Lauren Alger, PE, ENV SP, STV’s director of sustainable design, was selected by Engineering-News Record (ENR) as one of its 2025 20 Top Young Professionals in the United States, while Jacob Roberts, STV vice president and area manager, was honored by ENR Texas/Southeast as one of its top young professionals in the region. The annual awards program spotlights emerging industry leaders throughout the U.S.

Alger was first honored by ENR East (formerly ENR Mid-Atlantic, New England and New York) and now joins a prestigious cohort of national 20 Under 40 winners, who will be recognized in New York City in March 2025.

This year’s winners were selected from more than 450 entries; the highest-scoring candidates from each of the regional contests were reviewed and selected by a national team of judges.

Lauren Alger, Director of Sustainable Design

ENR named Alger one of its top 20 emerging leaders in the nation, recognizing her transformative work leading STV’s national sustainable design practice and her impact as one of the industry’s leading experts in sustainable infrastructure. She is part of STV’s multidisciplinary team that developed the firm’s Sustainability Action Plan and Embodied Carbon Action Plan—both aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts within the firm’s designs.

“This is a tremendous honor,” Alger said. “I’m extremely proud of the work our teams are doing to advance sustainable, climate-conscious designs for future generations to come. It’s a powerful reminder of the impacts we can have at STV as we build a more sustainable future.”

Alger recently spoke at the United Nations as a panelist for the Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization’s Carbon Free Cities conference and is serving as a virtual delegate at COP29, on behalf of Architecture 2030. She was also named to Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine’s 40 Under 40 program and received the prestigious Grainger Grant from the National Academy of Engineering to support research on electric bus microgrid resilience.

“This recognition is wholly deserved for Lauren,” said Marcos Díaz González, STV executive vice president and head of the Centers of Excellence. “With her recent participation at the U.N. and COP29, she is one of the most sought-after industry experts in sustainable infrastructure design and decarbonization efforts, and I’m proud to have her on our STV team.”

Jacob Roberts, Vice President and Dallas Area Manager

ENR Texas/Southeast selected Roberts as one of its top 20 leaders in the region. Since joining STV in 2009, Roberts has spearheaded transformative infrastructure projects across Texas. He has served as discipline lead for two of the largest Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) design-build programs that significantly improved mobility, including a 26-mile segment of SH 183, SH 114, and Loop 12 near Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. Recently, he served as deputy project manager for an 8-mile interstate reconstruction in Gainesville, TX. The project is one of the largest projects ever executed within TxDOT’s Wichita Falls District and is one of only a few existing interstate reconstruction projects, overseen by the agency, that crosses state lines.

“I’m honored to receive this recognition because it really reflects what we’ve accomplished to improve Texas’s infrastructure—and how we continue to grow STV’s name in this part of the country,” Roberts said. “These projects make a tangible impact upon the lives of people who live and work in our area and to me, that’s what makes infrastructure local.”

As area manager and office lead in STV’s newly relocated Dallas office, Roberts has played a pivotal role in strengthening the firm’s partnership with several transportation agencies and growing the firm’s footprint in Texas. He was recently elected to the TxDOT committee for the American Council of Engineering Companies of Texas (ACEC TX) in Dallas.

“When Jacob joined our team, I knew right away that he would leave a lasting impact on STV and our Texas communities,” said J.J. Roohms, PE, president of STV’s Transportation Texas/Mountain region. “He always keeps the client and the communities our clients serve at the top of his mind while tracking how our industry is evolving. Combined with his dedication and genuine love for his work, Jacob is a wonderful colleague and pivotal leader, and I’m excited to see him recognized by ENR Texas/Southeast.”