Industry Advisory Board

Senior Vice President/Territory Manager
STV Construction Management Division

Gus Maimis, a senior vice president of STV’s Construction Management Division, has more than 25 years of experience in the construction industry successfully executing and completing projects for higher education campuses, health care, transportation centers, multi-tenant housing, and commercial office buildings. His current experience includes providing executive oversight at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum as part of the redevelopment at the World Trade Center. Prior to joining STV, as principal of his own construction management and general contracting firm for 10 plus years, he provided direction for the business development, coordinated client relations, and provided executive direction for numerous projects throughout New York Metropolitan Area.

Mr. Maimis has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Polytechnic Institute of New York and a Master’s in Business Administration from Cornell University. Mr. Maimis is treasurer for the Greater New York Construction Users Council, a member of the National Board of Directors for the Construction Management Association of America and visiting professor at the Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture.

Vice President
Capital Projects and Facilities at NYU

Linda Chiarelli is a tested and respected veteran of the construction world and has been involved in various roles in the construction process over the past thirty years, including work as an engineer on both design and construction management together with fifteen years of construction contract and litigation work. She is a graduate of The Cooper Union School of Engineering and Brooklyn Law School.

Prior to joining NYU, Linda was the Deputy Director of Construction at Forest City Ratner Companies. She was involved in all facets of the development process including negotiations with government entities, environmental impact statements, condemnation issues, architectural and construction agreements, project management, dispute avoidance and project closeouts. While at Forest City Ratner, she was instrumental in crafting the legal arrangements for some of the company’s more complex projects, including the Kings County Supreme Court and the New York Times Headquarters. She oversaw the construction of the Barclays Center, a prominent part of the Pacific Park (formerly Atlantic Yards) development. The project — which created a home for the Brooklyn Nets — was noted for its complexity of construction in a dense urban environment, as well as for the community relations challenges it posed.

Executive Vice President
OHL North America

Uday Durg serves as the Executive Vice President of OHL NA’s Northeast Region, which includes Judlau Contracting, Inc.’s operations in the area. In this role, Uday overseas all operations and development for the region, a key market for the company. Uday joined Judlau in 2016 and has more than 35 years of experience in the construction industry including executive management and oversight positions related to schedule, estimating, quality, safety, and budget. Prior to Judlau, Uday was Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer of Capital Construction for New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

Chief Executive Officer
Gateway Development Commission (GDC)

Thomas “Tom” Prendergast is the Chief Executive Officer of the Gateway Development Commission (GDC), leading the delivery of the Hudson Tunnel Project, the nation’s most urgent rail infrastructure initiative. With more than four decades of transit leadership, Prendergast brings extensive experience managing large, complex rail systems in New York, New Jersey, and abroad.

He previously served as Chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), where he secured a multi-year capital plan to modernize New York’s transit network, directed restoration efforts after Hurricane Sandy, and advanced major flood resiliency projects. His earlier roles included President of New York City Transit, President of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), and CEO of TransLink in British Columbia.

Before joining GDC, Prendergast worked at AECOM, overseeing design and consulting services across transportation, water and wastewater, environment, power, and buildings in the New York–New Jersey region. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for his ability to guide transformative infrastructure projects, foster stakeholder collaboration, and deliver safe, resilient, and reliable transit systems.

Partner
Duane Morris, LLP

Allen J. Ross has more than 45 years of experience practicing law in the areas of construction, litigation and real estate. In addition to traditional legal work, he has also developed a career in alternative dispute resolution in the construction industry, serving as an arbitrator, mediator and dispute review board chair.

Mr. Ross is a member of the American, New York State and New York City Bar Associations, as well as the Construction Industry Panel of Arbitrators and the Panel of Mediators of the American Arbitration Association. He has received numerous recognitions including: "Lawyer of the Year" in New York City Litigation — Construction Law by Best Lawyers, 2015-2016, Best Lawyers in America, 2006-2016, and International Who's Who of Construction Lawyers, 2005-2014. He is a 1964 graduate of New York University School of Law and a graduate of Cornell University.

President at Wexler Associates Consulting Structural Engineers
Wexler Associates

Neil Wexler, PhD, PE, is a seasoned professional in the field of structural engineering, with a career spanning over three decades. He currently serves as the President of Wexler Associates, a consulting firm specializing in structural engineering. Neil holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Civil Engineering from New York University, where his thesis focused on the design of advanced floor systems in buildings.

With a wealth of experience in the industry, Neil has been involved in a wide range of projects, including the design of high-rise buildings, retail spaces, residential buildings, offices, hotels, hospitals, educational facilities, and parking structures. His expertise also extends to areas such as seismic and wind design, matrix analysis, structural dynamics, steel and concrete design, and blast resistance design.

Neil's career highlights include serving as a Partner at WES Consultants, LLC, where he focused on engineering modeling and steel detailing, and as the President of WACE Forensic Engineering, where he provided forensic consulting, litigation support, and structural investigations. Throughout his career, Neil has demonstrated a commitment to excellence and a passion for advancing the field of structural engineering.

Founding Director – Global Leaders in Construction Management

Dr. Ibrahim Odeh is a distinguished leader in construction management, directing the Global Leaders in Construction Management (GLCM) research at Columbia University. He specializes in analyzing the international construction industry, notably in the GCC region, to develop strategic insights through SWOT and PEST analyses.

Beyond academia, Dr. Odeh advises esteemed companies like the World Economic Forum, Skanska, AI Engineering, EnTech, and Dentons, offering expertise in market dynamics. At Columbia University, he teaches courses on Project Management and Entrepreneurship, enriching future construction leaders.

Dr. Odeh earned a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Construction Management) from the University of Illinois and an MBA (Finance) from Minnesota. As a senior lecturer, he leads courses on Engineering and Construction Processes and International Construction Management.

In industry collaborations, Dr. Odeh serves as Special Advisor to the Dean of Engineering and Applied Science, fostering partnerships in the Middle East. He contributes to advisory boards at the World Economic Forum, CG/LA infrastructure, and Smart City Works, emphasizing Global Construction Market Analysis and Technology Trends.

Member, Earthquake Engineering Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Dr. Sissy Nikolaou is a member of NIST’s Earthquake Engineering Group, with over 25 years of global consulting experience in seismic risk analysis, geotechnical and earthquake engineering, and resilience-based design. Her portfolio includes major infrastructure projects such as the Second Avenue Subway, JFK and LGA Airports, the new Tappan Zee (Mario Cuomo) Bridge, One World Trade Center, and high-profile projects across Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

At NIST, she currently leads the investigation into the 2021 Champlain Towers South collapse in Surfside, FL, under the National Construction Safety Team (NCST) Act. Her recent work focuses on developing decision-support frameworks for infrastructure resilience and functional recovery, addressing recommendations in the NIST-FEMA report to Congress, for which she will receive the U.S. Department of Commerce’s 2025 Gold Medal.

Dr. Nikolaou holds a Civil Engineering Diploma from the National Technical University of Athens and a Ph.D. in Earthquake and Geotechnical Engineering from the University at Buffalo. She has served in leadership roles with the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), the Applied Technology Council (ATC), and the ASCE Geo-Institute, where she was the 2023 President.

She is also an adjunct professor at Manhattan College, where she mentors the next generation of engineers, and is recognized with honors such as the Prakash Prize for Excellence and the WSP Technical Fellow of Earthquake Engineering distinction.

Chairman & CEO, Strategic Program Management LLC

Bob Prieto is Chairman and CEO of Strategic Program Management LLC, where he focuses on improving capital efficiency and strengthening engineering and construction organizations managing large, complex projects. He is a recognized leader in the infrastructure, engineering, and construction industries, with deep expertise in programmatic delivery strategies.

Previously, Mr. Prieto was a Senior Vice President at Fluor, overseeing major global projects across all sectors, and served as Chairman of Parsons Brinckerhoff. His board-level experience includes Parsons Brinckerhoff, Cardno, Mott MacDonald, and Dar Al Riyadh Group, where he has held various leadership and advisory roles.

An author of ten books and over 950 papers and presentations, Mr. Prieto is committed to advancing knowledge in the profession. He holds four patents and is a Fellow of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) and a member of the National Academy of Construction. He also serves on advisory boards at New York University and NYU Abu Dhabi.

Mr. Prieto’s industry leadership includes serving as Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Engineering and Construction Governors and as Co-Chair of New York City’s Infrastructure Task Force post-9/11. He was a U.S. presidential appointee to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council until 2006.

In 2024, he received the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) Award for Management.

Deputy Commissioner for Infrastructure, NYC Department of Design and Construction

Eric Macfarlane is the Deputy Commissioner for Infrastructure at the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC). He oversees a five-year capital plan portfolio of over 539 design and construction projects valued at $10.4 billion, managing a team of more than 500 engineers, architects, CADD operators, and construction professionals.

His division is responsible for the design and construction of critical infrastructure citywide, including roadways, sewers, water mains, and sidewalks. He also leads major initiatives such as East Side Coastal Resilience, Times Square and Columbus Circle redesigns, and other pedestrian, transit, and sustainability projects. Mr. Macfarlane introduced trenchless technologies to minimize disruptions during infrastructure work.

Before joining DDC, he worked at private consulting firms and Con Edison, and held a leadership role at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection.

Mr. Macfarlane is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York. He holds an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of New York (now NYU Tandon School of Engineering) and a B.E. from the City College of New York.

Senior Attorney & Interconnections Program Manager, Con Edison

Nikolai Wolfe is an accomplished attorney and cross-industry leader with over a decade of experience developing sustainable solutions to complex operational and regulatory challenges. He currently serves as Senior Attorney and Interconnections Program Manager at Con Edison, where he focuses on energy, environmental law, and grid interconnection strategies.

In addition to his legal career, Mr. Wolfe is the Founder and Managing Broker of The Wolfe Firm LLC, a full-service real estate brokerage and consulting firm specializing in housing and real estate development in New York and globally, including projects in Ghana.

Mr. Wolfe’s leadership extends to higher education and community engagement. He has served on the NYU Board of Trustees and as President of the NYU Alumni Association, supporting a global network of over 650,000 alumni. He is also a 2022 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) Pathfinder and a mentor committed to empowering the next generation of leaders.

Mr. Wolfe holds a JD from Brooklyn Law School, where he was a member of the Moot Court Honor Society and a trained civil court mediator. He also holds an MSc in Civil Engineering (Urban Systems Engineering & Management) and a BS in Civil Engineering with a secondary focus in Psychology from NYU Tandon School of Engineering.

Chief Executive Officer, Blue Cedar Partners LLC

Stavros Karageorgiou is the CEO of Blue Cedar Partners LLC, bringing extensive experience in both construction management and law to New York City’s infrastructure and development industries. He has led projects for agencies such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the NYC School Construction Authority, including the Kathleen Grimm School for Leadership and Sustainability—the city’s first net-zero energy school.

Mr. Karageorgiou started his career managing operations at NJD General and Electrical Contractors, helping grow his family’s contracting business into a multi-million-dollar enterprise. He later practiced law as an associate at ArentFox Schiff and Farrell Fritz, focusing on corporate and construction-related matters.

He is a Certified Construction Manager (CCM), a designation that recognizes both technical expertise and leadership in project delivery, safety, and risk management. Mr. Karageorgiou currently serves on the board of directors of the Association of Electrical Contractors and is a trustee of its self-insurance program.

Mr. Karageorgiou earned his JD from Fordham University School of Law, with a focus in corporate law. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Construction Engineering from NYU Tandon School of Engineering and also completed coursework in Civil Engineering at NYU Polytechnic (now NYU Tandon).

Assistant Commissioner, Environmental Design and Construction, NYC Department of Homeless Services

Angelena Edwards is a civil engineer and construction management professional with over 25 years of experience in asset management, project management, and capital construction. She currently serves as Assistant Commissioner of Environmental Design and Construction for the NYC Department of Homeless Services, overseeing all capital projects for city-owned homeless shelters.

Previously, she was Deputy Director of Capital Projects at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), managing major renovations across Brooklyn and Staten Island. Her past roles also include project management at PSEG, focusing on environmental remediation and electric distribution, and data center commissioning at Piller Power Systems.

In addition to her public sector leadership, Edwards is President of ARE Enterprises, a firm specializing in pre-construction management, stakeholder relations, and event planning since 1999.

A committed leader in professional and community organizations, Edwards has served on the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Professional Executive Board as Region I Professional Chair, International Chair, Treasurer, and Conference Manager. She is President Emeritus of the Central Jersey NSBE Professionals and a volunteer with Engineers Without Borders, acting as a Kenya Volunteer and Cultural Liaison. Her community outreach includes career days, clothing drives, and Thanksgiving dinner distributions.

Edwards holds an MS in Civil Engineering from NYU Tandon School of Engineering, an MS in Construction Management from Stevens Institute of Technology, and a BS in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University.

Chief Operating Officer – New York Region, AECOM Tishman

Eric Reid is Chief Operating Officer for AECOM Tishman’s New York Region, where he shares leadership responsibilities with John Kovacs. In this role, he oversees operations, administration, business development, and manages a team of over 750 employees delivering projects across the metropolitan area.

With more than 25 years of experience in the design and construction industry, Reid has led AECOM Tishman’s residential and hotel structural work throughout New York City. Before joining the firm in 2008, he was a founding member of the Forensic Engineering Unit at the New York City Department of Buildings. His earlier career includes nearly a decade of structural design work in the hospitality, residential, commercial, and gaming sectors.

Reid holds both an MS and BS in Civil Engineering from the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE).

Vice President & Division Manager
E-J Electric Installation Co.

Patricia Mohiuddin, P.E., is a seasoned engineering and construction executive with more than two decades of experience delivering some of New York’s most ambitious and transformative infrastructure projects. As Vice President and Division Manager at E-J Electric Installation Co., she oversees major electrical, systems, and infrastructure programs across the region, including multi-billion-dollar transportation and public works initiatives. An NYU Tandon alumna, Mohiuddin is known for her strong technical expertise, strategic leadership, and commitment to building resilient, future-ready infrastructure.

At E-J Electric, Mohiuddin has played a key role in high-profile projects such as East Side Access, LaGuardia Airport redevelopment, Moynihan Train Hall, and critical upgrades throughout the MTA, Amtrak, and Port Authority systems. Her work centers on systems integration, safety oversight, stakeholder coordination, and the delivery of complex projects in dense, operationally sensitive environments. She is widely respected for her ability to lead large multidisciplinary teams and successfully deliver projects with significant engineering and logistical challenges.

Throughout her career, Mohiuddin has served as a champion of workforce development and increasing representation of women in engineering and construction leadership. She remains actively engaged with NYU Tandon and industry organizations focused on infrastructure excellence, professional advancement, and the cultivation of the next generation of engineering leaders.