President & Principal Founder
Garza Karhoff Engineering LLC
Brenda Garza Karhoff, SE, PE, is the President and the founding principal of Garza Karhoff Engineering, LLC (GKE). Ms. Karhoff is an MSCE and BSCE graduate of the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana with over 29 years of experience. She is a licensed structural engineer, a licensed professional engineer in the State of Illinois, and a licensed professional engineer in the State of Wisconsin.
Brenda began her career in the transportation industry by interning with IDOT while a student at the University of Illinois. This opportunity provided her with an introduction and a strong foundation for the inner workings of on-site bridge and roadway construction. Upon graduation in 1995, Ms. Karhoff moved from Danville, IL to Chicago, IL to work for a prominent design engineering firm. During this time, Brenda had the opportunity to work on a variety of high-profile projects including Lake Shore Drive Reconstruction, IDOT Stevenson Expressway at Damen Ave., Chicago’s O’Hare Airport G-Concourse Renovation, and the CTA Brownline Reconstruction. Consequently, with the rich experience, knowledge, and fortitude, Brenda ventured on her own and founded GKE in 2008.
GKE is located in Chicago, Illinois, and provides structural and civil engineering consulting services in the transportation and buildings sectors. GKE is a certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) with the Illinois Department of Transportation/UCP and a certified Minority and Woman Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) with the City of Chicago. Ms. Karhoff currently serves HACIA as Chair of the Membership Committee.