Behind the Design: Jamie Garcia Loves a Good Challenge When It Comes to Creating Beautiful Structures
Pull back the curtain and get to know the people behind the design. The solutions we develop for clients and communities are brought to you by passionate individuals devoted to delivering better built environments — places that support healthy, productive, sustainable ways of living.
Our next #PeoplePassions blog post features Jamie Garcia, a structural engineer of 15 years who enjoys the beauty of wood structures and solving the unique puzzle of each building. She’s a dancer, animal lover, and opportunistic outdoor enthusiast in Bend, Oregon, who appreciates all that her medium-sized city (with small-town vibes) offers.
What is your design philosophy?
It might sound crazy, but I love working on difficult projects. I absolutely love challenges.
I grew up in Frenchtown, Montana (a small community about 20 minutes outside of Missoula), which meant I was fortunate to be kind of in the middle of nowhere, in the mountains and trees, where my parents built a log home in the 1980s. So, I’ve always loved wood structures in general since I grew up in that environment.
Later on, when it came to higher education, I originally thought about going into architecture because I’m so interested in the art of it all, but it was between that and engineering, and they both require the same amount of schooling.
I went to visit Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and they didn’t really have an architecture school. (I thought about attending college in Bozeman as well.) When I was there, I was inspired by a professor who described the different engineering types. He caught my attention when he asked me if I enjoyed solving problems and doing puzzles, fitting a round peg into a square hole, so to speak. And that’s the main reason I love what I do. I chose structural engineering and never looked back.
Aside from puzzles, I love the structural detailing portion of my work. That’s where I find I can be the most creative and capture the intent of the client. It’s one of my favorite things to be able to talk through an engineering approach with a client and pinpoint a certain design intent they want to achieve for a certain problem, then make it happen for them through clear communication.
I guess my philosophy could be described with those words: creatively collaborative challenges.
Jamie and Cushing Terrell colleagues are pictured during the 2025 and 2026 International Mass Timber Conferences & Expos in Portland, Oregon.
Who or what inspires you?
I’m inspired materially by anything wood, and I love working with exposed wood as part of projects. That’s what led me to the mass timber team and having a prominent role in developing our structural team for that kind of expertise, whether it be residential, commercial, or anything in between.
Wood, to me, is imperfectly perfect. It has knots and grains, and it can warp, but it’s still super strong and grows quickly. So, if you can find a way to use it, it’s just a wonderful material for so many applications.
As far as people who inspire me, I would have to say Rolf Armstrong (director of structural engineering at Cushing Terrell). He’s been my mentor throughout my career, and I admire everything he’s achieved. He has an incredible amount of knowledge and always brings a can-do attitude to everything he does. I’ve been fortunate to learn a lot of things from him over the years. He’s helped train me so that I can train other people and know how to navigate hard situations.
Tell us about one of your favorite projects?
There are so many memorable projects from over the years spanning hospitality, retail, restaurants, high-end residential, office buildings — the whole gamut. But one of my favorite project types is custom homes. There’s so much to consider and think through and workshop.
The Octothorpe house here in Bend is memorable for me. There were a lot of moving parts, and it was quite challenging from an engineering and material standpoint. Sometimes projects like these have challenges with sourcing, or the plot itself, or how the client intends to use the house might make it tricky. Octothorpe has such a unique shape and layout, and it’s largely made of wood. I’m still quite fond of it, even if it’s a bit of an older project.
The Octothorpe house in Bend, Oregon.
When have your personal and professional passions aligned?
I’ve always been driven and ambitious. When I set my sights on something, it’s hard for me to get away from it. So, I love engineering, but I’m also a person who wants to do everything I can get my hands on. I’ve gotten more involved in the business side of things, as well as team building and training, which led me to become a supervisor, group leader, and associate owner with the company.
Maybe I do too many things, but I take joy in the balance of everything and it’s important to me to have a hand in engineering, mentoring, and business.
Wood, to me, is imperfectly perfect. It has knots and grains, and it can warp, but it’s still super strong and grows quickly. So, if you can find a way to use it, it’s just a wonderful material for so many applications.
Jamie and her family on various vacations.
What are some of your passion projects outside of the office?
Dancing! I’ve done a lot of Latin dancing since college and that’s how I met my husband. I joke that I married my dancing instructor, but it’s true! We’re actually performing this year in Reno, Nevada.
I do bachata, salsa, and any kind of Latin dancing. I’ve taken classes and worked with performance teams, and I’ve taught choreography as well. Now that my life is busier with my husband and children, I’ll take a class now and again when I’m able to get away.
I also enjoy the outdoors, hiking, and snowboarding, and Bend is a great location for those. The city is right next to the river for water activities and next to the mountains for hiking, biking, camping, and winter sports. I also love animals and used to spend a lot of time with horses. I’d love to get back to a place where I can be around horses and other animals again.
Jamie pictured with her Latin dance group.
A little more about Jamie…
Jamie is originally from Frenchtown, Montana, but has lived in Colorado (while getting her master’s degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder), Washington, and now Oregon. She also has family in Idaho and Michigan. She joined Cushing Terrell in the merger with Eclipse Engineering in 2024 and has spent nearly two decades working for the combined firms. She interned with Eclipse Engineering in 2008, during the housing recession, which guided her decision to pursue her graduate degree, but then returned as a full-time engineer-in-training thereafter.
