New Geotechnical Engineering Group Launches at Affinis

Today, we are excited to announce Affinis is launching a new, geotechnical engineering group. An important component of every civil engineering project, bringing geotechnical services in-house was a natural progression for our firm.

“Adding a geotechnical group to our team allows us to streamline the design process for our clients,” said Kristen Leathers-Gratton, PE, Principal and President at Affinis. “Because they are integrated into our project team, our co-workers’ expertise is applied throughout the life of the project – design through construction. They are involved in defining the scope, collecting and analyzing data, weighing in on design, and then, offering support during construction. This elevates our clients’ experience and exceeds their expectations for the project deliverables.”

Allison Sperber, PE, Senior Geotechnical Engineer, has been tapped to lead the effort. She began her career at the United States Army Corps of Engineers Kansas City District (USACE-KC) as a geotechnical engineer immersed in dam and levee projects. She later worked as a geotechnical consultant and entrepreneur, often partnering with Affinis as a subconsultant. Since graduating with a Master’s of Geological Engineering at Missouri S&T, she has become a subject matter expert on dams and levees in the area.

“Having worked with Affinis as a subconsultant, I saw how they approached civil works projects and appreciated high quality geotechnical design. Being a part of growing this initiative with Affinis, who already has such a great reputation within our community, is very exciting,” said Sperber.

Our new geotechnical team will support projects from initial exploration through construction. We begin with subsurface investigations, site characterization, and early-stage assessments to understand ground conditions and project risks. From there, we provide comprehensive geotechnical analysis and design, including dam and levee design, earth retention and slope stability solutions, foundation system design, and ground improvement strategies. During construction, our team remains involved to verify conditions, support field decisions, and help ensure safe and successful project delivery.

Our team supports a range of project types within the federal, state, and local sectors. Right now, the Geotechnical Group is tackling the Sherwood Dam Restoration project. For this, they performed a holistic assessment of seepage issues for the dam, conducted analysis, and developed alternatives for seepage cut-offs for the dam. They are also working on the relief well maintenance program that is critical for the levee system performance at the Kansas City Downtown Airport.