CEEFA Board
Paul Ajegba, Director
Paul C. Ajegba has 29 years of experience with the Michigan Department of Transportation, and was appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer as Director on Jan. 1, 2019. He previously served MDOT for three months as Metro Region Engineer, and before that as University Region Engineer. During his seven years in the University Region, Ajegba oversaw his team’s involvement in the planning, design and construction of several major projects, including the US-23 Flex Route – a project nominated for the America’s Transportation Award, landing among the top 12 national finalists. Other notable projects include the I-94 rehabilitation project in Ann Arbor/Jackson, the I-96/US-23 interchange, and the I-75 freeway project.
Ajegba holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Prairie View A&M University and a Master’s Degree in construction engineering from the University of Michigan. He is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Michigan. Paul is a member of COMTO (Conference of Minority Transportation Officials), and serves on the following boards: AASHTO, ITS America, M-City, University of Michigan College of Engineering, the Engineering Society of Detroit, and the Mackinac Bridge Authority.
Joe Aristeo, Director
Joe Aristeo co-founded Aristeo Construction in 1977 with $10,000 and a truck. Through his passion, dedication, and vision, he grew the business into one of the nation’s largest general contractors over its 41 year history. He currently serves as the company’s Executive Advisor, having transitioned the President role to Michelle Aristeo Barton in 2018. Born and raised in Detroit, Joe graduated from Cody High School in 1969. He attended the University of Michigan and graduated in 1974 with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. He then obtained his Professional Engineer’s license in 1980.
Joe has not only invested his time in the business, but also in improving the construction industry and the broader community. He is a former Management Trustee of the Operating Engineers, an active member in numerous industry associations, and has mentored dozens of construction subcontractors, suppliers, and affiliates. He currently leads the Board of Directors at the Public School Academies of Detroit, a high-performing non-profit charter school system of 4,800 students founded through the Thompson Foundation. In addition, he is a dedicated member of the CEE alumni community and frequently interacts with students. Joe is married to his wife of 44 years, Judy, and they have two daughters—Anne Aristeo Martinelli, who serves as Aristeo’s Chief Strategy Officer, and Michelle Aristeo Barton, the President of Aristeo Construction.
Larry Brinker Jr., Director
Larry Brinker, Jr. is the President of Brinker – a family of five companies that provides a complete range of construction services for commercial developments and is a major player in the transformation of Detroit. Raising the bar for the depth and breadth of services one company can provide to clients, Larry continues to build upon the Brinker story that his Father, Larry Brinker, Sr. started 30 years ago. He is a progressive leader and catalyst for growth who has been involved in over $2 billion dollars of construction projects.
Driven to learn from the best of the best and give back to those who need it most, Larry serves on several Boards and is an active member of industry associations. He is hands-on when it comes to his charitable commitments, spending quality time mentoring and providing opportunity for young people in our community.
He is a graduate of the University of Michigan; an Entrepreneur of The Year® 2018 Michigan and Northwest Ohio Region Awardee and National Finalist, as well as a 2015 recipient of Crain’s Detroit Business 40 Under 40 and Detroit Business Magazine 30 In Their 30’s awards.
Tarolyn Buckles, President
Tarolyn Buckles (BSCE ’93) is President and CEO of Onyx Enterprise, Inc. Onyx Enterprise is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and provides engineering consulting, project management and construction management services to local, state, federal government, engineering consulting firms and contractors. One of Onyx’s main clients is the Detroit Water and Sewer Department Board of Water Commissioners. As Technical Advisor to the Board of Water Commissioners, Ms. Buckles researches, analyzes and develops technical strategies on behalf of the Board and provides recommendations.
Monique Gibelli, Vice President
Monique Gibelli, Senior Director of Partner Experience for Microsoft Cloud + Enterprise, has over 25 years of experience in engineering, sales, marketing and product leadership. She brings a unique understanding of the latest technologies in Cloud, IT and telecom markets through her employment with Nortel, Citrix, and Microsoft. She complements her vendor experience with strong market research and consulting skills demonstrated during her employment with IDC. At IDC, she was Vice President for all IT and telecom market research and consulting for Latin America. Ms Gibelli received her M.B.A. in International Marketing and Finance from DePaul University, her Professional Engineering (P.E.) license from the State of Michigan, her M.S. in Environmental Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology, and her B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Domenico Grasso, Director
Domenico Grasso is the sixth chancellor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He was appointed chancellor on August 1, 2018. He also serves as professor of public policy and administration and professor of sustainable engineering at UM-Dearborn and is a University of Michigan Executive Officer. He is responsible for leading 9,300 students and over 1,000 faculty and staff on the Dearborn campus. Prior to joining UM-Dearborn, Domenico served as Provost of the University of Delaware. He was Dean of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Vermont and the Founding Director of the Picker Engineering Program at Smith College, the first engineering program at a women’s college and one of the few in a liberal arts college in the United States. He is currently chair of the National Academies Committee on Grand Challenges in Environmental Engineering & Sciences. Domenico is married to Susan, also a Michigan alumna and engineer. Together, they have four adult children, Benjamin, Jacob, Elspeth, and Caitlín. He and Susan enjoy reading, cycling, hiking, skiing, and spending time outdoors with their dogs.
Andrea Hayden, Director
Andrea Hayden specializes in matters related to infrastructure, energy and environmental law as well as general business matters. Andrea started her legal career with Fausone Bohn in 2008. She then practiced in the Detroit office of a national law firm for five years. In 2016, Andrea joined DTE Energy to work on energy and environmental matters and also represented the company’s electric and gas utilities before the Michigan Public Service Commission. She recently returned to Fausone Bohn in July 2019.
Andrea is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan. Prior to her legal career, she worked for an environmental engineering firm for four years.
Tara Jackson, Secretary
Tara Jackson (MSE EnvE ’07) is a Revenue Supervisor at Chevron. She joined Chevron in 2008 and worked in various engineering roles of increasing responsibility in Houston, Anchorage, and Lafayette. Prior to accepting her current role, she participated in Chevron’s Finance MBA Development Program, which is designed to enhance the development of high potential employees and expand the leadership talent pool though rotational assignments. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling to various countries to learn about different cultures and spending time with friends and family. Also, she enjoys speaking to youth about the vast career opportunities in the energy industry. Tara holds an MBA from the University of Texas Red McCombs School of Business, an MSE in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a BS in Chemical engineering from the University of California, Irvine.
Lynn Katz, Director
Dr. Lynn Katz is a Professor with the John A. Focht Centennial Teaching Fellowship in the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering. Her teaching interests include aquatic chemistry, surface and interfacial phenomena, physicochemical treatment processes for water and wastewater and biological wastewater treatment. Her research has focused on the fate and transport of contaminants in natural and engineered systems. Specific research interests include the physicochemical processes which control the rate and extent of partitioning of organic and inorganic contaminants to soils and sediments, evaluation of physicochemical and integrated biological/physicochemical processes for removal of contaminants from water and wastewater, and elucidation of reaction mechanisms at mineral/water interfaces. Dr. Katz is also a recipient of the 2009 WEP Advocate Award.
Michael McGill, Director
Michael McGill (BSCE ’73, MSCE ’74, MSE ’76) is the president of MMS Design Associates in California. MMS is a consulting firm which for nearly 30 years has provided development-based services to cities, public agencies and private sector clients. MMS specializes in large, complex projects involving major infrastructure analysis, funding, financing, long-range planning and design, construction, and contract administration. As a civil engineer, McGill has designed and managed a variety of public works and private land development projects. He has specific expertise in the areas of environmental assessments, flood control, hydraulics and hydrology, grading, drainage, and erosion control and has overseen infrastructure projects totaling in excess of $1 billion. McGill Martin Self, Inc (MMS) was part of Contra Costa Water District Los Vaqueros project team that was awarded the ASCE 1999 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement. He also earned the Certificate of Congressional Recognition for Outstanding and Invaluable Service to the Community from Congressman George Miller, June 12, 2014.
Lynn Stephens, Director
Lynn Stephens (MSE EnvE ’08) is a Principal Engineer with Brown and Caldwell (BC). BC is a national, employee-owned, environmental consulting firm that safeguards water, maintains infrastructure, and restores habitats to keep our communities thriving. Lynn’s work focuses on climate change resiliency, water supply planning, water quality characterizations, and treatment analysis and design for potable, recycled water, and wastewater systems. Lynn serves as BC’s Pacific Northwest 1Water Leader and she is also BC’s Client Service Manager for the Water Research Foundation. Lynn is passionate about water research and she has led eight Water Research Foundation projects as the Co-Principal Investigator. Lynn is very active in the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Lynn chairs AWWA’s Biological Drinking Water Treatment Committee. In the Pacific Northwest section of AWWA (PNWS-AWWA), Lynn served on the Board as a Trustee-at-Large (16’-19’). Lynn likes to leverage her expertise to help disadvantaged communities. She is leading the PNWS-AWWA’s Community Engineering Corps initiative to help underserved communities with water resources problems. Lynn is the recipient of the 2017 AWWA Pioneer Award, 2017-2018’ Kenneth J. Miller Founder’s Award (Water For People), and the 2018 AWWA Community Engineering Corps Excellence Award.
Past Presidents
Walter (Wally) Alix, Past President
Wally Alix (BSCE ’75) has been married for 33 years to his wife Cindy and has two children Roland and Amy. Walter has worked for Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc. for 30 years. HRC is a municipal engineering company that provides engineering services to Cities, townships, counties and the state for various projects. He is an avid outdoorsman and a gentleman farmer.
John J. Hiltz, Past President
John Hiltz is the President of Orchard, Hiltz, & McCliment, Inc., a 260-person architecture, engineering and planning firm committed to advancing communities, with offices located in Michigan (Auburn Hills, Flint, Hancock, Livonia, Mt. Pleasant, Saginaw); Ohio (Gahanna, Columbus); and Tennessee (Nashville). John is an active Board member of the Plymouth Road Development Authority and the Livonia Community Foundation; is immediate Past-President of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan and, currently serves on its’ Executive Committee where he is actively involved with the State’s DOT, DEQ and Attorney General’s Office, working on contract and legislative issues that affect the AEP industry; and served as Honorary Co-Chair of the Detroit Zoo Walk for the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan in 2013 & 2014. John and his wife Debbie live in Livonia and have three adult children: Danielle (U-M BSN ’09), Christine and Jack.
Jim Jacobi, Past President
Jim Jacobi, P.E. (BSCE ’75, MSE ’76) is a Senior Principal and Chief Information Officer for Houston-based Walter P Moore, one of the leading engineering consulting firms in the nation with offices nationwide. He is responsible for the firm’s overall information technology strategy and programs and has over 35 years of experience in engineering design, project management and construction with a special expertise in application of information technology to this field. His areas of expertise include implementation of integrated project management systems, development of integrated business analytic systems, Building Information Modeling (BIM), and other related 3D CAD project delivery systems. He has led the implementation of Building Information Modeling delivery systems at Walter P Moore and the firm’s efforts in managing the interface with other members of the design, construction and owner teams in project collaboration and coordination in the BIM environment. He has led many multi-discipline BIM Coordination Services projects and has frequently spoken and published on the topic of BIM in the AEC Industry. He is a member of the Tau Beta Pi and Chi Epsilon engineering honor societies, and has served on a number of committees including chair of University of Houston’s Industry Advisory Board on Training in Advanced Plant Design Systems, the Electronic Data Management Task Force for the Construction Industry Institute, and the A/E Productivity Committee of the Construction Users Roundtable and is an Emeritus Member of the Advisory Board for the College Of Civil Engineering at Texas A&M University. Jim and his wife Karen live in Houston and have four children, the youngest of which is a Michigan alum (Jennifer BA ’10).
Jennifer (Starrman) Macks, Past President
Jennifer Macks (BSCE ’94) is a Vice President of Business Development at Howard Shockey & Sons in Winchester, Virginia. Shockey provides construction and pre-construction services for new and renovated structures throughout Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. She has been involved with CEEFA since 2004. Jennifer and her husband Jeff have two daughters: Cassie and Allison.
Dan Sinnott, Past President
Dan Sinnott (BSCE ’79; MSE ’80) joined Turner Construction Company upon graduation and has held numerous domestic and international positions with the firm over the past 30 years. He currently manages Turner’s West Michigan office. Dan and his wife Julie (Johnson) Sinnott, also a University of Michigan civil engineering graduate, live with their two children in Plymouth, Michigan.