Water Resources Program Manager Rachael Orellana Joins GEI

Orellana focuses on collaborative flood risk management.

SACRAMENTO, California, Jan. 20, 2025 – Rachael Orellana, P.E. has joined GEI Consultants as Program Manager. Rachael brings 18 years of flood risk management experience and a proven track record as a project and program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in the Sacramento District and South Pacific Division. Her deep knowledge of data management will also provide more actionable data for GEI’s clients.

“Rachael brings expertise in managing interdisciplinary teams and streamlining complex processes,” says Satya Gala, Senior Vice President and Branch Manager at GEI. “Her leadership and skills will help us deliver faster, more efficient, and innovative solutions, opening new opportunities to better serve our clients.”

Rachael is leading a strategic growth initiative for GEI’s Information Management and Numerical Modeling groups with the goal of strengthening partnerships with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and other key clients, and enabling cutting-edge, high-quality solutions.

Rachael’s achievements include leading the development of the International Levee Handbook, coordinating interagency flood risk reduction efforts across three states, and leading the primarily in-person flood risk management program to transition to virtual. She performed this effort while completing $2.5M of work per year during COVID-19—an accomplishment that earned her the 2020 USACE National Flood Risk Program Manager of the Year award.

“I am excited to be with GEI and to empower clients to improve their data management practices and streamline their processes,” says Rachael. “I feel fortunate to have joined GEI’s team of talented professionals and to have this opportunity to serve clients while finding ways to leverage big data.”

Rachael holds a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California at Davis and a Master of Education from Framingham State College. She has won numerous awards, and on October 15, 2024 was presented with the 2024 COL Carl Morrison Collaborative Leadership Award for her efforts leading Silver Jackets, an interagency team focused on collaborative flood risk reduction.

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About GEI: GEI Consultants, Inc. is a consulting engineering firm that delivers professional services that improve our world’s built environment. With more than 1,500 staff and 59 offices in North America, GEI is a leader in providing multi-disciplined engineering and environmental services to a range of private and public sector clients, both domestically and abroad.

As a member of the employee-owned GISI family of companies, we foster personal relationships with our clients and support our staff in a partnership model, which is underpinned by continuous learning and sharing of knowledge. We retain proven, recognized experts and attract the best minds to deliver to our clients a refreshing blend of technical expertise, collaborative spirit, and innovation that is rare in our profession. We engineer solutions in five primary end markets: Water Resources, Energy, Buildings, Infrastructure, and Industrial. For more information on GEI, please visit www.geiconsultants.com.