B&N Elects New Associates
Burgess & Niple is pleased to announce the election of 23 new Associates of the firm effective July 1, 2026. Congratulations to all on this career milestone!
Michelle Barr | Columbus, OH
Michelle Barr is a Systems Engineer III in B&N’s Information Technology Section in Columbus. Since joining the firm four years ago, she has been instrumental in advancing technology modernization and expansion initiatives, including the recent migration from Zoom to Teams Phone. Recognized as a proactive problem-solver, Michelle consistently identifies new ways to strengthen capabilities, enhance security and increase the value of technology investments across the firm. Her technical expertise and strategic thinking continue to support B&N’s growth and innovation. She brings 34 years of experience to her role and holds a Bachelor of Science in Technical and Applied Studies from Ohio University.
Matous Becker, PE | Akron, OH
Matous Becker is Project Engineer in B&N’s Akron Utility Infrastructure Section. Since joining B&N in 2025, he has distinguished himself through technical excellence and strong client relationships. Matous is known for delivering high-quality work, mentoring junior staff and building trusted relationships with key clients, including the City of Akron. He is experienced with a wide variety of municipal water and wastewater projects, including water and wastewater plant improvement designs. He also serves as president of the Ohio AWWA Young Professionals Committee for the Northeast District and actively represents B&N within industry organizations. Matous has eight years of experience and holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University.
Chris Beverly, PE | Roanoke, VA
Chris Beverly serves as Senior Mechanical Engineer in B&N’s Roanoke office and MEP Section. Since joining the firm, he has established himself as a technical expert, project manager, client service leader and business developer. Chris brings a rare combination of consulting engineering expertise, sales engineering experience and exceptional relationship-building skills to the MEP team. He has helped secure key client relationships while mentoring engineers across multiple experience levels and leading complex projects. With 31 years of experience, Chris provides valuable leadership throughout the Virginia/Maryland District. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia.
Bruce Bosley, PE | Charleston, WV
Bruce Bosley is a Senior Project Manager in the Transportation Section and a key leader in B&N’s Charleston office. Since joining the firm two years ago, he has played a major role in expanding transportation services across West Virginia, helping secure and advance several of B&N’s most significant bridge and infrastructure projects in the state while strengthening relationships with the West Virginia Department of Transportation. Bruce is recognized for his technical expertise, servant leadership, mentorship and commitment to B&N’s culture. He has 32 years of consulting engineering experience and has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from West Virginia Institute of Technology.
Lauren Cardoni, RSP1 | Columbus, OH
Lauren Cardoni is a Senior Transportation Planner in B&N’s Columbus Traffic Section. Lauren is an accomplished project manager, transportation planner and safety expert with over a decade of experience advancing multimodal mobility and roadway safety initiatives. In her first year with the firm, she has become a trusted advisor to clients and a driving force behind new business opportunities across multiple offices. Lauren’s expertise in safety planning and her extensive industry relationships have contributed to significant project wins and practice growth. She also plays a leading role in expanding B&N’s national safety practice through participation in and presentations at several national conferences. Lauren earned a Master of City and Regional Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Lyndon Crouch, PE | Fort Worth, TX
Lyndon Crouch is a Project Manager in B&N’s Fort Worth District. Over the course of his career at B&N, Lyndon has grown into a trusted project and client manager who is widely respected for his technical knowledge and professionalism. He serves as the primary point of contact for the City of Watauga and manages critical water and wastewater projects for municipal clients. Known for his leadership, mentoring and dedication to quality, he also actively supports firm-wide initiatives such as the CADD Standards Committee and staff development. Lyndon holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Engineering in Water Resources from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Darren Curtis, PLA, LEED AP | Richmond, VA
Darren Curtis serves as the General Civil leader for B&N’s Virginia operations. He is widely recognized for his excellence in project delivery, client service, business development and leadership. Darren has built strong client relationships and contributed to the growth of the Richmond office through recruiting and mentoring efforts. Colleagues value his ability to solve complex challenges, collaborative approach, thoughtful leadership style and commitment to proactive communication. Darren has over 20 years of experience providing site design services from project inception to construction. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from Pennsylvania State University.
Ella Donley, AICP, RSP1 | Columbus, OH
Ella Donley is a Transportation Planner in B&N’s Planning Section in Columbus. During her three years with the firm, she has emerged as a respected planner, project manager and leader within the active transportation and safety planning practices. Ella is known for successfully managing complex projects and fostering stakeholder engagement. Her expertise in active transportation planning, safety analysis and GIS has made her a valued resource. In addition, her understanding of project impacts at the local level allows her to navigate challenges thoughtfully while fostering positive community relations. Ella earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Urban Studies from the University of Pittsburgh.
Nick Eckstein, PE | Indianapolis, IN
Nick Eckstein is a Bridge Structural Engineer in B&N’s Indianapolis Bridge Section. He excels at balancing his technical excellence with operational leadership and project delivery, ensuring deliverables are consistently completed on time and within budget. Nick has over 11 years of bridge engineering experience, including six years in project management roles, delivering bridge rehabilitation and replacement projects. During his time at B&N, he has developed strong partnerships with clients such as the Indiana Department of Transportation and Hamilton County while contributing to business development and staff growth. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Purdue University.
Brady Hagerty | Indianapolis, IN
Brady Hagerty is a Senior Marketing Coordinator in B&N’s Indianapolis office. Over five years with B&N, he has played a pivotal role in major pursuits, supported significant growth across Indiana operations and advanced strategic marketing initiatives. Brady has also championed innovation through leadership of AI and technology-focused efforts that improve efficiency and knowledge sharing across the firm, most notably through his leadership and advocacy for &NDY, B&N’s AI proposal tool. In addition to supervising marketing staff across multiple offices, he provides mentorship, strategic guidance and operational leadership. Brady has 13 years of experience and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Wabash College.
Ryan Hudson, PE, RSP1 | Phoenix, AZ
Ryan Hudson is a Senior Transportation Engineer in B&N’s Phoenix Traffic Section. Ryan joined the firm in 2026, bringing 13 years of transportation, traffic and civil engineering experience, which includes time as the City of Mesa’s Traffic Engineer. He has demonstrated significant impact through technical leadership, staff development, project management and business growth. Ryan’s public-sector experience and established relationships with transportation agencies have strengthened B&N’s position in Arizona. Ryan earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Arizona State University and a Master of Public Administration from Grand Canyon University.
Joe Kelley, PE | Columbus, OH
Joe Kelley is a Bridge Engineer in B&N’s Columbus Bridge Design Section. Joe’s technical mastery, broad multi-state experience and steady leadership have strengthened our structural practice and enhanced B&N’s reputation with clients and partner agencies. Over the course of 23 years with the firm, he has applied his design expertise to many complex structures, including signature projects like the Rich Street Bridge in Columbus and the Milton Madison Bridge in Indiana. His calm leadership, collaborative approach and commitment to project success have strengthened teams and enhanced client confidence. Joe earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University.
Shannon Laviolette | Indianapolis, IN
Shannon Laviolette is a Project Engineer in B&N’s Construction Inspection Section. Shannon brings a strong technical understanding of construction inspection and has been selected by clients to support some of INDOT’s most challenging projects in northwest Indiana. Her innovative ideas and thorough project understanding have helped secure new contracts and strengthen B&N’s market presence, including recent INDOT selections in the LaPorte District. Shannon’s technical knowledge, leadership skills and commitment to continuous improvement have contributed significantly to the firm’s growth of transportation construction services in Indiana. Shannon has eight years of experience and holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Purdue University.
Heather Mackling, PE, PTOE | Columbus, OH
Heather Mackling is a Senior Traffic Engineer in B&N’s Columbus Traffic Section. She serves as a technical expert in traffic design and studies, leading signal design efforts and providing senior-level review for projects across the company. Heather is deeply involved in mentoring and developing traffic design staff, helping strengthen technical expertise throughout the organization. Her reputation and relationships with clients, local governments and industry partners have also created valuable teaming opportunities. Heather has 29 years of experience and earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University.
John Merrill, PE | Columbus, OH
John Merrill is a Bridge Engineer in B&N’s Columbus Bridge Design Section and a recognized technical leader within the firm. Since joining B&N nine years ago, he has successfully led complex bridge projects across multiple states, including the Cagnon Road Bridge in Texas, the curved steel plate girder structures in the OhioHealth interchange on SR 315 in Columbus, Ohio and the SR-32 overpass bridge in Mt. Orab, Ohio. John is respected for his technical depth, mastery of design tools, collaborative approach and commitment to quality. John has 22 years of experience and earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University.
Ryan O’Keefe, PE | Frederick, MD
Ryan O’Keefe serves as DC/Maryland Electrical Team Leader and Data Center Practice Lead at B&N’s Frederick office. Since joining the firm in January 2026, he has quickly become a key leader within the MEP practice, helping expand strategic partnerships, strengthen client relationships and support business growth in the rapidly evolving data center market. Ryan also has assumed project management responsibilities for two major electrical projects at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and provides technical guidance across the organization. With 20 years of experience, his industry knowledge and leadership create value for clients and colleagues alike. Ryan earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University.
Bryan O’Reilly | Columbus, OH
Bryan O’Reilly is a Data Scientist in B&N’s Geospatial & Data Services Section. A geospatial analysis expert, Bryan excels at using geospatial data visualization to convey complex analysis to stakeholders, including local and federal emergency managers, executives and private sector clients. His experience includes transportation planning and traffic safety analysis, emergency management, supply chain analysis and statistical analysis for work that ranges from large multimillion-dollar multi-year studies to small, localized projects. Bryan earned a Bachelor of Science in Earth Sciences from The Ohio State University and a Master of Science in Environment and Resources from the University of Wisconsin.
Abner Serrano, PE | Orlando, FL
Abner Serrano is a Roadway Project Engineer in B&N’s Orlando Roadway Section. With more than 12 years of experience, Abner has served as Roadway Engineer of Record for the Florida Department of Transportation and local agency projects ranging from limited access facilities and complex intersection design to minor widening and resurfacing, restoration and rehabilitation projects. In his time with B&N, he has contributed valuable expertise to roadway and safety improvement projects through thoughtful engineering solutions and collaboration. Abner earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Business Administration from Point Park College.
Jack Sharp-Stevenson, PE, CxA | Richmond, VA
Jack Sharp-Stevenson is a Project Manager and Lead Commissioning Agent in B&N’s Richmond MEP Section. Since joining the firm in 2024, he has become one of the team’s most impactful contributors, excelling in project management, business development, proposal strategy and client service. Jack has helped expand B&N’s commissioning practice through industry leadership, strategic relationships and major pursuit efforts. He is also a dedicated mentor who actively supports the growth of junior staff. Jack has nine years of experience and earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech.
Ryan Shaw, PE | New Braunfels, TX
Ryan Shaw is a Project Manager in B&N’s New Braunfels Engineering Section. Ryan is an experienced civil engineer and project manager with a strong background in land development, utility infrastructure, water and wastewater systems and site development projects. He is known for his comprehensive project management, technical expertise and effective communication with clients, contractors and regulatory agencies. During his two years with the firm, Ryan successfully assumed leadership of critical projects and is actively engaged in business development and community outreach efforts that strengthen B&N’s presence in the region. Ryan has eight years of experience and holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Jon Wang, PE | Tampa, FL
Jon Wang is a Project Manager in B&N’s Florida Water Group. He has demonstrated growing responsibility and leadership through his work on complex infrastructure projects and client assignments. Jon’s experience includes project design, drainage engineering, hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, permitting and project management. He has successfully supported a variety of transportation and water-related projects while building strong relationships with agencies and stakeholders across multiple states. Jon has 11 years of experience and holds both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida.
Dwight Welcome | Columbus, OH
Dwight Welcome is a leader within B&N’s Information Technology Section in Columbus, where he oversees the service desk team. Since joining the firm two years ago, he has introduced enterprise-level service management to define and measure consistency of service, allowing the team to have common expectations built from industry standards for service delivery. Through his professionalism and willingness to help others, Dwight leads with a people-first mindset. Dwight has 22 years of technology and service management experience.
Max Zekos-Sierra, PE | New Braunfels, TX
Max Zekos-Sierra is a Project Engineer in B&N’s New Braunfels Engineering Section. He has extensive experience in water and wastewater system master planning, writing feasibility reports, producing construction drawings, executing utility system design and coordination and managing construction administration and competitive bidding procedures. He specializes in utility infrastructure across west Texas and central Texas, focusing on storage tanks, collection systems and water treatment. During his first year with the firm, Max successfully took over a challenging water treatment plant project, rebuilt client trust and helped navigate complex funding requirements while improving project performance. Max earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.