SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
- Specialist With ISI
- Verification Specialist
Abdel Mustafa is a Verification Specialist with ISI. He obtained a doctorate in Engineering from Brown University in Providence, RI (2013), and a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Project Management from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL (2004). In 2009, he was a Fellow in the Special Program for Urban and Regional Studies (SPURS), School of Architecture and Planning, MIT. He has held leadership roles in engineering consulting and construction project management, both here in the United States and overseas, including on several large scale and prestigious international projects such as the Twin Towers (Petronas Towers) project in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In addition to his industry experience, he has also taught civil engineering and construction project management courses at New England Institute of Technology, Fitchburg State University and Northeastern University in Boston. A resident of Cambridge, MA, Abdel lived and worked in several countries, including Sudan, India, and Malaysia, before moving to the U.S. in 2001. His American experience includes work with consulting firms in the Boston metropolitan area and in Chicago involved in various urban infrastructure projects. He is the author of two books in his field; the latest being Optimal Engineering Strategy for Sustainable Infrastructure Development (Lambert Publishers, Germany).
Abdel's career has included professional engineering and academic roles. His experience includes leadership positions in engineering consulting and construction project management both here in the United States and overseas. Full Bio
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Water Resources Engineer
Afaf Musa is a project manager and a water resources engineer with CDM Smith with experience in analyzing wastewater, combined and stormwater models, implementing control rules to mimic system's operation, performing alternatives analysis and RDII analysis, RTK calibration, applying SWMM 5 LID module to simulate bioretention facilities, siting and designing of green infrastructure, as well as applying GIS and field data for hydraulic and hydrologic systems for SWMM 5 model development and application to support design of sewer systems improvements and development of preliminary designs.
Education: BS - civil engineering, The Ohio State University, 2007
Amy is a project manager in the civil engineering field with experience in land development, transportation, hydrological analysis, and utility distribution, most notably in the higher-education sector. With over 12 years of experience, she currently holds a Professional Engineering (PE) license in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is a LEED AP BD+C Professional, SITES AP, and ENV SP. In addition to working in the civil engineering field, she enjoys volunteering for her local community and working with educational groups to promote STEM activities.
Building on her bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University at Buffalo, Amy is currently pursuing a master's degree in sustainability leadership at Arizona State University. With a passion for sustainability and resiliency, she anticipates using this degree to continue to bring cutting-edge sustainable green infrastructure project solutions to clients.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the ISI Management Team
- President
- President & CEO of ISI
As the president & CEO of ISI, Anthony oversees the organization's overall operations and leads the development of the Envision framework for sustainable infrastructure. Anthony was formerly a research director at the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design, a research associate with the Materials, Processes, and Systems Group at Harvard University, and an instructor at the Boston Architectural College. He holds a bachelor's in architecture, summa cum laude, from Virginia Tech and a master's degree in design studies from Harvard University. Anthony is a co-author of Ceramic Material Systems in Architecture and Interior Design and a contributing author of Infrastructure Sustainability and Design.
As president & CEO, Anthony oversees the organization's overall operations and leads the development of the Envision framework for sustainable infrastructure. Full Bio
Job Titles:
- ISI 's Membership Director
- Membership and Operations Director
Audrey is ISI's Membership director who works closely with membership organizations in both the public and private sector.
For nearly two decades, prior to ISI, Audrey worked at Pew Charitable Trusts, in the Environment Group to promote the advancement of public policies and practices that protect the global environment, preserve healthy forests and marine ecosystems. The Pew Environment Group has been a major force by engaging federal policymakers and stakeholders to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life.
Audrey received her education in religion and business management.
Audrey Gorham works closely with ISI's membe organizations in both the public and private sector. Prior to coming to ISI, she worked in the Environment Group of the Pew Charitable Trusts. Full Bio
Conrad joined ISI in 2022, bringing several years of communications and stakeholder relations experience in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors. Full Bio
Conrad joined ISI in 2022, bringing several years of communications and stakeholder relations experience in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors. He has been a Director of Communications at the Association for Smarter Homes & Buildings (ASHB) (formerly CABA - the Continental Automated Buildings Association), an industry not-for-profit focusing on advanced technologies in homes and buildings, and worked for 5 years in research communications at the University of Ottawa, in the Telfer School of Management. He has also supported stakeholder relations with the consortium responsible for phase one of the Ottawa Light Rail Transit project-a $1.7 billion project that will result in the single greatest reduction of emissions in that city's history. He has a Bachelor's Degree in English from University of Alberta and a Master's Degree in Journalism from Carleton University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
Dimitar Todorov, Ph.D., P.E., LEED A.P. BD+C, ENV SP, is a distinguished civil engineer, educator, and researcher with expertise in the design and construction of sustainable civil infrastructure. With over 25 years as a licensed professional engineer, he contributed to more than 700 design and construction projects with a commitment to creating resilient and innovative built environments. Dr. Todorov's teaching includes building information modeling, advanced building technologies, and interprofessional collaboration for the built environment. His areas of interest in scholarship focus on building information modeling and lifecycle research of sustainable civil infrastructure. He is currently an Associate Professor at Utica University and serves as the program director for the Construction Management program, where he prepares the next generation of construction professionals.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
- Assistant Professor of Interior Design at Mount Royal University
Dr. Chi Dara is an Assistant Professor of Interior Design at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada. She is a design educator, researcher, and sustainable architect. She holds a doctorate in Environmental Design from the University of Calgary, and published most of her research work in reputable peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. Prior to her position at MRU, she served as a full-time instructor at Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Ontario and possesses nearly a decade of teaching experience, including roles as a sessional instructor and researcher at the University of Calgary, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. She also possesses industry experience, having worked as a Senior Sustainability Specialist at WSP and Entuitive. Chi's interests in teaching and scholarship include sustainable design practices, human-centered design, and a whole life cycle approach to design decisions. Her current research focuses on developing a framework for carbon-neutral products and building materials from a life cycle perspective.
Job Titles:
- Sustainability Officer for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Cris Liban serves as Sustainability Officer for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro). Liban has worked at LA Metro since 2003, growing his agency's environmental and sustainability practice into one of the most progressive and forward-looking in the country. He has implemented over 150 sustainability initiatives to date, and he is working to ensure that $140 billion in capital projects programmed for the next 40 years are sustainable, climate-adapted, and resilient for the 10+ million people of Los Angeles County.
Dr. Cris B. Liban holds degrees in geology, civil engineering, and environmental science and engineering (Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering, UCLA). He holds political appointments as the President of the City of Los Angeles Board of Transportation Commissioners and as a member of the State of California Green Bonds Development Committee. He was previously a member of the USEPA's National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology, California Climate Safe Infrastructure Working Group, and Chair of the Los Angeles County Beach Commission. He was also the Chapter Lead of the Transportation Chapter of recently published Fifth National Climate Assessment.
As former Chair of ASCE's Committee on Sustainability, Liban has led efforts to develop a global sustainable infrastructure standard along with guidance documents that incorporate climate science into both the practice of civil engineering and the procurement and execution of sustainable infrastructures. He conceptualized and co-led the formation of the International Coalition for Sustainable Infrastructure in 2019, which has become a global coalition of almost 200,000 engineers and more than 10,000 cities worldwide. He is now working to increase sustainable infrastructure capacity building in Asia through the Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council. He also currently serves as Co-Chair of APTA's Sustainability Commitment Committee.
In 2016, Liban received the Philippines' highest civilian honor for Filipinos living overseas, the Pamana ng Pilipino Award, from Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. He was also awarded Engineering-News Record's 2020 Award of Excellence for his focus on building a sustainable transportation system that economically and socially benefits all levels of society. He was elected to the National Academy of Construction in 2021 and was designated as a Distinguished Member of ASCE in 2022.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
- Adjunct Associate Professor - Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary / Engineering Manager - McElhanney Ltd
- Adjunct Associate Professor With the Schulich School of Engineering
- Associate Professor of Construction Management in the Department of Engineering Technology
Dr. Robert Radovanovic is an Adjunct Associate Professor with the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary, and an Engineering Manager at McElhanney Ltd. His specialization includes leveraging spatial data from sources such as laser scanners, unmanned aerial vehicles and geographic information systems to develop infrastructure asset inventories, monitor performance and assess risk resiliency. He is also active in the development of standards and policies with regards to the sustainable management of infrastructure and is a deputy convenor of the ISO/TC 251 Working group WG8 on developing competency/capacity standards related to ISO 55 000 (Asset Management). At the University of Calgary, Robert is currently developing curriculum content around educating students in the fundamentals of asset management, and how it ties into long-term sustainable outcomes for communities.
Dr. Ebrahim Karan is currently an associate professor of construction management in the department of Engineering Technology at Sam Houston State University (SHSU) in Texas. Prior joining SHSU, Dr. Karan was working as an assistant professor at Millersville University in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He obtained his doctorate in building construction from Georgia Tech in 2014, his master's degree in construction engineering and management in 2008, and his bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 2006.
Over the past seven academic years, he has developed two lines of research investigating (1) innovative approaches to use artificial intelligence in architectural design and construction and (2) the inter-relationships between resilience and sustainability within the built environment. The latter focuses on the effectiveness of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies based on the current trend of food, energy, and water use.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
- Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at Merrimack College
Dr. Sadegh Asgari is an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at Merrimack College and an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University in the City of New York. He holds a doctoral degree in Civil Engineering with a minor in Operations Research from Columbia University. His research primarily focuses on developing new technologies and decision-making tools to advance the analysis and design of complex systems. He applies elegant mathematical models and advanced simulation techniques for decision support in design, construction, and operation of sustainable and resilient systems.
Dr. Asgari has authored several original papers in top civil engineering and management journals, including the ASCE Journal of Construction Engineering & Management and the ASCE Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, and he has presented his work in numerous prestigious conferences including the Winter Simulation Conference. He is the recipient of multiple awards and fellowships for his research and teaching, including the 2016 Best Student Paper Award in the Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers Annual Conference & Expo, the 2018 Merrimack CETL Faculty Fellowship, the 2018, 2019, and 2021 Zampell Family Faculty Fellowships, and the 2019 Edward G. Roddy Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award (as the youngest in the history of this award).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
Dr. Satish Bastola has a degree in civil engineering and a doctorate in water resource management, and he currently serves as faculty and graduate coordinator for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of New Orleans in Louisiana.
Dr. Bastola has taught several courses on environmental sustainability to civil engineering students on topics like sustainability principles, drone application, nature hazard assessment modeling, ocean and coastal engineering, and use of LEED and Envision frameworks. Dr. Bastola focuses on applications of geospatial technologies - including remote sensing, GIS, and integrated modeling tools - to understand the issues driven by environmental change and their potential sustainable solutions (in coastal and terrestrial systems).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
- Professor of Practice
Dr. Svetoslava (Svetla) Todorova is Professor of Practice in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Syracuse University. She is the Director of the Environmental Engineering program and Syracuse University's Affiliate Director for the NYS NASA Space Grant Consortium. Todorova is ENV SP professional since 2014. Todorova's area of expertise is in metal biogeochemistry, sustainable infrastructure, and low-cost sensors for environmental monitoring. Todorova is a member of the Open-ended Scientific Group under the UNEP Minamata Convention on Mercury and a member of the UNEP Science-policy Panel for sound management of waste under the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm, and Minamata Conventions.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
- Senior Project and Program Manager
Edoardo Favari is a Senior Project and Program Manager. After working for more than a decade in the field of infrastructures and major projects at an international level, he now works as a consultant on complex projects in both the infrastructural and industrial fields (Large Engineering Projects). He is contract professor at Politecnico di Milano, Polimi Graduate School of Management and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and chair of Project Management at the School of Civil Engineering of Politecnico di Milano. He holds a doctorate in Infrastructure Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, and he is Project Management Professional® certified. He has always combined his professional activity as project manager with teaching and scientific research in the field, and he is the author of several papers and books (among them, Project Management: Leading Change in the Age of Complexity - Springer, 2023). He was also part of the PMBOK®7 review team. His areas of interest are temporary organizations, major projects, risk management and sustainability applied to project management.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
Job Titles:
- Fellow
- Member of the Academic Committee
- Professor, Director, Fellow
Dr. Fariborz Tehrani has contributed to the publication of ten books; nearly eighty papers and technical reports; and presented nearly hundred papers and posters. His research and practice experiences focus on sustainable and resilient structural engineering, mechanics, and materials (SR-SEMM) and include structural analysis and design; earthquake-resistant design; building materials and construction; road and bridge design; and project management. His research on sliding seismic isolation resulted in a patented methodology, Sliding Foundation System with Safety Margin, applied in construction of a small building in 1998. He has contributed to the engineering design of more than fifty structures and infrastructures; management and planning of nearly $150 million projects; and development of several research proposals leading to nearly $700k funding from NSF, DOT, and other public and private sources.
Fariborz is a Fellow ASCE and professional member of ACI, EMI, ASTM, and EWB.
He is a voting member of several ACI 213/130/301/EAC/E701 and ASTM C09/C12/C15/D04/D18 Committees, the liaison of the EMI in the ASCE COS, and the Director of the ESCSI. Further, Dr. Tehrani has served in NCEES, PMI, CHESC, and EMI as panelist and subject matter expert, as well as the chair of the ISI Academic Committee, and a director of the ASEE PSW.
Fariborz reviews ACI, ASCE, IJDM, EQSP, and Elsevier journals and serves as an editor of SAGE journals. He has also mentored EWB student chapters in USC, UCSD, and Cal Poly SLO on multiple projects in Honduras, Ontario, and Nicaragua. Dr. Tehrani received the ASCE Region 9 Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award in 2015 for leading the Student Chapter from 2010 to 2015, the Best Practice Award from California Higher Education Sustainability Conference in 2017, and the best Research Award from ASCE Fresno and San Francisco for two projects in 2019. Fariborz received BSc from Sharif University of Technology, MSc from Amirkabir University of Technology, and MS, degree of engineer, and PhD from University of California, Los Angeles.
Feniosky Peña-Mora Dean of Engineering and Science at the Tecnológico de Monterrey Dr. Feniosky Peña-Mora is the Dean of Engineering and Science at the Tecnológico de Monterrey. Peña-Mora, ScD., PE(DR), NAS(DR), CCM(UK), F.CIOB(UK), NAC, Dist.M.ASCE, is also the President-Elect elect of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He was the Edwin Howard Armstrong Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, Professor of Earth and Environmental Engineering, […]
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
Mr. Sherkow has held senior executive positions in state, regional, and local transportation agencies since 1978 and in Southern California from 1990 to 2007. He has extensive experience in highways, streets, and roads, public transit, and airports. He was appointed as Riverside County's first director of transportation and the first director for the County's Transportation and Land Management Agency. He was recognized as one of the Top 50 County Public Works Directors in the nation by Governing magazine.
He is currently serving on the board of directors for the Southwest Lincoln County Water People's Utility District, has also been a member of the civil engineering faculty at Oregon State University, and is involved in senior living development. He is a registered engineer in seven states, an Envision™ Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) for the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, and board member of the Greenroads Foundation. He is a fellow member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and past president of Oregon ASCE Section. Mr. Sherkow served as chairman and member of the Visiting Committee, University of Wisconsin, Civil & Environmental Engineering department. He also serves on ISI's ‘Sustain or Explain' advocacy task force.
Job Titles:
- Member Relations Specialist
She holds a bachelor's degree in Sustainability Studies from the University of Florida and is a Project Management Professiona l (PMP). Jillian's sustainability journey began in 2010 when the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill inspired her to create, with her twin sister, a nonprofit called Proseed2Green, focused on environmental education and action. She has given a TEDx talk on the power of youth activism based on her experience in this grassroots movement. Prior to joining ISI, Jillian worked as an Assistant Director of Admission at the Savannah College of Art and Design and as a VIP Tour Guide at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Jillian is based out of Atlanta, GA where she enjoys playing Dungeons & Dragons and spending time with her girlfriend and their sweet corgi pup, Willow.
Jillian Samowitz fosters positive relationships between ISI and its members, providing support in the areas of member engagement, growth, and retention.
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Associate
- Senior Research Associate at ISI
Judith is responsible for advancing research and tools for sustainable infrastructure and in support of the Envision sustainability framework. Full Bio
As the Senior Research Associate at ISI, Judith is responsible for advancing research and tools for sustainable infrastructure and in support of the Envision sustainability framework.
She is a researcher and designer with domain expertise in sustainability standards, tools, and training. Her work experience as part of the Zofnass Program at Harvard University encompassed large-scale infrastructure assessments, tools development, best practices, vulnerability mapping, and risk reduction. She has extensive strong experience evaluating the sustainability, and climate resilience of infrastructure, contributing to the guidance of more than 60 diverse assets worth more than 20 billion USD. Judith coordinated more than 25 workshops at Harvard that brought together global industry leaders and specialists in sustainable infrastructure. She has taught courses on sustainable infrastructure and global development practice with focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and combating climate change.
Judith practiced as a designer, contributing to award-winning designs by Toyo Ito & Associates Architects in Tokyo, Skimore, Ownings & Merrill (SOM) in Chicago, Topotek 1 in Berlin, and LCLA Office. She holds master's degrees in landscape architecture and urban design from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, in architecture from Illinois Institute of Technology, and a bachelor's in environmental design from the University of Puerto Rico.
Kailey is the Verification specialist at ISI.
In addition to providing technical assistance and aiding program implementation, she is responsible for leading projects through the Envision verification process.
Prior to joining ISI, she was a senior sustainability consultant at C&S Companies, where she grew a nationally recognized practice- focused on integrating sustainability and resilience into airport processes and projects.
Kailey holds a bachelor's degree from Cornell University, where she majored in environmental studies. Her concentration was in city and regional planning.
Kailey lives in Chicago, Illinois, with her husband and dog, Bagel.
Kailey provides technical assistance and supports program implementation as a Verification Specialist. She is also responsible for leading projects through the Envision verification process. Full Bio
Job Titles:
- Director at ISI
- Verification Director
Kristi Wamstad is the Envision Verification director at ISI. In this role, Kristi maintains the verification process, ensures consistency in project reviews, and provides technical assistance.
Prior to ISI, Kristi was the technical director for USGBC's LEED for Cities and Communities and STAR Communities, a comprehensive sustainability rating system for jurisdictions. Additional experience includes being sustainability coordinator for the city of Omaha and sustainable solutions program coordinator at HDR. In 2005, Kristi worked with the Oregon Bridge Delivery Partners to develop the Context Sensitive and Sustainable Solutions (CS3) program, a first-of-its-kind framework for applying sustainability to transportation infrastructure.
Kristi holds a master's degree in community and regional planning from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and bachelors' degrees in biology and environmental science from the University of Colorado-Boulder. She lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, where she enjoys biking, gardening, and spending time with her kids, cats, guinea pigs, and chickens.
Kristi Wamstad manages the verification process, ensures consistency in project reviews, and provides technical assistance. Prior to ISI, Kristi was the technical director for USGBC's LEED for Cities and Communities and STAR Communities. Full Bio
Job Titles:
- President / CEO, Chairman of the Board, Pinyon Environmental
Lauren Evans, PE ENV SP has more than four decades of experience in the environmental industry with a focus on environmental regulations, remediation, and sustainability. In 1993 she founded the Lakewood, Colorado based Pinyon Environmental, Inc. and the firm now employs approximately 70 staff members. Ms. Evans started the firm based on the belief that clients deserve ethical business practices and intelligent, cost-conscious solutions. During her tenure, her company has reached annual revenues of $10M and completed over 20,000 projects for over 1,450 clients across the US. She has implemented innovative corporate tools including open book management, the balanced scorecard, predictive leading indicators, an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), and creation of an innovation & optimization department within the company to develop and implement new technologies for application on the company's projects.
Ms. Evans is a past president of The American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado (ACEC/CO). She has chaired or served on various ACEC committees, and actively participates in industry organizations. Her honors include being named ACEC/CO Outstanding Woman in Engineering, and Colorado Business in Ethics award winner. Ms. Evans is a long-standing champion of raising public awareness and understanding and appreciation of the engineering profession.
Job Titles:
- Education Director
- Member of the Academic Committee
- Member of the ISI Management Team
- Director of Education at ISI
- Registered Professional Engineer in the State of NJ
Leslie Brunell is the Director of Education at ISI. She oversees educational programming including the Envision Sustainability Professional credential, continuing education courses, and training for Envision Verifiers and ISI trainers. She was formerly a Teaching Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. She served as a member, and Chair, of the Academic Committee for ISI. This committee works to increase the Envision resources for academic use at universities and colleges.
Leslie is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of NJ, and an ASCE Fellow. She has been honored as Educator of the Year by both the New Jersey and North Jersey Chapter s of the ASCE and was recognized by the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame for Advancement of Invention and Process.
Leslie received her BE, ME and PhD from Stevens Institute of Technology. She worked as a Water Resources Engineer for over 14 years before transiting to academia.
Leslie Brunell oversees educational programming in her role at ISI, including the ENV SP credential, continuing education courses, and training for Envision verifiers and ISI trainers.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
Dr. Leticia (Leti) Solaun has more than 25 years of experience leading, developing, implementing and providing social impact, equity, communications and engagement expertise on projects and programs in more than 40 countries. She leads high-profile, technically complex, and politically sensitive national and international projects involving activist organizations, multiple agencies, NGOs, activists, indigenous communities, supply chains, vulnerable populations, media outlets, industry associations and community members. Leti provides subject matter expertise and advises infrastructure agencies, large multi-national corporations and international development organizations, including the United Nations, USAID and World Bank/International Finance Corporation (IFC). She serves as the Global Principal - Communications and Engagement and Director - Social Value and Equity for US East, Canada and Latin America/Caribbean for Jacobs. Leti also teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in research methods, public relations and communications strategy, theory, campaigns, sustainability communication and AI in public relations and communications at the University of Florida.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
Malay Ghose Hajra, Ph.D., P.E., ENV SP, is the Chief Engineer for Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority - East (SELFPAE) in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he serves as a technical resource and subject matter expert to the engineering, operations and maintenance staff. Before joining SELFPAE, he served as a faculty member and department chair in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of New Orleans, and worked as project manager and senior geotechnical engineer with multiple engineering firms across Louisiana and Texas.
Dr. Ghose Hajra received his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Civil Engineering from Kansas State University in 2001, after having completed his B.S. in Civil Engineering at University of North Bengal (India) and his M. Tech. degree in Civil Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur (India). Dr. Ghose Hajra is actively involved with American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and has served as President of the ASCE - Louisiana section. He is also an active member of the Academic Committee for the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) and ASCE's Geo-Institute.
Job Titles:
- Director of Los Angeles County Public Works
Mark Pestrella is the Director of Los Angeles County Public Works. Public Works' diverse operations are defined within the following business areas: Water Resources, Transportation, Environmental Services, Construction Management, and Municipal Services. With an annual budget of more than $2.7 billion and a workforce of 4,000 employees, Los Angeles County Public Works is the largest municipal public works agency in the United States, providing vital public infrastructure and civic services to more than 10 million people across a 4,000-square-mile service area.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
- Graduate Program Director
Dr. Mohamed ElZomor is an assistant professor at Florida International University (FIU), college of engineering and computing and teaches at the Moss School of Construction, Infrastructure and Sustainability. Dr. ElZomor received his doctorate at Arizona State University (ASU), Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Prior to attending ASU, Dr. ElZomor received a master's degree in architecture from the University of Arizona, a master's degree in engineering, and a bachelor's degree in construction engineering from the American University in Cairo. Dr. ElZomor moved to FIU from State University of New York, where he was an assistant professor at the college of Environmental Science and Forestry.
In addition to Dr. ElZomor's diverse cross-disciplinary academic knowledge in engineering, architecture, sustainability, and construction, he has extensive professional project management experience, where he successfully delivered several billion-dollar mixed-use projects. Mohamed has more than a decade of professional industry experience in various capacities within the construction, development, and real estate fields. His professional experience and academic background helped him develop a tool that identifies project scope and associated risk for small infrastructure projects, which currently is heavily used in planning for infrastructure projects.
Dr. ElZomor maintains a research program focused on advocating for infrastructure sustainability and educating stakeholders to address our future challenges. His research work spans sustainability of infrastructure systems and the built environment, infrastructure resilience, engineering education, construction engineering, energy efficiency measures/modeling, and project management. Dr. ElZomor's distinct expertise supports fostering interdisciplinary research in addition to embracing innovative pedagogical approaches in STEM education. Mohamed's goal is to embrace active, creative and inclusive learning environments for future workforces and integrate resilience and sustainability into construction for societal good. Dr. ElZomor's research has been supported by many federal and NGO agencies including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Engineering Information Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
Rebecca brings a decade of marketing experience to ISI, coupled with a passion for sustainability. Previously, she spent five years with a not-for-profit focused on food system sustainability, where she supported everything from branding and strategy to external communications, event planning and partnership development. She has led several sustainability groups throughout her career and has experience working with other sustainability frameworks like LEED, Living Building Challenge and B-Corp.
Rebecca has an MBA in marketing and sustainability from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida and a bachelor's degree in economics and sociology from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been recognized and received awards for her achievements in academia, leadership and entrepreneurship. Originally from Orlando, Florida, she now lives in Tallahassee, Florida with her husband and their two dogs.
Rebecca brings a decade of marketing experience to the organization, coupled with a passion for sustainability. Previously, she spent five years with a not-for-profit focused on food system sustainability… Full Bio
Job Titles:
- Member of the Academic Committee
Rebekah Oulton, PhD, PE, LEED AP, ENV SP is an associate professor at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO), in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. She started in Fall of 2013 after completing her doctorate in environmental engineering at the University of Iowa. She teaches both environment engineering and water resources engineering, emphasizing sustainability principles and resource protection in all of her classes.
Job Titles:
- COO, Environmental Financial Consulting Group
Renee Ring spent her career as a finance lawyer in New York, and she is currently the COO of the Environmental Financial Consulting Group (EFCG).
After a wonderful career in law, she transitioned to management and financial consulting and the not-for-profit world. Over the years she has had significant involvement with cultural institutions and with preservation and environmental issues which complement her relevant experience and accomplishments as a corporate lawyer. These include:
• Expertise as both a member of several Boards of Trustees and as a staff member of an NGO working with its Board of Trustees
• Significant familiarity with forest stewardship, climate control and sustainability issues
• Knowledge of the foundation world, both as a grant-maker and a grant-seeker
• Expertise and interest in corporate governance for NGOs as well as for-profit firms
• Consensus building in complicated transactions with short deadlines
• Expertise in numerous different types of legal issues
Scott Marvel is a Verification Specialist for ISI's Envision Verification Program, where he uses his professional experience to support the Envision verification process. He holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), and is a Project Management Professional (PMP) living in Colorado. Prior to joining ISI, Scott worked in land surveying and as a consulting engineer in the land development realm focused on a wide variety of technical design, project management, and project owner/stakeholder support. Scott has worked with permitting agencies and design teams across the Unites States on projects related to residential & commercial development, stormwater management, underground utilities, dam inundations, and solar array facilities.
A Verification Specialist with ISI, Scott previously worked in land surveying and as a consulting engineer in the land development realm focused on a wide variety of technical design, project management, and project owner/stakeholder support. Full Bio
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hanson Professional Services Inc
- Member of the American Council of Engineering Companies
Sergio "Satch" Pecori, P.E., is chairman and chief executive officer of Hanson Professional Services Inc., a national, employee-owned engineering, planning and allied services company. With 48 years of experience in the engineering industry, he has led Hanson's efforts to provide sustainable and resilient design services.
Satch is a member of the American Council of Engineering Companies and served as chairman from 2017-18. He also is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), serving on its Industry Leaders Council; serves on the Design Professionals Coalition's Executive Committee; and is a member of the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers. He has served on the U.S. Department of State's Overseas Buildings Operations' Industry Advisory Panel and the U.S. Department of Defense's Reserve Forces Policy Board. He was appointed in 2011 to a four-year term on the board. In 2013, he was selected to lead the board's Cyber Policy Task Group.
Erin is San Francisco International Airport's first Sustainability and Resilience Director. She partners with the Airport community to co-design, manage, and administer sustainability and resilience policies, projects, and programs that achieve net-zero outcomes for energy, carbon, and waste and prepare the campus for a climate-impacted future. Erin previously served the City of Cupertino as its Deputy City Manager, where she drafted and activated the City's first Climate Action Plan and launched the countywide community choice aggregation program (Silicon Valley Clean Energy), Silicon Valley Collaborative Energy Procurement program, and Silicon Valley's Climate Adaptation & Resilience Plan. She was also a member of stewardship and climate planning teams at the Conservation Law Foundation, Goddard Institute of Space Studies, and National Park Service. She currently serves on the Board of LightHawk and leads key task groups for the Airport Council International and North American Committees and the American Association of Airport Executives. Erin holds a master's degree from Columbia University's Earth Institute and two bachelor's degrees from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Job Titles:
- Senior Operations Specialist
Sheila Newman oversees accounts payables and receivables, customer service with all incoming calls and e-mails, and supports all other areas of ISI. She is a 21-year Air Force veteran. Her career was in civil engineering, working in pavements maintenance, heavy equipment, RED HORSE (Rapid Engineering Deployment - Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer), quality assurance for Grounds Maintenance, and a manager of Safety, Security & Vehicles.
When Sheila retired from the military, she wanted to broaden her experience, so, in addition to her military career, she worked for more than 13 years in supervision, administration, & customer service in the medical field and with healthcare providers, working for durable medical equipment companies. She also worked 10 years as a professional petsitter.
Sheila Newman oversees accounts payables and receivables, customer service with all incoming calls and e-mails, and supporting all other areas of ISI. Full Bio
Job Titles:
- ISI 's Senior Learning Technologist
- Senior Learning Technologist
Ted Marcelo is ISI's Senior Learning Technologist, creating and advising on eLearning courses and instructor-led trainings through a variety of multimedia technologies. Ted holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of South Florida, and a master's degree in instructional design & technology from the University of Tampa.
Ted previously worked as the lead instructional designer and learning management system administrator for a wine and spirits distribution company in Miami. Prior to that, he worked as a counselor for a Tampa nonprofit, where he helped middle-and high-school students ideate and realize their post-secondary aspirations. He is an advocate for the reach that decentralized learning carries, particularly when impacting underserved communities.
In his free time, he is either reading, writing, or enjoying sunny Florida.
Ted Marcelo designs, develops and advising on eLearning courses and instructor-led trainings through a variety of multimedia technologies.