Francesca Renouard named in Building Design+Construction’s (BD+C) 40 Under 40 Class of 2023

BD+C is an online business content platform for architects, engineers, contractors, and building owners/developers. The 40 Under 40 list comprises A/E/C professionals from across the U.S. At the age of 32, Francesca leads by example by serving on the City of Seattle’s URM Task Force and getting involved in various building and preservation community associations.

Francesca Renouard, PE, SE
Associate Principal
Swenson Say Fagét
Seattle, Wash.
AGE: 32

EDUCATION
Master of Science, Civil Engineering, University of California – Berkeley

Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Washington

ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Completed dozens of building studies to help select and justify chosen performance objectives and qualification criteria for Seattle’s upcoming Unreinforced Masonry (URM) ordinance.

Assists in the recruitment and outreach to aspiring engineers, including attending career fairs and assessing job applicants for Swenson Say Fagét.

EXTRACURRICULARS
Commissioner to the King County Landmarks Commission

Member of Historic Seattle and joined the Real Estate Committee in 2021, working behind the scenes on feasibility studies and technical assistance for historic preservation.

Sits on the board of the Friends of Ravenna-Cowen, a non-profit corporation organized to celebrate, protect, and raise awareness of the historic neighborhood surrounding Ravenna Park.

OFF THE CLOCK
Knitting and crocheting, fly fishing, foraging for mushrooms, and playing board games with her husband, Stephen, who is also a structural engineer.

Volunteers for the Food Lifeline’s Food Frenzy fundraiser for families that rely on schools’ free or reduced lunch programs.

SECRET LIFE
Francesca’s grandfather was a partisan in Rome during World War II who was responsible for spreading anti-fascist propaganda around the city. At the peak of the war, there were eight death sentences placed on his nom de guerre.

Spent a summer with a group of professional art restorers in Italy, learning the techniques to restore Sgraffito—an art form used during the Renaissance to decorate prominent buildings.

WHAT IS THE BEST CAREER OR BUSINESS ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED?
“A job can turn into a career by finding what makes you passionate and inspires you to go deeper.”

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR SINGLE BIGGEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT SO FAR?
“My biggest professional achievement has been embedding myself in the historic preservation community where it has been a privilege to work with so many people who are as passionate as I am about preserving our built environment and adapting it for continued use.”

Full list of 40 Under 40 winners

Click on Francesca’s photo to see all her accomplishments (so far)!