Nancy Kohout

Nancy Kohout Principal, Mechanical Engineering Discipline Lead, SmithGroup “I always tell my children as Mahatma Gandhi once said, 'to be the change you want to see,'” says Nancy. “Knowing that I have a role and responsibility to design a built environment that minimizes impact to our climate inspires me to push boundaries and strive for innovation.” Nancy was already looking for ways to innovate as a young girl, tweaking designs for her Barbie DreamHouse. Discovering an affinity for physics in high school, and spending happy times helping her dad in the garage guided her toward mechanical engineering. Nancy unwinds with travel. “Nothing makes me happier than a good old-fashioned road trip to camp in one of the national parks,”she says. She also loves the cultural exchange that comes with budget international travel, “where one packs light and tries to experience a place the way locals do.”