About Parsons Brinckerhoff

A building services engineer in Parsons Brinckerhoff's Hong Kong office, Colin was the first Parsons Brinckerhoff employee outside of North America to receive accredited professional status from LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). He was also among the first Parsons Brinckerhoff employees to achieve the Carbon Audit Professional Certification from the Association of Energy Engineers.

"I saw that engineers and clients were talking a lot more about climate change, carbon emissions, and carbon footprints than ever before, so I decided it was time to learn as much as I could about the subject," says Colin. Carbon audits include not just building design and energy consumption but the use of energy by employees in travel and even the use of items like paper, which require some emissions to produce. "We actually measure how many tons of paper we use per year."

Colin is keen on projects that the Hong Kong office has never encountered - he more unusual the better. "For new ventures, I do a lot of research and analysis because usually there are no books that contain the answers." For example, Colin helped develop a unique ground source heat pump system for the International Wetland Park, a 151-acre (61-hectare) preserve in the New Territories that demonstrates the diversity of Hong Kong's wetland ecosystem. "We had the St. Louis office help with the calculations, but otherwise there were no precedents to turn to," he says.

Colin is currently Project Director on two buildings that will rise some 100 stories, one in Tianjin and one in Guangzhou. He's also Deputy Project Director for Parsons Brinckerhoff on the Shanghai Tower project, a super-tall skyscraper that will be 128 stories. Parsons Brinckerhoff is owner's engineer for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. Parsons Brinckerhoff also serves as the commissioning authority for accreditation to the LEED "gold" certification and Green 3-Star China award granted by the U.S. Green Building Council and the China Green Building Committee, respectively. Scheduled for completion in 2014, the Shanghai Tower will be the tallest building in China. What Colin enjoys most about that project, he says, is that it will also be one of the most sustainable buildings in China. "As citizens of the world, we must integrate sustainability in all our designs. People say engineers always consume energy. Now we can show the world how to produce structures that are environmentally friendly."

Jane Jordan is Parsons Brinckerhoff's Program Manager for the Antelope Valley Projects for the Joint Antelope Valley Authority (JAVA) in Lincoln, Nebraska, which encompass roadway and bridge improvements, flood control, and community revitalization. Jane's experience spans design and construction for a range of civil engineering disciplines, including structures, roadways, rail, and environmental projects.

"I enjoy the many aspects of what I do," Jane says. "I like handling the very technical challenges, but also envisioning a completed project and seeing it through from planning to design to construction. Explaining a project to local property owners, answering their questions about the construction process, and making sure they are all engaged is very rewarding."

Parsons Brinckerhoff has been involved in the Antelope Valley Projects since 1995, when the major investment study was launched. Jane joined Parsons Brinckerhoff as Program Manager in January 2004, as final design continued and construction began on JAVA's 17 street and bridge projects.
While work on the Antelope Valley program is nearly complete, Jane is also the lead on two projects for the Nebraska Department of Roads. One project involves redeveloping the program manual for the state's bridge inspection program. Jane is also leading Parsons Brinckerhoff's efforts in developing and executing a quality assurance program for the Nebraska Department of Roads.

As part of her lifelong commitment to community service, Jane is a board member of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Nebraska and serves as Chair of the group's business practices committee. "It's important to be involved - not only in engineering organizations, but also in your community," Jane says. "As civil engineers, we must also be good citizens."

Originally from Topeka, Kansas, Jane holds an M.S. in civil engineering from the University of Nebraska and a B.S. in civil engineering from Kansas State University.

Anas Kassem is the Director of Transportation for Parsons Brinckerhoff in the Middle East, responsible for the overall operations and performance of all transportation-related business, including design, construction and project management of highways and rail projects. Based in Kuwait City, Anas also serves as Parsons Brinckerhoff’s country manager for Kuwait, overseeing more than 80 employees.

One of the most significant projects under way in Kuwait is the First Ring Road in downtown Kuwait City, for which Anas serves as Project Director leading Parsons Brinckerhoff’s work, which includes design, preparation of contract documents and tender review and, currently, construction supervision on the portion of the northern section near the intersection at Jahra Gate, the oldest gate to the city. "Through bridges and underpasses that redirect traffic for easy access to downtown Kuwait City, the First Ring Road is the kind of efficient infrastructure that is an essential part of a vibrant city."

Anas is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and president of the Kuwait chapter of the American Concrete Institute. He was recently named in MEED as one of the Top Gulf Road Consultants, acknowledging his contribution to helping develop the region’s road and bridge networks.

Earlier in his career, Anas worked in Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Princeton, New Jersey, office for seven years on various road, bridge, and rail projects. He has a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology, and a Masters of Science in civil engineering from Rutgers University in New Jersey.

A senior project architect/designer in Heery's Orlando office, Ronok Nichols is an integral member of the company's justice design group.  As part of a devoted team leading the charge in pursuit of public-private partnership work in the Canadian Court System, she has been largely responsible for addressing building massing, building planning, court and court support space design for both Quinte Consolidated Courthouse in Belleville and St. Thomas Consolidated Courthouse in Toronto.  She also worked in a peer review capacity on the exterior building and public space design.  Ronok has simultaneously been involved with the marketing, design and construction administration of Lake County Courthouse in Tavares, Florida, a project in which she’s been heavily involved since its inception in 2004.

"Given the depth of our in-house resources, we're uniquely positioned to compete in the public-private partnership arena," Ronok says.  "What's exciting is that this is still an emerging market in North America. We've got an opportunity to become leaders in successfully responding to these types of project requests."

Taking on new challenges comes easily to Ronok, who created an office based architectural design review to stimulate conversations regarding the evolution of project design. "My goal was to pull people together from diverse departments to cross-pollinate ideas and raise the bar on the caliber of work being produced.  So often, the unique perspectives and experiences of individuals can stimulate rich discussions that contribute to a project's design direction. One of our more successful efforts led to an important elevation shift for our MCGHealth Cancer Center client in Augusta, Georgia."

Ronok has also led the effort to fine tune Orlando's leadership development seminars.  "We pair interns with architects to create opportunities for open, candid relationships.  One of the most interesting aspects of the program is the creation of mock interviews within the office. We then call on outside jurors to judge our interns' efforts on an imitation RFP. A great deal of time and energy goes into creating an effective program that helps our architects move more easily to the next level, again helping us raise the bar on the caliber of work being produced. I've been impacted by so many great mentors in my life. I feel strongly about being one myself."

Ronok received both her Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Architecture degrees from the University of Florida. Committed to giving back to the community, Ronok regularly serves as a guest design critic for undergraduate design studios at Valencia Community College.  She has also played an integral role in the design and construction of several wheelchair ramps the office has installed through its volunteer efforts with the Center for Independent Living.

As Senior Director - Energy, David Rutherford plays a leadership role in developing and maintaining Parsons Brinckerhoff's power operations in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He is responsible for the firm's services in the areas of power generation, power networks, energy and utility consulting, and quality. David is currently focused on expanding Parsons Brinckerhoff's power business on a global basis by strengthening core capabilities, cultivating new relationships, and reinforcing Parsons Brinckerhoff's identity as an international provider of power and energy services. "I am convinced," he says, "that there is virtually no power engineering challenge that we cannot meet by leveraging our extensive delivery capabilities and our geographic spread."

He has also worked on high-profile projects such as the 4,800 MW Medupi power plant in South Africa, which will be one of the world's largest power stations when completed. "Medupi is a life-changing project for the people of South Africa," he observes. "It benefits their society as a whole. Such iconic projects really set Parsons Brinckerhoff apart."

David joined Parsons Brinckerhoff in 2007 after a long career with ScottishPower, beginning with his work as a distribution operational engineer and culminating in his appointment as Director, Energy Networks. His management approach emphasizes staff development - he believes his own career has benefited from a match between professional growth and increased responsibility, and seeks to create a work environment where people are encouraged to perform and are rewarded accordingly.

David holds a B.Sc. degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK, and an MBA degree from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, UK. His personal interests include travel, skiing, and playing golf, as well as spending time with his wife and two daughters. He is based in Parsons Brinckerhoff's Glasgow, UK office.

Rachel Skinner, based in Parsons Brinckerhoff's London office, is Director of Sustainable Planning and Development for the UK and Europe. A chartered engineer and transportation planning expert, she has spent her whole professional career at Parsons Brinckerhoff. She now directs around 110 staff members based in offices across the UK.

"I'm very proud to have reached this level in a relatively short time, and am grateful for the support, mentoring and training I received at key points in my career," Rachel says.

She has won and worked on several high-profile projects, including transportation projects in preparation for the London 2012 Olympics. "We tracked the Olympic pursuit for years, before the client organization had even formed," she remembers. "Now we have large teams working to ensure that London's road system works as well as it can during the Games." Her group has also advised the UK Highways Agency in determining the impact of future plans and developments on major roadways for more than a decade, among other projects.

Rachel brings enthusiasm, skills and loyalty to her work at Parsons Brinckerhoff - along with an appreciation for the people within her teams. "I genuinely enjoy seeing people develop and grow in confidence, and playing a part in that process. I also get great satisfaction from watching relationships and networks build over time," she observes. She has hired and mentored many young graduates, including a substantial proportion of women - most of whom are still with Parsons Brinckerhoff.

Rachel presently has leadership roles in two professional organizations outside Parsons Brinckerhoff. She has been President of the Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS) in London since 2008, having played a part in founding the first European chapter of WTS in 2005. She is also the elected Chair of the London region of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), representing the needs and concerns of its 8,000 regional members. In the past, Rachel chaired Parsons Brinckerhoff's European arm of the internal Professional Growth Network in 2001, leading initiatives to support staff in the early stages of their careers. She has maintained an advisory involvement with the group since that time.

Rachel holds two degrees from UK universities - a bachelor's degree in Geography from the University of Durham, and a master's degree in Transportation Planning and Engineering from the University of Leeds. As the mother of two young children, she believes maintaining the right balance between work and home is an achievement in itself. "Sometimes I feel that I'm splitting myself in two, if not three," she says, "but I'm lucky to have a career that works for me professionally while allowing me the flexibility to spend time with my family."

Edwin Tatem is Parsons Brinckerhoff's Michigan Area Manager, with experience in transit, bridge, and highway projects. Ed often serves as principal-in-charge on various assignments, providing project oversight. He also oversees marketing and operations for Parsons Brinckerhoff’s offices in Michigan.

Among the recent projects for which Ed has served as Principal-in-Charge is the award-winning Rosa Parks Transit Center, named in honor of the civil rights legend. The center is a new $22.5 million multimodal facility in downtown Detroit, designed by Parsons Brinckerhoff on behalf of the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) in support of an initiative to revitalize the city's downtown. Ed also serves as Principal-in-Charge for a contract with the DDOT for general transit planning services including systems planning, paratransit planning, legislation and policy analysis, and evaluation of innovative technology.

A strong believer in mentoring and giving back to the community, Ed and many other employees of Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Detroit office have worked with the Michigan Department of Transportation to enrich the agency's Youth Corps program. Students are invited to Parsons Brinckerhoff’s office to see a real working environment and learn about engineering careers. The Detroit office also participates in a mentoring program for college students and works with elementary and middle schools near project sites.

"Student outreach is a natural extension of what we do as a firm," says Ed. "Our job is to work with the community to make it better. Making ourselves and our projects accessible to the children in that community and taking a genuine interest in their development is a natural part of that."