New England District Hydrology Chief Honored with Civilian Service Commendation Medal

CONCORD, Mass. — Kristina Ekholm, chief of the Hydrology, Hydraulics and Coastal Section in the Engineering Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, has received the Civilian Service Commendation Medal.

Col. Justin R. Pabis, district commander, presented the medal to Ekholm during the district’s Founders Day ceremony June 26, 2026, in Concord.

Ekholm received the medal for her 10-year tenure leading the section, which she has headed since September 2016. In this role, she manages a large, complex workload and supervises up to 12 direct reports.

“Kristina repeatedly demonstrated initiative, technical competency, innovation and leadership in support of engineering efforts across the district, regionally and nationally, culminating in her recognition as the North Atlantic Division’s FY26 HH&C Professional of the Year,” said Jon Belmont, New England District’s chief of staff. “Her tireless dedication to federal service reflects great credit upon her, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of the Army.”

In addition to the medal, Ekholm was recognized as the district's nominee for the North Atlantic Division’s Hydrology, Hydraulics and Coastal Professional of the Year award. She was nominated for repeatedly demonstrating an ability to train and mentor staff in the design and evaluation aspects of hydrology, hydraulics and coastal engineering, while developing and maintaining trusted professional relationships across multiple levels of the Corps of Engineers and with external stakeholders.

“Receiving the Civilian Service Commendation Medal and recognition as the North Atlantic Division HH&C Professional of the Year nominee at Founders Day was both humbling and motivating,” Ekholm said. “I joined USACE 10 years ago because I believed in our mission to serve communities through engineering, and that sense of purpose is just as strong today as it was then.”

“Her accomplishments are due in no small part to her technical acumen and ability to develop and execute sound technical solutions within policy requirements,” Belmont said.

Ekholm credited her colleagues for supporting her success.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to work with such a talented team that continues to inspire and challenge me every day,” she said. “I’m grateful to my supervisors and teammates for their support. In hydrology and hydraulics, we often say that every project starts with the water — understanding where it comes from and where it is going. I'm excited to continue helping turn that understanding into engineering solutions that benefit the communities we serve.”