Kevin O’Shea named Reclamation’s 2026 Engineer of the Year

DENVER, Colo. - Today, the Bureau of Reclamation recognized Kevin O'Shea as Reclamation's 2026 Engineer of the Year in a ceremony streamed live to all Reclamation employees.

A structural engineer, project manager and design team leader for Reclamation, O'Shea successfully led numerous engineering features to support the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. This major water supply project, when completed, will convey reliable municipal and industrial water across 300 miles of pipeline to several Tribal and rural communities.

"Kevin's outstanding leadership on multiple infrastructure projects will transform lives for the better by providing safe and reliable drinking water," said Acting Commissioner Scott Cameron. "His accomplishments speak to the power of using engineering to improve the everyday lives of Americans."

O'Shea led interdisciplinary teams for a series of key pumping plants in northwestern New Mexico - including plants 2, 3, 4, 7, and the San Juan Lateral - Tohlakai plant. When completed, these plants will convey water from the San Juan River near Waterflow, New Mexico south through the San Juan Lateral pipelines. The project will ensure safe and reliable drinking water for the eastern section of the Navajo Nation, the southwestern portion of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the city of Gallup, New Mexico.

Thanks to O'Shea's leadership, projects for infrastructure facilities totaling more than $140 million stayed on scope, schedule, and budget.

"Kevin's unwavering commitment, trusted leadership, and public service mindset is a model for the solutions-oriented nature of engineering," said Katie Bartojay, director of the Technical Service Center. "The technical challenges he and his design teams have overcome are addressing longstanding challenges of limited access, dwindling supplies, and poor-quality groundwater while supporting public health and economic growth." 

O'Shea also led a subject-matter expert team on critical infrastructure assessments, shaped early alternatives for a drought-mitigation power concept at Glen Canyon Dam, and has contributed to fish passage, water treatment, and regional conveyance projects.

Reclamation also recognized two other nominees for the Engineer of the Year Award:

• Missouri Basin/Arkansas, Rio Grande and Texas Gulf region recognized Goran Radinovic, who leads engineering inspection, survey, operation, maintenance, and replacement needs for the Oklahoma-Texas Area Office. He served as technical lead for a major project relocating a critical section of the Del City, Oklahoma Aqueduct through Tinker Air Force Base and was lead reviewer for the Lugert-Altus Irrigation District's $35 million canal lining project in southwestern Oklahoma. One of his major successes was to coordinate engineering inspection and integrity of critical canal features which run beneath active runways at Altus Air Force Base. Radinovic also leads designs for recreation improvement at the parks associated with federal water projects in Texas and Oklahoma.
• The nominee for Upper Colorado Basin is Malcolm Begay, a civil engineer with the Four Corners Construction Office since 2022. Begay has led or supported design and review of several major components of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, including several pumping plants and pipelines as well as the Reach 21 DZ Booster Tank. He managed design data collection for the Frank Chee Willetto Reservoir and bypass tank as well as the San Juan Lateral Turnout Buildings.

Reclamation's Engineer of the Year is selected from nominees throughout Reclamation. The winner is chosen for their significant contributions and accomplishments as an engineer at the Bureau of Reclamation.

O'Shea will represent Reclamation at the Federal Engineer of the Year ceremony during Engineers Week on Feb. 27, 2026, in Washington, D.C.