Accomplished transportation leader brings more than 20 years of land use, environmental and infrastructure planning experience
SAN DIEGO – (Oct. 16, 2026) – HNTB Corporation has named Tara Lake San Diego location leader and integrated planning leader. As location leader, Lake will grow HNTB’s presence in San Diego, and as integrated planning leader for the firm’s Orange County, Inland Empire and San Diego offices, she will work collaboratively to grow the planning practice.
“Tara brings the depth of expertise that our region’s most ambitious infrastructure goals demand,” said Dave Warner, office leader for Orange County, Inland Empire and San Diego. “As we prepare for a period of unprecedented infrastructure growth, she strengthens our team’s ability to deliver lasting value for the clients and communities driving it.”
Lake draws on more than two decades of experience in land use, transportation and environmental planning to her new role. She previously served in a senior leadership role at another infrastructure firm, where she built and led multidisciplinary teams on complex public-sector projects including general plan updates, climate action plans, environmental impact reports and innovative mobility planning initiatives. Her track record of integrating land use, transportation, sustainability and community goals positions her to deliver forward-thinking planning solutions for HNTB clients across the region.
Lake earned a Bachelor of Arts in urban studies and planning from the University of California San Diego and a Master of Landscape Architecture from North Carolina State University.