Eliane Volk may have grown up in the desert, but the South is where her heart is at.
“I really love the South. I love the people and I love the culture,” she says. “And I’m excited to be a part of the ABES Engineering team.”
Volk joined ABES Engineering in January as its newest civil engineer. She is based in Louisville, KY, where ABES has opened its third office.
Growing up in Las Vegas, Volk says she always had an interest in the earth and still remembers when she learned about plate tectonics. “From a very young age, I was fascinated with earth science,” she says. “That hasn’t changed.”
When she received a scholarship to attend the University of Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, Volk didn’t have much knowledge about the area. She quickly found that it suited her, especially the friendly nature of Southerners and the opportunities for outdoors activities.
She entered the U of A to study engineering but didn’t have a clear idea of what type of engineering she might pursue. As she delved into her classes, her love of the earth sciences instinctively led her to civil engineering. “It just kinda clicked,” she says. “I just followed my heart, and it led me here.”
She graduated in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with a focus on water resources and environmental engineering. In 2022, she completed her civil engineering master’s degree in the same speciality.
Volk worked in Birmingham, AL, for Geosyntec Consultants for three years after graduation, but deep down she always had her eye on Louisville. “I have a lot of friends in this area … so it was always on my radar. I knew I loved this place.”
When she learned about the opportunity with ABES Engineering in Louisville, it seemed like an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. She met with members of the ABES Engineering team, including CEO Emmanuel Tuombe, whose entrepreneurial journey really struck her.
“I found his story so impactful and meaningful,” she says. “And when I visited Memphis to onboard with the team and visit some ongoing ABES projects, I could truly feel the environment that Emmanuel and the rest of the team have cultivated, which is welcoming, supportive and caring.”
Tuombe says that bringing Volk aboard was an easy decision. “ABES is growing quickly, and we understood that we needed to open an office in Louisville. Eliane wanted to move to that area, and she has a strong interest and solid experience in water resource engineering,” he says.
“Already, we can see what a strong addition she is to the team. She jumped right in and got to work, meshing well with everyone. She brings great experience and expertise and she’s ready to learn and grow professionally.”
Volk recently visited several ABES projects; projects that encompass a variety of civil engineering disciplines. The projects cover design of sanitary sewer and stormwater enhancements, utilities for new infrastructure and construction of new roadway bridges and stream restoration. She was struck by how much impact ABES Engineering has had in the communities it serves with these projects.
“I think the most exciting part of our work, besides the technical aspect and working with wonderful people, is knowing the positive impact these projects have on the local communities,” she says. “I’m very excited to be a part of this team as I continue to grow in my professional career and help ABES continue to grow and impact the Kentucky community positively.”
When Volk isn’t working, she loves to spend time with her golden retriever puppy, Cal, and some of her family that live nearby. She enjoys the outdoors, whether that’s hiking, camping, snowboarding or water sports. She also loves to travel and read. In 2025, she traveled to both Iceland and Grand Cayman and plans to do much more traveling in the future.
