Industrial Advisory Board

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is fortunate to have a dedicated group of distinguished civil and environmental engineers to advise the Department on matters related to research, development, curriculum, cooperative education, student organizations, and other important functions related to our department’s mission. The Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) meets regularly with administrators, department faculty and students to learn about department activities. The IAB provides important feedback and input on the current and future needs of industry, government, and academia as it impacts the preparation we provide for our graduates.

The Department’s IAB also takes a leadership role on new initiatives that require further liaison with our alumni and cooperative work employers. For example, some members of the IAB recently identified a growing need for additional training of our graduates in the area of written and oral communication. They initiated a fund-raising campaign to address this specific need and worked closely with the Department to implement a comprehensive program across our curriculum that systematically develops communication skills as our students move through the program.

The following individuals currently serve on the Department IAB:

Name and Affiliation	Biography
Ms. Luciana Burdi Massachusetts Port Authority East Boston, MA	Dr. Luciana Burdi is the Director for Capital Programs and Environmental Affairs for the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). In her role, Dr. Burdi is leading the shift of Capital Programs towards a more innovative, progressive, BIM, Data & Design Technology-driven department. Prior to joining Massport, she held several positions at the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Dr. Burdi was a member of the CMAA National Board of Directors, the Chair of the CMAA (Construction Management Association of America) Emerging Technologies Committee. In October 2015, she received the CMAA National Award in New Technologies techniques in CM for advancing the use of valuable new technologies in construction management. Dr. Burdi earned her CCM (certified construction manager) in 2019. She received her Doctorate from Harvard Graduate School of Design. Previously, she was a SPURS Fellow (Special Program in Urban & Regional Studies) at MIT and she holds a Master’s Degree from the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia (IUAV) in Venice Italy.
Mr. Joe Cutillo Sterling Construction Inc. The Woodlands, TX	Joe Cutillo is CEO of Sterling Construction Inc., where he was the architect and leader of a massive and comprehensive business turnaround that pulled the company out of near bankruptcy and set in place a new long term strategy to deliver sustainable, profitable growth, achieve competitive advantage, and increase shareholder value. As President and CEO of Inland Pipe Rehabilitation, Joe led the Trenchless Rehabilitation business to become #2 in the industry with the most comprehensive solutions portfolio and highest margins. Among his key achievements at Ingersoll-Rand Corp., as VP of Service & Contracting, Joe led a complete business turnaround, from a $10M loss to a $10M operating profit. As VP of Manufacturing, HUSSMANN, he led a $1.3B global manufacturing organization to significantly improve operational performance, winning the Chairman’s Award for operational excellence. Joe is a Board Director for Sterling Construction Company, Commonwealth LNG, and ARTBA (American Road & Transportation Builders Assoc.), where he in on the Executive Committee and President of the Contractors’ Division. He has also served on the Board for National Liner and National Corrugated Pipe Association. Joe holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University, where he was a member of the National Honor Society for Mechanical Engineers.
Ms. Heather Mackey Ford Global Training Events South Hamilton, MA	Heather Ford (B.S.C.E. 1979, M.S.C.E. 1987) is the Managing Director of STEM Learning and Development at Global Training & Events Group LLC. Prior to this, she was the Vice President for Engineering and Science at Nobis Engineering, Inc., where she led large-scale environmental engineering projects for a wide range of clients. Ms. Ford has been active in local politics, including serving on the Board of Selectman, Board of Public Works, Hamilton Foundation, Affordable Housing, Waste Reduction, and Capital Committees. An active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Ms. Ford is currently an ASCE ABET Program Evaluator; currently serving a second term as a Legislative Fellow for the Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section; and recently completed a term on ASCE’s National Policy Committee for Energy, Environment, and Water. In addition to the IAB, Ms. Ford has also served Northeastern University as an original member of the Northeastern Civil Engineering Alumni Organization, a student chapter Contact Member, an alumni recruiter, an NU Ambassador, and a member of the Parents Leadership Council. Ms. Ford received the 2019 Outstanding Civil Engineer award. Outside of NU, she is actively engaged on the Board for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts and serving as the Massachusetts Director for the American Association of Environmental Engineers.
Mr. Mark Haley Haley & Aldrich Boston, MA	Mark. X. Haley (B.S.C.E. 1971, M.S.C.E. 1975) is Principal, Senior Vice President, and Director of Haley & Aldrich, Inc. In his experience with Haley & Aldrich, Mr. Haley has developed areas of geotechnical expertise in waterfront developments and foundation investigations for low-rise, mid-rise, and high-rise structures. Mr. Haley is also a Science Advisory Board Member with Eastern Wind Power and a Development Advisor with the Darwin Project, Building Boston’s Botanical Garden. He has also served Northeastern University as an NU Ambassador.
Mr. William Howard CDM Smith Cambridge, MA	William Howard, P.E. (B.S.C.E. 1969) is an Executive Vice President at CDM Smith, a global consulting, engineering and construction company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with over 100 offices around the world. He has served the firm in many leadership roles, including Chief Technical Officer and Chief Quality Management Officer from 2001 to 2012. He currently serves as an advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, President of CDM Smith International, and the firm’s Chief Quality Management Officer and has served on the firm’s Board of Directors from 1992 to 2012. Mr. Howard is the past Chairman and Fellow of the American Council of Engineering Companies, where he also chaired the International Committee. He is a Fellow of both the American Council of Engineering Companies and the American Society of Civil Engineers, as well as a member of the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC). He is also a member of the Board of Trustees at Northeastern University and chairs its Audit Committee.
Mr. Gregory Janey Janey Construction Management & Consulting, Inc. Boston, MA	Greg Janey, CCM (M.S.C.E. 2009) is the President & CEO of Janey Construction Management and Consulting Inc., a firm providing professional construction management services throughout the Northeast. As a professional, he has been actively working in the industry for over 30 years overseeing a variety of complex construction and institutional programs. His professional activities include Program Evaluator, ABET; National Board of Directors, Construction Management Association of America (CMAA), Past President NE Chapter; Trustee Wentworth Institute of Technology, Secretary and Chair of Facilities; and Industry Advisory Board, Construction Management, Wentworth Institute of Technology.
Ms. Christine Keville Keville Enterprises Marshfield, MA	Christine Keville, FCMAA, NAC, Hon.D.Eng is founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Keville Enterprises, Inc. Ms. Keville earned her Master’s degree in Construction Management from Northeastern University, her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from North Adams State, and is a Massachusetts licensed Construction Supervisor. Ms. Keville was inducted into the National Academy of Construction (NAC), the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) College of Fellows, and the Moles. She is a Trustee and Corporator at Wentworth Institute of Technology, and recently served as Wentworth’s Commencement Speaker where she earned an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Engineering. Ms. Keville is Chairman of the Civil & Environmental Engineering Industrial Advisory Board at Northeastern University. Ms. Keville is the first woman National Chair, Foundation Chair and Chancellor of CMAA, and the first woman President of The Moles. Ms. Keville received Wentworth Institute’s Woman of the Year award, Virginia Tech’s Outstanding Woman in Construction award, Northeastern University’s Outstanding Engineering Alumni award, South Shore Women’s Business Network’s Women Mean Business award, WTS Boston’s Woman of the Year award, Patriots Trail Girl Scouts’ Leading Women award, CMAA New England Chapter’s Distinguished Service Award, and CMAA National’s Special Service Award.
Mr. John McNamara A.A. Will Corp. Stoughton, MA	John F. McNamara III (B.S.C.E 1981) is Vice President of A.A. Will Corporation, where he is responsible for planning, estimating, and directing large scale public and private infrastructure projects throughout New England and the northeastern United States. He has 40 years of experience constructing heavy civil projects, including highway and bridge construction, marine construction, cut and cover tunnels, immersed tube tunnels, transit and rail systems, landfill closures, underpinning, lateral earth support systems, slurry walls, drilled shafts, site remediation including excavation, transportation and disposal of both hazardous and non-hazardous materials. John is an active member of the Moles where he has served as a trustee, secretary, and member of the executive committee. He is past Chairman and Board Member of the Construction Industries of Massachusetts (CIM), Board Member of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ATRBA), and Executive Committee member of the General Contractors Association of New York. Mr. McNamara is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Boston Society of Civil Engineers (BSCE), and the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME).
Dr. Vilas Mujumdar Consulting Engineering Reston, VA	Vilas Mujumdar is an independent consulting engineer based in Vienna, VA. Previously he was CEO, President, and Partner in several large engineering firms and a leader in the public sector. His positions have included Chief of Operations for the Division of the State Architect of the State of California and Director of the Engineering Research Centers Program at the National Science Foundation. His professional experience combines structural engineering, project management, teaching, and research management in Asia, Europe, Canada, and the U.S. He is recognized internationally for his leadership and contributions to integrated transdisciplinary work in reducing natural hazard risks and is involved in addressing sustainability issues facing global society through engineering. Dr. Mujumdar is a Distinguished Member of ASCE, a Trustee of the ASCE Foundation, and a member of the Pan American Academy of Engineers. He has recently served on several board committees of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), is a Director of the Masonry Society, and is the U.S. National Member and Executive Committee Member of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations.
Ms. Ellen Nestervich LNEnterprise Boxford, MA	Ellen Nestervich holds a bachelor’s in civil engineering and master’s in business administration from Northeastern University (NU), Boston, Massachusetts, and has also participated in NU’s International Business Program in Reims, France. She is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Boston Society of Engineers, NU’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Advisory Board and NU’s Civil Engineering Alumni Organization (NUCEAO). Structured as a sole practitioner, Ms. Nestervich does business as LNEnterprise, an SDO certified woman-owned business in Massachusetts (WBE) and Federal designated disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE). In a Resident Engineer/Project Representative role at LNEnterprise, she has contracted work with the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance and a non-profit affordable housing developer. Earlier work included direct employment in project management for 2 Fortune 200 companies. She also holds a Commonwealth of Massachusetts Construction Supervisor’s license. Ms. Nestervich has been involved as a partner in a start-up Subchapter S Corporation focusing on prototype CNC machining within the defense, electronics, and medical sectors. She is a recipient of the BSCES Lester Gaynor Award for Public Service.
Mr. Peter Ogren Hayes Engineering, Inc. Wakefield, MA	Peter Ogren, P.E. (B.S.C.E. 1969) is the President of Hayes Engineering, Inc. He is also a Professional Land Surveyor and Certified Soil Evaluator. Mr. Ogren has over 40 years of civil engineering design and construction experience. He has worked on and managed projects including the structural design of numerous apartment buildings, water and sewer pumping station designs, hydraulic analysis, environmental impact reports, site designs, and residential subdivision designs. Mr. Ogren is a member of the Northeastern University Corporation.
Mr. William A. Perry J.S. Held Middleton, MA	William A. Perry, P.E., M.ASCE (B.S.C.E 1982) is a Managing Director for J. S. Held (formerly the President and Founder of Perry Associates LLC, acquired by J. S. Held), a global consulting firm providing specialized technical, scientific, financial, and advisory services in construction (commercial management and expert claims analysis and testimony), forensic architectural & engineering, environmental, health & safety, forensic accounting & economics, surety, property damage consulting, and equipment. He has accumulated significant experience on a variety of water, wastewater, infrastructure, biopharma, and architectural projects, both private and public. Bill played key roles on the Boston Harbor Project and on the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. He has served as a Substitute Professor at Northeastern University on the Legal Aspects of Civil Engineering and has offered various training sessions on project management, change management, and commercial management, to various clients.
Mr. William Roache VHB Watertown, MA	Bill is Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic Officer at VHB. He has been instrumental in steering VHB’s strategies for growth since the firm was founded in 1979. His leadership has allowed VHB to evolve into the company it is today and his measured approach to charting VHB’s course keeps the company on an even keel and a balanced trajectory. Throughout his nearly 40 year career, Bill has maintained a successful track record leading diverse teams in the planning, design, and permitting of complex land development and infrastructure projects throughout the east coast.
Mr. Charles J. Russo Consulting Engineer Estero, FL	Charles Russo, P.E. is a dynamic engineering consultant to construction industry professionals. Charlie’s engineering practice over nearly three decades involves diverse applications of structural engineering and material science. His professional experience includes designing new construction, repairing and modifying existing structures, investigating performance problems and structural failures, and assisting in resolving construction-related disputes. During his time with Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, he served in senior leadership appointments as Division Head of Structural Engineering in Washington, D.C. (2006-2012), President (2014-2016), and Chief Executive Officer (2017-2021).
Mr. Sam Sleiman Suffolk Construction Wayland, MA	Sam Sleiman (B.S.C.E. 1983, M.S.C.E. 1985) is the Executive Vice President for National Transportation at Suffolk Construction. Formerly, he served as Director of Capital Programs and Environmental Affairs for the Massachusetts Port Authority. As Director, Mr. Sleiman oversaw the development of Massport’s multibillion-dollar capital programs, including construction at Logan International Airport, the public terminals at Boston’s seaport, the Tobin Bridge, Hanscom Field, Worcester Airport, and numerous waterfront properties.
Mr. Erik Stoofhoff Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Boston, MA	Erik Stoofhoff (B.S.C.E. 2000) is Chief Engineer for Design and Construction with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority provides commuter rail and inter-district bus services in more than 175 cities and towns. Prior to joining the MBTA, Stoofhoff was a structural engineer with Jacobs Engineering, where he designed bridges and related structures for road and railroad infrastructure projects. He was also a member of the Board of Directors and Vice President of the ACEC Massachusetts.
Mr. Brian Sullivan Tetra Tech Framingham, MA	Brian P. Sullivan, P.E. (B.S.C.E. 1981) is the President of Tetra Tech’s Infrastructure Northeast Region (INE) Operating Group. He is a professional engineer with more than 35 years of experience in the engineering consulting business, having worked for Metcalf & Eddy and Rizzo Associates prior to Tetra Tech. Mr. Sullivan’s technical experience has been focused on civil engineering design and permitting of dozens of large-scale commercial, industrial, residential and R&D projects throughout New England, as well as Architectural/Engineering (A/E) services to numerous public school districts in NY. In his present role as President of Tetra Tech INE, which has offices in MA, CT, and NY, he has overall responsibility for the project management, technical execution, business development and financial performance of the firm which provides a diverse array of technical services to both the private and public sectors. His professional activities have included: ACEC/MA Government Affairs Committee; Society of Military Engineers (SAME); NAIOP (the Commercial Real Estate Development Association); and the Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section (BSCES) of the ASCE.
Mr. John J. Wright Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc. Peabody, MA	John J. Wright, P.E., CCM (B.S.C.E. 1982) is a Vice President at Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc. With more than 35 years of management experience in the public and private sectors, he has managed major projects for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the former Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA), and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), including serving as the Deputy Project Director of the $15B Central Artery/Tunnel Project. His experience spans many types of projects, including heavy/highway, bridges, tunnels, buildings, power, utilities, and transit and rail systems. He is an active member in the Construction Management Association of America, for which he is past President of the New England Chapter, as well as the Women’s Transportation Seminar and the Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is a Massachusetts-registered Professional Engineer and a Certified Construction Manager.