Katie Hanten founded Vertical Pacific in 2021 to bring a developer’s perspective to civil engineering. A licensed Professional Civil Engineer with a decade of experience across Northern California and Nevada, she leads the firm’s civil engineering, owner’s representation, and development work on projects throughout the region.

Before founding the firm, Katie managed more than 500,000 square feet of real estate development across multiple states, including hotel and retail renovations on the Las Vegas Strip for MGM Resorts. That experience on the ownership side of large, complex projects informs how she approaches each engagement, identifying entitlement, budget, and schedule risks early and coordinating the team to address them.

Katie holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a B.S. in Physics from Pacific Lutheran University. She serves as Housing Committee Chair for ULI Sacramento and was named one of the region’s Top 10 Young Professionals by Comstock’s Magazine. She built Vertical Pacific around a clear focus: advancing the affordable housing, mixed-use, and neighborhood revitalization projects that give urban neighborhoods new life and lasting value.

Today she works both sides of the table, as civil engineer and owner’s representative for her clients and as a ground-up developer on her firm’s in-house infill projects, bringing substantial value and a unique perspective to every phase of a project.