California & Northwest People: October 2021
LPA Design Studios has hired life sciences veteran Isabel Mandujano as director of laboratory planning. In her new role, Mandujano will support LPA’s growing work in life science facilities for corporate, pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients. Her experience includes developing sustainable ground-up research and development facilities in established life science campuses as well as transforming existing retail and office space to laboratories that support emerging life science ecosystems.
Chip Jordan joins Herrero Builders as director of business development and marketing. He leads a strategic marketing communications team with an integrated approach to storytelling, brand positioning and business development that drives growth for the firm. With nearly 20 years’ experience, Jordan has championed sales efforts for firms on all sides of the AEC industry.
Rob Brykalski was recently named executive director of education at Kitchell CEM as Kitchell expands its footprint in the education sector. He brings 30-plus years of industry experience overseeing business development and operations of various programs and projects in the education sector, including major capital programs in excess of $1 billion.
Environmental Science Associates (ESA) has promoted Jill Sunahara to biological resources and land management business group director in its Northern California region. Sunahara previously served as regulatory permitting program manager. Her more than 20-year career has focused on environmental compliance, regulatory permitting and project management for a wide variety of natural resource projects across the West Coast.
ESA also welcomes Daniel Swenson as senior permitting specialist in the biological resources and land management business group. Based in the firm’s Los Angeles office, Swenson will work with clients across the country to facilitate the permitting process for projects in a wide variety of industries. He has spent his nearly 20-year career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Mel Sears has been named president of HNTB’s Northwest division, overseeing complex infrastructure programs in growth markets, including highways, rail and transit, tolling and aviation. He is based in the firm’s Bellevue, Wash., office.
“As our fastest growing division, the Northwest division continues to play a key role in HNTB’s ongoing growth,” said John Friel, West region president. “Mel will partner with teams in Seattle, Salt Lake City and Denver and our firmwide resources to further build on the division’s impressive history of success and seek new paths for growth.”
Sears now leads operations and strategic planning in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado, overseeing three offices, numerous field offices and more than 400 professionals. Sears succeeds Jim Thomson, who retired this spring.
ISEC Inc. has selected Greg Timmerman as president and CEO. The transition of Timmerman from executive vice president to his new role is instrumental to the ongoing succession plan of Dusty Morgan, who served as ISEC’s president and CEO since 2013 and retired on Sept. 15 after 44 years with the firm.
Nazem Moussa joins AECOM as associate vice president in its Orange, Calif., office. His diverse experience with public agencies and the consulting industry will enhance the firm’s transportation services in Southern California. Moussa brings more than 31 years of construction management experience to AECOM and has served in leadership and project management roles on large transportation projects in California.
