Principal, Engineering Practice Leader
I bring more than two decades of experience in master planning, LEAN, multiple project delivery methods, and BIM. This includes expertise in all aspects of healthcare planning: operations, delivery of healthcare, patient safety, patient experience, energy and wastewater conservation and management, and infrastructure capital planning, all using LEAN methods.
My most successful projects involve creating an integrated team and exercising cutting-edge technologies. I identify solutions to deliver value on construction projects, such as modular construction. Considering that the delivery of high value is predicated on reducing costs, minimizing waste streams, and driving in innovation that is sometimes yet to be tested. Many healthcare innovations are risky as buildings must last 50 years or more; and still many of my clients have entrusted us with their infrastructure investments, and to take care of their investment. We know how to build in the durability of a building – while incorporating innovative technology – so that it will endure. Because healthcare change on a daily basis, healthcare facilities must be both flexible and durable.
What I enjoy most in my work, is the planning – from the biggest concept working with the individual healthcare user groups to developing their new facilities.
I am comfortable working with clients to develop their short- and long-term capital planning and seek out creative ways to finance those capital plans. Financing can come in many different forms: incentives, rebates, leasing, developer financing, or energy grants.
My area of specialty – and what I enjoy most – is healthcare planning, moving from a big concept to working directly with individual healthcare user groups to develop their new facilities. It is exciting to work with user groups and medical planners, getting into their workflows and processes, and helping them think differently about how they operate to improve efficiency and the delivery of high quality patient care.
I have worked all over the country and in India. In Hawai’i, I worked for an oceanic thermal energy corporation, a green utility. I have also performed a lot of volunteer work for the Society for Professionals in Healthcare and served on the board for two years.
Outside of the office, I enjoy spending time with my three kids and being outside. I love surfing, skiing, outrigger canoe paddling, and golfing. I’m a big Raiders fan and am engaged in a lot of our town’s community and school activities, clubs, and organizations. I happen to be the voice of the Hornets, a high school football team.
I grew up on the Big Island of Hawai’i, attended college at Colorado School of Mines in Golden, and consider Novato in Marin County home. I did live in Portland for five years and Chicago for one year.
Why the AEC industry? I’m never bored. I can set my own path and it’s an ever-changing world which allows you to be creative and innovative to really make a difference. Along with a very inspiring counselor who kept encouraging me to consider engineering, my grandparents were inspirational in creating my drive. My grandpa was an engineer and inventor who built a plane by hand at the age of 16 and flew it.
Disaster preparedness resonates with me. If I could change one thing about the world, I’d ensure that hospitals could handle a huge influx of patients after a disaster. As the emergency response hubs of our communities, their ability to withstand natural disasters and continue operations is critical.