Nikki Underwood

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT NIKKI UNDERWOOD

Nikki Underwood is a highly accomplished risk and program management executive with a proven history of elevating business performance and delivering results across complex, multibillion-dollar transportation and infrastructure programs worldwide. Her deep expertise in risk and program management has positioned her at the forefront of some of the most ambitious initiatives in the industry.With hands-on experience spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Nikki brings a global perspective to every engagement. She excels at navigating diverse regulatory frameworks, cultural dynamics, and stakeholder environments to align priorities, mitigate risk, and drive strategic outcomes.A passionate advocate for thought leadership and capability building, Nikki empowers teams to strengthen risk strategies and improve project delivery. Her leadership is defined by clarity in communication, inclusive team development, and a sharp ability to translate vision into actionable, results-driven plans. Across industries and continents, she consistently delivers with precision, creativity, and impact.Career highlights include:• Directed risk and program management across global megaprojects, including the $77B California High-Speed Rail,$24B Crossrail (UK),$10B City & Southwest (Australia), and $10B Sharq Crossing (Qatar).• Designed and implemented PMO frameworks for major infrastructure programs, including Austin Airport, Chicago Metra, and Sydney Metro, enhancing governance, delivery, and strategic alignment.• Led enterprise risk management initiatives, developing frameworks and advanced risk models to support contingency planning, schedule confidence, and executive decision-making.• Delivered high-impact stakeholder engagement, presenting complex program data to executive boards and leading cross-functional governance committees.• Provided strategic consulting to global clients across transportation, aviation, healthcare, manufacturing, and IT, including Google, New York MTA, Transport for London, and Reckitt Benckiser.