SEAoNY: Structural Engineers Association of New York




			President Karl J. Rubenacker, P.E., S.E., is a partner at New York City based structural engineering firm Gilsanz Murray Steficek, LLP. Karl holds a BE in Civil Engineering from Cooper Union and an MS in Civil Engineering from Caltech. He has eighteen years of structural engineering experience designing a broad array of structures from new construction to renovations. His experience includes high rise, commercial, residential, and educational buildings. He has also designed auto and rail bridges, aqueducts, parking garages, arenas, treatment plants and pumping stations. He participated in the SEAoNY IBC-NYC code comparison study, chairing the inspection subcommittee, and has been active in the NYC model code program, on the steel subcommittee. krubenacker@seaony.org


			President-Elect Scott Hughes, P.E., is an Associate at Robert Silman Associates. He received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley and his Master of Science in Structural Engineering from the University of Minnesota. He has over fifteen years of experience and has been with Robert Silman Associates since 1997 where he has worked on a wide range of project types, including educational, residential, institutional and commercial. His projects include the Whitehall Ferry Terminal, the Morgan Library Expansion, the Common Ground Community at Hoyt-Schermerhorn and the Metal Shutter Houses on West 19th St. He has also worked on numerous public projects for the City of New York, including the FDNY, the School Construction Authority (SCA), and the Department of Homeless Services. For the past year he has served on the SEAoNY Board of Directors as Secretary. shughes@seaony.org

			Secretary Douglas P. González is a Senior Associate at LERA. Joining the firm in 1991, Mr. González has been involved with the structural design of many of the firm’s cultural and civic projects including the William J. Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, AR; the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland; the Baltimore Convention Center Expansion in Maryland and the Apollo Theater in Harlem, NYC. Mr. González was Project Manager for the Newseum and Freedom Forum, a 650,000-sf museum for journalism in Washington, DC. Currently, he serves as Project Manager for a new 5-story office building for Novartis Pharmaceuticals in East Hanover, NJ, several new facilities for the NYU Langone Medical Center, and the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Renovation and Expansion in New York City, which is under construction. Mr. González also has significant experience in the renovation and modification of existing structures, consisting of adaptive reuse, historic restorations, and structural upgrades. Additionally, Mr. González held the titles of Secretary, Vice-Chair, and Chair for the ASCE Metropolitan Section Structures Group, and was a member of the Structures Congress (NYC) Steering Committee in 2005. He was also a member of the SEAoNY IBC-NYC code comparison study and participated in the NYC Building Department model code development program. Mr. González holds a Master of Science from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Engineering from The Cooper Union in New York City. dgonzalez@seaony.org

			Treasurer Eli B. Gottlieb, P.E., is a registered professional engineer in New York, and an associate adjunct professor at Columbia University in the Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department. Mr. Gottlieb is currently a member of the Structural Engineers Association of New York and the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association. He holds a bachelor’s degree in structural engineering and applied science from Princeton University and a master’s degree in civil engineering and engineering mechanics from Columbia University. Mr. Gottlieb’s experience includes structural analysis, design and review of a variety of building types, including commercial buildings, hotels and sports facilities. His responsibilities include development of plans, details and sections of contract drawings from conception to completion and review of contractor’s submittals for compliance to technical specifications. His projects include Times Square Tower, 5 Times Square, Nationwide Arena, and the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian. egottlieb@seaony.org

			Past-President Kevin Poulin, Ph.D., P.E., is an Associate Principal with the NYC office of Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH), a firm that designs, investigates, and rehabilitates structures and building enclosures of all types. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from M.I.T. and a Masters of Science degree in Civil Engineering and a Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics, both from Columbia University. After his bachelor’s degree, he spent two years in the Peace Corps as an engineer in Nepal. He is a registered professional engineer in New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Maine. Dr. Poulin has over 17 years of experience in both new design and adaptive reuse of existing buildings. His notable projects include the New Museum of Contemporary Art, the Sports Museum of America, Walt Whitman Visitors Center, Roger Vivier Flagship Store, MetLife Plaza, Temple Emmanuel, New York University School of Law, and the Lofts of Greene Street. kpoulin@seaony.org

			Directors

			Vesna Hadzibabic, P.E, LEED AP BD+C is a Managing Engineer at the NYC School Construction Authority A/E In-House Structural Design Studio where she has been involved in managing school building design, renovation, and construction for new and existing schools. Vesna graduated from the University of Belgrade, Serbia in 1990 with US equivalent M.S. Degree in Civil/Structural Engineering. She was originally licensed in the former Yugoslavia as a Professional Engineer in 1997 and has held her license in New York as a Civil/Structural Engineer since 2003. Over the past 18 years, she has worked on a variety of projects ranging from new design to renovations of commercial, institutional, transportation, cultural, residential and educational buildings and complexes. Notable projects include SUNY Stony Brook Football Stadium, Syracuse University SOM, American Airlines JFK Terminal, BoA Headquarter - One Bryant Park, the WTC PATH Terminal, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Glen Oaks Library, and Remsen Avenue Yard Facility. Vesna is currently a member of the ASCE, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and SEAoNY as an active member in the NYC model code program-existing buildings. vhadzibabic@seaony.org

			Timothy D. Lynch, P.E., is a NYS Licensed Professional Engineer with over twenty five years of structural engineering experience. Appointed Executive Director of the Forensic Engineering Unit in 2009, Mr. Lynch was formerly Chief Engineer of the newly chartered Excavation Unit. With almost one million buildings in New York City, Mr. Lynch, in his capacity as director of the Forensic Engineering Unit, oversees a team of specialist, all principal engineers, who respond to structural collapses, major fires, construction accidents/incidents involving serious injuries and property damage. Mr. Lynch and the Forensic Engineering Unit assisted with the development of new building codes, initiatives and implementation of construction code regulations as part of performing industry outreach. He earned his Engineering degree from The Queens University, Northern Ireland, and has been with the Department since 2005. tlynch@seaony.org

			Benjamin Pimentel, P.E. is Managing Partner of Rosenwasser/Grossman Consulting Engineers, P.C., which he joined in 2004. He is responsible for the day to day operations of the firm, the initial structural design of buildings, as well as project management. Additionally, he implemented and oversees the firm’s Building Information Modeling projects, and he oversaw the application and certification by International Accreditation Service for the firm's Special Inspections department. He has designed many notable and challenging high-rise buildings in New York City with past experience including the 1.2 million square foot, 60-story MiMa at 440 West 42nd Street, the 26-story “M&M Building” at 1600 Broadway, and the 40-story Oro condominiums in Brooklyn. He participated in the SEAoNY IBC-NYC code comparison study, contributing to the concrete section. Currently, he is representing several buildings along the Second Avenue Subway line, and is involved in multiple new construction sites throughout New York City. He is a graduate of Roger Williams University. bpimentel@seaony.org

			Sara Steele, P.E. is a Senior Engineer at Robert Silman Associates. She received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Over the past ten years she has worked on new construction, renovation, and historic preservation. She has worked on a variety of project types including educational, institutional, residential and commercial. Sara’s major projects include Morgan Library Expansion, FDNY Rescue Company 3, Manhattanville College Student Center, Thompson LES Hotel, and many private residences. She has been a member of the SEAoNY Programs Committee for over five years where she has helped to organize many evening seminars and annual meetings. ssteele@seaony.org

			Jeffrey L. Thompson, P.E., LEED AP is an associate at Buro Happold in New York City. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering and a Masters of Structural Engineering Degree at Washington University in St. Louis. After completing a masters degree, he spent 5 years working at Weidlinger Associates in New York City before joining Buro Happold in 2007. During the past 9 years he has worked on wide range of projects including educational, residential, institutional, and commercial. Notable projects include the Safra Center at Brandeis, the King Abdullah Center for Knowledge and Culture, and the Abu Dhabi Media Zone. He has also worked on numerous projects in the New York area including the Cooper Union Atrium, Rutgers Institute for Health, Fashion Institute, and Brooklyn Botanical Garden. jthompson@seaony.org

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