SEAOI BOARD (2020-2021)
The SEAOI Board of Directors is the backbone of the organization. Members are expected to attend the monthly meeting and to spend an additional minimum of 4 hours per month on the activities of the Board and other committees. The term for a new Board member is 3 years.
Check out David Nickell, SEAOI President 2018-2019, talking about the importance of our Leadership Board in the video above!
Click on a Board member's name below to see their affiliations and credentials. To contact the SEAOI Board, please email Stephanie Crain, Executive Director.
Board Officers
President - Derek Boeldt
President-Elect - Jan I. Blok
Treasurer - Jon Sfura
Secretary - Jennifer Traut-Todaro
Directors to 2022
Joseph M. Lowrance
James J. Pawlikowski
Michelle Ryland
Directors to 2023
Rachel Jackson
Mary Lou Kutska
Matthew L. Wagner
Directors to 2024
Brian Boysen
Cathleen Jacinto
Sam Mittal
Past Presidents
Christine Freisinger, 2019-2020
Soliman Khudeira, 2020-2021
Jonathan Tavarez Young Engineers Committee Co-Chair - Liaisons to the Board
Enji Paul Papazisi Young Engineers Committee Co-Chair - Liaisons to the Board
Derek Boeldt (President)
Position: Deputy Chief Engineer, Infrastructure, Chicago Transit Authority
Education: Michigan Technological University, B.S., Civil Engineering
Licensure: SE, Illinois; PE, Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, ASCE, AISC, AREMA
Jan Blok (President-Elect)
Position: President, The Structural Group, Ltd.
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S, M.S., Structural Engineering
Licensure: SE, Illinois; PE., CT, IN, MI, MN, MS, MO, NY, OH, WI
Societies: SEAOI, SEPAC, AISC, M.ASCE, AWC, CFSEI, PCI
Jon Sfura (Treasurer)
Position: Senior Associate, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
Education: Purdue University, B.S.C.E.; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, M.S.C.E., Ph.D in Civil Engineering
Licensure: SE, Illinois; CE, CA; PE, FL, KS, MI
Societies: SEAOI, ACI, AISC, BSSC, EERI
David Eckmann
Position: Senior Principal, Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Education: University of Illinois, March, Structural Engineering; B.S., Architecture
Licensure: SE: Illinois; PE: California, Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Wisconsin; Architecture, Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, CCHRB, CTBUH, AIA, AISC
Jennifer Traut-Todaro (Secretary)
Position: Senior Steel Solutions Center Advisor, American Institute of Steel Construction
Education: University of Illinois, M.S., Architecture, Structures Option; B.S., Architectural Studies
Licensure: SE., Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, AISC
Michelle Ryland
Position: Associate V, Structures Group, Klein & Hoffman, Inc.
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign, B.S. in Architectural Studies; M. Architecture (Structures Option)
Licensure: Licensed Architect Illinois; SE, Illinois, Road Island
Illinois Societies: SEAOI, AIA, AISC
James J. Pawlikowski
Position: Associate Director, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign; B.A, and M. Architecture with Structural; Engineering Concentration
Licensure: SE, Illinois; LEED, AP
Societies: SEAOI, CCHR, ASC, ACI
Joseph M. Lowrance
Position: Senior Engineering Manager, Farnsworth Group, Inc.
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S. Architectural Studies, and M.S., Architecture (Structures Option)
Licensure: SE, Illinois, PE, Colorado
Societies: SEAOI, NCSEA, ISPE, NSPE, ACED-Illinois, ACI, AISC, CRSI, PCI
Rachel Jackson
Position: Senior Associate, Structural Engineering, Thornton Tomasetti
Education: The University of Texas at Austin, B.S. Architectural Engineering
Licensure: SE, Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, AISC
Mary Lou Kutska
Position: Bridge Technical Manager, Michael Baker International
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S.; University of California at Berkeley, M.S.
Licensure: SE, Illinois; PE, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan
Societies: SEAOI, WTS, PTI
Matthew L. Wagner
Position: Owner, Wagner Engineering Services, LLC
Education: University of Cincinnati, BSCE; Georgia Institute of Technology, MSCE
Licensure: SE, Illinois; PE, California, Colorado, Georgia, Texas
Societies: SEAOI, ACI, AISC
Brian Boysen
Position: Structural Section Manager, Burns & McDonnell
Education: The University of Illinois, B.S. General Engineering; Illinois Institute of Technology, MAS Structural Engineering
Licensure: SE, Illinois, Hawaii; PE, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin
Societies: SEAOI, ASCE, ACI, AISC
Cathleen Jacinto
Position: Structural Engineer, FORSE Consulting, LLC
Education: Illinois Institute of Technology, MS Structural Engineering; University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, BS Civil Engineering
Licensure: SE, PE, Illinois
Associations: SEAOI, AISC, STI, TMS
Sam Mittal
Position: Project Manager, Horner & Shifrin
Education: The University of Chicago, M.B.A. Finance, Entrepreneurship; University of Cincinnati, M.S. Civil Engineering; National Institute of Technology, B.Tech. Civil Engineering
Licensure: SE, Illinois; PE, California, Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, Ohio
Societies: SEAOI, ASCE
Christine M. Freisinger (Past President)
Position: Associate Principal, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
Education: Illinois Institute of Technology, B.S. Architectural Engineering; University of Minnesota, M.S., Structural Engineering
Licensure: SE, PE, Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, AISC
Soliman Khudeira (President)
Position: Section Chief of Major Projects, Chicago Department of Transportation - Division of Engineering; Adjunct Professor, Illinois Institute of Technology
Education: Illinois Institute of Technology, Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. - Civil Engineering - Structures
Licensure: SE, PE, Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, ASCE
Jonathan Tavarez (YEC Liason)
Position: Staff Engineer, American Institute of Steel Construction
Education: University of Texas at El Paso, B.S. Civil Engineering; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, M.S. Structural Engineering
Licensure: P.E., Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, AISC, ASCE
Enji Paul Papazisi (YEC Liason)
Position: Bridge Engineer, HNTB Corporation
Education: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S. Civil Engineering; M.S. Structural Engineering
Licensure: PE, Illinois
Societies: SEAOI, ASCE, AISC