Experience

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
• Higher Education
• 300 - 400 Employee
• Adjunct Professor

  • May 2019 - Present

Brethauer Consulting Engineering
• Owner

  • Feb 2015 - Present


WNC Professional Engineers & Surveyors

• United States

• VP Engineering Department

  • Aug 2007 - Feb 2015

  Melanie has 28 years of design and permitting experience, working in 10 states, and overseas. From this wide variety of experience she has a broad base of engineering ideas and skills, and a genuine desire to create plans by utilizing innovative engineering practices. Her initial work was in the field, giving her insight to bridging office design work into the construction work zone. She encourages a team approach bringing together professionals for the best design possible, at the same time, keeping an eye on the permitting process and the ultimate schedule. She has experience being brought into projects as an outside consultant in negotiating with homeowners, developers, and municipalities, utilizing the “Getting to Yes” approach by William Ury to find common ground between the groups. She has also served as an expert witness. Melanie has extensive experience designing lakes & dams and has submitted and received approval for numerous FEMA Floodplain and Floodway studies. Show less

• Principal - Engineering Firm

  • Jan 1994 - Jul 2007

  Melanie ran Brethauer Consulting Engineering, a civil engineering firm based in Raleigh. As the owner of the firm she took projects from the planning phases through construction and is very familiar with the local, regional, and statewide ordinances. Melanie ran Brethauer Consulting Engineering, a civil engineering firm based in Raleigh. As the owner of the firm she took projects from the planning phases through construction and is very familiar with the local, regional, and statewide ordinances.



Ballentine Associates

• United States
• Medical Practices

• Professional Engineer - Dept Head

  • 1992 - 1994

  Engineering management of large and small projects. Master planing to design though construction for Southern Village in Chapel Hill. Engineering management of large and small projects. Master planing to design though construction for Southern Village in Chapel Hill.



P & D Technologies

• Machinery Manufacturing

• Professional Engineer

  • 1990 - 1992

  Working in southern California from 1986-1992 gave her experience with very large residential/commercial projects (600 acres up to 3,000 acres). She was a design team leader for the design and implementation of all aspects of civil engineering. This work entailed preliminary planning, detailed design and construction phase services. Areas included potable/reclaimed water, sanitary sewer, storm drain systems, drainage channels, sediment/erosion control measures, mass/final grading, street/highway design, greenways, light rail, park and ride lots, Best Management Practices (BMP’s) and stormwater management facilities, preparation of cost estimates and lake & dam design. Show less



Rick Engineering Company

• United States
• Civil Engineering
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Design Engineer

  • 1987 - 1990

  sewer, water, storm drain design; earthwork (calculations by hand); grading and erosion control design; cost estimates sewer, water, storm drain design; earthwork (calculations by hand); grading and erosion control design; cost estimates



Law Engineering

• United States
• Financial Services

• Inspector

  • 1985 - 1986

  Field construction inspection for geo-technical firm. Field construction inspection for geo-technical firm.