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Welcome to our “A Day in the Life” blog series, where we explore the diverse expertise and everyday experiences of the professionals who power Princeton Hydro’s mission. In this edition, we feature Nicole Hanson, Office and Special Projects Manager, and delve into her role as Health & Safety Program Lead.
While you may spot many of Princeton Hydro’s team members out in the field inspecting dams, delineating wetlands, or monitoring water quality, Nicole’s work happens mostly behind the scenes. Her dedication to health and safety makes all those field activities possible. Spend a day with her, and you’ll quickly see that safety is anything but routine. It’s equal parts organization, problem-solving, collaboration, and people-care (with a healthy dose of coffee).
Nicole joined Princeton Hydro in 2007, starting in the former Voorhees, NJ office with administrative tasks like answering phones, ordering supplies, and organizing files. Before long, she took on a much larger responsibility: helping coordinate the construction of Princeton Hydro’s Southern Regional Office in Sicklerville, NJ. The new space was designed to accommodate the firm’s growing staff and house the Geotechnical Soils Testing Laboratory, a facility accredited by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and validated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Materials Testing Center (MTC) to perform a full range of tests.
“The office construction project was my first taste of special projects management,” Nicole reflects. “From pouring concrete, coordinating with the movers to relocate the entire office to the new office, and working with the team installing furniture, I was involved in almost every detail. I still have all the original documents and notes from that time.”
Over the years, inspired by the many women in leadership roles at Princeton Hydro, Nicole worked hard to grow into her own influential path. “Working alongside such talented and dedicated women showed me what leadership looks like in action, and motivated me to grow, learn, take on new challenges every day, and pursue my own professional goals.”
Today, alongside her Office Management and Special Projects responsibilities, Nicole manages Princeton Hydro’s Health & Safety Program in partnership with Chief Operating Officer Megan Hunter Ruff and Regional Safety Leaders (RSLs) Jerry Vogel, Chris Mikolajczyk, CLM, and Casey Pantaleo, PE. She has been instrumental in formalizing and advancing the program’s systems and practices. “I take great pride in knowing that I play a key role in implementing a Health & Safety Program that protects our employees in their specific line of work and ensures that everyone goes home safely.”
Nicole’s day begins at 8:00 AM, caramel iced latte in hand. After scanning her inbox and calendar, she sets her priorities for the day, though she knows her plan may shift at any moment.
“I’m constantly juggling tasks, solving problems, and adapting on the fly,” Nicole says with a laugh. “What surprises people most is how unpredictable my day can be, and how many different team members I connect with across projects. Some mornings, I’ll talk to fifteen employees before I even drink my second cup of coffee!” One moment Nicole is coordinating health and safety needs, the next she’s ordering lunch for the team, and later she’s assisting with a proposal submission. No two hours, let alone two days, look the same!
Interwoven with the many tasks on Nicole’s to-do list each day are her health and safety responsibilities, which she views as mission critical. She creates “Toolbox Talks” and newsletter updates on various health and safety topics, verifies all staff certifications are valid and current, reminds staff of required safety trainings, and works with team members to order specific Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including safety vests, masks, hard hats, and other field gear. Nicole also keeps the Health & Safety Program current by reading safety-industry publications and attending virtual OSHA-regulated training courses, ensuring both the company protocols and her own knowledge evolve with the latest standards. Her role centers on coordinating and administering the program logistics, compliance tracking, and staff resources, rather than acting as a certified technical safety professional.
Success, she says, comes down to collaboration, flexibility, and attention to detail. “Honestly, no one has it all figured out. My role is constantly evolving, so I rely on my notebook to track tasks and stay organized. I’m always open to feedback and enjoy learning from those around me – teamwork is everything, and a steady supply of coffee doesn’t hurt either!”
Nicole’s role is unique in that she bridges multiple departments and disciplines within Princeton Hydro. As Health & Safety Program Lead, she works closely with the COO, RSLs, and many other technical staff across the company, a collaboration ensures that while Nicole steers the day-to-day systems, the technical experts remain at the core of the program’s success.
Nicole takes immense pride in Princeton Hydro’s comprehensive Health & Safety Program. “It became my baby,” she says. “Safety doesn’t always get the spotlight, but it’s essential and the backbone of everything we do here at Princeton Hydro. Every time I help someone navigate a challenge or ensure they have the right tools and support, I know I’m contributing to both their success and their safety, and that feels great!”
Nicole puts a lot of effort into making sure staff are prepared and equipped to handle the unique risks of environmental engineering and in-the-field science. Maintaining a strong Health & Safety Program at Princeton Hydro involves a lot of research, planning, budgeting, and communication, including:
Beyond the checklists and compliance requirements, Nicole also looks for creative ways to keep safety top of mind. By creating and sharing safety-themed memes, she makes important reminders easier to remember and a lot more fun. Here are a few of our favorites:
For special projects, risk assessment and mitigation start on day one. Nicole reviews project goals, timelines, and team roles with a critical eye, helping to identify potential challenges, whether logistical, regulatory, or health and safety related. By asking questions and gathering input from both field staff and managers, she zeroes in on the right Health & Safety experts to guide the team and flags anything that could derail success.
For Nicole, every challenge is also an opportunity. She welcomes the twists and turns that come with her work, letting new projects and unexpected needs guide her growth. “There’s always something new to learn or take on, and I’ve learned to stay open to wherever the day leads me.”
After 18 years with Princeton Hydro, Nicole continues to approach her role with curiosity and momentum. She is committed to refining and expanding the Health & Safety Program, not by resting on what already works, but by seeking out new opportunities to make systems more efficient, accessible, and effective. She welcomes input from colleagues and pairs it with her own creative problem-solving to build tools that support the entire team.
Looking ahead, one of Nicole’s top priorities is creating a centralized internal platform that gives staff easy access to safety resources, training reminders, Active AHAs, and comprehensive program documents, whether they’re in the office or out in the field. To bring this vision to life, she’s collaborating closely with the COO and RSLs, combining operational insight with technical safety expertise to build a system that’s both practical and comprehensive for the entire company.
At the end of the day, Nicole’s goal is simple: give her colleagues the confidence to do their best work, backed by the training, tools, and systems that keep them safe. “My highest priority is ensuring that every employee returns home safely to their loved ones at the end of each day. Nothing I do is more important than protecting the health and well-being of our team.”
To learn more about Nicole, click here.
Click here to read the previous “Day in the Life” blog series edition, which follows Casey Pantaleo, PE, a licensed Professional Engineer and Senior Project Manager on the Engineering Services team, as he performs one of his highly specialized roles: dam inspection. Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes stories from our talented team!
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