NYS Society of Professional Engineers Capital District Chapter Names Rebecca Sheely-King, PE, SE, Young Engineer of the Year
The New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE) Capital District Chapter recently named Rebecca Sheely-King, PE, SE, 2026 Young Engineer of the Year!
Based in LaBella’s office in Albany, New York, Rebecca is a licensed Professional Engineer and Structural Engineer, serving as a project manager and technical lead for structural engineering on a range of projects, including commercial, K-12, industrial, and municipal facilities. She is responsible for structural design and detailing of building structures, client coordination, and construction administration.
Rebecca earned her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with a minor in physics from SUNY Polytechnic Institute, followed by a Master of Science in Civil Engineering with a concentration in structural engineering from the University at Buffalo.
She is an adjunct professor at Union College, teaching Fundamental Theory of Structures.
Rebecca is a member of the NYSSPE Capital District Chapter and the Mohawk-Hudson Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. She serves as a committee member of Capital District Engineers Week and participates annually in Career JamTM Explore at Hudson Valley Community College, where she introduces students to a career in structural engineering and helps increase awareness of the profession.
Each year, Rebecca also participates in Capital Region CANstruction, a charitable design-build competition in which teams create large-scale structures entirely from canned food that is later donated to local food banks. She contributes by brainstorming design concepts, providing structural consultation, and supporting construction of the structure on “Build Day.”
A hallmark of Rebecca’s work is the M&T Bank Center at Mohawk Harbor in Schenectady, New York. The $55 million facility, completed in 2025, now serves as an anchor destination within the revitalized Mohawk Harbor waterfront development and the new home of Union College hockey. Rebecca designed, detailed, and coordinated construction of the 100,000-square-foot building. This included designing the superstructure constructed of steel framing, coordinating the design of the foundations consisting of driven piles, and providing construction administration, including weekly site visits.
The NYSSPE Capital District Chapter’s Young Engineer of the Year award recognizes a professional engineer who has made an outstanding contribution to the goals of the Society of Professional Engineers by means of educational, collegiate and engineering achievements; professional society, technical society, civic and humanitarian activities; and a continued display of competence.
Rebecca was honored at an awards and scholarship celebration on June 16, 2026, in Albany, New York.
Please join us in congratulating Rebecca on this exciting achievement!