“Clarity isn’t arrogance”: Katiana on leading through complexity, treatment, and the woodland where she breathes properly again

Katiana knows what it looks like when things work. She also knows what it looks like when they don’t and she’s spent most of her career closing the gap between the two.

As PMO Lead for Cross Programmes on the Heathrow account, Practice Manager for Project Controls, and a line manager, Katiana sits at the point where governance, commercial clarity, and people all meet. “At the heart of what I do is helping complex programmes make sense,” she says. “That usually means bringing clarity where things feel messy, putting the right controls in place, and making sure people feel supported to do their jobs well.”

It’s a long way from where she started, studying electrical engineering in South America and working in the oil industry around cathodic protection. But Katiana has never been someone who follows a straight line.

From South America to systems thinking

Katiana moved to the UK and joined AtkinsRéalis in finance as a management accountant, supporting European operations. It felt like a different world. But over time, something shifted.

“I wasn’t just interested in the numbers, I was interested in what sat behind them,” she says. “Why projects were running the way they were. Where things got stuck. How the right structure can really help or quietly make things harder if it’s not done well.”

That curiosity pulled her into Project Controls in 2018. Then came a secondment to HS2, embedded in the client team as a Project Manager for Rail Systems and later Systems Integration. Being on the client side changed how she sees everything.

“You stop worrying about what looks good in theory and you focus on what actually lands well, what genuinely helps people make decisions and move forward. It was demanding, but I loved it. It suited how my brain works.”

From there, PMO leadership felt natural. She went from managing individual projects to shaping the governance around them, the kind that supports delivery instead of slowing it down. Taking on Practice Management alongside that pushed her further into developing people: mentoring, building capability, helping colleagues grow into confident professionals rather than keeping them close or overly supervised.

“My progression hasn’t really been about titles,” she says. “It’s been about responsibility, influence, and being able to make a meaningful difference.”

“You notice it when it’s working properly”

The impact of Katiana’s work isn’t always obvious and that’s by design. 

“When governance makes sense, reporting is clear, and the financial picture can be trusted, everything feels calmer,” she says. “Decisions don’t feel rushed. People stop second-guessing themselves. That’s really what I’m trying to create, an environment where teams and clients are working from solid information, not assumptions.” 

She’s particularly proud of the progress made across geographies. “Seeing our colleagues in India recognised for their judgement and capability, not just treated as a support function, that really matters to me. When people feel genuinely trusted and valued, confidence grows, collaboration improves, and the organisation is stronger for it.”

The woodland, Cookie, and learning to breathe

In early 2022, Katiana was diagnosed with vasculitis and started aggressive treatment. Everything happened quickly. Suddenly there was a lot of uncertainty, physically and mentally.

“From the outside, everything probably looked the same,” she says. “I was still working, still leading, still delivering. But underneath that, I was carrying quite a lot.”

What got her through was a combination of family and the kind of workplace support that doesn’t make a fuss but makes all the difference. “It wasn’t anything dramatic. It was the everyday things, people being understanding, giving me space when I needed it, not making me feel like I had to explain myself all the time, and still trusting me to do my job.”

That experience reshaped how she thinks about strength. “I used to think it was about pushing through no matter what. Now I know it can also be about asking for space, accepting help, and taking things one step at a time.” It’s also why she now supports the vasculitis community.

And then there’s the place where her head clears. Katiana and her family own a small woodland. “We plant trees, we look after the land, and sometimes we just sit there and do nothing, which I’ve learned is actually important.” She walks in the countryside with her family and their dog, Cookie. “That’s when I breathe properly again.”

"Strength and empathy aren’t opposites”

Ask Katiana about the culture at AtkinsRéalis and she comes back to trust.

“During some of the more difficult periods in my life, what I experienced wasn’t quiet judgement or lowered expectations, but genuine, practical support,” she says. “I was trusted for the work I deliver, the judgement I bring, and how I lead, not for how often I’m seen at a desk. That trust matters more than people probably realise.”

It’s shaped how she leads her own teams. “I’m really conscious about creating the same environment, one where expectations are clear and accountability is strong, but where compassion isn’t missing. I don’t see those things as opposites. I think you need both.”

And it shows in how she talks about International Women’s Day. “My career has involved technical challenges, moving between cultures, and dealing with some significant health issues. Continuing to lead while managing something incurable hasn’t always been visible, but it’s been very real.”

For Katiana, inclusion has to go further than representation. “It has to recognise that people might be carrying things you can’t see - health issues, personal pressure, uncertainty while still doing their jobs well. Real inclusion makes space for that without lowering expectations.”

Her advice to anyone starting or building their career? “Own what you know. A lot of women are taught to soften their expertise so they don’t come across as ‘too much.’ But being clear about what you know isn’t being aggressive. Clarity isn’t arrogance.”

She pauses, then adds something that feels like it comes from experience.

“Confidence doesn’t come from being perfect. It comes from experience, judgement, and showing up consistently, over time. And advocating for yourself doesn’t just help you. It quietly makes it easier for the people coming after you to do the same.”

Inspired by how Katiana leads and the environment she’s helped shape? We’re always looking for people who want to make a real impact. Explore our current opportunities and see what might fit.