The world we’ll be faced with tomorrow demands big ideas today. In Jacobs’ series of interviews with some of today’s leading industry and academic problem solvers, we discuss the Ifs and Whens of disruption - those phenomena with the potential to unsettle the status quo, as well as those now imminent and emerging.
For companies with workers and job sites all over the world, how do you take care of every employee?Emerging technologies and digital tools are a critical part of the solution, but it all must be integrated into a sound, resilient strategy that relies on track record and local experience. This strategy needs to span time zones - and clients/partners - to ensure the health, safety and security of every colleague is paramount, no matter if they're a hybrid employee, based in an office or working on a job site. To ensure this strategy works on the ground, you also need the right partners. Our guests for this episode are Joe Olivarez, Executive Vice President and Leader of Health, Safety, Security, Environment & Enterprise Quality at Jacobs, Dr. Myles Druckman, Global Medical Director and SVP at International SOS and Polly Willis, Strategic Account Manager and Market Lead at International SOS.
Leaders of global, multi-sector companies are tackling bigger, more complex challenges in our fast-evolving, highly connected world. During times of greater change and shifts, employees are looking to the C-Suite for even more direction and inspiration.Research by Harvard Business Review reveals that for leaders to be successful now, they need to be versatile, resilient and empathetic to thrive in the relentless pace of global corporate organizations.For this If/When podcast, we speak to two inspiring CEOs who embody these qualities and offer some of their experiences as leaders and collaborators. We explore the importance of key partnerships,* shared values, employee engagement and family support and learn how it's all helped shape them in their pivotal roles. My name is Arthur Jones, and the guests for this episode are Bob Pragada, CEO of Jacobs since January of 2023 and appointed Chair of Jacobs Board of Directors the following September and Christian Norris, who became CEO at PA Consulting, a global innovation and transformation consultancy, in August 2023. *Jacobs holds a 65% stake in PA Consulting, with the remaining 35% held by PA employees. Both Jacobs and PA operate as separate entities, each responsible for serving clients independently.Follow Jacobs:Website: jacobs.comIf/When podcast series: If/When podcast seriesLinkedIn: @jacobsconnectsInstagram: @jacobsconnectsX: @JacobsConnectsFollow our guests:Bob PragadaChristian NorrisMore episode details available here.
Transportation is still the highest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. and one of the greatest carbon contributors globally.Governments and local authorities are continually researching ways to drive positive change through legislation and policy, and a large part of this will come down to urban mobility and transportation planning. To make the right decisions in these fields, we need the right data and measurement tools. Case in point: the Transportation Climate Impact Index by StreetLight Data. Their report uncovers how metros in the U.S. rank across eight key factors and reveals the major mobility trends impacting climate.In this episode, we discuss urban mobility and its role in climate change. We explore how to build a climate-resilient transportation system — one that offers social, environmental and commercial value. Our celebrated guests explain why urban mobility is one of the most critical areas of climate response, and more importantly, how we can better design our cities for greener futures with cleaner air and less traffic. Today, we're speaking to Dr. Laura Schewel, CEO of StreetLight Data and VP of Transportation Software at Jacobs and Jenny Jones, Head of Transport Planning for Europe at Jacobs. Follow Jacobs:Website: jacobs.comIf/When podcast series: If/When podcast seriesLinkedIn: @jacobsconnectsInstagram: @jacobsconnectsX: @JacobsConnectsFollow our guests:Dr. Laura SchewelJenny JonesMore episode details available here.
How can we modernize airports to be better for passengers, communities, balance sheets and our environment? It's a complex challenge that can't be solved by talent or policy alone — it also requires the right application of digital tools and technologies. These transport hubs play a vital role in our communities and economies, and to empower a better, more sustainable future for all, we need an elevation in industry-wide innovation and collaboration.Our guests for this episode are leaders in this field: Ersin Inankul, Head of Aviation Digital at Jacobs, and David Miranda, Digital Expert at PA Consulting.**Jacobs holds a 65% stake in PA Consulting, with the remaining 35% held by PA employees. Both Jacobs and PA operate as separate entities, each responsible for serving clients independently. Follow Jacobs:Website: jacobs.comIf/When podcast series: If/When podcast seriesLinkedIn: @jacobsconnectsInstagram: @jacobsconnectsX: @JacobsConnectsFollow our guests:Ersin InankulDavid MirandaMore episode details available here.
How are PFAS affecting your work and our world?Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a large class of long-lasting, synthetic chemicals used extensively in industrial and household products. Many PFAS don't degrade readily on their own, and some are highly mobile in the environment. They can be found worldwide in water, soil, air, plants, animals and even our bloodstreams. We're still uncovering the full impact of these chemicals on the health of humans and our environment, but here's what is clear: it's a complex challenge at scale to remediate these so-called “forever” chemicals. Add fast-changing regulations in different geographies and regional differences to the scale and response to the PFAS challenge, and it all compounds the difficulty. The way forward requires a greater understanding of the risks and challenges of PFAS, but it's just the start. We'll need cross-sector collaboration and innovation to tackle these issues and apply the right measurement tools and technology. Our guests for this episode are defining the solutions for clients and the industry at large: Sharon Minchak, Global Solutions Director for Remediation and Regeneration at Jacobs, and Dr. Russell Ford, Global Director for Drinking Water & Reuse Solutions at Jacobs.Follow Jacobs:Website: jacobs.comIf/When podcast series: If/When podcast seriesLinkedIn: @jacobsconnectsInstagram: @jacobsconnectsX: @JacobsConnectsFollow our guests:Sharon MinchakRussell FordMore episode details available here.
Transformation has become an over-used buzzword for companies and consultants in the last five years, but the market-proven truth is that companies, and by extension, employees, are now required to be more agile and resilient — and willing to upskill.So, how do large companies manage significant, lasting changes across their operating model during times of transition with organizational performance, innovation and collaboration as priorities? Success is driven by engaged and empowered employees, but it requires the right leadership, corporate culture and silo-busting collaboration. There's one golden thread that runs through all three: the power of collective purpose. My name is Arthur Jones, and I'm joined by our guests Shelie Gustafson, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Jacobs, and education and leadership development coach Michael Chavez, who is Founder & Managing Director at Broad Vista Partners. Follow Jacobs:Website: jacobs.comIf/When podcast series: If/When podcast seriesLinkedIn: @jacobsconnectsInstagram: @jacobsconnectsX: @JacobsConnectsFollow our guests:Shelie GustafsonMichael ChavezMore episode details available here.
Like most markets and industries globally, the water sector is facing greater and more complex challenges due to climate change, population growth, rising costs and a shortage of incoming talent. The question is: how can water companies deliver the best value for customers by turning these challenges into opportunities for people and places? In this episode, we unpack innovation, core values and close collaboration between Jacobs and Northumbrian Water, which supplies 2.7 million people with water and wastewater services in North East England, and 1.8 million people with water only in Essex and Suffolk. My name is Arthur Jones, and I'm joined by our guests, Heidi Mottram, CBE, CEO of Northumbrian Water Group, and Kate Kenny, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Buildings & Infrastructure Europe at Jacobs.Follow Jacobs:Website: jacobs.comIf/When podcast series: If/When podcast seriesLinkedIn: @jacobsconnectsInstagram: @jacobsconnectsX: @JacobsConnectsFollow our guests:Diana AndersonMatthew HolmesMore episode details available here.
Conventional healthcare design is no longer fit for purpose. The pandemic exposed critical cracks in its foundations, exposing the need for deeper research, connected care and community integration.The question is: How do you build resilient healthcare that benefits patients, health carers and communities? The future hospital blueprint must go beyond concrete, steel and material decisions, as social factors and architectural design are as crucial for healing and well-being as medicine.In this insightful conversation, several Jacobs teammates, including Matthew Holmes, Global Director of Health Infrastructure at Jacobs, and Dr. Diana Anderson, Dochitect and healthcare principal at Jacobs, discuss the role of design and technology in healthcare, and explore future trends. Follow Jacobs:Website: jacobs.comIf/When podcast series: If/When podcast seriesLinkedIn: @jacobsconnectsInstagram: @jacobsconnectsX: @JacobsConnectsFollow our guests:Diana AndersonMatthew HolmesMore episode details available here.
In this insightful conversation, several Jacobs teammates, including Vice President, Global Head Corporate Sustainability Tawny Chritton Keene, Director, Global Corporate Sustainability – Talent and Culture, Bo Storozuk, and Graduate Environmental Consultant Reem Habib, discuss how every role within an organization can contribute to a more sustainable future. Whether you're an engineer, data analyst, project manager or part of an administrative team, your actions can make a huge difference.Follow Jacobs:Website: jacobs.comIf/When podcast series: If/When podcast seriesLinkedIn: @jacobsconnectsInstagram: @jacobsconnectsX: @JacobsConnectsFollow our guests:Tawny: @tawnychrittonkeeneBo: @bostorozukReem: @reem-thamer-89a744204More episode details available here.
Hollie Janson Schmidt is a Principal and the Global Solutions Director of Sustainability, Resilience & Climate Response for the Americas Region at Jacobs. She provides consulting and advisory services to a wide range of public, private, and federal clientele. She is also the Director of the Sustainability, Resilience & Climate Response Business Advisory as a trusted business partner for the company's internal project delivery and growth as well as external client services. In her 28 years of practice, Hollie has honed an integrated planning and delivery approach, with a particular focus on large-scale, complex projects. Hollie provides resilient solutions either as a preventative or recovery service for large-scale clients who are experiencing vulnerabilities to natural and man-made shocks and stressors. She addresses ESG and climate response while holistically considering the physical, human, and business aspects of the challenge.
Jilma Jiménez is a visionary, engaging, and inspirational leader with more than 30 years of experience in the management of engineering companies and projects. Her diverse and extensive background encompasses various roles within the engineering consulting field. Now as Vice President and Market Strategist of Jacobs's Global Program Management, she applies her wealth of expertise to assess organizational performance and lead initiatives that sustain competitive advantage, enable strategy implementation, and support senior executive decision-making. In addition to her multifaceted engineering career, Ms. Jiménez is an expert in the realm of infrastructure construction supply chain management having spearheaded supply chain strategies for multibillion-dollar construction programs. Jilma's strategic thinking and adaptability have been key in navigating the complexities of the construction industry particularly since the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic. Her proactive approach to mitigating risks, leveraging opportunities, and applying strategic escalation pricing techniques sets her apart as a trusted expert. Jilma's expertise isn't confined to construction programs; she also stays ahead of industry trends, emerging technologies, and innovative contracting models to enhance efficiency and sustainability in the construction supply chain.
Marc DeSchamp is a Program Manager and leader in the Jacobs Transportation Decarbonization Practice. His particular focus is on delivering solutions to clients grappling with the challenges of fleet electrification. Through 15 years in the transit industry, Marc has managed transit bus procurements, led strategic planning efforts, and served as Program Manager for transit bus and facility programs. Marc currently leads the development of NY MTA's Zero Emissions Fleet Transition Plan, which will serve as a roadmap to decarbonizing the largest transit fleet in North America. Marc holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Northeastern University. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Massachusetts, where he lives with his wife and two young children.EPA citation: Carbon Pollution from Transportation | US EPA
Peggy Whitson, Ph.D., America's most experienced astronaut, flew on three NASA long-duration space flights and Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2), accumulating 675 days in space, more than any other American astronaut or woman astronaut in the world.Whitson has over 37 years of space and science experience with NASA and is currently serving as director of human spaceflight for Axiom Space. Throughout her career, Whitson has held various positions to include NASA's chief of the Astronaut Office, two-time commander of the International Space Station (ISS), chair of NASA's Astronaut Selection Board, chief of NASA's Operations Branch, and deputy division chief for both NASA's Medical Sciences and the Astronaut Office.On Ax-2, Whitson become the first female commander of a private space mission, adding to her accomplishments as the first female commander of the ISS, the only woman to serve as ISS commander twice, and the first woman, non-military chief of NASA's Astronaut Office. During her three previous space missions to the ISS (Expeditions 5, 16, 50/51/52), she conducted 10 spacewalks, logging over 60 hours. Throughout Whitson's career, she has contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science, and Earth science.Whitson received degrees in biology and chemistry from lowa Wesleyan and a doctoral degree in biochemistry from Rice University. She has been honored with numerous awards, including NASA medals in Leadership, Outstanding Leadership, and Exceptional Service; Forbes 50 over 50 (2023); TIME 100 Most Influential People in the World (2018); and Women in Aviation Lifetime Achievement Award (2017).
Tom Skerritt, Emmy winner (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series) for his series PICKET FENCES, is one of the most versatile and acclaimed American actors in movies and TV. At UCLA Film School, he acted in theatre and began writing for screen as a means to understand the full embrace of his primary interest, directing film. While acting on stage, he was seen and hired to be in a small film where he met Robert Redford and Sydney Pollack. Soon after, he met director Robert Altman, with whom he mentored as a filmmaker, which led Tom to be cast in the movie version of M*A*S*H. This led to a distinguished and decades-long career, starring in such acclaimed films as TURNING POINT (for which Tom won the National Board of Review's Best Supporting Actor Award), ALIEN, TOP GUN, STEEL MAGNOLAS, A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT, CONTACT, TEARS OF THE SUN and THE DEAD ZONE. The recipient of UCLA's Lifetime Achievement Honor in 1994, Tom is also a veteran of may television programs, including appearances on MADAM SECRETARY, THE WEST WING, LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, CHEERS, WILL & GRACE and THE GOOD WIFE. In 2007, Tom received a Life Achievement Award from Wayne State University, which was followed with a Laureate Award from The Rainier Club in Seattle. In 2011, he received the Saturn Best Guest Actor Award - TV.Legendary film actress Veronica Cartwright began her career as a child actress in the classic films THE CHILDREN'S HOUR (directed by William Wyler), Alfred Hitchcock's THE BIRDS and SPENCER'S MOUNTAIN. A veteran of many beloved films, Veronica has appeared in over 50 movies and her resume includes two science fiction classics in the 1970's, Philip Kaufman's remake of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and Ridley Scott's masterpiece thriller, ALIEN. Veronica starred as Betty Grissom in the epic dramatization of NASA's space program based on Tom Wolfe's novel, THE RIGHT STUFF, also directed by Kaufman. She made an indelible impression on moviegoers in 1987 with her standout performance in THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK. Among Veronica's many television credits are the hit shows CRIMINAL MINDS, CSI CYBER, BOSCH, RESURRECTION, GREY'S ANATOMY, WILL & GRACE, LEAVE IT TO BEAVER, THE TWILIGHT ZONE, GOTHAM KNIGHTS, ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, THE GOOD DOCTOR and THE X FILES. Veronica has been nominated four times for an Emmy Award with one win. At age 15 she won an Emmy for Best Actress in a television movie called TELL ME NOT IN MOURNFUL NUMBERS. She was nominated again in 1997 for her guest starring role of Mrs. Huston in two widely acclaimed episodes of ER. In 1998 and 1999 the Television Academy nominated her twice for her pivotal role of Cassandra Spender on Fox's THE X FILES.
In her role as Digital OneWater Strategic Growth Lead for Jacobs, Dr. Jennifer Baldwin is responsible for unifying Jacobs' portfolio of digital tools that support an integrated and collaborative OneWater approach to water management. Dr. Baldwin also serves as the U.S. South Conveyance and Storage Regional Solutions Lead for Jacobs and is a principal technologist specializing in assembling and leading large program teams and planning and successfully delivering multi-billion-dollar water and wastewater infrastructure programs. She has over 20 years of experience, providing process mechanical expertise and quality assurance/quality control on a variety of infrastructure development projects, specializing in wastewater conveyance facilities such as pump stations and storage facilities.Joshua Registe is a lead data scientist and professional engineer, recognized for his expertise in environmental engineering and advanced analytics. With a unique blend of skills in both domains, he stands at the forefront of cutting-edge AI solution development for Jacobs Intelligent O&M and external clients, tackling intricate environmental challenges head-on. Joshua's contributions span a wide range of critical areas, including solids treatment, disinfection, coagulant optimization, nutrient removal, energy optimization and more. Employing advanced statistical techniques, predictive modeling, deep learning, and scalable computing, he leverages the power of data to deliver unique and complex solutions. In addition to his role as a lead data scientist and professional engineer, Joshua takes pride in mentoring and guiding aspiring professionals in the field. Through his guidance, he fosters the next generation of environmental engineers and data scientists, ensuring the industry's continuous growth and advancement.
Todd Marks, a two-time EY Entrepreneur of the Year nominee, a member of Baltimore Magazine's 40 under 40, and a three-time member of The Daily Record's Most Admired CEOs, is the founder and CEO of Mindgrub Technologies. Mindgrub, a member of the Inc. 5000 for ten years, is a technical agency and creative consultancy specializing in award-winning mobile, web, and marketing strategy solutions. Todd is an experienced speaker and futurist and continually shares his vision for innovative technology at conferences across the globe. Under his leadership, Mindgrub has expanded to nearly 200 employees across North America and has moved its headquarters into the metaverse, reinforcing its commitment to a culture of inclusion and innovation.Darrell Collett has 25 years of legal experience, including 10 years in private practice as a commercial litigator and 15 years as in-house counsel with Jacobs. While at Jacobs, Darrell has provided operations counsel support for the water and O&M businesses, and worked as compliance counsel in the Ethics & Compliance department. Currently, Darrell provides corporate legal services related to intellectual property, cybersecurity and data privacy.
Todd Busch graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 1990 and was hired by Lucasfilm's EditDroid division the same year, where he was first exposed to digital post-production. An outlier, Todd has navigated his career over the past three decades by staying at the technical forefront of the movie industry, while also working on some of the biggest film franchises in recent memory, including Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Alita: Battle Angel, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Independence Day: Resurgence, and Furious 7, as well as various streaming series including Peacemaker, WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. When his editing career hit roadblocks in the early 2000s, he turned to visual effects editing, and then from 2009-2013 he was the lead editor for The Third Floor, Inc., helping them become the predominant previs company in the world. In 2013 he returned to feature editorial as both a visual effects editor, and first assistant editor. Todd is currently editing the feature film, Lady Scorpions.
Michael Brown is the Data & Technology Director at Jacobs where he provides strategy and oversite to how Jacobs leverages data and analytics on its projects, solutions and services. Michael has built a large community of practice within Jacobs focused on advancing Machine Learning, Data Science, and Data Engineering in Jacobs work and embedding it into all Jacobs offerings. Michael works with innovation teams and strategic initiatives to help teams identify how to leverage advanced analytics within their solutions and has developed and launched multiple digital products within Jacobs, most recently Jacobs Hive, a data integration and insights platform for the Transportation market. Michael's passion for innovation and advanced analytics has him constantly seeing new challenges and opportunities where he can bring creative, strategic thinking that is backed by technical excellence to disrupt the market status quo and create new channels for value with Jacobs' clients.Sean Co is the Director of Special Projects and Services at StreetLight where he manages custom projects using StreetLight's Big Data analytics to provide insights on transportation metrics for clients. Sean built the Professional Services unit and expanded the team capabilities to deliver lean product launches and to offer services for customer support escalations. Sean works cross functionally with all the teams in StreetLight and has leveraged work the from the Data Science and product marketing teams to deliver the metrics using clear technical explanations that help all users understand the analytics. Sean has managed over 300 projects while at StreetLight which brings the experience of working with transportation agencies all over the country. Sean Co is a transportation planner with 27 years of experience working with cities, counties, MPOs, state governments and AEC firms to deliver projects on time and on budget.
Graceson Scariah, CNS&A Asset Lifecycle Management Lead at Airservices Australia, has over 15 years of experience working in the aviation sector delivering critical services to the industry. Graceson is currently leading the asset planning practice at Airservices with a focus on transformation of the Communication, Navigation, Surveillance and Aviation Firefighting capability.Abhishek Singh brings over 25 years' experience of leading technology-enabled transformation programs in asset-intensive organizations that operate in a highly regulated and safety critical environment. Abhishek currently leads the Technology Convergence practice at Jacobs Australia, enabling Critical Infrastructure clients to leverage emerging technologies to deliver improved sustainability, safety and efficiency outcomes. In his leadership roles with defense, aviation and consulting organizations, Abhishek has a track record of building organizational capability and realigning management of assets to service delivery outcomes and future-proof operations. Abhishek is a strong advocate of inclusion and diversity and has contributed immensely to shaping the culture of the organizations he has worked for. He also serves on the Board of ‘Engineers Without Boards Australia' and is the Vice-Chair of Engineers Australia's College of Leadership and Management Committee (Queensland).
David Brin is a scientist, speaker, technical consultant and world-known author. His novels have been New York Times Bestsellers, winning multiple Hugo, Nebula and other awards. At least a dozen have been translated into more than twenty languages.His 1989 ecological thriller, Earth, foreshadowed global warming, cyberwarfare and near-future trends such as the World Wide Web. His 2012 novel Existence extends this type of daring, near future extrapolation by exploring bio-engineering, intelligence and how to maintain an open-creative civilization. A 1998 movie, directed by Kevin Costner, was loosely based on The Postman.Brin serves on advisory committees dealing with subjects as diverse as national defense and homeland security, astronomy and space exploration, SETI and nanotechnology, future/prediction and philanthropy. He has served since 2010 on the council of external advisers for NASA's Innovative and Advanced Concepts group (NIAC), which supports the most inventive and potentially ground-breaking new endeavors.His non-fiction book — The Transparent Society: Will Technology Force Us to Choose Between Freedom and Privacy? — deals with secrecy in the modern world. It won the Freedom of Speech Prize from the American Library Association.
Leighton Cardwell is Jacobs' Sector Growth Director for Cites and Places in Europe. He is responsible for the strategic evolution and growth of the Cities and Places offer at Jacobs, with a focus on evidence-led, place-based approaches to the built environment, integrated city and regional development, and future trends in the industry. With a passion for outcome-focused delivery and for bringing together global best practice for the benefit of all, Leighton is at the forefront of Jacobs' approach to inspiring, enabling and creating the great places and lasting legacies that our communities, clients and people are proud of.Liza-Jane Sapsford is a Project Manager with 10+ years and a Designated Project Executive with 2+ years experience working predominantly in the Facilities Management field for clients across numerous sectors to include Healthcare, Banking & Investment, Local Authority and Government. Her areas of expertise are mainly in project management, operational sales and strategy, product sales, customer service management and delivering best practice to customers. Her career has developed from working in delivery to leading the Track Record Facilities team in the UK. She states that her passion is to continue to drive customer excellence and innovation within the facilities and building management sector to enable Jacobs' clients to be leaner, have better access to their data and put the control back into their hands.
Simon Gaskell, Jacobs Senior Associate Director - Strategic Consulting, is a passionate change manager and has spent much of his career enabling operational transformation across multiple industries. He has a passion for implementing new ways of working that are enabled through client adoption of new technologies and digital solutions. Simon is currently Delivery Lead for Jacobs' Aqua DNA platform based solution. Sitting at the crossroads of client requirements for more mature, digital-based management of their water networks; emerging IoT technologies; and Jacobs domain expertise, Simon has been able to build a strong understanding of digitally enabled transformation within water client businesses. Simon began his career as a leader in the British Army with the majority of his time spent within the UK's Commando forces, undertaking expeditionary engineering operations. Since joining Jacobs, Simon has undertaken consultancy work within lean and agile ways of working, design led thinking, innovation and digital transformation. Samantha Sloan is a Network Business Manager at United Utilities, a water and wastewater services provider to around seven million people in the North West of England supplying 3 million households and 200,000 business premises. Samantha has held a variety of roles at United Utilities since 2015. She received her Bachelor degree in Mathematics from the University of Manchester, and her Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Swansea University.
Roger Falconer is Emeritus Professor of Water and Environmental Engineering in the School of Engineering, at Cardiff University, UK, and an Independent Water Consultant. His research and consultancy interests are in hydro-environmental modelling and his models have been used in over 100 Environmental Impact Assessment studies world-wide and provide one of the engines to the model Flood Modeller (marketed internationally by Jacobs). He has published over 450 papers in journals and conference proceedings and given over 600 keynote conference presentations and lectures to learned societies and universities world-wide. He is a Fellow of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences. He was President of the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (2011-15). He consults regularly on flooding projects world-wide and was a member of the: Government's National Flood Resilience Scientific Advisory Group, Natural Resources Wales' Flood Risk Management Committee (2006-16), Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (2019-date), Independent Expert Group (of 3) reviewing the recent London Floods (2021-date). He regularly gives TV and media interviews on flooding. Dr. Richard Crowder, Jacobs Director, Water & Environment, is an internationally recognized flood risk management professional with more than 25 years of experience. His history in the industry is one of innovation and doing things differently. He is a business leader with experience spanning research, innovation, project delivery, client management, sales, and operational management. Richard is known for taking on challenging projects and using innovation and digital delivery to solve problems and deliver projects in new and more efficient ways. This covers the full range of flood risk management disciplines including appraisal, environmental services, engineering design, asset management, and hydrological and hydraulic modelling. He joined Halcrow (now Jacobs) in 2002 and has held senior leadership roles including Regional Business Development Director (Europe) for the water sector, and framework manager delivering engineering and environmental services to the Environment Agency (England). He is currently part of Jacobs' Water Catchment Management leadership team responsible for Growth, the Director responsible for Jacobs family of flood products, and the Framework Director leading Jacobs contract with the Environment Agency to deliver flood mapping and modelling services.
Jeff McCoy is the Chief Engineer for the Jacobs Software Engineering Center (JSEC), located in Hudson, New Hampshire. Jeff joined Jacobs as part of the TYBRIN purchase in 2010. Jeff also currently serves as the Program Manager for the Support Aircraft Agile Effort (SAAE), which employs the SAFe agile process to develop a wide range of Department of Defense advanced software solutions for the Mission Planning Enterprise at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts. Jeff's background is in engineering, and prior to his time at Jacobs he served as a Systems Engineer at TASC, Lockheed Sanders, BAE Systems and TYBRIN Corporation. Jeff also served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force after studying computer science and graduating with a degree in Mathematics from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. Jeff also holds a Masters Degree in Meteorology from St. Louis University. Jeff Cusato has been with Jacobs for over 16 years and currently works as a Product Manager for the Jacobs Software Engineering Center (JSEC). His main focus is in support of Airdrop and Mission Planning tools for the USAF and other armed services. He is a proud jack-of-all-trades who is not only used to wearing many hats but sincerely enjoys it. Jeff has worked on the airdrop suite of tools since 2008, growing Jacobs' expertise in this exciting domain. Jeff has a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and a Masters degree in Systems Engineering from John Hopkins University.
Shannon Miller is an Executive Vice President and President of Jacobs' Divergent Solutions operating unit, responsible for delivering creative innovative, next generation cloud, cyber, data and digital solutions across the company to enable our customers and partners globally. She leads our Cyber & Intelligence, Platforms, Technologies & Software Solutions and Technology & Innovative Solutions business units and partners with our Critical Mission and People & Places lines of business to accelerate growth by creating scale in the related skills and business approaches, driving meaningful value for our clients and partners around the globe. Over her almost 25-year career at Jacobs, Shannon has had a rich and varied journey, starting as a process engineer and evolving into project management, sales, operations and human resources leadership – spanning multiple industries including technology, resources, infrastructure, pharmaceutical and consumer products with assignments in the U.S., Europe, Australia and Canada. Most recently Shannon was Chief Growth Officer and lead for Enterprise Risk Management. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.
Chris Voss is a former Lead FBI Negotiator and dynamic speaker who debunks the biggest myths of negotiation. Chris used his many years of experience in international crises and high-stakes negotiations to develop a unique program that applies globally proven techniques to the business world. Prior to 2008, Chris was the lead international kidnapping negotiator for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as well as the FBI's hostage negotiation representative for the National Security Council's Hostage Working Group. During his career, he also represented the U.S. government as an expert in kidnapping at two international conferences sponsored by the G8.Before becoming the FBI's lead international kidnapping negotiator, Christopher served as the lead Crisis Negotiator for the New York City division of the FBI. Chris was a member of the New York City Joint Terrorist Task Force for 14 years. He was the case agent on TERRSTOP (Omar Abdel-Rahman/"The Blind Sheikh" case) and the TWA Flight 800 catastrophe. He also negotiated the surrender of the first hostage taker to give up in the Chase Manhattan Bank robbery. During Chris's 24-year tenure with the Bureau, he was trained in the art of negotiation by not only the FBI, but also Scotland Yard and Harvard Law School. He is also a recipient of the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement and the FBI Agents Association Award for Distinguished and Exemplary Service. Chris is the author of the book, Never Split The Difference©.
Adi Karisik is a global leader with over 20 years of highly specialized professional experience, one that covers information technology, enterprise IT cyber security, Operational Technology, management consulting, and intelligence consulting as well as providing specialized services in Defense and Intelligence domains. He managed several classified and open programs/portfolios in both USA and Europe. During his 14-year tenure with Blue Canopy Group, Mr. Karisik served as a partner and one of the key leaders in National Security. His work experience covers a variety of organizations in the intelligence arena. He has authored several types of training in areas of cross-cultural negotiations, predictive behavior analysis, human terrain reading and survivability. Since 2012 Adi has been involved in big data analytics and has partnered with several US and European companies to provide a product capable of combining big data and machine learning with multiple external data sources, in order to facilitate assistance in the area of complex decision-making modeling.
To learn more about the United Nations Outreach Programme on the Holocaust, click here. Read more about Leslie Rosenthal's story from this article from Canada's National Post (originally published August 25, 2012), as well as this story about Miriam Rosenthal from the February 22, 2018 edition of The Globe and Mail. You may also find additional information from this blog.
Alex Mahrou is the Director of Incubation for Data and Technology within the People & Places Solutions line of business at Jacobs. His focus areas are on growing organic capability in cloud, data & analytics, Open Source, and platform-level technology. He originally started with the Jacobs family in 2013.David Yardy is a Software Architect/Team Manager with a 20-year history of working in the engineering, design, and construction industry. In his role, he is responsible for overall architecture, design, and development of web, mobile, and cloud-based solutions. David is highly effective in driving the software development lifecycle, including requirements gathering and analysis, design, programming, testing, and deployment, and he has demonstrated ability in leading Agile/SCRUM-based teams environments aligned with DevOps patterns and practices while collaborating with geographically diverse teams to deliver global solutions.
John Rickermann, PE – Managing Director, Technical Services Group, OMFS, is the technology and innovation interface between the Jacobs O&M division and the greater Jacobs engineering organization. He manages a specialty team of 75 subject matter experts in water treatment and maintenance. The Jacobs O&M group includes 3,000 operators and mechanics at over 200 sites. His current focus is on digitizing and cybersecurity for O&M functions to improve efficiency and manage the decline in O&M staffing availability. He has 30 years of experience in the industry and holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) from Stony Brook University in Long Island NY, and an MBA from Boston University. He is also a licensed wastewater treatment plant operator, and certified maintenance and reliability technician (CMRT).Gregg Kennedy, Jacobs Director of Sales – Water & Utilities, is a passionate advocate for the Water Industry and has spent the past 15+ years of his career working with Utility providers across the world to improve performance and outcomes in the operational, commercial and capital delivery areas. Having worked both directly for water utilities as well as on the consultancy side, Gregg has been able to build a deep understanding of the risks and opportunities facing Jacobs' clients as they look to evolve and improve their service offerings to their customers. Gregg's began his journey in the water sector as a regulatory economist and accountant before transferring into the project and program management area which in turn lead to his move to Australia to establish a full scale PMO for Sydney Water in 2012. Returning to Jacobs' UK business in 2019, Gregg has worked closely with an embedded delivery team in United Utilities to support the development of a digitally lead performance improvement solution (anchored by Jacobs' market-leading product AquaDNA).
Tom Davenport is a Distinguished Professor of Information Technology and Management at Babson College, Visiting Professor at Oxford Business School, Fellow of the MIT Digital Economy Initiative, and Senior Advisor to Deloitte's AI practice. He has published 23 books and over 300 articles for Harvard Business Review and many other publications. He has been named one of the world's Top 25 Consultants, one of the top 3 business/technology analysts, one of the 100 most influential people in the IT industry, and one of the top fifty business school professors in the world. He's worked with many of the world's leading companies on data, analytics, and AI strategies, organizational structures, and deployment processes.
Scott Stetson serves as the Division Vice President for Growth & Strategy in the Rapid Solutions performance unit of Jacobs' Divergent Solutions group. He has over twenty-five years of engineering and operations leadership experience in both government and commercial capacities, and across several technology domains. Scott holds an undergraduate degree from Duke University, an M.S. in Applied Physics from the Naval Postgraduate School, and an Advanced Certificate for Executives from MIT's Sloan School of Business. He lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts with his wife and family, where he enjoys scuba diving, mountain biking and nearby skiing. Andy Eichelberger runs Jacobs' Remote Sensing Division and prior to this role, he was the engineering lead for the division for the majority of the last 12 years. Prior to Jacobs, he was a systems engineer and manager at Raytheon for 10 years and did undergraduate and graduate work on UAVs at Cornell. He enjoys flying his family in their Cessna 182 to Maine and Northern Ontario for relaxing vacations.
Most widely recognized for her service on September 11, Lt. (Retired) Heather “Lucky” Penney was part of the pioneering first wave of women who entered fighters directly from pilot training. Lucky was the first and only woman in the 121st Fighter Squadron during her time flying the F-16, conducting combat air patrols over Washington DC and deploying to combat twice. She was airborne the first night of initial combat for Operation Iraqi Freedom, tasked as a night-time SCUD Hunter in the western deserts of Iraq and also supporting Special Operations Forces. Heather is a Senior Resident Fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, where she conducts extensive research on cutting-edge defense policy with a focus on the leveraging the critical advantage that only aerospace power affords. She is a recognized expert on defense policy areas such as the defense industrial base, autonomous systems, force structure, acquisition reform, and future operational concepts. She earned her B.A. and M.A. in American Studies from Purdue University. Prior to joining the Mitchell Institute, Heather was a Director of various Air Force programs for Lockheed Martin, specializing in capture management, government relations, and strategic business development. Her portfolio included the F-22, the F-16, F-35 training, and the Air Force's Advanced Pilot Training competition to replace the T-38.Lieutenant General (Retired) Bruce T. Crawford is an inspired, thought leader of character with over thirty-five years of leadership, executive management, national security, enterprise information technology (IT) and cybersecurity experience. Retiring from the U.S. Army as its Chief Information Officer and three-star general after 34 years of service, Crawford joined global solutions provider Jacobs, where he now serves as the company's Chief of Innovation, Chair of the Digital Advisory Group and Director of the Global Digital Center of Excellence. Crawford leads the company's global digital transformation initiative and promulgation of innovation as a core element of the Jacobs culture and growth strategy. Among the honors he has accumulated throughout his career, Crawford has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and the Bronze Star Medal, and he has been named the 2020 Black Engineer Of The Year. Crawford sits on the Board of Directors for Avalara Inc., The George C. Marshall International Center and The Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association's Executive Committee.
As the President of Eminent Future, a digital product and innovation company focused on creating societal change, Isaac Barnes has won federal contracts valued at over $13B with the Pentagon, White House, and Department of State. In his career, he developed multiple large-scale federal websites for the Pentagon and won multiple industry awards. Isaac worked under both the Obama and Trump presidential administrations and led development teams that produced exceptional applications that were and still are used by White House staff members to date. Isaac has dedicated his life to serving others, whether it be through leadership or entrepreneurship. He served honorably in the Marine Corps before helping a Vietnam Vet grow his defense contracting company from $3-17 MM in revenue. As an entrepreneur himself, Isaac designs growth opportunities both internally within organizations but also externally between them by bridging gaps. Isaac is also the co-creator of xMooney, one of the first and fastest growing Black/Brown-owned crypto-currency tokens in the world. He has worked with many organizations, including Amazon and the Consumer Technology Association, to promote Northern Virginia as an attractive place for technology companies looking to set up shop in the region's emerging tech economy. As an ambassador for Crystal City, his work helped Amazon raise $40 million, so they could build their HQ2 there.Cleophus Thomas is a Vice President and Director of Operation for Jacobs' Global Digital Center of Excellence. He manages operational priorities to ensure the successful integration of innovations in support of Jacobs' global mission. Before joining Jacobs, Cleo spent 2 1/2 years as a Senior Manager for the Defense and National Security (DNS) market segment at Ernst and Young (EY). He led the Cyber team and managed a multi-million-dollar pipeline. Cleo served for 25 years in the United States Army and retired with the rank of Colonel. He served as a Communications Officer, focusing primarily on Cybersecurity. Cleo's experience included leading and managing several cyber defense and Information Technology organizations at the highest level of the Department of Defense and the White House. As the Chief Information Officer/Commander of the White House Communications Agency, Cleo provided communications support to the President of the United States and the White House Staff. Cleo's team defended global networks in support of the President, Vice President, National Security Staff, Secret Service, and Senior Executive Staff resulting in zero cyber intrusions and zero loss of Presidential data. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Tuskegee University, majoring in Electrical Engineering. Cleo was also an ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate and assigned as a Regular Army Officer in the Signal Corps. He received a master's degree in Administrative Management from Central Michigan University in 2003. In 2013, he was awarded a Master's of National Strategy Degree with a concentration in Cyber Security from the National Defense University, Dwight D. Eisenhower School of National Security and Resource Strategy (DOD WAR College), Fort McNair, Washington, DC.
David Fajgenbaum, MD, MBA, MSc, is a groundbreaking physician-scientist, disease hunter, speaker, and national bestselling author of Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope Into Action, which has been translated into five languages, named one of the “Best Non-Fiction Books of 2019,” and profiled by Good Morning America, CNN, and BBC News, among others. Now, he is leading the effort to find treatments for Castleman disease, COVID-19, and other diseases as co-Founder & President of the CDCN and the Director of the Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment & Laboratory (CSTL) at the University of Pennsylvania. One of the youngest individuals ever appointed to the faculty at Penn Medicine and the top 1 percent youngest grant awardees of a leading NIH grant (R01), David Fajgenbaum has been profiled in a cover story by The New York Times, recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, as a top healthcare leader by Becker's Hospital Review, the Global Genes RARE Champion of Hope: Science awardee, and one of three recipients of a 2016 Atlas Award from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. He has published scientific papers in high-impact journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and the Journal of Clinical Investigation, including a paper selected as one of the top innovations in science and medicine by STAT News in 2020. Before co-founding the CDCN, David co-founded and led the Actively Moving Forward Support Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting grieving college students.Francesca McBride has over 30 years of experience in Pharmabio. She has provided Regulatory Compliance and Validation expertise to clients seeking facility and product licensing or accreditation by regulatory agencies, including the FDA, USDA, and the NIH/CDC in the United States; and the EMEA, ANVISA, MHLW, TGA, NMPA, CDSCO, WHO, PICS internationally. As an integral part of the Jacobs EPCMV teams, Ms. McBride has provided cGMP compliance direction to Jacobs' clients and the project teams in the clarification and understanding in the application of international GMP requirements supporting facility design and the project planning/scheduling of the integration of construction, ASTM E2500 for commissioning and validation activities to support the project schedule and obtain regulatory approval. From August, 1993 to January, 1995, Ms. McBride was assigned to the Jacobs Engineering European Region as Manager, Regulatory Compliance. She was responsible for the start-up of the Regulatory Compliance and Validation departments in this region. From August, 2001 to August, 2003, Ms. McBride was assigned to the Wyeth BioPharma Project in Ireland as Validation Program Manager as part of Wyeth's Integrated Commissioning and Validation (ICV) team. From October, 2009 to April 2010, Ms. McBride was assigned as a senior regulatory and validation specialist in India to support the start-up of a vaccine manufacturing facility.
Anthony Hauck, co-Founder and COO, Hypar, has more than 20 years' experience in architecture, engineering, construction, and IT, followed by 10 years at Autodesk as the Director of Product Management for Revit and the Director of Product Strategy for AEC Generative Design. Anthony has always sought to improve building outcomes through strategic application of advanced technology. As co-founder of Hypar, he helps accelerate and improve AEC projects with the company's cloud platform for computational building system design, fabrication, and construction.Jerry Dehn has 18 years of experience with Jacobs and currently serves as Vice President, Design Delivery Transformation for its People Places and Solutions line of business. Jerry's focus in this role is to enable continuous improvement resulting in higher value solutions for its clients and improved delivery efficiency. Recent delivery improvements include the deployment of the company's new Workforce Planning application and Design Manager Advancement Program. He has functioned as a key leader in the advancement of Global Integrated Delivery at Jacobs and currently leads our Design Automation program, where the company aims to remove the mundane from workers' day jobs and take significant strides in infusing digital technology into everyday design activities. Prior to serving in his current role, Jerry led the 800-person North America Design Operations unit for CH2M. He has held many roles in project delivery and business development across several market sectors over his 30-year career. He continues to serve as Jacobs' account manager for a handful of water clients in Northern California and Nevada, providing leadership to several project teams while staying focused on helping clients solve their toughest challenges.
Shep Bostin is an Enterprise Architect for Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) working with Systems Integrators focused on the public sector. As an Enterprise Architect, Shep is responsible for designing technology solutions that support and align with customers' organizational missions, technology strategies, and IT processes. He has more than 30 years of IT experience in systems engineering, product management and marketing, and technical presales for hardware and software manufacturers. Shep holds a Bachelor of Science degree, with honors, in Information and Decision Systems from Carnegie Mellon University and is a graduate of Phillips Academy at Andover.Doug Wolfe is currently a Vice President and General Manager for Jacobs. He served as the CEO of BlackLynx from March 2018 until November 2021 when Jacobs acquired BlackLynx. BlackLynx is an industry leader in delivering high performance computing and cloud infrastructure services to the government, and Wolfe is continuing to enhance and deliver mission-critical capabilities in his new position. A recognized federal government leader, Doug Wolfe served 33 years with the CIA, his last position being Deputy Director of the Science and Technology Directorate. He retired from federal service in December 2017. Wolfe served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the CIA from 2013 to 2016, in charge of Agency Information Technology (IT) vision and strategic direction, along with advising the Intelligence Community (IC).Throughout his career, Wolfe held multiple CIA positions, among them were Deputy Director for Acquisition, Technology, and Facilities at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI); Deputy Director of the Office of Global Access (OGA), and program manager overseeing the end-to-end system acquisition of an innovative new source and method for the Intelligence Community. Wolfe holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Southern California, and a master's degree in system engineering from Virginia Tech.
A disruptor, educator, and transformer obsessed with human centered design, Jacobs Director, Technology & Innovation Timothy Berendt is experienced in corporate innovation, business development and strategic investments. At Jacobs, Tim is responsible for the incubation and acceleration of multiple projects including sourcing innovation and technology organizations. In his current role, he also co-led Jacobs' first Corporate Venture Capital arm and partnership strategy, structure, and processes. Tim is also a professor at Massachusetts Art College of Art & Design where he teaches entrepreneurship, human centered design, and other innovative sciences in the Master of Design: Design Innovation program. Previous to joining Jacobs, Tim was the Head of Business Development for Aifred Health, focused on utilizing artificial intelligence to assist in clinical decision support in mental healthcare, starting with depression. Tim led Aifred's strategy, deployment and growth efforts, specifically in the United States. Aifred finished #1 in North America and #2 in the World in IBM's Global AI X-Prize and was recently highlighted in CB Insights State of Healthcare Report.Shreya Mallamula is a rising senior studying Computer Science at Virginia Tech University. Over the past semester she has had the privilege of serving as the Project Manager for the school's technical partnership with Jacobs Engineering. During the summer of 2022, she is continuing her involvement with the Consulting Group as the Director of Projects, looking for new companies/initiatives to connect with, while also working as a Cloud Engineering Consultant for Amazon AWS. Outside of the Consulting Group, she is involved with a number of Women in STEM initiatives on campus, and she also loves dancing, cooking and hanging out with her friends.Dawson Racek is a senior at Virginia Tech studying Corporate Finance and Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Technology. He has interned at Jacobs for over a year on the Innovation and Investor Relations teams, helping with the company's Venture Capital efforts. He is now working at RingCentral, helping to invest into UCaaS solutions.
Abby Crisostomo is the Project Director for Thames Estuary 2100, the 100-year Plan setting out how the Environment Agency and its partners can work together to manage tidal flood risk in the Thames Estuary, adapt to a changing climate and plan for the future of our riverside. Prior to this, she led on climate adaptation, green infrastructure, water, flood risk and heat risk planning and policy for the Greater London Authority; led on sustainable design and construction for London Olympic Park transformation projects and other developments at KLH Sustainability; worked on water, community development and governance policy and planning in the Chicago region for the Metropolitan Planning Council; and worked on water policy and advocacy for the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Abby also chairs CIWEM's SuDS and Water Reuse Policy Leadership Group. She is the former Vice-Chair of the International Water Association's Public and Customer Communications Specialist Group and was a member of the first round of Chicago Next Generation Environmental Leaders.Natalie Mcildowie has enjoyed a diverse, agile career with Jacobs in the UK. She currently serves as the client account manager for the Environment Agency, one of Jacobs' biggest clients and longest-running relationships. Natalie has led the delivery of many different environmental projects ranging from land remediation to flood protection. Her leadership style reflects her interest in people, client relationships and making good things happen for the environment. She is particularly enthusiastic about improving inclusion and diversity in the workplace, serving as an ambassador to employee networks, a sponsor to quiet people with potential for big impact and a mentor to women who are thriving in their careers alongside raising a family. Natalie makes the most of being an American expatriate living in England for 18 years, enjoying British campsites and seeing many music legends live in concert - and she's reminded almost daily that she hasn't lost her accent.
Kara Connon has experience developing and delivering inspirational and interactive educational STEAM programs for pupils of all ages, to raise young people's aspiration and knowledge of future STEAM careers and develop the skills of the future workforce. Kara has successfully engaged with Boards of Directors and Executive Leadership teams to gain their confidence in the development of a strategy that will support them in achieving ambitious KPIs for global STEAM engagement. In November 2020, Kara was appointed Jacobs STEAM Lead for Europe, coordinating over 800 STEAM Ambassadors in the UK alone, with a remit of developing and delivering Jacobs' global STEAM launch and an ambitious STEAM strategy, to maximize the social value and impact Jacobs will have on pupil and community STEAM education throughout the world.As a communicator, Lainie Harber is passionate about storytelling and building relationships. In her nearly 10 years in communications – starting in public relations, social media and crisis communications eventually transitioning to executive communications and strategy work – she's had the pleasure of helping people and companies reach their communications and marketing goals. Currently, she serves as a Communication Project Manger at Jacobs where she oversees large company projects that support and drive the company strategy forward. Lainie is a Kansas girl and earned her Masters of Journalism and Strategic Communication from the University of Kansas. In her spare time, Lainie likes to travel, cook and have adventures with her husband, Scott, her son, Max and their Australian Shepherd, Marlow.Samuel Stanford is a 24-year-old Physicist and Structural Engineer for the Jacobs Electronics Team, as well as the host of his own STEAM education podcast called Everything STEAM. He is also a STEAM Ambassador for Jacobs and spends his free time educating individuals through social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and the Wisdom app. Just recently with the help of a local business partnership, Sam has launched a sustainable clothing line called Ecolite. He writes ecological research blogs such as saving the bees, commercial fishing and much more. These research blogs are directly linked to Ecolite clothing via a QR code. With the drive for a circular fashion approach and the incorporation of green clothing alternatives, he has been able to combine fashion, sustainability and learning, all in one purchase. Throughout his college years, he had developed his teaching abilities through tutoring people in advanced Physics and Mathematical concepts. He was also given the opportunity to conduct material science research while running a fully functional 3D Printing laboratory, and he conducted research into Organic Electrochemical Transistor nanofabrication for a healthcare company. In the future, Sam has aspirations to continue his college career by pursuing a Master's program consisting of Structural Engineering and Mechanics of Materials.
Mark Mothersbaugh is one of this era's most unique and prolific composers. Deeply aware of the ability of precise, multi-faceted artistic expression to deliver vital social commentary, he has perpetually challenged and redefined musical and visual boundaries. Mothersbaugh co-founded influential rock group DEVO, and then parlayed his avant-garde musical background into a leading role in the world of scoring for filmed and animated entertainment, interactive media and commercials.As an award winning composer, his credits include Thor: Ragnarok, Moonrise Kingdom, 21 Jump Street, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Enlightened, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, Pee Wee's Playhouse, and the hugely successful Rugrats television, stage and film franchise. Through his multimedia company, Mutato Muzika, Mark has scored hundreds of commercials. Mothersbaugh received the BMI Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement at the organization's 2004 Film/TV Awards.
Dr. Jennifer Blum, an astrophysicist, is Senior Director Data Scientist for Jacobs CMS Cyber & Intelligence Business Unit. She is the second African American woman to ever graduate with a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Michigan. Her doctorate focused on using X-ray satellites to determine how fast black holes and neutron stars spin. Her current expertise is in cyber security algorithm development and advanced statistical data science methodologies. Dr. Blum's work supports multiple government and commercial efforts. She designed and developed application programming interfaces (APIs) for LMI clients and the Defense Intelligence Agency (CIO) mission. Additionally, she was a senior IT strategist and helped DIA develop critical cyber infrastructure. Prior to that assignment, Dr. Blum worked at a federal agency as a data scientist where she created machine learning algorithms for cyber security missions and wrote reports for senior leadership. Currently, she is involved in advanced cyber security technologies and business solutions for Jacobs. In her spare time, Dr. Blum enjoys voice acting and has performed in radio commercials.Charles Ramsay is an accomplished data science, machine learning, and senior leadership professional with a strong software development background, combining 20+ years of technical expertise with a customer mission focus. He is recognized for leading multiple software initiatives in programs of record and in research and development domains. His team's current contract portfolio includes cyber research, data science analytics, machine learning, statistical analysis, data engineering, and development for the Intelligence Community (IC), DoD DARPA and other federal agencies.
Eric Oddo, Environmental Engineering Program Manager, Western Placer Waste Management Authority, has worked for the WPWMA for more than 23 years and is responsible for overseeing operations at the WPWMA's mixed waste MRF, green waste composting facility and sanitary landfill. He directs WPWMA's Renewable Placer Waste Action Plan facility master planning and regional circular economy development project. Mr. Oddo is also in charge of developing and managing the WPWMA's roughly $50 million annual budget. Prior to joining the WPWMA, Mr. Oddo worked for several private environmental engineering firms where he specialized in landfill gas generation rate modeling and landfill gas collection system design. Janet Goodrich, P.E., Waste Solutions Global Technology Leader, Jacobs, has worked in the waste management field since the late 1980s and has been with Jacobs in the Sacramento, California office for over 26 years. Ms. Goodrich's work experience in the waste management industry is diverse and varied. In addition to leading the Renewable Placer Waste Action Plan consulting project, she is currently involved in a variety of global and regional organic waste management, circular economy, and other waste solutions projects and leverages Jacobs's waste solutions team for circular economy projects globally.
Nicola Enoch's world fell apart in 2004 when a pediatrician advised that her then newborn son Tom has Down syndrome. Nicola has since gone on to become a strong advocate and in 2017 created Positive about Down syndrome (PADS) to ensure expectant and new parents of a baby with Down syndrome in the UK have access to contemporary information and ongoing support. PADS also delivers training to medical professionals to address the discrimination and stigma that all too often prevail around those with Down syndrome, and she lobbies policy makers and Parliamentarians to demand equality for those with Down syndrome. Stephanie Bywater has been with Jacobs for 20 years. She is a full-time member of its Transportation operations team in the UK and is active in a number of the employee networks, holding a leadership position in the Women's Network and ACE (Access. Connect. Empower., which champions accessibility, community and opportunity for caregivers and employees with disabilities). Her passion for inclusion steered her early career in accessibility and inclusive design, accumulating in a Masters degree. From 2010 onward, she chose to pursue project management of rail and subsequent highways schemes. She is a great advocate of bringing her whole self to work and provides some great insight about raising her children, one of whom Jared (4) has Down syndrome. Lara Jumagdao has been with Jacobs for almost 16 years. She is part of the Cities and Places Middle East Team, based in Qatar, and is an active member of the employee networks, holding a regional leadership position in the ACE and Women's network. Lara is an architect and is also an architectural fire and life safety specialist with broad experience in Middle East code compliance and approvals. She is a mom of three (Monique, Lorenzo and 16-year old Jasmine who has Down syndrome). Since 2015, her outreach has been focused on helping Filipino families with family members with disabilities especially during the festive season.
Dr. Phillip Anz-Meador is the Jacobs Principal Scientist for Orbital Debris within the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) at Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, and corporate subject matter expert on space debris and the space environment. Since joining the ODPO in 1985, Dr. Anz-Meador has initiated and led significant, fundamental efforts in space traffic and debris characterization, all aspects of modeling, radar and in situ measurements, mitigation, protection, and remediation. He is the recipient of the NASA Astronaut Corps' Silver Snoopy award. He is a member of the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) and the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) Committee on Space Debris. He succeeded Mr. Don Kessler as editor of the Springer journal Space Debris during its publication life, is the Technical Editor of the ODPO Orbital Debris Quarterly Newsletter (ODQN), and regularly contributes to the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the AMOS Technical Conference and other conferences and workshops.
Astronaut Charlie Duke is one of the 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966, and went on to serve in 5 different Apollo missions to the Moon:member of the astronaut support crew for the Apollo 10CAPCOM for Apollo 11, the first manned landing on the Moonbackup lunar module pilot on Apollo 13lunar module pilot on Apollo 16backup lunar module pilot on Apollo 17As lunar module pilot of Apollo 16 (April 16-27, 1972) Mr. Duke was accompanied on the fifth manned lunar mission by John W. Young (spacecraft commander) and Thomas K. Mattingly II (command module pilot).In December 1975, Duke retired from NASA to enter private business in San Antonio. He entered the USAF Reserves in 1975 and served as Mobilization Augmentee to Commander AF Basic Military Training Center and to Commander USAF Recruiting Service. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1979 and retired in June, 1986. Since 1976, Mr. Duke has been involved in a wide variety of business and is currently a public speaker of international renown on topics that range from delivering under pressure, to team preparedness and space exploration.
Craig Clifton is Jacobs' global technology lead for resilience and climate change. He is based in Bendigo, Australia. Craig has a master's degree in forest science and specializes in climate change and natural hazards vulnerability, risk and resilience. He works with a wide variety of public and private sector clients on climate and natural hazards risk and resilience in transportation infrastructure and for water and energy utilities. He also works on opportunities to abate emissions or create carbon offsets in the land sector. Craig is part of a working group within Jacobs that is developing and implementing its response to TCFD recommendations on climate risk governance and management.Adam Liddle is a Director in Jacobs' Office of Global Climate Response & ESG, a corporate function which acts as the connecting point for Jacobs' go-to-market solutions for energy transition, decarbonization, adaptation and resilience, and natural resource stewardship. During his time with Jacobs, Adam has managed high profile multi-disciplinary client projects delivering sustainable outcomes for people and planet and has been central to the development of PlanBeyond, Jacobs' sustainability strategy. From that platform the organization has undergone significant transformation resulting in the implementation of Science Based Targets, the launch of digital climate/sustainability tools, a fully quantitative climate risk assessment in line with TCFD guidelines, and significantly improved ESG ratings. Adam is currently leading a working group looking at further embedding climate risk and opportunities assessment across each of Jacobs market strategies. Adam is an accredited Project Manager; Chartered Member of the Institute of Waste Management; and member of various Scottish climate action industry working groups.
Dr. Jennifer Blum, an astrophysicist, is Senior Director Data Scientist for Jacobs CMS Cyber & Intelligence Business Unit. She is the second African American woman to ever graduate with a Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Michigan. Her doctorate focused on using X-ray satellites to determine how fast black holes and neutron stars spin. Her current expertise is in cyber security algorithm development and advanced statistical data science methodologies. Dr. Blum's work supports multiple government and commercial efforts. She designed and developed application programming interfaces (APIs) for LMI clients and the Defense Intelligence Agency (CIO) mission. Additionally, she was a senior IT strategist and helped DIA develop critical cyber infrastructure. Prior to that assignment, Dr. Blum worked at a federal agency as a data scientist where she created machine learning algorithms for cyber security missions and wrote reports for senior leadership. Currently, she is involved in advanced cyber security technologies and business solutions for Jacobs. In her spare time, Dr. Blum enjoys voice acting and has performed in radio commercials.David Morgareidge has over 40 years' experience in analyzing and optimizing the operational and financial performance of the built environment through the use of virtual integrated digital design tools, including Digital Twins. His project approach first defines the boundaries of the solution space, then exhausts that space, using discrete event or agent based simulation tools linked to optimization engines, and finally rank orders hundreds of solutions based on the client's Key Performance Indicators that define success for each unique project. David has led the technical groups that use these tools and has helped shape the complete digital strategy of an A/E firm as its Chief Information Officer. The ROIs on his process modeling and simulation projects have ranged from 10:1 to 20:1, with first cost reductions of up to $8M and annual staff cost reductions of $763K. At Jacobs, David is the Director of Predictive Analytics, overseeing and directing the application of advanced operational modeling and simulation tools and advanced data analytics to provide highly optimized, objective, fact-based design solutions across multiple sectors and services.
Wishing you and yours the very best holiday season, from all your friends at Jacobs...
Nathalie Cabrol is an astrobiologist and the Director of SETI Institute Carl Sagan Center for Research where she spearheads a new multidisciplinary roadmap to bridge astrobiology and SETI. She has a background in planetary and environmental sciences, and astrobiology. Her research focuses on the exploration of habitability and life beyond Earth. She counts over 470 peer-reviewed publications and proceedings of professional conferences and is the author of three books and 10 chapters of books on the subject of planetary science and exploration, astrobiology, and terrestrial extreme environments. Nathalie is the recipient of NASA and other research awards. She is a Carey Fellow (Wings Worldquest Women of Discovery - Air and Space, 2007), and a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences since 2016. She was honored to present the Sagan Lecture at AGU in December 2016. Nathalie has given over 400 public lectures on the subjects of planetary science, exploration, and the search for life beyond Earth, including a TED Talk in 2015. In March 2018, the New York Times Sunday Magazine featured a portrait of her work and life. Nathalie holds the women's world record for diving at altitude (scuba and free diving).Seth Shostak claims to have developed an interest in extraterrestrial life at the tender age of ten, when he first picked up a book about the Solar System. This innocent beginning eventually led to a degree in radio astronomy, and now, as Senior Astronomer, Seth is an enthusiastic participant in the Institute's SETI observing programs. In addition, Seth is keen on outreach activities: interesting the public – and especially young people – in science in general, and astrobiology in particular. He's co-authored a college textbook on astrobiology, and has written three trade books on SETI. In addition, he's published more than 400 popular articles on science including regular contributions to NBC News MACH, gives many dozens of talks annually, and is the host of the SETI Institute's weekly science radio show, “Big Picture Science.”
Chrissy Mitchell (Ph.D. MSc. BSc. FRGS, FCIWEM, C.Geog, C.Sci, C.Env, CWEM) works nationally within the Joint (DEFRA/Environment Agency/Welsh Government/Natural Resources Wales) Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management R&D Programme. As a lead scientist at the UK Environment Agency she heads the Flood and Coast Asset Management Research & Development (R&D) as well as the Reservoir Safety R&D. She is also an Associate Editor of the international journal of Flood Risk Management, and she was the Environment Agency project lead for the recently published coastal squeeze research. With a degree in Geology, a Masters in Environmental Science and a Doctorate in Geography, Chrissy joined the UK Environment Agency in 2003, initially supporting regulation and strategic planning and later the DEFRA/EA FCERM R&D programme as the sustainable asset management theme manager. She became the national lead climate change policy advisor for flood risk management and was nominated chair of young FLOODsite for four years running, an international network of 100+ young people working under a large European Flood research programme. She has been a member of the Advisory committee for the annual UK Flood and Coast Conference.Nigel Pontee (BSc, MSc, PhD, C.Eng, FICE, C.WEM, MCIWEM) has over 30 years' experience in coastal geomorphology and management. His experience covers estuaries, saltmarshes, sand beaches, gravel beaches, mixed sand and gravel beaches, and aeolian sand dunes. He has contributed to the creation of over 1700ha of new wetland habitat in the UK. Over the last six years, Nigel has become more involved in nature based coastal defense projects contributing to several international guidelines and numerous projects around the world. Nigel is currently working a several projects related to the carbon offsetting potential of marine habitats including the development of a carbon code for coastal saltmarshes and research relating to the carbon content or restored habitats. He is the Global Technology leader for Coastal Planning and Engineering in Jacobs and a Visiting Professor at the National Oceanography Centre in the UK. He is a member of several industry panels for the Institute of Civil Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Joint Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management R&D Programme in the UK.