From Ecuador to the Great Lakes: A Field Engineer’s Perspective

Published March 4, 2025

At the heart of the National Museum of the Great Lakes’ Second Wave expansion is a team of dedicated professionals working tirelessly to bring the vision to life. Among them is Valentina Campos-Yanez, a field engineer with The Lathrop Company. As the only woman on the project team, she is not just helping to build a new museum space—she’s also paving the way for more women in the construction industry. We sat down with Valentina to hear about her journey, the challenges and triumphs of this project, and how working on the Great Lakes has changed her perspective.

Building the Future

From day one, Valentina has played a crucial role in coordinating construction efforts, ensuring everything is built to specification, problem-solving on-site, and maintaining safety standards. Her work is split between the field and the office, giving her a hands-on role in shaping the museum’s transformation.

As the project nears completion, the excitement is building—literally. “The most exciting part for me has been seeing all the windows put in,” Valentina shared. “We have some really great nano walls and so many windows that let us see the Maumee River. When they were installed, everything started making sense—I could finally see the vision coming to life.”

Challenges and Creativity

Every construction project comes with its challenges, and this one was no different. Building a major expansion while keeping the existing museum open to visitors required a delicate balance of logistics and coordination.

“We had to be very creative with how we scheduled work and deliveries,” Valentina explained. “There were space constraints, and we had to make sure museum guests could still enjoy their visit while we did our job.”

A New Appreciation for the Great Lakes

Valentina’s journey to the Great Lakes has been a unique one. Originally from Ecuador—a coastal country in South America along the Pacific Ocean—her experience with large bodies of water had always been tied to the sea. Moving to the U.S. six years ago, she never imagined she would one day be helping to build a museum dedicated to the Great Lakes.

“This project has been really eye-opening,” she said. “Seeing the history and impact of the Great Lakes on this community and the efforts the museum makes to educate people—it’s been very rewarding. I definitely have a new appreciation for them now.”

She even took a trip to Lake Michigan last summer and was amazed by its vastness. “I couldn’t believe a lake could be so beautiful. It looked just like the ocean and took me back home for a moment.”

Breaking Barriers in Construction

As the only woman on the project team, Valentina is proud to see more women entering the trades.

“We had a female welder and an excavator operator on this project, and it was so inspiring to see them work,” she said. “The trades are often overlooked as a career path, but it’s such a rewarding field. I always encourage young people to look into it.”

For Valentina, construction is about more than just the physical structures—it’s about leaving a lasting impact. “In other jobs, you might finish a project and hand in a presentation or an Excel sheet,” she said. “For us, at the end of the day, we have a building that will hopefully stand for decades. I can drive by and say, ‘I built that.’ That’s an amazing feeling.”

The Final Touches

With the expansion nearing completion, the final elements are coming together. “We’re finishing up mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work, painting, and adding in all the details,” Valentina said. “The new spaces are designed to create a cohesive experience for visitors, blending seamlessly with the existing museum.”

One of the most unique features she’s excited about is the new ramp leading to the St. Mary’s Challenger pilothouse and beautiful view of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship. “Not many people can say they’ve built a building that connects directly to a ship’s pilothouse,” she laughed. “The amount of work that went into it—the concrete, the steel railings designed to mimic a ship’s hull—it’s really going to be something special.”

Looking Ahead

As the museum prepares to open its new doors, Valentina is eager for visitors to experience the space she helped bring to life. “I’m just so excited for people to see it,” she said. “Every day, I’ve watched this project grow, and now we’re so close to the finish line.”

For Valentina, the Second Wave expansion isn’t just another construction project—it’s a place where she found a deeper connection to her work, her surroundings, and a new appreciation for the Great Lakes. And as visitors step into the new space, her impact will be felt in every brick, beam, and window.

Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes stories from the Second Wave expansion.