Kara Fields joined Weston Solutions as an engineer in 2001. Over the next two decades, she worked as a project manager, operations manager, and technical director before being named Chief Operating Officer in 2022 and taking on the role of President in January 2026. Along the way, she managed a $30 million regional operation, led Weston’s national group of more than 500 engineers and scientists, and founded the company’s national Women’s Network.

Today, Kara leads the 100% employee-owned environmental and infrastructure services firm, which works with government, industrial, and commercial clients across the country. The company’s work spans engineering design, construction, site remediation, and compliance, including long-term PFAS treatment projects and rapid-response infrastructure recovery. Weston is also expanding its use of AI, automated reporting, and real-time field data to help clients track performance and make decisions throughout a project.

In this conversation with The Consulting Report, Kara discusses Weston’s employee-owned culture, the projects that demonstrate the firm’s reach, how AI is changing client expectations, and her personal leadership philosophy.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

“Flexibility matters when clients' needs don't fit one category.”

The Consulting Report: Can you provide an overview of Weston’s areas of specialization?

Kara Fields: Weston is a 100% active employee-owned environmental and infrastructure services firm with broad capabilities across sectors and services. Rather than operating as a niche provider, we partner with clients in energy, life sciences, manufacturing, technology, transportation and logistics, and government to manage risk and deliver complex projects with rigor and reliability.

Our services span the full project life cycle: environmental planning and permitting, engineering design, construction, compliance, site investigation and remediation, and digital solutions and information management. That means our clients get a true partner, not a vendor they have to supplement at every phase.

I say that with confidence because I've touched nearly every part of that life cycle myself, starting as a civil engineer working on site investigation, remediation, regulatory compliance, and risk management before moving into operations leadership. It's an experience I share with many of our people and why we operate the way we do.

Across our network, we operate as "One Weston," mobilizing the right expertise quickly for routine and high-stakes challenges alike. We're built to scale—nationally and locally—and that flexibility matters when clients' needs don't fit one category. They need a partner who sees the full picture, and that's what we do.

The Consulting Report: Are there one or two projects that demonstrate Weston’s capabilities?

Kara Fields: Two projects come to mind that really illustrate what Weston brings to the table.

For more than 20 years, we’ve delivered per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) solutions using innovative, sustainable approaches like adapting traditional wastewater technologies for passive PFAS treatment. At Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, we used gravity-flow basins that included natural reed beds for nutrient removal to protect downstream carbon and novel sorbents, accelerating drinking water protection while avoiding a traditional extraction-and-treatment system and saving millions of dollars.

Our work supporting power restoration in Puerto Rico is another strong example. Following Hurricane Fiona, we mobilized teams to deliver 350 megawatts of temporary power across two major plants, enough to support more than 260,000 residences, or approximately one million people. At peak, over 250 personnel per site worked around the clock, amassing more than 400,000 safe labor hours to install and commission generation systems on accelerated timelines.

This effort reinforces the idea that large-scale infrastructure recovery requires more than technical execution. It demands speed, coordination, and the ability to integrate across disciplines in real time. Critical infrastructure was delivered in weeks, not months, helping restore operations while building greater resilience.

Both projects reflect what defines Weston: technical strength, operational agility, high-quality delivery, and a commitment to outcomes that matter to our clients and the communities they serve.

“When we are valued and see a path forward, we do our best work.”

The Consulting Report: How would you describe Weston’s culture?

Kara Fields: Weston's culture is built on trust, performance, and people. We have an Impact Culture: a commitment to the communities and clients we serve, improving environmental challenges while giving every employee ownership in our efforts.

I joined Weston in 2001 as an engineer and have grown through nearly every level: Project Manager, Profit Center Leader, Senior Vice President and National Director, and now President and Chief Operating Officer. That trajectory doesn't happen without a culture that invests in its people and gives everyone room to create their own path. My story isn't unique. We have several very tenured employees, and that tenure is rare in our industry.

We reinforce our Impact Culture with focus on Project Manager-in-Training and Leadership Development because developing talent is as important as delivering work. We want people to build long-term careers here, technically and as leaders.

I'm also personally proud of our Weston Women's Network, which I founded to create space for mentorship, advocacy, development, and opportunity for women at Weston. Inclusion isn't a side initiative; it's embedded in how we build teams and how we lead. When we are valued and see a path forward, we do our best work. That's the culture we are proud of, and it's one I'm deeply committed to.

The Consulting Report: How is AI changing the types of client work Weston is asked to deliver?

Kara Fields: AI is changing the types of mandates we’re being asked to deliver. Not by replacing our core services, but by raising expectations for the value we provide to clients.

Historically, many engagements focused on data collection and reporting at defined milestones. Today, clients seek integrated, technology-enabled solutions that provide real-time visibility and continuous insight across the full life cycle of a project.

At Weston, we describe this as our “Field-to-Insight” approach, connecting data captured in the field and throughout the project life cycle to analytics, visualization, and decision support. AI is accelerating that model by enabling faster acquisition, processing, and integration of large volumes of data; improved identification of patterns; and more timely, actionable insights throughout project delivery. These enhancements enable our clients to make faster and more informed decisions.

As a result, we see a growing demand for real-time dashboards, automated reporting, predictive analytics, and greater transparency into performance and risk.

What differentiates Weston is how we deliver these capabilities. We embed digital and AI directly into project delivery. Our engineers, scientists, and field professionals remain central, applying judgment and expertise, while AI enables them to work smarter, uncover deeper insights, and deliver greater value.

We’re investing in these capabilities because they strengthen what has always set Weston apart: high-quality execution and technical expertise that help clients manage risk and make timely, informed decisions as the tools and our delivery continue to evolve.

“When people think and act like owners, it elevates decision-making, strengthens culture, and ultimately drives sustainable results.”

The Consulting Report: How would you describe your leadership philosophy?

Kara Fields: My leadership philosophy is grounded in authenticity, transparency, and a consistently high standard of performance, first for myself and then for the entire organization. I believe trust is the foundation of any high-performing company, built through being genuine, direct, and clear in both expectations and communication. People perform at their best when they know where they stand and feel aligned with a shared commitment to excellence.

I also have a deep appreciation for change. In today’s environment, agility isn’t optional, it’s a competitive advantage. I encourage our teams not just to adapt to change but to embrace it and harness it as a catalyst for innovation and growth. Whether responding to evolving client needs or shifting market and environmental dynamics, we are at our best when we lean into change with a positive, forward-looking mindset.

Finally, I view my role through the lens of leadership and ownership. As an employee-owner, I feel a strong sense of responsibility for performance and for the long-term health and success of the company. I take that ownership mindset as seriously as I do my role as President and Chief Operating Officer, and I expect that same level of accountability and pride from our team. When people think and act like owners, it elevates decision-making, strengthens culture, and ultimately drives sustainable results.