Jenelle Ostrowski, PE, Assoc. DBIA
Senior Project Manager
Growing up, Jenelle Ostrowski imagined a future full of big possibilities. She was drawn to engineering early on, inspired by her strengths in math and science, steady encouragement from others and a quiet determination to prove to herself that she could succeed.
Early challenges in college tested her confidence, but they didn’t define her path. Two decades later, she has built a career in transportation and infrastructure, growing from technical design into leading complex programs that unite multiple projects under a shared strategic vision.
Today, her work in program management focuses on aligning teams, supporting clients and keeping dozens of moving parts on track. At home, though, she still describes it simply as “roads and bridges.”
Her recent move from Florida to Greenville marked another step forward. With leadership’s support and a clear sense of opportunity, she embraced the chance to help grow program management across the Southeast. The experience has shaped her professionally and personally, reinforcing that growth takes courage and that sometimes you just know when you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
Read on to learn more about her journey.
What initially led you into your field of work?
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be an astronaut. I also wanted to be a teacher and to be president of the United States. I was always really good at math and science, and my cousin became a civil engineer. There was always that sense of, “You should do this. You should do this.”
I think it was in high school, we took one of those exams that tells you what you should be when you grow up. I don’t remember the name, but it basically said I should be an engineer. When I went to college, though, I was really nervous that I wasn’t going to make it. I remember taking my first physics class and failing the exam miserably. I wasn’t sure I could do it.
But here I am, 20 years after graduating, still here and still thriving. I think I made a good choice.
What kind of work do you do here day to day, and how would you explain your role to someone outside of civil engineering?
When it comes to civil engineering, I basically tell people: I do roads and bridges. I haven’t actually done bridges in my career. I’ve worked on roads, but not bridges. Still, people understand that. They recognize it right away. It’s like, “Oh yeah, okay.”
I usually explain it this way: to get from point A to point B, you need a civil engineer. That makes sense to people.
When it comes to program management, to me, it means managing a multitude of projects within one overall scope. For example, it could be 12 roadway projects rolled up under one program. But program management is much more than that. We help with staff augmentation, and we support owners and clients by filling gaps they may have.
That said, I would say my parents still don’t really know what program management is. They just think I work on roadways and bridges.
What led to your decision to relocate to Greenville, and how did that support your growth in program management?
The move from Florida to Greenville was a combination of personal and professional reasons. I essentially said, “I want to do this,” and everyone supported it. No one said no. Instead, the response was, “Yes, we need this to grow.”
The idea was that we could always hire someone in Florida to continue working on the programs there, and I could begin doing the same thing in the Southeast region. I feel very blessed to have been given that opportunity.
When I first set foot on the soil in Greenville, I looked around at everything it had to offer, and it just felt right. It felt right in my heart. I made friends within the first week. I’ve been going through a lot personally and professionally, and there are many changes happening in life. Moving is a big change in and of itself. People here are always messaging me, saying, “You can do this. You’re going to be okay.” That support reassures me that this is where I’m meant to be. I’ve met these people, they’re now part of my life, and that confirms that this is exactly where I need to be.