Kari A. Nystrom, Principal, Altieri
Kari Nystrom
Kari Nystrom, PE, LEED AP BD+C is the first woman principal at Altieri and first engineer at Altieri with formal education in building systems engineering with a specialty in electrical and lighting systems. Kari joined Altieri in 1988 with a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University. Her extensive portfolio includes large-scale projects at institutions including The National WWII Museum, The Clark Art Institute, and American Museum of Natural History.
Kari is passionate about Altieri’s work and opportunities available in the field of architectural engineering and has spent her 36-year career working to build an inclusive workplace. Kari introduced Altieri’s on-campus recruiting program in 1997 and has been responsible for hiring over 80% of the firm’s staff. She leads Altieri’s Team USA (United Strengths of Altieri), our Initiative Team focused on DEI, staffing, and community educational outreach, and regularly presents Careers in Architectural Engineering to high school students, talking about her own career and encouraging students to consider the field. She volunteers with the Penn State Architectural Engineering Mentor program and NCEES, and mentors Altieri staff. Supported by Altieri’s Women in Engineering employee resource group, Kari champions women’s personal and professional growth in the industry: “I’ve reached a point in my career where I feel it is essential to make time to pass on my knowledge and experience to help the next generation of women become leaders in their field. Listening to the perspectives of and challenges faced by new engineers also helps inform my approach to mentoring, outreach, and recruiting.”
