of program delivery from our U.S. West region and providing an insight into his inspiration and work.
Jess Yoder has more than 40 years of capital infrastructure delivery experience spanning the public and private sectors. He specializes in advancing major programs, focusing on building outcome-focused governance structures and delivery systems that set large-scale initiatives up for long-term success.
Jess’s work on transformative projects like the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Pure Water Southern California Program and the Hampton Roads Sanitation District’s Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) has shown him how modernizing water systems directly benefits the environment and the communities they serve. Passionate about infrastructure that creates lasting value, Jess is dedicated to helping cities and regions meet future challenges through smart, sustainable water solutions.
What inspired you to join the industry?
My career in engineering began with a suggestion from a friend. I grew up outside Fort Wayne, Indiana, and after high school, I knew I wanted to attend college and had an academic scholarship but wasn’t sure what to study. A friend at Purdue University encouraged me to explore engineering. I enrolled, enjoyed it, and earned a two-year associate degree, which led to a role in Fort Wayne’s public works department. It soon became clear that advancing would require a bachelor’s degree and licensure, so I returned to Purdue to complete my degree.
After earning my license, I was appointed city engineer by the mayor of Fort Wayne. Following several years in that role, I sought new challenges and moved to Hillsborough County, Florida, where I managed a newly formed Capital Projects Department and later served as county engineer. With the county experiencing rapid growth, I gained valuable experience overseeing large public works programs, especially in the water sector.
After five years in Florida and two decades in public service, I transitioned to the private sector. I moved to Nevada to oversee a $2.5 billion water system for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, as well as helping launch several other major water infrastructure programs in Southern California.
My next opportunity brought me to San Francisco to manage the $4.5 billion Wastewater System Improvement Program for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. While there, I worked alongside AECOM teams and was eventually invited to join the firm. I began in the Water business line within the Program and Construction Management practice.
Today, my role at AECOM is to help our program teams and clients launch complex programs through expert guidance in the creation of high-performing teams, program initiation, system deployment, program controls and risk management.
With the county experiencing rapid growth, I gained valuable experience overseeing large public works programs, especially in the water sector.
What is your favorite AECOM project that you’ve worked on and why?
One of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on is the Hampton Roads Sanitation District’s (HRSD) Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow, or SWIFT, in southeastern Virginia. This forward-thinking $3 billion program treats wastewater to drinking water standards and recharges it into the Potomac Aquifer, the primary water source for over 4 million people. It’s a smart, long-term solution that addresses issues like water supply, sea level rise, and environmental protection for Chesapeake Bay. The program was launched in 2010 under a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. AECOM was hired as the program management consultant in 2018.
What made this program especially ambitious was the scale of transformation required. HRSD had to upgrade its existing facilities, including plants such as the James River, Nansemond, York River, and Army Base, as well as the Virginia Initiative, to incorporate advanced treatment processes capable of producing drinking water. On top of that, they had to design and build entirely new infrastructure: injection and monitoring wells, pipelines, pumps, tanks, labs, and real-time monitoring and control systems.
I was brought in to help set up the program. My role focused on establishing the program’s organizational structure, governance and foundational systems. I helped our program team develop program plans, define performance metrics, and set up tools and processes that allowed our teams to work effectively with the client.
What I enjoy most is building that foundation for successful delivery, helping agencies like HRSD go from a big vision to a well-structured program that delivers real results. With SWIFT, getting the setup right was critical. Once that was in place, the team could move forward with confidence and purpose.
What made this program especially ambitious was the scale of transformation required. What I enjoy most is building that foundation for successful delivery, helping agencies like HRSD go from a big vision to a well-structured program that delivers real results.
Tell us a story of how your work positively impacted the community.
One of the projects I’m most proud to be a part of is the Pure Water Southern California Program. This groundbreaking project was developed through a partnership between the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. Together, they’re tackling three critical issues: increasing the state’s water recycling capacity, reducing reliance on imported water and decreasing discharge of treated wastewater into the ocean.
When fully built, Pure Water will deliver up to 150 million gallons of purified water daily, enough to support 1.5 million people. It’s an ambitious solution that transforms previously unused water into a reliable resource for groundwater replenishment, industrial use, and the regional drinking water supply. This benefits the 19 million people served by Metropolitan and the 5.6 million served by the Sanitation Districts.
Advanced treatment facilities will be constructed, along with 40 to 60 miles of new pipelines, at least three major pump stations, and a host of support facilities, from laboratories and recharge areas to future direct potable reuse infrastructure.
This is a major undertaking being delivered in carefully planned phases through 2036, and success depends on having a strong foundation from the start. That’s where my role comes in. I focus on establishing the program plans, performance metrics, implementing oversight and strategic risk management frameworks, and data management and reporting systems.
The program provides benefits even beyond improvements to the water system. It will create close to 50,000 jobs and generate billions in economic output — delivering a lasting, positive legacy for the communities we serve.
When fully built, Pure Water will deliver up to 150 million gallons of purified water daily, enough to support 1.5 million people. It’s an ambitious solution that transforms previously unused water into a reliable resource for groundwater replenishment, industrial use, and the regional drinking water supply.
Share a piece of career advice.
One piece of career advice I always give students and young engineers is to be willing to take calculated risks. We learned in math class that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line and it may be tempting to think of your career path that way; a straight line from college to your future goals. The greatest potential for growth involves twists and turns, taking risks, embracing new opportunities, and even what may seem like a lateral move or a step backward. I took a risk and stepped outside my comfort zone when I left Fort Wayne, where my family and friends were, for Florida. It was a 1,200-mile leap of faith that opened doors I hadn’t imagined. It helped me grow as a person, take on new challenges and advance my career. Betting on yourself, when it’s a well-considered decision, can be one of the best moves you make.