West Region’s Top Young Pros
Architects, contractors, engineers, developers, CEOs, executives and even a lawyer are among ENR West’s inaugural class of Top Young Professionals. These 30 diverse rising leaders under the age of 40 are making a difference at both their companies and in the communities in which they work.
Nearly 100 entries came in to this year’s contest from across the newly formed region comprised of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Judging criteria weighed each individual’s career experience, examples of their leadership abilities, their service to the community as well as any other notable achievements they have made at this stage of their career.
These young leaders are conceiving and leading projects in nearly every market sector, some with an eye on sustainability, others focused on diversity and equity, and all dedicated to building a stronger, more resilient industry.
Judges for this year’s contest included Mannie Barnes, construction manager at Guy F. Atkinson; K.K. Clark, project executive at Clark Construction; Wendy MacLeod, project executive at Turner Construction Co.; Paul Pendergast, founder of BuildOut California; Michelle Rabinovich, Director of Preconstruction at Shawmut; and Adam Spillane, senior vice president of operations at Cupertino Electric Inc.
A total of 450 entries were received from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico for all five of ENR’s newly formed regions. Winners were automatically entered into the National Top 20 Under 40 contest, the results of which were announced in December.
Six individuals from the West region were named to this prestigious list: Christopher Baersten, Jeff Byrne, Priscilla Chavez, Larisa N. Escalle, Anthony Valdiosera and Catherine Woodworth. They will join the rest of the Top 20 in New York City in March and be featured in ENR’s May 12 print issue.
Read on to learn more about the next generation of AEC industry leaders who are making their mark across the West.
Madhubala Ayyamperumal
32, Design Professional
Five Design Architecture and Interiors
San Francisco
After completing a bachelor’s degree in architecture at the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, in her home country of India, Ayyamperumal immediately went to work and spent the next three years of her career in Dubai. She moved to the U.S. in 2017 to pursue master’s degrees in architecture and architectural engineering at Penn State. Today, Ayyamperumal is based in San Francisco at Five Design Architecture and Interiors, providing conceptual design for high-end residential projects.
During her short time in the industry, she has helped deliver more than 20 projects in the Middle East and more than 15 projects ranging from 5,000 sq ft to 250,000 sq ft in the U.S. while serving as design lead.
Away from the office, Ayyamperumal is an active member of the National Organization of Minority Architects and the American Institute of Architects, where she currently serves as director of the AIA Silicon Valley chapter and director of AIA California. Other interests include promoting sustainability and wellness through design as a member of AIA’s committee on the environment and participating in the ACE Mentor Program.
Christopher Baersten
38, Vice President and Project Manager
Kennedy Jenks Consultants Inc.
Federal Way, Wash.
Recognizing the connection between water, public health and protecting the environment, Baersten decided to pursue water/wastewater engineering. After earning a bachelor’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from Seattle University, he joined Kennedy Jenks (KJ) as an intern and completed a master’s degree in water and wastewater treatment at the University of Washington in 2010. He then steadily rose through KJ’s ranks, from staff engineer to client director, to his current role as vice president and project manager. His work primarily focuses on planning, design and construction management services for treatment plants, pipelines and pump stations for public agencies.
As a licensed professional engineer in Washington and Oregon with specialized knowledge in regional environmental issues, Baersten is helping expand KJ’s footprint across the Pacific Northwest. His portfolio includes the Cascadia Wastewater Treatment Plant and Ballard Conveyance Project. With Engineers Without Borders, he worked on a drinking water treatment system in Thailand and designed a conceptual rainwater harvesting system in Suriname.
In his time off, Baersten has been part of Snoqualmie Pass Ski Patrol for the past 12 years and has summited every volcano in Washington state.
Craig Bailey
37, Construction Manager
Layton Construction
Irvine, Calif.
Growing up in a low-income community with limited opportunities, Bailey learned early how construction can create jobs and resources for local communities when he began working as a laborer at age 15.
Now with more than 16 years of industry experience, Bailey’s leadership and expertise have been vital on multiple high-profile projects, including One Beverly Hills, the Now and the Pendry.
In addition to a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering and management from Arizona State University and a master’s in construction management from the University of Southern California, Bailey holds a Series 65 license, which qualifies him to provide investing and financial advice to clients. He also earned a cost engineering certificate from CalTech and is a guest lecturer at Arizona State University.
Bailey’s leadership style emphasizes support and inspiration over hierarchy, which has inspired both colleagues and industry peers. He was also selected to join STO Building Group’s emerging leaders program, which identifies less than 1% of employees to develop leadership skills.
For more than a decade, Bailey has volunteered at Alpha Esquires, a mentoring and leadership development organization dedicated to empowering young men.
Nik Bandak
38, Founder/CEO
Bandak Project Management
San Diego
In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bandak realized there was a gap in the market that indicated a growing need for more projects in the science, technology and manufacturing spaces. That led to the creation of Bandak Project Management.
A people-forward approach enabled Bandak to grow the project load from five to 25 annually, managing volume from $100 million to more than $1 billion in a wide range of industries. Recent standout projects include Vuori’s new headquarters, Biolegend’s campus expansion and affordable housing with Affirmed Housing Group.
Bandak began his career after earning a bachelor’s degree in finance at Saint Mary’s College, working for a Bay Area concrete subcontractor and following a stint in the Middle East with Bechtel. Afterward, he returned to the U.S., focusing on real estate, master planning and construction at a San Diego-based commercial real estate company’s construction management division. After a decade, he launched Bandak Project Management.
Beyond the workplace, Bandak dedicates his time to several community-based organizations such as the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA and the San Diego State University Fowler Scholars Program.
Alissa Bautista
33, Preconstruction Manager
Rosendin Electric
Aiea, Hawaii
Growing up, Bautista got a sneak peak into the industry thanks to her father, an electrical contractor. After earning a bachelor’s degree in architecture and construction management at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, she joined Rosendin in 2016.
In Bautista’s eight years at Rosendin, she has steadily worked her way up from an assistant project manager to her current role as preconstruction manager. She is responsible for all division preconstruction activities. Some of the larger projects Bautista has managed include Hapuna Beach Residences, Four Seasons Hualalai, Wai Kai water park and Wailuku Apartments.
In her time away from the jobsite, Bautista is committed to multiple organizations. She serves on the board of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and as the 2024-2025 Hawaii chapter president as well as DEI chair for the NAWIC Pacific Southwest region. Bautista is also an active volunteer for the Rosendin Foundation, the Domestic Violence Action Center and the Honolulu Habitat for Humanity, where she serves as the Wahine build chairwoman.
Enrico Bertucci
39, Vice President, Innovation
McCarthy Holdings Inc.
Newport Beach, Calif.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Notre Dame and working in the industry for five years, Bertucci co-founded a self-perform consulting service for subsurface utility mapping while at Castle Contracting LLC. When McCarthy acquired the company in 2014, the service became its mapping and subsurface utility engineering group.
Although the group began in St. Louis, Bertucci helped the service grow into a nationwide offering, serving all 16 McCarthy offices and growing by more than 1,000% in head count and revenue in just four years.
Bertucci led the group for nine years. In 2019, he helped develop McCarthy Holding Inc.’s five-year strategic plan, Vision 2024. That led to the formation of an innovation department, which Bertucci has led ever since.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bertucci also played a vital role in founding and driving a grassroots, industrywide consortium called NEXT Coalition. This AEC industry group shared knowledge on overcoming pandemic-related challenges and how to keep working safely.
Bertucci also commits time to McCarthy’s Heart Hats program as well as non-profit organizations that focus on mental and pediatric health.
Emily Blair
39, Senior Project Manager
DPR Construction
Seattle
Following in the footsteps of her parents, two engineers, Blair studied civil engineering at the University of Illinois before completed a master’s degree in engineering and construction management at Stanford.
During her early years in the industry, she focused on K-12 projects with a Bay Area contractor, then moved to Seattle to manage interior projects for clients such as Amazon, the Gates Foundation and Nordstrom. In search of more complex projects, she joined DPR Construction in 2018 as part of the emerging business unit. In her current role as a senior project manager, she leads complex life science projects.
As part of an effort to help improve DPR’s internal processes and prepare the next generation to lead, Blair has been a CMiC Trainer for the past three years. In addition, Blair currently leads DPR’s Seattle summer internship program, which involves helping recruit, select and place new summer interns. She was also instrumental in starting DPR’s BuildHer program in Seattle and helping it evolve into a community of women and allies across all departments at DPR.
As a regular volunteer at the Seattle Business Unit’s community initiative events, Blair recently hosted FemmetoSTEM, a group encouraging young women to pursue careers in STEM fields.
Grant Bowen
39, CEO
Peak Projects
San Francisco
Although he earned a business economics degree while at Brown University, a passion for building and design led Bowen to pursue additional classes in art, architecture and furniture classes at the Rhode Island School of Design. After graduating, he relocated to San Francisco to work for Bayshore Global, where he managed and streamlined the design and construction of high-end residential and commercial real estate projects for seven years. Then in 2014, Bowen founded Peak Projects, an owner’s representative and estate management firm that specializes in luxury residential properties.
Over the last decade, Bowen has grown Peak Project’s team to 73. Together they manage more than 150 projects valued at a combined $1 billion across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. These jobs include a $170-million, 50-acre estate in Montana and the complete renovation of the Pinnacle Penthouse at the Woolworth Building in New York City.
In his time away from the office, Bowen is committed to multiple community organizations such as SOS Outreach—a youth charity for ski and snowboard lessons and mentorship—as well as the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation.
Margaux Burkholder
38, Principal, Structures Group
Walter P Moore
Los Angeles
As an expert in the seismic retrofit and adaptive reuse space, Burkholder sees a wide range of projects in her work across California’s high seismic regions, from tall buildings to sports complexes and seismic retrofits. Her portfolio includes landmark projects such as the $1.3-billion Intuit Dome and the $234-million County of Los Angeles Hall of Justice seismic retrofit.
She was one of the lead structural engineers for the $2.5-billion Century Plaza project that included the seismic retrofit of an existing 16-story historic hotel.
Within Walter P Moore, Burkholder serves on several internal committees, including the project management committee. She’s also the national leader of the sustainable design community of practice.
Burkholder is an expert in concrete design and was elected to the American Concrete Institute Southern California Chapter’s board of directors in 2019. She currently serves as vice president, leading the evolution of concrete specifications.
Mentorship is another area of focus for Burkholder, who plays an integral role in the architectural engineering program at Cal Poly, her alma mater. Since 2014, she has been involved in the ACE Mentor Program and volunteered at School on Wheels as a tutor for homeless children.
Jeff Byrne
39, Senior Superintendent
JE Dunn Construction
Beaverton, Ore.
Within just 10 years, Byrne has earned five promotions and become one of only a few dozen senior superintendents at JE Dunn Construction. He joined the firm right after earning a bachelor’s degree in architecture engineering at Kansas State University and has worked on projects in nearly every market, from government to health care and advanced manufacturing.
He has helped lead work at the historic Kansas State Capitol, at multiple occupied vertical hospital expansions and for an elevated clean room link for an automatic material handling system at a semiconductor manufacturer.
In his role as a senior superintendent, Byrne champions a respectful site culture and fosters open communication. Another priority is improving efficiency and communication, which he works toward through the use of a graphic schedule that he created. Each trade is assigned a color, then these blocks of color are overlaid with time frames across a site plan to provide an easy to read visual that trade partners can instantly understand versus a traditional P6 schedule.
Beyond the jobsite, Byrne has helped complete dozens of projects with Habitat for Humanity over the last nine years. He also works with Portland Youth Builders, a pre-apprenticeship program focused on 18-24 year olds.
Priscilla Chavez
39, Business Development Manager
PCL Construction Services Inc.
Glendale, Calif.
Across her nearly two decades in the industry, Chavez has led a transformation in how builders and owners approach economic development. In her eight-year tenure at PCL alone, she has spurred investment of more than $1 billion into small, local and diverse businesses through contracting participation.
Chavez led economic development programming on infrastructure projects such as the Tom Bradley West Gates at LAX, the Consolidated Rental Car Facility at LAX and BMO Stadium. Since 2019, she has managed market sectors for PCL’s Los Angeles operations.
Drawing from her background in economic development, Chavez created a holistic “pursuit excellence” process at PCL that prioritizes building positive and impactful relationships and emphasizes the beneficial outcomes that megaprojects can bring to underrepresented groups in Los Angeles. Her commitment to inclusion has created more than 600 new local construction careers for Angelenos.
Today, she is working on the Los Angeles Convention Center modernization—the largest publicly procured project in Los Angeles history—ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
She has served as the president of the NAWIC Los Angeles Chapter and as a director for Women Business Enterprise Council-West.
Ryan Cummings
37, Program Manager, Global Facilities Group, California
Burns & McDonnell
Brea, Calif.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Cummings began his career conducting energy surveys and health care design. He joined Burns & McDonnell in 2013, rapidly working his way up to his current role as a program manager with the global facilities group in California, where he leads a team of eight project managers on aerospace manufacturing facilities. He currently manages a portfolio that includes $360 million in EPC projects for Dept. of Defense contractors.
In addition to his field engineering role on design-build projects, Cummings serves as a mentor. His leadership abilities landed him a spot on the steering committee for the California Advancing Vision and Opportunity Leadership Program, which supports the development of emerging leaders. He has taught professional engineering preparation classes for ASHRAE and maintains a blog dedicated to helping mechanical engineers prepare for their PE license.
In his spare time, Cummings works with Habitat for Humanity in Palmdale, Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Sierra Club. He also recently spent a week volunteering at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand.
Larisa N. Escalle
38, Rail and Transit Lead, Northern California
GHD Inc.
Concord, Calif.
Throughout her 15 years in the rail and transit industry, Escalle has led multiple landmark projects, including the $12.2-billion BART Silicon Valley Phase II, the $1.1-billion Bay Area Rapid Transit District Communications Based Train Control program and the $128-billion California High-Speed Rail program.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, Escalle began her career at WSP and Parsons, where she eventually oversaw more than $110 million in contracts under BART’s $3.5-billion bond for capital transit programs. While at Parsons, she also completed a master’s degree in project management at Golden Gate University. She then spent a year at Hill International before joining GHD in 2022.
Escalle serves on several American Public Transportation Association committees and is a longtime member of the Women in Transportation Seminar and the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials.
Escalle has also been a community service advocate since ACE mentors inspired her in high school to pursue architecture. She returned to the ACE program as a professional, serving in numerous roles. As part of her dedication to empowering future female leaders in STEM, Escalle participates with the Girls Lead the Way STEM Summit, Femineering and Bay Area LEEDS.
Sheena Fitzpatrick
39, Principal
Rockaway Construction
Pacifica, Calif.
Before joining the construction industry, Fitzpatrick spent nearly a decade in health care while she was earning her bachelor’s degree and a master’s in communications from San Francisco State University. She proactively created multiple training programs and process guides for the hospital’s internal working groups.
Fitzpatrick joined Rockaway in 2012 as a communications coordinator, growing in responsibility to eventually oversee all operations and business development. Under her guidance, Rockaway’s reputation for technical expertise and safety priorities has blossomed. Following a local tragedy where a balcony collapsed, Rockaway was tasked with rebuilding more than 2,000 balconies throughout the local area.
In 2023, Fitzpatrick and her business partner purchased Rockaway, and she became majority stakeholder and repositioned Rockaway as a certified Women Business Enterprise. As co-owner, Fitzpatrick oversees business operations and ensures a steady pipeline of projects.
Since 2017, Fitzpatrick has been an active member of CREW SF, a nonprofit dedicated to elevating women in commercial real estate. She’s a member of multiple other professional organizations including the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks and Building Owners and Managers Association International.
Trevor Lykins
37, General Manager
Performance Contracting Inc.
Anaheim, Calif.
While earning a bachelor’s degree in construction management at Morehead State University, Lykins completed two internships with Performance Contracting Inc. (PCI) in Memphis. After graduation, he joined PCI full time in 2010 as an associate project engineer in Southern California.
Over the last 16 years, Lykins has grown through multiple positions at PCI, from project manager to his current position of general manager—the youngest in the region and second-youngest nationwide—in 2024. He now oversees a region that generates more than $100 million in annual revenue and manages a team of more than 250.
Lykin’s leadership philosophy revolves around prioritizing the well-being and development of his team members, providing clear vision and goals and encouraging autonomy and creative freedom. As a result, product lines within his territory experienced exponential growth: The clean room product line grew 263% in one year, and the exterior cladding product line jumped 336% within four years.
Among his most notable projects are BMO Stadium, Westfield Village at Topanga and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Beyond the workplace, Lykins volunteers with the United Way, the Children’s Hospital of Orange County, City of Hope and the ACE Mentor Program.
Tess Massaroni
33, Superintendent II
Mortenson
Kirkland, Wash.
During her time at Marquette University, Massaroni began an internship at the school’s Office of the Architect, which inspired her to pursue a career that would take her onto project sites and allow for collaboration with diverse individuals.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, she was hired at Mortenson in 2014 as a project engineer, joining the team on the Fiserv Forum Arena. Massaroni aspired to become a superintendent, so when two women moved into superintendent roles, it opened the door for her to seek their advice. During the final months of the project with support from a senior superintendent, Massaroni earned a promotion to assistant superintendent.
She next relocated to Seattle to lead work on Climate Pledge Arena, where she earned a promotion to superintendent.
Today, Massaroni is leading work on the University of Washington Basketball Intercollegiate Athletics Basketball Training Facility.
To help connect and support women in construction, she is a member of Mortenson’s Women’s Business Resource Group (BRG) and participates in various industry women’s events. She is also an active participant with Habitat for Humanity, Sofia’s Way and Rainier Scholars.
Chris Miller
39, Associate
Kimley-Horn
Bellevue, Wash.
When Miller was a child, he watched as construction progressed on Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, sparking an interest in engineering and leading him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Virginia Tech in 2007.
After establishing his career at several Richmond, Va.-based firms, he relocated to Seattle in 2011. Miller joined Kimley-Horn in 2021, and in the years since, the firm’s Pacific Northwest presence has grown from one office in downtown Seattle to locations in Everett, Portland and Bellevue. This expansion increased regional annual contract totals by more than 290%. For his efforts, Miller was made an office practice leader.
Since 2012, Miller has led projects that have created more than 1,300 affordable housing units across Puget Sound. He’s also leading a program with a client that aims to construct more than 5,000 affordable housing units a year nationwide.
In addition to his involvement with the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP) Northwest chapter and the Seattle Sports Commission, Miller contributes annually to Bellwether Housing, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the Seattle Aquarium.
Rahul Mittal
33, Senior Electrical Engineer
Arup
Los Angeles
After earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at GH Patel College of Engineering and Technology in 2013, Mittal completed an internship and worked as an engineer for several years in India before moving to the U.S. to pursue a master’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering at the University of Southern California. Upon graduating in 2016, he spent a year as an electrical designer at P2S Inc. before joining Arup in 2017.
In the years since, Mittal has moved up the ranks to his current position, senior electrical engineer, focusing on projects across a range of sectors. He managed the entire electrical design process for the $2.3-billion LAX Delta Terminals 2 and 3 Modernization project, and he also conducted power flow analysis, arc flash studies and harmonic studies for the Disneyland Theme Park expansion.
Today, Mittal is leading Community Microgrid Master Planning in Silicon Valley, developing electrical infrastructure and energy strategies to help the client achieve zero-carbon goals.
To help ensure the advancement of electrical engineering knowledge, Mittal regularly reviews technical papers for both the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and SAE International.
Brittany Moffett
32, Senior Resilience Engineer
Arup
Los Angeles
Moffett began her career at Arup in facade engineering in 2016, but her passion for broader societal impacts led her to transition into the resilience space.
Equipped with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in building science from the University of Southern California, Moffett leads projects that are connected to building decarbonization, climate resilience and equity.
Among the many projects she has worked on is a multiyear energy assurance initiative in Santa Barbara County that involves providing energy assurance services to essential community resources.
In the last five years, Moffett has continued to emerge as a thought leader in building decarbonization, resilience and equity.
As a proud member of the LGBTQ community, Moffett has helped elevate conversations within Arup and the broader industry around inclusive, anti-racist and LGBTQ-welcoming design. Community service and resilience are other focal points of her work. She recently visited Kingston, Jamaica, to support flood resiliency through nature-based solutions and is also training through FEMA’s community emergency response training program.
Ryan Ouyang
39, Vice President, Associate General Counsel
Balfour Beatty
Culver City, Calif.
After completing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Ouyang completed a J.D. at Notre Dame. He served as a law clerk and associate attorney at firms in Chicago, then relocated to Los Angeles to join the Walsh Group as an ethics and compliance officer and contracts manager. He then spent seven years at AECOM in various roles—lastly as assistant general counsel—before joining Balfour Beatty in 2024.
In his current role, Ouyang handles all legal affairs related to Balfour Beatty Infrastructure’s functions and performance in the West region. Throughout his career, he has managed claims processes and developed processes to reduce margin erosion and improve financial performance.
In his off time, Ouyang has volunteered with and serves on the leadership advisory board of Vista Del Mar Child & Family Services, a nonprofit agency that provides critical programs and services to children and families with mental health disorders.
Alicia Pajares
35, Water Resources Project Manager
AECOM
Seattle
Pajares is dedicated to water conservation and building resilient communities. In her current role at AECOM, she leads water resources planning projects throughout the country, focusing on solutions for drought resilience, flood prevention and watershed protection. She also serves as technical practice group leader for AECOM’s global water planning group.
While completing a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in environmental engineering at the University of Central Florida, she worked at the Stormwater Management Academy laboratory and fell in love with environmental conservation and water quality/quantity management.
Some of her most notable projects include the EPA’s Creating Resilient Water Utilities Initiative Support, which helped the water sector improve infrastructure and operations to address weather-related risks, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Glades Reservoir Environmental Impact Statement, which determined the effects of a proposed water supply reservoir on Flat Creek in the Upper Chattahoochee River Basin.
Pajares also assists local organizations in planning and constructing watershed protection, flood prevention, drought mitigation and coastal resilience projects.
Cori Palmer
37, Market Executive
Mortenson
Kirkland, Wash.
In the 15 years that she has been with Mortenson, Palmer has held multiple roles and taken on initiatives such as spearheading public relations outreach for the greater Puget Sound area while working in project development.
She joined Mortenson in 2009 as a business development associate after earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of the Puget Sound. In her current role as a market executive, she guides her team on projects across the region. She has helped realize jobs such as the Providence Regional Medical Center Everett-Cymbaluk Medical Tower and the Four106 office tower in Bellevue.
Within the industry, Palmer has long been involved with CREW Seattle and NAIOP Washington. She has taken an active role as part of the Seattle Women of Mortenson Enrichment Network (WOMEN) and is currently mentoring three rising professionals.
Palmer also regularly organizes fundraisers for local charities and promotes women-led industry initiatives. As a member of Mortenson’s community impact committee, she hosted a denim drive through the Blue Jeans Go Green program that saw denim repurposed and reused as insulation in nonprofit building projects nationwide.
Eric Propst
34, Project Manager
Hensel Phelps
Honolulu
A construction career spanning nearly two decades has taken Propst from his hometown in Colorado to locations ranging from South Carolina to Guam and now Hawaii. In that time, he has worked on more than $1.37 billion in projects in the hospitality, housing, office, military, health care and wastewater sectors.
Propst relocated to Guam to serve as project manager for the J-011 Base Administrative Building project, which was Hensel Phelps’ first project on the newly commissioned Marine Corps Base Camp. His efforts set the stage for the company’s future work in Guam.
He recently moved to Hawaii to help grow the Hensel Phelps Pacific region and quickly stepped into a leadership role thorough helping to design a boot-camp training program that the company still uses today.
In his current position, Propst is managing the $153-million In-Vessel Bioconversion Facility Upgrades project at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in Honolulu. Other milestone projects he has led include the Grand Islander by Hilton Grand Vacations and the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant.
He contributes to his local community through programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters and Jefferson Elementary School in Oahu.
Jacqueline Reed
35, Project Development Director
Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering
Los Angeles
Growing up, Reed got a head start in construction with her family’s contracting business, Hawaii Catchment Co., where she helped her father in the field and worked with her mother to learn the business and how to grow the company. A high school robotics club further inspired her to pursue engineering and construction. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the University of California, Irvine.
After graduating, Reed joined Kiewit as a field engineer and worked her way up to superintendent before shifting her focus toward preconstruction and joining Clark Construction in 2017. She also worked in client relations at Bernards before joining Latitude 33 as a project development director in 2024. Reed now provides leadership in the Los Angeles office and oversees companywide business development.
Over the last 13 years, she has helped realize nearly $3 billion in developments across North America. Among these were the $108-million Heldman Center and the $650-million Century City Center.
Reed is an active member of multiple industry organizations, including the Design-Build Institute of America Western Pacific Region, Women in Construction Operations Southern California Chapter and Women Working Together.
Master Rhodes
34, Superintendent
Suffolk
San Francisco
After graduating from high school in 2008, Rhodes started as a union painter in San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. When he realized that painting wasn’t fulfilling, he pursued internships with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, opening the door to a career in construction.
He joined the local community group Aboriginal Blackman United, which helped him land a position on Suffolk’s Mission Bay 360 project in San Francisco in 2014, marking a turning point in his career. Rhodes joined Suffolk as a laborer, but when the Mission Bay project caught fire and had to be rebuilt, Suffolk decided to bring Rhodes on full time as an assistant superintendent in 2016. Four years later, he was promoted to his current role as superintendent.
During his tenure at Suffolk, Rhodes has contributed to numerous Bay Area projects, including Station Park Green and the Plumber’s Union Hall. Today, he is overseeing construction on the Treasure Island development in San Francisco.
One of his passions is ensuring local youth are given the right opportunities and pathways to pursue careers in construction.
Rami Selim
39, Associate, Team/Practice Leader
KPFF
San Francisco
For more than a decade, Selim has delivered civil engineering projects across the Bay Area, including the University of California, San Francisco’s Bakar Research and Academic Building and the 950-acre Sonoma Developmental Center Specific Plan.
After completing a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in civil engineering at the University of Mansoura and the University of Colorado, Denver, respectively, he spent the first 15 years of his career as a civil engineer with two California-based firms. In 2024, he joined KPFF as team and practice leader of Northern California Civil.
A longtime member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Selim has served as president of the San Francisco section since 2016, chairs the ASCE Region 9 sustainability committee and is a member of the diversity and inclusion committee.
Away from the workplace, Selim volunteers with the Community Engineering Corps and Engineers Without Borders, contributing to projects benefiting underserved communities. Selim mentors young professionals and participates in outreach programs with ASCE, Santa Rosa Junior College, UC Berkeley and others, providing guidance and support to aspiring engineers.
Alicia Suzuki
35, Group Leader Hawaii
Kennedy Jenks Consultants Inc.
Honolulu
A passion for protecting the Hawaiian environment drove Suzuki to pursue a career in engineering. She earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in civil engineering with a focus on environmental engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
Suzuki started her career at CH2M Hill/Jacobs Engineering. In 2017, she joined Kennedy Jenks (KJ), where she immediately began tackling projects, from water supply to wastewater collection and treatment. Some of her notable projects include the Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant Process Improvements project and the Hawaii Sourced Storm Water Treatment Materials project.
In 2022, Suzuki was promoted to group leader for the Hawaii region at KJ, overseeing a team of 11 engineers and scientists and an office of 20. She also became operations manager for KJ’s Hawaii office, where she increased staffing by more than 25% and boosted the office’s profitability.
Suzuki is a longtime active member of the Hawaii Water Environment Association, having served as secretary, vice president and president. She also volunteers with local schools to encourage interest in engineering and environmental improvement, especially for young minority women.
Anthony Valdiosera
38, CEO
VST Engineering Inc.
Oakland, Calif.
Shortly after completing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at California State University, Sacramento in 2009, Valdiosera began working as a roadway and highway designer with Jacobs and Parsons.
After earning his professional engineer license in 2012, he began working as a rail designer on the California High Speed Rail program, which shifted his career toward rail infrastructure and led to an opportunity to work in the United Arab Emirates as a civil and utility designer on the Qatar Long Distance Rail. Valdiosera soon made another shift, this time into project management for Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) Traction Power Replacement Program.
In 2018, he became CEO at VST Engineering Inc., with a goal to build an engineering company focused on quality services with a diverse and multicultural team.
In addition to serving as a mentor through the ACE Mentor Program of America’s Oakland Chapter, Valdiosera is involved in a leadership role with BuildOUT California’s Transportation Working Group and is also a member of the Construction Management Association of America’s Northern California creating opportunity for diversity and equity committee.
Melissa Vollmer
31, Director of Business Operations
Exxel Pacific
Bellingham, Wash.
Vollmer’s introduction to the construction industry came when she was working as an intern at Exxel Pacific while completing her bachelor’s degree in business administration at Western Washington University. She went on to join Exxel after graduation as its first full-time human resources administrator. In the years that followed, she continued to rise through the ranks, receiving her most recent promotion to director of business operations in 2023, now overseeing HR, marketing and payroll. She serves as secretary on Exxel’s board of directors and contributes to corporate governance initiatives. In 2022, she completed a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Colorado State University Global while continuing to work full time.
At Exxel, Vollmer has led multiple company-wide committees and is one of the founding members of the Women of Exxel Pacific group. In the wider industry, Vollmer participates with multiple organizations, including the Washington AGC, where she serves on the culture of care and human resources committees, and NAWIC. Vollmer is also a founding board member of the nonprofit buildHER, which is planning a summer construction camp for girls.
Catherine Woodworth
38, Area Superintendent
Hensel Phelps
Irvine, Calif.
A series of internships at age 16 put Woodworth on the path toward a career in construction. After earning a bachelor’s degree in construction management from the University of Florida, Woodworth began working with Hensel Phelps in Miami. In 2017, Woodworth transferred to Southern California as an area superintendent to work on projects such as the $194-million Caltech Chen Neuroscience Research Building and the $2.3-billion Delta Sky Way Program at LAX, where she led underground, sitework and apron paving for Terminals 2 and 3. She revolutionized large-scale apron paving by developing a comprehensive plan and cost-tracking system—her guide remains a valuable resource for similar projects today.
She joined the project development team in 2023 as area superintendent to provide field expertise and design management to support new project pursuits.
As a long-standing member of the Design-Build Institute of America, Woodworth currently serves as national chair of membership and as chapter chair for the Western Pacific Region LA/Orange County.
