Julie Balten joined the Walla Walla District in November 2024 as Deputy District Engineer for Programs and Project Management.
Ms. Balten is responsible for technical and managerial decisions for the District's Civil, Environmental, and “Support for Others” programs within the District’s area of responsibility which encompasses the Snake River drainage basin, comprised of 107,000 square miles in six states; Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, and small parts of Nevada and Utah. She is responsible for management oversight of planning, engineering, construction, operations, real estate, contracting, safety, and resource management. As the District’s senior civilian, Ms.Balten provides:
- Continuity of corporate leadership.
- Interface with potential customers, sponsors, and officials from Federal and other governmental organizations.
- Supervision for budget formulation and controls.
Ms. Balten, from Sterling, Michigan earned her undergraduate degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1997. She also earned three master’s degrees to include A Master of Science in Engineering Management from Missouri Science and Technology (2002), a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington (2005) and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy (2018).
Before joining the Walla Walla District, Ms. Balten served more than 27 years on active duty in the United States Army as an Engineer Officer and commanded at all levels from platoon leader to District Commander. She retired in 2024 at the rank of Colonel. Her broad experience includes an array of units to include Topographic, Combat Heavy, Construction, and Prime Power. She also served three years as a Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Her active-duty assignments include postings to Hawaii, South Korea, Japan, Iraq, Kuwait, Germany, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. Ms. Balten’s USACE experiences include being a Project Manager for the Japan Engineer District, the Commander of the 249th Engineer Battalion (Prime Power), and the Commander of the Los Angeles District.