Local Hero: Melissa Demirci, Empowering Engineers
Nominee Name: Melissa Demirci
Title: Project manager
Organization/Business: Transtech Engineers, Inc.
Website: transtech.org and ellascentury.org
"Melissa leads Transtech’s community relations team, identifying opportunities to give back in the communities they serve. She is also very passionate about empowering and encouraging young women to pursue careers in civil engineering or other STEM-related fields. Melissa regularly partners and volunteers with nonprofit organizations hosting workshops, participating in seminars, presenting opportunities to future engineers, as well as mentoring youth to develop a roadway to higher education and career opportunities."
— Albert Chang, nominator
About Melissa Demirci
Melissa Demirci is a project manager at Transtech Engineers, Inc., a multi-disciplinary consulting firm in engineering, building and safety, planning and construction management. It has provided professional services to governmental agencies and the private sector since 1989. She has worked on multi-million-dollar award-winning projects, including construction management of large-scale roadway reconstruction projects, bridge projects and multi-modal active transportation projects. Demirci's team has secured over $100 million in grant funding for transportation projects throughout California.
Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and graduated as a member of the Civil Engineering Honor Society, Chi Epsilon. In honor of Transtech's 30th year in business, Demirci founded the Transtech Engineers Scholarship Program at her alma mater, Cal Poly Pomona, which awards scholarships to civil engineering students every year.
Demirci is passionate about empowering and encouraging young women to pursue careers in civil engineering or other STEM-related fields. She regularly partners and volunteers with nonprofit organizations hosting workshops, participating in seminars, presenting opportunities to future engineers and mentoring youth to help develop a road to higher education and career opportunities. She also serves on the Engineering Advisory Board for Embracing Latina Leadership Alliances (ELLAS), a nonprofit organization focused on mentoring and facilitating leadership programs for underprivileged youth.
Aleader in her community, Demirci is very active in civic and community initiatives that contribute to the progress, health and well-being of the cities she serves, as well as her community, through charitable volunteer work.
During the pandemic, Melissa implemented Transtech's First Responders Appreciation Initiative, geared to show appreciation for first responders and support local restaurants that have been most impacted by the pandemic. The team collaborates with chambers of commerce to help identify member restaurants that can accommodate take-out orders while adhering to public health guidelines. The Transtech team personally picks up the meal orders and delivers them to first responders.
She lives in Chino Hills with her husband Okan and their two children, Alara and Axel.