Board of Directors

Melinda Johnson is Executive Vice President of Building Technologies at NV5. She leads a team of engineers, construction and program managers, commissioning authorities, and technology design professionals who play a significant role in shaping the communities where they work through cost-effective and sustainable projects. As leader of her group, she has introduced innovative approaches to the design and commissioning of systems and technology in buildings, campuses, and facilities.

Melinda is passionate about working as a team towards a shared goal and spearheads efforts to develop collaborative opportunities to drive organic growth. She is committed to supporting and advancing women and minorities in the architectural, engineering, and construction industry, and currently serves on the National Board of the Professional Women in Construction.

Throughout her 30-year career, Melinda has developed MEP teams in major US cities, including Philadelphia and Chicago, and worked extensively with high-profile clients, including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. Prior to joining NV5, she served as Vice President and Operations Manager for the Buildings & Facilities Division at STV and Principal Engineer at Stantec.

Melinda is a registered Professional Engineer in six states and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration in Finance.

Rebecca has more than 24 years of experience in the construction industry, with the last 20 years being with Skanska. She has worked on a variety of bridge and transportation projects as an integral part of the Skanska team. She is knowledgeable in organizing and planning future work, coordinating subcontractors, procuring materials, managing cost, maintaining project milestone schedules and collaborating with client representatives.  In addition, Rebecca exemplifies leadership qualities and professionalism, backed by a consistent, verifiable record of achievement. Rebecca is well respected in the industry as she leads by example and is a great problem solver and diligent in all that she does.

Barbara R. Durante is a manager at Marcum LLP, specializing in the construction industry. After beginning her career in tax over 30 years ago, Barbara switched her focus to helping businesses with financial statement preparation, budgeting and forecasting, and business consulting. She worked as an acting controller for a public company before returning to public accounting almost 10 years ago. In addition, Barbara was chosen to participate in her Firm’s prestigious Trusted Advisor Program, which trains select associates to better understand the needs of their clients and collaborate with Marcum’s other lines of business. Thanks to the unique experiences in her career, she has a strong understanding of the internal workings of the accounting department and the needs of its staff.

Barbara is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of New York. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the New York State Society of CPAs and the Catholic Daughters of America.

Schillivia Baptiste brings her detailed-oriented approach to everyday practices to ensure client satisfaction with the highest quality. She has more than 15 years of experience in the civil engineering industry. She has particular expertise in site and land development. She has a strong understanding of the civil design process and has worked with clients in both the public and private sectors. Mrs. Baptiste’s expertise includes conceptual site planning, drainage design, design of septic and sewer collection systems, environmental review, zoning and land use analysis, and subdivision planning and design. She also has designed waterfront structures, including bulkheads and docks. She is familiar with the expediting of applications and permits for various municipalities. She has worked on numerous residential and commercial projects in the Suffolk and Nassau County areas. Mrs. Baptiste is a New York and New Jersey licensed professional engineer. She has a bachelor’s degree from Polytechnic University and a master’s degree from Polytechnic Institute of New York University.

Rosemary Bates is Director of Design & Construction for commercial projects at Rockefeller Group, a leading developer, owner and operator. As director, she execute on a variety of projects and volumes. Prior to joining the Rockefeller Group, Rosemary worked for Turner Construction and spent most of her time in the field in the capacity of a Project Manager, Superintendent and Project Engineer. During her time at Barnard, Rosemary majored in Architecture (BC’04).

She is an active member of ACE and Professional Women in Construction where she focuses on mentoring young women within in the industry, as well as teaching and encouraging young women to pursue majors in Architecture, Construction and Engineering for an ultimate career in the industry.

Amy Beckman is a Principal at HOK and an architect with 15 years of experience managing large project teams on the design, documentation, and construction phases of technically complex, high-profile design projects in New York City.

Amy Beckman currently manages a large multi-phased new construction healthcare project in New York City consisting of a new 500,000 SF Ambulatory Care Center, 250,000 SF Women’s Hospital, and 20,000 SF Integrative Health Center for New York-Presbyterian Hospital. She is a skilled collaborator and manager working with a variety of stakeholders within the institution and with Senior Leadership of the hospital. Her work spans commercial, governmental and healthcare projects in NYC.

Amy serves on one of HOK’s Diversity councils and is responsible for resource planning and staff development in HOK’s New York Office. Amy Beckman received her Master of Architecture and Certificate in American Urbanism from the University of Virginia.

Nicole Dosso, FAIA, Architect, Educator, Mentor. Nicole has spent her 25-year career working in New York City on complex projects demanding a high level of team coordination and collaboration that characterize her career as an architect and her portfolio of work. Projects include: 7 World Trade Center, One World Trade Center, Baccarat Hotel & Residences, Manhattan West and 35 Hudson Yards.

As Vice President – Design & Construction at Vornado Realty Trust, Nicole is involved in several projects in the Penn Station District, set to be the epicenter of New York City. Her current projects include the adaptive reuse of the civic Farley Post Office which is scheduled to open in early 2021. This building is being transformed into the Moynihan Train Hall, retail, and office space.

In 2012, Nicole was honored in the “40 under Forty” issue of Crain’s New York Business, and received an AIA Presidential Citation for contributions at the World Trade Center site. In January 2016, for recognition of her notable contributions to the advancement of the profession of architecture, Nicole was elected to The College of Fellows of The American Institute of Architects.

Nicole is currently serving on the New York State Board for Architecture, New York City Department of Buildings Construction Code Revision Committee and the Advisory Board at Syracuse University School of Architecture.

Nicole is also an adjunct professor at Columbia GSAPP and Syracuse University School of Architecture.

Jenny Freeman, Managing Director of Buildings at Group PMX, has over 30 years of experience that includes pre-construction, planning, and construction of major overbuild, modernization, renovation, and ground-up healthcare projects for many of the New York Tri-State area and the nation’s premier hospitals. She also brings her experience serving in key leadership roles during major renovation and reconstruction projects for leading New York cultural institutions. An active participant in industry events, Jenny is a current member of the American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE), American College of Healthcare Executives, and the New York Building Congress Healthcare Committee.

For the last 20 years, her work has primarily been concentrated in the healthcare sector, where she previously served as a vice president, project executive, and valued professional at several of the Northeast’s leading builders. She is most proud of having built and developed a strong team of the industry’s top healthcare and life science builders and emphasizes their progressing leadership skills. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s Mechanical Engineering Program and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in New York as well as a LEED AP.

Katie Nilsen is the Vice President of Development & Strategy at E-J Electric Installation Co., an electrical contracting firm established in 1899. As a member of E-J’s Management/Operating group, Katie is responsible for pursuing and creating strategic opportunities by analyzing market trends, cultivating partnerships, and enhancing collaboration among all team members from end users to engineers and general contractors. She focuses on design-build, innovation, and alternative project delivery methods companywide. This ranges from healthcare and commercial high-rise to transportation, infrastructure, and renewable energy, where she has deep roots in both the private and public sector.

Katie possesses an inherent passion for not only promoting diversity and supporting women within the A/E/C community, but for bringing together emerging and experienced professionals. She serves in various leadership roles including nationally for Design Build Institute of America (DBIA), and as co-chair for New York Building Congress Council of Industry Women and Nontraditional Employment for Women’s (NEW) Ambassador Council.  She has a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oneonta and was named as one of PWC’s 20 under 40.

Áine (pronounced ‘On-Ya’) is the Principal and CEO of Enovate Engineering, an Engineering and Construction Management Firm. Starting the company in 2017, Enovate specializes in public and private sector CM/PM, and Engineering services. They have worked on monumental projects such as the Verrazzano Narrows, Brooklyn and George Washington Bridges, JFK Redevelopment Project, new Newark Airport Terminal and multiple Utility scale Solar projects in both New York and California.

Prior to Enovate, Áine worked for a large privately held International infrastructure development and construction firm. There, she worked her way from a field engineer to Vice President, running Engineering globally for the firm. She has worked on both national and multi-billion-dollar international development projects.

She is a licensed Professional Engineer in fifteen states. She is the recipient of the Engineering News Record (ENR) National 2018 Top 20 under 40, ENR New York 2018 Top 20 under 40, 2019 NJBIZ Best 50 Women in Business and has received a Proclamation from the City of New York as well as a Citation of Merit from the Bronx Borough President for her achievements in Gaelic Football. Under Áines leadership, and due to her commitment to diversity and inclusivity, her company has earned a 2021 NJBIZ Best Place to Work in NJ award as well as an Anchin Construction and Design Award for Most Impactful Support of Diversity and Inclusion.

Hailing from her native Ireland, Áine graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from NJIT and a Master’s in Civil Engineering, also from NJIT. Whilst at NJIT, Áine played Division I basketball for 4 years and soccer for 2 years, actively involved in sports throughout all 5 of her years at NJIT. She sits on the Industry Advisory Board of the Civil Engineering Department and the Albert Dorman Honors College Board of Visitors at NJIT, and also sits on the State Board of Directors with ACEC as a Metropolitan Representative, and the NY Board of the Professional Women in Construction (PWC) organization. Married to her award-winning Director, Writer, and Actress wife, Jenna, Áine remains active locally on several initiatives and plays soccer and golf as well as hikes and snowboards in the winter months.