You might say engineering is in Northern Kentucky native Nikki Boden’s blood. The granddaughter of a structural engineer who built bridges throughout the United States, she gravitated toward math and science even as a child. Young Nikki knew she wanted a career field focused on those subjects, but she wasn’t sure how to begin. 

Fortunately, a guidance counselor at Boone County High School told her about a civil engineering scholarship offered by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to attend the University of Kentucky. That enabled the future Wildcat to earn a degree in a field that suited her academic interests and followed in her grandfather’s footsteps. From there she went on to complete an MBA at Xavier University. 

While at UK, Boden realized she was something of a trailblazer in the engineering field. 

“When I started out as an undergrad in my major, there were typically only one or two other girls in my engineering classes,” Boden recalls. “By my last semester, the tide was starting to turn, and I had one class that had more young women than young men. It’s exciting to see more female engineers in our traditionally male-dominated field.”

With nearly 20 years in engineering under her belt, Boden serves as the Cabinet’s design lead for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project. She says she’s excited for the once-in-a-career challenge of helping build one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country. 

“I love the collaborative environment,” she explains. “Every member of the design-build team brings individual expertise to the table, so we can work together toward the best possible outcome. I’ve always had a love of learning, and this project brings the opportunity to learn from the very best in our field.” 

A lifelong soccer fan and FC Cincinnati season ticket holder, Boden can often be spotted with her husband and three young children clad in orange and blue and cheering on their team at TQL Stadium. When she’s not at a soccer match, Boden’s often found in the kitchen of her family’s Edgewood home working on recipes to tempt her sons and her daughter into becoming foodies.