WIC Week Spotlight—Fresh Faces at Hutchinson Island

Manson Project Engineer Taylor McRae’s assignment to the Coastal Storm Risk Management Hutchinson Island project in St. Lucie County, Florida, marks a notable advancement in her six-year tenure with the organization. On this project, she holds the role of project manager, overseeing and preparing a skilled project team to execute dredging and beach fill operations.

“Being in charge of a project is exciting, especially at this point of my career,” Taylor says. “My first experience as project manager was this past summer on the FY25 West Coast Hopper Dredging job, but this is my first time managing a beach renourishment project.”

Taylor (left) and Becca (right) on the FY24 West Coast Hopper Dredging project. Fun fact: Manson has completed this project eight times since 2014.

Taylor is joined on the project by Dredging Project Engineer Rebecca ("Becca") Read—who has spent more than four years with the organization. Taylor and Becca have been working together to complete initial planning, build strong connections with the client during weekly meetings, establish trust with the BAYPORT dredge and beach crews, and set an example for other engineers by guiding the project from mobilization to completion.

"For any young engineer, initial project meetings with new clients can be intimidating, but by sitting in and learning from client meetings over the years, we came prepared, and we impressed them,” Becca reflects. “The clients immediately recognized that our young team was more than capable of handling the work."

The project is significant for both Manson and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District. It involves dredging several miles offshore from South Hutchinson Island, with plans to use the material to restore 3.4 miles of Jensen Beach—a well-known destination celebrated for its clean shoreline, fishing, and vibrant small downtown area. The beach nourishment will also serve to protect several endangered species including sea turtles, gopher tortoises, piping plovers, and red knots.

Project team poses for a photo on the BAYPORT. Pictured (L-R): BAYPORT Captain Paul Karcsay, Field Engineers Gabe Louviere, Logan Bukowski and Hunter Anderson, Lead Engineer Thomas Markee, Field Engineers Charlie Murray and Izzy Aftanis, and Lead Engineer Olivia Olsen.

“For a project of this scale, there’s a lot of things to balance with fresh faces and working with various parties involved,” Taylor says. “There are more stakeholders involved in a beach renourishment project, including the county and state entities, USACE, environmental agencies, and the public—including locals and tourists.”

The bullgang crew monitoring subline installation from beachside.

In early January, Taylor, Becca, and several members of the project team began preparations for mobilizing to South Hutchinson Island via both land and sea. On land, the beach crew set up for fill operations at Jensen Beach, procuring heavy equipment such as dozers and loaders and working with Manson’s Environmental Health and Safety Department to rope off sections of the fill site to keep visitors out.

On the water, the bullgang crew—a group of laborers who specialize in handling aqueous pipe operations—installed three sublines with the SPEEDY and AGGIE crew boats assisting in preparation for the BAYPORT’s arrival.

The hopper of the BAYPORT filling with material during dredging operations.

Taylor and Becca have collaborated closely with the dredge crew to monitor production levels and maintain clear communication with the beachside project team. Their efforts have ensured delivery of dredged material, resulting in a seamless transition from water operations to beachside activities—all made possible by the expertise and dedication of the experienced craft personnel on both sides.

“I’m truly appreciative of our experienced crews and upper management who are always willing to support the project team with whatever is needed to get the job done,” Becca says. “Our superintendents and foremen have been outstanding in guiding us to better understand the full scope of work. It’s a real team effort.”

With project completion anticipated in early April, the project team, led by Taylor and Becca, remains confident in its commitment to delivering this important project for the USACE, St. Lucie County, and its residents.

Beachfill operations at Jensen Beach.

Taylor looks on as a dozer performs beach fill work at Jensen Beach.

“I was standing on the beach with Superintendent Kalvin Lentz, looking out at the water, and I joked, ‘Here we are—just a couple of kids running a multi-million-dollar project,’” Taylor recalls. “It’s incredibly rewarding and even more meaningful to know that Manson trusts and invests in its young engineers to deliver on projects like this.”