2025 40 Under 40: Lauren Garoppo

During her fourth year at Drexel University's mechanical engineering program, Lauren Garoppo accepted an internship at STV. She eventually joined STV full-time as an entry-level mechanical engineering specialist, where she supported quality oversight, onsite testing and production inspections for transit agencies through North America. Garoppo quickly advanced in her career to her current role as associate vehicles engineering specialist and deputy project manager.  

Leveraging her experience as deputy project manager for rail vehicle procurements, Garoppo is currently working towards her project management professional certification, as she aims to deepen her expertise, enhance her credibility and demonstrate her commitment to continuous learning and professional development. 

She’s now designated as an engineering subject matter expert, supporting passenger rail vehicle procurements, retrofits and overhauls for clients such as Amtrak and New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit). Colleagues say many of STV’s vehicles group clients see her as their go-to representative for major safety-critical system testing, as well as First Article Inspections (FAIs) and design reviews. Clients trust her to advocate for their priorities, while also integrating the latest technology and insight into creating a better rail system. One example of this is her work as a deputy project manager for a major locomotive program with NJ Transit. In over seven years on this program, Garoppo has grown her responsibilities, taking on invoicing, interfacing with the client and running meetings with stakeholders and the project team. 

Central to her work are accessibility and equity in public transportation. She integrates both into every rail vehicle project she works on, ensuring her projects are not only fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, but go above and beyond requirements. She serves as an accessibility and interiors subject matter expert on projects, offering insights and solutions for clients to ensure improved access for everyone of varying levels of mobility.   

When Garoppo isn’t supporting clients on vehicle procurements, she’s leading STV’s Philadelphia office’s involvement in the ACE Mentor Program. ACE partners with local high schools to encourage students to pursue careers in architecture, engineering and construction, as well as providing scholarship opportunities. Garoppo serves as a lead mentor in the Greater Philadelphia division, guiding high school students and introducing them to various engineering disciplines and their real-world applications after graduation. 

She also operates the STV Vehicle Group’s Drexel University Co-Op Program. Working with the Drexel Co-Op Program, she selects and interviews candidates, assists with onboarding and manages and develops students throughout their six-month internships. Multiple students selected by Garoppo have since returned to STV as full-time employees. 

In addition to mentorship, Garoppo is involved in several industry organizations and programs. She’s a member of WTS International and was recently selected to the 2025 cohort of the WTS - Philadelphia Chapter’s Emerging Leaders Program. She was also a member of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Emerging Leaders Program Class of 2025, which included a capstone project centered on perceptions of safety on public transit and how agencies can look to address this issue. Alongside cohort members, she conducted research over eight months, investigating how agencies can combat the concept that public transit is unsafe. She and her team presented their findings at the 2025 APTA Mobility conference. 

Is there a specific experience that led you to where you are today? 

I rode public transit growing up but never considered a career in the industry until I joined STV’s vehicles group for my third internship while studying mechanical engineering at Drexel University. At STV, I realized how complex and fascinating the passenger rail vehicle industry can be. 

From new vehicle specification development and design, to manufacturing and testing, there are endless opportunities and varieties of the type of engineering work I can be involved in. Following this internship, I realized I had found a space where I could utilize my engineering acumen along with my interpersonal skills to make a positive impact.  

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

I love being able to use my engineering abilities to solve problems and improve transit, which in turn improves the lives of the people in the communities who use it. I enjoy knowing that I am working towards improving sustainability in making transit easier to use and more widely available. Public transit is integral to the greater good and being a part of making sure it is accessible, safe and reliable for everyone makes me proud to be a part of this industry. Being able to ride on a passenger vehicle that I had a major role in developing is rewarding. 

What’s the most challenging part of your job? 

The most challenging part of my job is an issue that I am sure many of us are intimately familiar with, which is funding and budget, and how to balance that a vehicles project is done with the highest quality and newest technology while also being cost effective and on schedule. I need to confirm my clients’ standards and requirements are sufficiently met and consider solutions that are safe, effective and reliable but also take into account the monetary budget to which we need to adhere.  

Agencies across the country are struggling with funding, and it is my responsibility to help problem solve within the confines of a tight budget. It is important that while determining engineering solutions that are cost effective, we never cut corners on good design, high safety and reliability. 

What is the accomplishment you’re most proud of and why? 

I am so proud of myself and my team at STV for being awarded as the supporting consult team for a major metro car procurement program in Philadelphia, with myself being chosen as the deputy project manager for the duration of the program. Not only is this a massive benefit to STV, but an excellent opportunity for my growth in project management. I could not be prouder to support a project that will advance my career while also getting to improve the lives of the people in Philadelphia, my hometown. 

What is an accomplishment you would like to work towards in your career? 

As a deputy project manager, I have had the opportunity to work on significant vehicle procurements within my group at STV. However, I aspire to take on a leadership role in managing a rail vehicle project from start to completion as the project manager. This would involve my oversight on all aspects of the project, including planning, budgeting, resource allocation, risk mitigation and more. Successfully leading a project would allow me to showcase my ability to handle complex and high-profile initiatives and position me for further career advancement within STV. 

What is your best advice/tip/best practice you can share from your area of expertise? 

My advice would be to avoid being afraid to ask for input or ideas from someone who is more knowledgeable and experienced in your field. It is easy to fall into a trap of wanting to prove you’re the smartest person in the room, but that can lead to ill-informed decisions or overlooking important details. Asking for help and advice from your colleagues allows you to gather multiple perspectives and look at the problem from other angles. I am lucky to be surrounded by an incredibly talented team not only at STV but also throughout my network in transit, and discussing problems or tactics not only helps me determine the best course of action, but to learn and grow as an engineer and project manager.