Faces of SGH: Tori Chang

Tori’s Key Stats:

• Joined SGH: 2015 and 2024.
• Current role: Senior Consulting Engineer, Denver, CO.
• Education: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (M.S. in Civil Engineering); University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA (B.S. in Structural Engineering).
• Can’t live without: My people and my dog.
• Three words to describe yourself: Empathetic, driven, and thoughtful.
• Go-to coffee order: Cold brew.
• Current skill you’re working on: My first pull-up.

Can you describe your career journey?

I joined SGH’s Chicago office shortly after finishing graduate school in 2015. The office was fairly new, and I think I was the second entry-level structural engineering hire there. Fun fact: I didn’t think I got the job after the interview, but I was ecstatic when I learned otherwise. My time in Chicago set the gold standard for what my career could be. Being part of a new and growing office truly required an all-hands-on-deck mentality—I was included in all the projects and learned how to grow my business and establish my career. I decided to move to Denver in 2021 for personal reasons and joined a local structural engineering firm there for a few years. But when SGH opened the Denver office in 2023, I was thrilled to rejoin. So many people reached out to express how happy they were to see me back—it felt warm and friendly, and I knew I made the right decision.

What drew you back to SGH?

When I moved to Denver, I didn’t necessarily want to leave SGH, but working elsewhere allowed me to reflect on what makes SGH different and how it aligns with my goals. I am constantly impressed with the depth and breadth of our technical expertise. I am confident that when a client comes to us with a problem, we can solve it—whether there’s an expert in my immediate office or elsewhere at the firm—we can tackle it. Additionally, SGH has an incredible commitment to quality work that aligns with my values. Our expertise and commitment to quality allow us to attract clients who look to us to solve complex problems, making the work more challenging but also more rewarding.

Did you always know that you wanted to be an engineer?

No, I went through stages of wanting to be a figure skater and then a business owner, but it took me until college to decide on structural engineering. I’ve always known that I love math, science, problem-solving, the built environment, and putting things together, but I didn’t fully grasp what an engineer did. I wanted to pursue something where I could contribute to our society in a meaningful way and in a way that used my skills and passions. The University of California San Diego offered a structural engineering program that allowed all the chips to fall into place.

How would you describe your colleagues and SGH’s culture?

SGH is such a collaborative place. I’m always encouraged to ask questions and use the knowledge of my colleagues—that allows me to meet and talk with many team members from other offices, which has been so rewarding. I remember when I was fairly new at SGH, I worked on a project with Gillian Love in Washington, DC, and she became this incredible resource for me. I still reach out to her to brainstorm ideas and discuss approaches.

I also like reflecting on how the collaboration and mentorship I received early in my career were so helpful. So many team members took the time to guide me through work when I was lost or answer my questions—I really want to be that point person for younger staff as I advance in my career.

What does reaching 750 employees mean?

It’s incredible to see this amount of growth. I remember 9 years ago when we celebrated reaching 500 employees, and to see SGH continue to grow is really special. It means that our work is still impactful and people continue to look to us to help solve their projects. I hope we continue to see growth and I look forward to what’s to come.