Working alongside his longtime friend and co-founder, Ragu, Sol continues to shape Westra into a place where collaboration, respect, and passion for engineering come together every day.

For Sol Stigall, engineering has always been about people. With more than 25 years of experience, Sol brings a rare blend of technical expertise, curiosity, and connection to every project he touches. As a founding Principal of Westra Consultants, he helped build the firm on a simple belief: that great work starts with good relationships.

Approachable, quick to laugh, and effortlessly personable, Sol has a way of making everyone feel at ease — a quality his co-founder, Ragu Rao, deeply admires. “Sol’s superpower,” Ragu says, “is being able to talk to a wall and somehow make the wall like him. He’s just naturally charismatic that way.” Whether he’s collaborating with a client or mentoring a young engineer, Sol makes everyone feel part of the process. His genuine care for people and commitment to collaboration shape every interaction and every design.

Sol’s journey into civil engineering started with a childhood fascination for how things fit together — model planes, Star Trek kits, and an endless curiosity about how the world works. That curiosity turned into a lifelong career focused on stormwater management, water resources, and sustainable design.

Energetic and optimistic, Sol believes that when engineers love what they do, it shows. As he puts it, “Happy engineers really do create happy designs.”

Get to Know Sol

What are you passionate about?

“Water. I’ve always been drawn to it—swimming, boating, or just being near it. That love for water is why I pursued my master’s degree in water resources and why I focus so much on stormwater management and environmental protection. I’m passionate about designing solutions that safeguard our water resources through thoughtful, sustainable practices. For me, civil engineering isn’t just about building infrastructure—it’s about protecting the environment we all depend on.”

If you had a theme song, what would it be?

“Steal My Sunshine by Len will always put me in a good mood. It’s lighthearted, upbeat, and it captures how I think life and work should be—fun and full of joy. My dad has called me ‘Sunshine’ since I was a kid, so maybe that’s part of it too. I also love John Denver’s Sunshine on My Shoulders because it reminds me of my parents singing it to me as a child—still brings me back every time.”