We’re thrilled to announce that our Structural Group Manager, Zaida Morillo, has been listed among Crain’s Chicago Business 2023 Notable Women in STEM! Zaida was one of several nominees and was ultimately selected due to her impressive technical skills, career accomplishments, and overall impact within the industry. Zaida leads our structural team while overseeing the analysis and design of bridge structures. She is responsible for strategic planning and project management and serves as structural engineering expert, mentor, and trusted advisor to clients. Due to her vast design experience in various bridge types and complexities, she recently obtained six of the seven available structural prequalifications in Illinois—helping Primera become one of just 22 firms with these credentials.

Zaida studied Civil Engineering at the University of Central Florida and earned her Master of Science in Structural Engineering at University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a licensed professional engineer and structural engineer and shares her technical expertise with various professional groups and organizations. She has served as Chair of the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) Illinois Chapter and co-chaired sessions of the SEI-IL Biennial Lecture Series. She is also a a member of the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and gives back through Engineers Without Borders by mentoring young students. With two daughters of her own, Zaida is also a strong advocate for women and girls in engineering and has volunteered at Girls in STEM and Tech Girl Power events, while also serving as a current mentor of Women in Transportation. Her outgoing personality and community involvement plays a large role in Zaida’s ability to maintain client relationships and successfully guide our structural team.

Congratulations to Zaida and the other Notable Women in STEM chosen by Crain’s Chicago Business! To view the rest of the 2023 list, click here.

Crain’s Chicago Business is a regional business publication from Crain, one of the largest privately owned business media companies with 21 leading business, trade and consumer brands in North America, Europe and Asia. It is a top source of news, analysis and information on business in metropolitan Chicago for decision-makers in the private and public sectors.