Born and raised in Costa Mesa, CA along with her three younger siblings, Arelly Ocampo is thrilled to be working and making improvements in the city she grew up in. She is an active member of her community and gives back by volunteering. Arelly’s heritage is really important to her, as both of her parents are originally from Mexico, and staying connected to her roots is a big part of her life. In an effort to stay true to that, she makes sure to visit her parents’ neighboring pueblos at least once a year.
In August of 2021, Arelly was thrilled to land a position with Commercial Development Resources (CDR) after graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. With a company culture that pairs engineers with experienced mentors and actively cultivates a positive learning environment, Arelly had found the perfect place to start her career.
“Arelly has learned a lot during her time at CDR, and her contributions to projects are greatly appreciated,” said Aaron Albertson, principal at CDR. “Arelly’s dedication to her craft does not go unnoticed. Her positive attitude and attention to detail have definitely been a factor in our company’s recent success and growth. I am immensely proud of the team that we have here, and Arelly is an important part of that.”
As an Associate Engineer, Arelly spends most of her time creating precise grading plans for clients and addressing plan check comments from various cities. During her time at CDR, Arelly has worked on many interesting projects; most notably her contributions to the grading plan for the BMW Buena Park auto dealership.
“Working on BMW Buena Park was significant as I was able to do a site visit with Mario,” Arelly explained. “I’ve also had the opportunity to grade projects like Rialto Car Wash and Pollo Campero Bellflower, something a year ago didn’t think I’d be doing. I’m grateful to have mentors like Mario Lomeli and work under the advisement of project managers like AJ Calabrese, E.I.T. who provide a great learning environment.”
“Arelly has met each design challenge assigned to her with both professionalism and enthusiasm,” stated Mario Lomeli, director of civil engineering. “Her ability to multi-task and pivot as needed has allowed us to meet deadlines sooner than anticipated. The trust in her abilities and engineering know-how has proven that she will be a successful engineer and continued valuable member of our CDR family.”
When she’s not working on grading plans, Arelly enjoys relaxing at home where she often spends time reading and painting. She and her boyfriend recently moved into a new place together, and since the move, she has found that she likes to host gatherings – especially designing the charcuterie board!
Arelly really enjoys the camaraderie of her teammates and is thankful for a great company culture. Her favorite thing about working at CDR is the flexibility that CDR offers, which allows her to actively volunteer in her community. Currently, Arelly offers her time as a college essay writing coach for Girls Incorporated of Orange County, a non-profit program that provides year-round opportunities for girls from Kindergarten to 18 years old with a focus on STEM, financial literacy, sound body image, and healthy relationships, as well as college and career readiness.
“I love the vibes at CDR. The company culture offers a great work-life balance,” Arelly said. “We work hard, but we also have a good time. I really appreciate the flexibility CDR offers, which allows me to dedicate some of my time to helping out the people of our community.”