I grew up in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA. While in grade school and high school, I participated in local Tamburitza groups, i.e. Croatian folk music groups. Instruments I played included the prim (similar to a mandolin), the accordion, and the bass. Since I was only a mediocre musician, I decided I better find a different career path! Because of my concern for the environment, I decided to become a civil engineer. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. After graduation, I moved to Portland, Oregon. Today, I am President of a consulting civil engineering firm, Thomas/Wright, Inc. "Don't Call Me Rosie" is the first book that I have written. When I was young, I knew that my mother and two aunts were welders in the shipyard during World War II because my mother would occasionally talk about it. It wasn't until 1999 that I learned that she worked on the LSTs. Many people view that Civil Engineering and writing are mutually exclusive skills. And I like to tell people that I am definitely left brain. However, to be a successful Civil Engineer, one needs to be at least a good technical writer. My strong organizational and listening skills were invaluable in writing a book such as "Don't Call Me Rosie."