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An attorney whose wide range of activities advocating and helping subcontractors includes court briefs and an important legal victory in 2025.

Served in key leadership role during critical final stages of New York City’s effort to enact the first U.S. congestion pricing program, raising revenue to improve public transportation.

Led a team of state transportation agencies, contractors and technology providers on an effort to improve highway workzone safety with telematics data collected from construction equipment.

Deployed trenchless method called spiral wound lining on a Manhattan sewer project to mitigate disruptive effects of conventional open-trench repairs, including allowing the sewer to remain in service during construction.

Developed spray system for ultra-high performance concrete—providing a faster, more efficient and longer-lasting solution for repair of corroded bridge walls, columns and girder ends without formwork.

Led team that conceived the idea for an innovative gantry system to place prefabricated bridge segments, enabling the first, $590-million phase of the Park Avenue Viaduct replacement to finish 21 months ahead of schedule.

Pestrella has spent his entire 38-year career at LA County Public Works, making his way up from field hydrologist to director.

When McCarthy Building Cos. won the $57-million job to demolish a failed dock structure and build a new general cargo dock at the Port of Beaumont, Texas, “we were surprised,” says senior project manager Robert Wood.

When Pranaya Shrestha’s father immigrated to the United States from Nepal in 1976, he sacrificed a prestigious government position and worked seven days a week operating a grocery store in Minnesota.