Christy Hartmann Named 2026 First Quarter Lawrence S. Semo Scientific Achievement Award Winner

Congratulations to Christy Hartmann, Senior Project Manager out of our Chicago office, on being named the Lawrence S. Semo Scientific Achievement award winner for the first quarter of 2026.

Since joining SWCA, Christy Hartmann has distinguished herself as a highly effective leader in offshore wind project delivery and environmental planning. With a strong foundation in environmental engineering and a natural ability to guide complex projects from concept to completion, Christy has strengthened SWCA’s impact in renewable energy through her collaborative approach, leadership, and commitment to delivering meaningful environmental outcomes.

Scientific Excellence and Early Inspiration

Christy’s passion for environmental work began at a young age. At just 12 years old, while living in Germany, she was struck by the sight of industrial smokestacks and the visible impact of pollution in the air. That moment sparked a clear goal: to one day help improve environmental conditions through engineering solutions.

She went on to earn both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental engineering from the University of Maryland, later obtaining her Professional Engineer (PE) license. She also holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, reflecting her dual strengths in technical knowledge and project leadership.

While her early career included more traditional environmental and field-based work, Christy’s path evolved toward high-level project management, where she now brings scientific understanding together with strategy, coordination, and execution to deliver complex environmental solutions.

Impact, Leadership, and Innovation at SWCA

Christy joined SWCA in 2018 during a pivotal moment as the company expanded its presence in offshore wind. Initially recruited to be the Deputy Project Manager on SWCA’s first offshore wind proposal, Christy helped win that project and the next two offshore projects to follow. She is currently managing SWCA’s third offshore wind NEPA EIS for a confidential project and developer located on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf in New England waters.

Since then, Christy has played a key role in delivering some of SWCA’s most impactful renewable energy projects such as the South Fork Wind Farm (New York) where she served as Assistant Project Manager for the NEPA EIS and Revolution Wind (Rhode Island) where she served as the Project Manager for the NEPA EIS.

Both projects are now producing clean energy, an accomplishment that highlights not only technical success, but also the persistence and coordination required to navigate lengthy regulatory processes and complex stakeholder environments.

Christy’s leadership extends beyond project delivery. She is known for managing large, multi-million-dollar NEPA projects, guiding cross-disciplinary teams through complex challenges, building strong, lasting client relationships, and thriving in public-facing settings, including stakeholder and community meetings.

Her ability to step into complex, high-pressure environments and create clarity for both teams and clients has made her a trusted leader within SWCA’s offshore wind program.

Christy presenting “Streamlining NEPA: Considerations for Issues-Based Analysis for Offshore Wind Projects” at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Offshore Wind (OSW) Conference & Exhibition, Washington, DC, October 2018

A Legacy of Impact and Continuous Growth

For Christy, one of the most rewarding aspects of her work is seeing projects come into full circle, from early planning stages to operational infrastructure generating real-world impact. Her contributions to offshore wind projects represent a tangible connection between her early inspiration and her current work helping deliver cleaner energy solutions.

She is also a strong advocate for continuous learning and professional growth, encouraging colleagues to stay curious and take advantage of opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills.

Her advice to others: “Don’t hesitate and take every opportunity to keep learning.” Whether through formal education or on-the-job experience, she emphasizes the importance of staying open, adaptable, and engaged throughout your career.

The quarterly Lawrence S. Semo Scientific Achievement Award rewards individuals for demonstrating passion, creativity, and scientific excellence in a manner that advances SWCA’s purpose, mission, vision, and values. The award is in honor of Larry Semo, who began working as a biologist for SWCA in Austin in 1993 and transferred to Denver in 1999. A respected and widely published ornithologist and all-around naturalist, Larry had an insatiable desire to learn and a great love for the outdoors until his untimely passing in 2011.