Overview:
Regine Beauboeuf went from writing reports for her family’s business in Les Cayes at age 10 to engineering a $4 billion bridge in Detroit decades later.
Primary Category: Haitians in America, Profiles
This story is part of the Haitians in America series looking at Haitians and Haitian Americans across the United States. Financial support for this work is provided by the Ford Foundation.
DETROIT—Regine Beauboeuf began working in her family’s essential oils business as a child in southern Haiti’s Les Cayes. She helped with the process of letting the oils, particularly vetiver, dry in the sun, shaking them to get the dirt out, then selling the product by the pound. By age 10, Beauboeuf was learning to type so she could write reports for her father, Seymour Condé, an engineer who built many schools in their town area.
“My father inspired me and instilled in me a great sense of ethics and pride in well-done work,” Beauboeuf said, during a recent visit to her home in Bloomfield Hills, a Detroit suburb.
She never considered becoming an engineer herself, however, until college neared, when the personality tests she took indicated she would make a good engineer. After graduating from Sainte Rose de Lima in Port-au-Prince, Beauboeuf attended the University of Haiti, earning an engineering degree in 1983.
“I found myself enjoying solving problems, which is what a good engineer loves to do,” she said.
Regine Beauboeuf (right), née Conde, sits on a tire with siblings Chantale (left) and Rene (middle) in Les Cayes, Haiti. The framed photo was on display inside her home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on February 17, 2024. The Haitian Times /Dieu-Nalio Chery 
A framed photograph of the state cable bridge connecting Montreal and Laval on display inside Regine Beauboeuf’s home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on February 17, 2024. The Haitian Times/Dieu-Nalio Chery 
Framed family photos of Regine Beauboeuf and her two children, JR II and Christelle, on display inside her home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on February 17, 2024. The Haitian Times /Dieu-Nalio Chery
Right after college, Beauboeuf moved to Michigan to marry, then had two children, JR II and Christelle. Since then, Beauboeuf has built a career in transportation engineering spanning nearly 40 years. She has worked on an array of capital infrastructure projects to move people, vehicles and goods — including the $4.2 billion Detroit River International Crossing project, A25 Freeway in Quebec, from the state cable bridge connecting Montreal and Laval. While in her most recent role as a Senior Vice President for Infrastructure and Mobility Equity HNTB Corporation, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also appointed Beauboeuf as a member of the Board of Trustees in 2021.
“I truly believe that when you have a positive attitude and you are willing to work hard, the sky’s the limit,” Beauboeuf said.
Drawing from all points of view
On large, complex transportation projects, Beauboeuf believes in considering all perspectives and viewpoints to bring consensus before moving forward to design and construction. She also believes it’s critical to be receptive to learning from other disciplines, people, and perspectives, she said.
“It’s all about ensuring that everyone comes out on top,” she said. “Everyone has to make compromises, but everyone can benefit. I don’t believe in the idea that for me to win, you have to lose. That’s what has always motivated and driven me.”
Paul Ajegba, a retired director of the Michigan Department of Transportation, has worked with Beauboeuf on several projects. He said she has a unique ability to consider all perspectives and use her expertise to bring consensus.
“It’s not easy to be one of a handful of Black females in a male-dominated industry, and to survive for 40 years in such an environment is truly remarkable,” said Ajegba. “Success in such a field is not just about having the necessary knowledge and skills, but also about being politically astute.
“Besides her knowledge of the subject, Regine brings calmness to the team,” Ajegba said.
Regine Beauboeuf smooths out fabric for a dress she is sewing at a crafts table inside her home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on February 17, 2024. The Haitian Times /Dieu-Nalio Chery 
Regine Beauboeuf poses for a photo while inside her home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on February 17, 2024. The Haitian Times/Dieu-Nalio Chery
‘An engineer who happens to be a woman’
Beauboeuf has received many awards and marks of recognition for her contributions to the transportation industry. Among the organizations that have feted her are Women Who Moved the Nation, Michigan Chronicle, the Langston Corporation and Crane’s Detroit. On March 14, as part of ongoing Women’s History Month celebrations, she received the Women in Transportation – Chicago Chapter’s Rosa Parks Diversity Award.
Yet, for all the significance of her strides as a woman, she said, “I don’t think it’s about being a woman in a male-dominated field. It’s about being an engineer who happens to be a woman.”
Such a lens toward equity is informing recent strides in the transportation industry itself, with some embracing the U.S. Department of Transportation’s equity plan. At Beauboeuf’s company, she works with disadvantaged businesses owned by people from vulnerable communities to ensure they have the most access to transportation.
Shirley Alcé, President of the Haitian Group of Detroit (HNGD), says Beauboeuf works hard, overcomes difficult situations and always tries to better herself.
“Regine is a true inspiration for all of us,” Alcé said. “She embodies the essence of resilience, hard work and the determination to succeed. Her relentless pursuit of progress and betterment is a shining example of the Haitian spirit. It’s amazing to see a woman like her excel in an engineering position.”
In addition to work, Beauboeuf is also active in philanthropy and proud of her Haitian heritage, saying she’s grateful for everything she received from her homeland. “However,” she added, “I am tired of seeing the endless suffering and pain that only seems to get worse.”
Beauboeuf is also an avid traveler, enjoys hobbies such as sewing and making drapes. After her divorce in 2020, she also dedicated more time to writing short stories and positive messages on her site, “My Voice My Journey.”