Speakers

James Donson, PE, LC, BEAP – Energy Engineer
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

James Donson is an energy engineer in Site Operations group at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where he leads the monitoring-based commissioning program of the campus building and supports the new construction and renovation commissioning programs. James spent 14 years as an energy efficiency consultant, supporting retro-commissioning and energy audits, lighting retrofit studies, and research. James is a regular speaker at the Pacific Energy Center, providing instruction on the topics of lighting photometry, efficiency, and calculations. James is an IES and ASHRAE member and contributed to the IES LP-8, The Commissioning Processed Applied to Lighting and Lighting Control Systems.

Steven Gunther PE, LEED GA – Mechanical Engineer
Strategic Energy Solutions, Inc.

Steven has a passion for engineering sustainable solutions that are cost effective, easy to maintain, and the best fit for each application. He takes great pride in ensuring that buildings operate as the design intended and bridging the gaps between design, construction, and operations. Steven understands both the owner's and engineer’s perspectives on a project and believes in the importance of a well-educated owner. He is currently working on geothermal projects for K-12, University, and multi-tenant clients, helping them lead the way toward decarbonization. 
A licensed Professional Engineer and LEED Green Associate, Steven is always looking to expand his knowledge base on the most up-to-date codes, standards, and geothermal designs. He is eager to educate other engineers, owners, lawmakers, and architects on all things geothermal. He is a member of the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA), and is currently on track to becoming a Certified Geothermal Designer through the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). 
 
 

Al Skodowski – Principal
Rivion LLC

David Okada, PE – Senior Project Engineer
Engineering Econonics, Inc.

David Okada, PE, has 20 years of experience in building mechanical system design, Net Zero Energy performance, holistic decarbonization, indoor air quality, and portfolio sustainability. He is closely studying emerging standards, regulations, research, and tools that are driving the evolution of building performance.   David is a contributor to white papers on best practices in the building industry, including the intersection of air quality and energy for BCxA.  

Suraj Joshee, CxA –
Engineering Economics, Inc.

Suraj Joshee, CxA, is an expert in commercial buildings, high-rises, and corporate campuses. Originally from Nepal, he offers our team and clients unique outlooks and perspectives. Suraj loves collaborating with design and construction teams to develop solutions for complex facility problems.

Having worked on some of Seattle’s most notable buildings, including the Space Needle, Amazon Spheres, and Amazon’s corporate campus, he understands how to bring an owner’s vision to life.

Ingrid Velasquez –

As a senior analyst, Ms. Velasquez leverages her experience of maintaining nuclear powered aircraft carriers and submarines in peak performance to build and execute commissioning and environmental programs for clients that keep their buildings optimized. She has experience in performing Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) Facility Assessments, deploying data analytics, and commissioning. Ms. Velasquez is enthusiastic about engaging stakeholders at all levels to ensure building systems operate to their optimized potential. 

Peter Babaian, S.E., P.E., P.Eng. – Principal
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc.

Peter Babaian’s twenty years of experience includes designing, investigating, and rehabilitating a variety of building enclosures and structures. Peter's projects involve exterior enclosure consulting for new construction, rehabilitating existing structures and enclosures, historic preservation, building enclosure commissioning, investigating non-performing building enclosures, and providing expert services related to construction litigation. He enjoys collaborating with clients to understand their goals and provide creative solutions.

Krishnan Gowri, Ph.D., BEMP, LEED AP, ASHRAE Fellow – Director of Building Performance
Intertek – Building Science Solutions

A leader in Building Performance Assessment - focused on the energy efficient and high-performance building design using advanced simulation techniques and sound building science principles. My current toolset includes THERM, WUFI, EnergyPlus, eQuest, RETscreen and several simple utilities developed to address hygrothermal, thermal bridging and condensation analysis challenges.

Janelle Griffin,PE, LEED AP –

Janelle Griffin leads the Facilities Engineering and BAS Operations group at RTI International, a 1 million square foot research campus in RTP, North Carolina. In this role she is responsible for energy management, quality control in design and construction, maintaining design standards, lab ventilation programs, building automation maintenance and operations, small projects, and capital planning for infrastructure. She utilizes her background in engineering and commissioning with a systems and life cycle focus to lead continued improvements in building performance, reliability, safety, and energy efficiency. Prior to RTI she was a Commissioning provider for over 8 years.

Ms. Griffin received a BS in Architectural Engineering and Civil Engineering from the University of Miami and a MS at NC State University. Ms. Griffin is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of North Carolina and a LEED Accredited Professional.

Matthew Steeves, CISSP, CEH, CEM, DGCP, CxA –

Matthew Steeves leads the Cybersecurity line of business for Chinook Systems, a Small Woman Owned Small Business in Arlington, Virginia. He is experienced in performing cybersecurity, commissioning, and maintenance activities for facility-related controls systems. He regularly conducts existing conditions surveys, feasibility studies, new construction and existing building projects. Matt is a subject matter expert in cybersecurity, in accordance with the UFC 4-010-06 and UFGS 25 05 11 Cybersecurity for Facility-Related Controls Systems for design, construction, commissioning, and ongoing operations.

Mr. Steeves received a BS in Cybersecurity Management & Information Technology from the

University of Maryland, Global Campus. Mr. Steeves is a Certifed Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certifed Ethical Hacker (CEH), Certifed Energy Manager (CEM), Certifed Commissioning Authority (CxA) and Distributed Generation Certifed Professional (DGCP).

Justin Gibides, PE, CEM, LEED Green Associate – Sr. Program Manager
McKinstry

Justin Gibides is an accomplished energy efficiency expert, Professional Engineer, and Sr. Program Manager with McKinstry's National Technical Services team.

Justin holds a B.A. in Physics from Franklin & Marshall College and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University. Over the past 15 years, his career has focused on enhancing building energy operation, efficiency, and sustainability, working with a diverse range of companies such as Siemens, Flywheel Building Intelligence, Ensight Energy Solutions, and now McKinstry.

In his current role at McKinstry, Justin leads a team of talented and passionate engineers who are dedicated to improving the built environment through a wide array of offerings that encompass all aspects of commissioning, capital planning, and operational efficiency. His work extends coast-to-coast with McKinstry's National team, but he has devoted significant time to Hillsborough County Public Schools in their efforts to modernize infrastructure and accelerate energy and operational efficiency.

Kenny Otero, Jr. – Department Manager, Air Conditioning & Energy Management
Hillsborough County Public Schools

Kenny Otero, Jr. is the department manager for air conditioning and energy management at Hillsborough County Public Schools, the 8th largest school district in the nation. A native of Tampa, FL, he is a product of the Hillsborough County school system.

Kenny graduated from St. Petersburg College, earning a B.A.S. in Technology Development and Management, with a sub-focus in data analytics.  He holds a Certified Energy Manager license and is a member of the Association of Energy Engineers.

Kenny has been with the district for 13 years. He spent 10 years as an Energy Conservation Mentor, working with staff and faculty to identify ways to reduce energy consumption. His success in this role led to his promotion as the head of the air conditioning and energy management department three years ago, where he oversees a team responsible for maintaining the district's HVAC systems, energy consumption, and sustainability initiatives across 265 sites.

As department manager, Kenny is responsible for ensuring that the district's HVAC systems are running efficiently, reducing energy costs, and providing a comfortable learning environment for students and faculty. He is dedicated to making a positive difference in the community and has become a respected district leader.

Steven M. Frank, PhD – Instrumentation & Controls Engineer | Site Operations
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Stephen M. Frank, PhD, is an instrumentation and controls engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Steve manages NREL’s building automation system and next-generation energy management information software within NREL’s Intelligent Campus program. Previously, Steve worked with NREL’s Commercial Buildings and Building Energy Sciences research groups, where his projects included developing advanced fault detection and diagnostics algorithms for commercial buildings and architecting a data acquisition system and sensor suite to support technology demonstrations on an ocean-going ship. Prior to joining NREL, Steve completed a Ph.D. at Colorado School of Mines under a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

Kate DuMez, PE, CCP, CEM, LEED AP BD+C – Senior Commissioning Project Manager
Group14 Engineering, PBC

Kate DuMez, PE, CEM, CCP is a Senior Commissioning Project Manager at Group14 Engineering with ten years of commissioning experience. Commissioning provided an avenue for Kate to pursue several passions: sustainability in the built environment, optimization of systems and processes, and troubleshooting complex problems in a collaborative team environment. She has managed a wide range of high performance commissioning projects including laboratories, healthcare facilities, Net Zero buildings, and a Living Building Challenge distillery. Kate is most excited about continuing to improve the commissioning process by leveraging the vast amounts of data available in today’s built environement to optimize facility operations.

Geoff Angell – Superintendent
Facility Grid

Geoff Angell is VP of Product Management at Facility Grid. Geoff brings 15 years of experience in solving business challenges through innovative software solutions.  Geoff is responsible for ensuring our customer requirements are met while providing the best possible experience through our digital product offerings.  Prior to joining Facility Grid, Geoff served as Senior Director of Lender and CMBS Architecture at CoStar Group where he drove the design and build-out of Risk Management solutions for Lenders and CMBS Investors. 

Nick Buike –
Group14 Engineering, PBC

Nick Buike has 23 years of experience in building operations and the construction industry. He has vast experience installing, operating, and maintaining building systems. Nick enjoys positively impacting how buildings are operated over their lifetime and has worked his way up through the mechanical trades as an installer, service technician, controls technician, and project manager. These skills have added in his commissioning career, which he has been doing for over 10 years. 

John M. Herboth, PE, CxA, BET-CP, EMP – Sr. Commissioning Engineer
Affiliated Engineers Inc. (AEI)

John Herboth is a senior commissioning engineer at Affiliated Engineers Inc. He started his commissioning career in late 2007 at NorthWest Engineering Service Inc. and has 15 years of experience collaborating with project teams while commissioning buildings across the NW. He has specialized in fire life safety and building enclosure systems. He currently serves as the BCxA NW chapter president and believes that sharing project successes, failures, and best practices is a professional duty.

Roger Ebbage – Energy and Water Education Programs Director
Lane Community College

Roger Ebbage holds an inter-disciplinary MA in Environmental Studies/Industrial Arts with a Passive Solar building design emphasis. Roger has been the Energy and Water Management Program Director at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon, since 1992 and has made the program a national model for energy and water technician education. Roger is also the Director of the registered Building Energy and Controls Apprenticeship (BECA) program.

Bryan McLean, CCP – Commissioning Program Manager
Amazon

Bryan McLean is a Commissioning Program Manager for Amazon. Bryan has over 18 years of industry experience, including 11 years as a commissioning provider. He is a CCP and Journeyman Test, Adjust and Balance Technician. He has completed over 100 projects in the life science, federal, healthcare, high-tech, retail, high-rise and higher education markets. Bryan is also a board member of the BCCB and the Marketing Committee Chair.

Michele Sagehorn – Principal, Commissioning Authority
Red Car Analytics

Michele Sagehorn has worked for over 15 years on high performance buildings, including as a leading commissioning agent. From her background as a quality assurance engineer in the automotive industry, she brings to commissioning a standard of care that is unique to the built environment. Her experience spans numerous project types, including leadership on ten ZNE and fifteen carbon-neutral buildings. In 2018, Michele and her colleagues launched Red Car Analytics, a company dedicated to engaging clients in building and operating high performance buildings through analytics.

Eliot Crowe – Technology Researcher
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

Eliot Crowe is a Technology Researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, supporting technical research on M&V, commissioning, data analytics, and other related areas. Prior to joining LBNL in 2016 Eliot spent 10 years working on utility program implementation, technical research, outreach, and training for PECI and CLEAResult. Eliot provided technical and program management support to the California Commissioning Collaborative from 2009-2016, including a period as Executive Director from 2015-2016.

David Glasgow – Regional Applications Consultant
Belimo

Dave Glasgow is an Applications Consultant Manager for the Americas at Belimo.

In the role of Applications Consultant Manager, he leads a diverse team of Regional Applications Consultants serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, and Brazil. 

David comes from a background in BAS controls that spans over twenty years, his career journey progressed from field technician to applications engineer, programmer, and project manager.  In the later years of his career his responsibilities expanded to sales and business development serving as Director-Building Automation Systems for a firm serving Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. 

David leverages industry knowledge to assist his team in supporting consulting engineers and customers with applications and up-to-date technologies surrounding all Belimo products.

Michael Teague, P.E., CCP, LEED AP – Commissioning Manager
Jacobs

Mike Teague is a Certified Commissioning Professional with over 23 years of experience in design, construction, and commissioning and is a member of ASHRAE, ASPE, and NFPA. He earned his degree in mechanical engineering (BE) from Vanderbilt University and is a senior commissioning manager in the Jacobs national commissioning practice. He has provided both design and commissioning services for commercial buildings across the spectrum: office, retail, educational, industrial, healthcare, justice, museum, and mission critical for clients including City & County of Denver, Harvard University, Duke Energy, Boston Children’s Hospital, Veteran’s Administration (VA), General Services Administration (GSA), The Art Institute of Chicago, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mike serves as the workflow and process lead for Jacobs project commissioning software, working with Jacobs commissioning agents across the country to implement best practices.

Aimée Brown – Program Manager
BCCB

Aimee joined the BCxA in 2015. In her role as the Certification Manager she maintains program materials and program operations for the Building Commissioning Certification Board (BCCB). Activities include all candidate communications for the three certifications on new and renewing applications and BCCB Board meetings. Prior to her current BCxA role, Aimee was a Senior Project Manager at CLEAResult working with utility clients in the residential market to implement energy efficiency retail programs.

Walter Stout –

Walt Stout has over 15 years of commissioning, quality assurance, reliability engineering, construction, HVAC, and facility engineering design.  He is currently a Commissioning Agent for Verdantas; previously he was involved in business development focused on providing laser scanning and technology solutions.  Walt is a veteran of the U.S. Navy where he served as a Nuclear Machinist Mate aboard submarines.  He was a past board member of both the Anthracite Chapter of ASHRAE and the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the BCA.  Walt lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with his wife, two children, and enjoys doing jiu-jitsu during his free time.

Nicole Imeson, P.L.(Eng),P.Tech.(Eng.) – Mechanical Engineer

Nicole Imeson (I’m a son) is a mechanical engineer and Principal at Vertica Engineering in Calgary, Alberta. She specializes in HVAC, plumbing and fire protection system design and operation throughout Western Canada. Nicole is currently the President of the Western Canada Chapter of the BCxA and over the past year has helped developed the new EBCx online training content.

Nicole is also a freelance technical writer, developing content for a variety of engineering and commissioning publications, including engineering.com, Cottage Life magazine, the Alberta Engineering Regulator’s online magazine, and last but certainly not least, the BCxA Checklist. 

Elliot Alverez – Associate Principal
Altura

Elliot Alvarez is an Associate Principal with Altura Associates and has been in the MEP design and consultancy sector for over a decade advising clients on how to create, use, and manage their building energy. Building off a background in MEP design and energy modeling, Elliot has grown into an industry leader in building commissioning with an acute focus on analytics and building management systems that support continuous commissioning. 

Christopher Pell – Associate
Jaros, Baum & Bolles

Chris began his career as an operations engineer in the energy industry in the Mountain West before relocating to New York and joining JB&B. Chris began his time at JB&B Field as a Commissioning Engineer working on projects such as the Hudson Yards and World Trade Center developments. Chris now manages a team of commissioning engineers who at any time are working on many projects in the New York metro area and beyond across multiple sectors of the industry, including commercial office, healthcare and life sciences. 

Brendon Mattis – Principal
Engineering Economics, Inc

Brendon Mattis, PE, CxA, LEED AP is a registered Mechanical engineer and commissioning provider. His interest in sustainability began early,  in college, he found that improving building systems operations was a path to increase sustainability and decrease the built environment’s environmental impact. These interests grew into an engineering and Cx career. Brendon has focused on commissioning for over 25 years, following nearly a decade of experience as a field engineer and mechanical design engineer. He is a local industry leader whose resume includes virtually every type of facility operating under all conditions.

Jacob Terry – Director
CxAlloy

For 15 years, Jacob Terry has been designing and developing CxAlloy commissioning software.  A self-taught programmer, he has a BA in Print Journalism and an MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology. 

Ish Keener PE, SE – Senior Engineer

Ish has over 10 years of experience as a building engineer, with a BS from Penn State and MS from Missouri University of Science and Technology. Prior to joining Intertek’s Building Science team, Ish performed research and design on fiber reinforced concrete and was a practicing structural engineer, focusing on design of reinforced concrete, CMU, steel, and timber framed structures. Since joining Intertek Building Science Solutions in 2016, Ish’s primary focus has been building enclosure performance, including new construction consulting, commissioning, forensic investigations, existing building enclosure analysis and commissioning, remedial design, and whole building airtightness testing. Ish is a board member of the BCxA Mid Atlantic Chapter and will serve as President next year. Ish has a passion for teamwork, quality construction, and best building practices with the goal of helping to create a more durable built environment.

Craig Hawkins, CCP –
CAH Consulting

Craig began his career in Mechanical Engineering in 1973 and became a Commissioning Provider in 1993.  In the past 24 years, Craig has commissioned over 475 projects, totaling over 50 million square feet of facilities.  Craig was awarded the prestigious Benner Award in 2016.  Craig is one of the founding members of the Building Commissioning Association (BCxA) and was instrumental in developing the BCA’s Essential Attributes during its founding in 1998.  He has twice served on the BCA’s International Board of Directors and currently the Committee Chair for Education and Training, leading the team that has developed and is delivering the BCxA educational materials.  

Michael J. Huhtala, RA, BECxPSM, CxA+BESM – Senior Consulting Architect
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc.

Mike Huhtala specializes in building science, building enclosure performance, and commissioning, including evaluating and resolving water infiltration and condensation problems and conducting thermal and hygrothermal analysis. He has published papers and presented on topics including computer thermal simulations, condensation, fenestration systems, and commissioning.

Ryan Lean, PE, LEED AP, CCP – Associate Partner
Jaros, Baum & Bolles

Ryan has previously served as President of the BCxA International Board and the Building Commissioning Certification Board, the organization responsible for establishing certification of professional commissioning providers, as well as Vice President and Membership Chair of the Northeast Chapter of the BCxA. Ryan leads JB&B’s Commissioning Department providing building commissioning and related services for commercial, mission-critical, educational, laboratory, healthcare and LEED green buildings. Ryan leverages his extensive experience in mechanical design of large-scale central plants to manage all new construction and existing building commissioning projects at JB&B, including day-to-day activities at the World Trade Center and Hudson Yards projects. Ryan views the field of building commissioning and related services as one meant to foster relationships with owners and operators, to guide them through the challenges of transitioning to a new facility, whether it’s a commercial, mission-critical, educational, laboratory, healthcare, cultural or financial institution. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University at Buffalo, State University of New York.

David LeBlanc, PE, FSFPE – Vice President
Jensen Hughes

Dave LeBlanc is a Vice President at JENSEN HUGHES, as a Service Leader for Commissioning and Integrated Testing. He has over 29 years of experience in fire protection engineering and is a registered fire protection engineer. He holds a BS in electrical engineering and a MS in fire protection engineering. Dave is also a Fellow in the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. He is also a member of BCxA, NFPA 3 Cx and NFPA 4 Integrated Testing of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems, and NFPA 72. He has written numerous articles related to fire protection systems in various publications.

A.J. Speicher, PE, CCP, CEM, PMP, LEED GA – Commissioning Service Leader
Borton-Lawson

A.J. Speicher, P.E., CCP, has over 22 years of commissioning, construction, HVAC, BAS, and facility engineering design. He is the Commissioning Service Leader for Borton-Lawson. Previously, A.J. was a Project Manager for a major BAS provider focusing on the design and installation of BAS systems, primarily for pharmaceutical clients. A.J. holds Mechanical Engineering degrees from Penn State (BS) and Villanova (MS). He is a Certified Commissioning Provider (CCP), professional engineer, Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Energy Manager and a LEED Green Associate. He is a Past President of both the Anthracite Chapter of ASHRAE and the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the BCxA.

Jesse Sycuro, PE, CCP – Director, National Technical Services
McKinstry

BCxA President Operations and Director, National Technical Services, McKinstry

Jesse Sycuro has served as Director-at-Large, Conference Committee Chair, co-author of the Ongoing Commissioning Best Practices, and now as the BCxA President-Elect. Jesse is the Operations Director for McKinstry’s National Technical Services team, leading asset management, building commissioning, and energy efficiency projects across the country. Having commissioned new and existing buildings, managed smart building solutions for ongoing commissioning solutions, and having led maintenance and operations teams, Jesse leverages his experience to work with clients to find innovative solutions that maximize the efficiency of the built environment while reducing lifecycle costs. He is a U.S. Navy veteran, with experience managing nuclear power plant maintenance and operations.

Dr. Damon Stambolian – Human Factor Expert
NASA Kennedy Space Center

Damon Stambolian is a NASA KSC (Kennedy Space Center) human factors expert with a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering.  He has over 20 years of experience in the field of human factors and has been involved in numerous space exploration and technology development projects.  As a human factors expert, Damon Stambolian is responsible for ensuring that NASA's equipment, systems, and processes are designed and operated to maximize safety, efficiency, and usability for ground crew and astronauts.  He works closely with other NASA engineers and scientists to identify potential issues related to human performance and develop design changes and strategies to mitigate them.  Some of Damon Stambolian's key responsibilities include providing technical guidance and support to NASA's engineering teams, designing and conducting user studies to improve the hardware and software designs, or improving the task design when using the hardware or software systems.  He also plays a key role in developing and implementing safety protocols and procedures related to human factors.  Throughout his career, Damon Stambolian has been recognized for his contributions to NASA's mission and has received numerous awards and accolades.  His expertise and leadership in the field of human factors have been instrumental in ensuring the safety and success of many of NASA's missions and projects, including the Space Launch Systems and numerous space exploration missions.

Adam Mangrich, PE, CCP, BCxP – President
Systems West Engineers

Adam brings a natural, engineer-driven curiosity and entrepreneurial mind to Systems West. As a key member of the leadership team, he embodies our values and works to strengthen day-to-day operations. Between his technical expertise, ability to cultivate relationships, and aptness for mentoring the team, Adam has become a trusted source of knowledge for Systems West and our extended community.

An Iowa State University graduate, Adam is a licensed mechanical engineer, board member, and President of the Building Commissioning Certification Board. As head of our commissioning department, he connects the right people to build teams that create innovative solutions. Adam is known for relentless follow-through and the fortitude to go the extra mile to elevate the team and project.

William McMullen – Director of Technical Services
Chinook

Mr. McMullen has over 30 years of experience in new and existing commissioning various types of mechanical, electrical and architectural systems, including reviewing drawings-specifications, construction inspections, system functional testing, training, and documentation. As a buyer and provider of commissioning services, he understands client needs and how best to exceed them. Mr. McMullen has been the Commissioning Provider for over 100 commissioning projects in higher education institutions, K-12 schools, hospitals, and government offices throughout the U.S. and abroad. Mr. McMullen has vast experience in and commissioned systems HVAC, Lighting, Laboratory, Central Plants, and has experience in Cybersecurity of Facility Related Control Systems. He received the 2007 Federal Energy Management award for retro-commissioning for the USGSA. He has also designed a web enabled Cx application WebCx™.  He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and has also served as director of facilities maintenance for a large community college. Mr. McMullen has served multiple terms on Board of Directors and two years as the President of the Board of Directors for the Building Commissioning Association (BCA) and has been a member of the National Institute of Building Sciences where he served on the Commissioning Leadership Council. Mr. McMullen is an instructor at NC State University, Engineering Professional Development, teaching Cx, EB-Cx, TAB.