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SAME Board of Direction

The Board of Direction, at its meeting on May 25, 2012, approved a new governance structure for the Society. This change instituted an entirely volunteer Board of Direction, led by six national officers elected by the membership: President, President-Elect, Past President and three Vice Presidents. The remainder of the voting Board of Direction includes 12 Elected Directors (who serve three-year terms), 18 Regional Vice Presidents (who have oversight of all Posts in their geographic region), and Chairs of the Communities of Interest (who lead the strategic direction of discipline or demographic-focused national groups).

In addition to the voting members, the Board of Direction includes several non-voting members: appointed Treasurer and Counsel, the SAME Executive Director, and up to three at-large directors (who may be in charge of task forces or partnerships, for instance).

Previous to the governance change in 2012, the SAME President primarily was a position that was held on a rotating basis by an Engineering Chief of one of the uniformed services. To ensure that the new governance structure involves input from the Engineering Service Chiefs, a Uniformed Services Advisory Group (now Executive Advisory Group) was established to provide advice and guidance to SAME on how the organization can support the professional development of uniformed engineers and the needs of the uniformed service engineering departments. The Executive Advisory Group meets twice annually with the SAME National Officers.

Charlie Perham, 104th SAME President, at JETC 2023

National Leadership Team

Board of Direction 2023-2024

(as of August 1, 2023)

National Officers

President: Col. Charlie Perham, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), Matrix Design Group
President-Elect: Sharon Krock, SPWS, F.SAME, Schnabel Engineering
Vice President: Lt. Col. Michael Darrow, P.E., PMP, F.SAME, USA (Ret.), USACE Norfolk District
Vice President: Mike Huffstetler, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, F.SAME, DLR Group
Vice President: Benjamin Matthews, P.E., F.SAME, Michael Baker International
Past President: Cindy Lincicome, F.SAME, TLI Construction
Executive Director: Maj. Gen. Michael Wehr, P.E., USA (Ret.), SAME National Office (Non-voting)
Treasurer: Mario Burgos, Prairie Band LLC (Non-voting)
Counsel: Craig Crotteau, Esq., P.E., Dawson & Associates (Non-voting)
President, SAME Foundation: Rear Adm. David Nash, P.E., F.SAME (Dist.), USN (Ret.) (Non-voting)

Regional Vice Presidents

California: Jim Carter, F.SAME, EMAX Laboratories Inc.
Carolinas: Lt. Col. Frank Mondo, LEED AP, P.E., F.SAME, Jacobs
Europe: Lt. Col. Christian Knutson, CEng, P.E., PgMP, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), Jacobs
Gulf Coast: Lt. Col. Ryan Elliot, P.E., USAF (Ret.), K.S. Ware & Associates LLC
Heartland: Robert Burton, P.E., Benham Design LLC
Lakes: David Johnson, Consor
Mid-Atlantic: Summer Gladden, LEED AP, CDM Smith
Missouri River: Julia Pluff, Farnsworth Group Inc.
North Atlantic: Carlos Sanchez, MBP
Northeast: Lisa Brandon, GHD Inc.
Northern Tier: Caroline Roberts, GISP, Jacobs
Ohio Valley: Alex Masters, Siemens Industries Inc.
Pacific: Joshua Biggers, P.E., LEEP AP, PMP, USACE Pacific Ocean Division
Rocky Mountain: Aaron Murray, Wood
Southeast: Pamela Little, P.E., Pond & Company
Southwest: Bruce Preston, RA, TSK Architects
Tennessee/Kentucky: Ted Foster, P.E., CxA, PSP, Smith Seckman Reid
Texas: Col. Eric Wilbur, P.E., F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), Wilbur Consulting

Communities of Interest Chairs

Architectural Practice: Catherine Otis, RA, Gannett Fleming Inc.
College Outreach: Marilyn Zenko, Terracon Consultants Inc.
Energy & Sustainability: Norm Campbell, F.SAME, Go Electric
Enlisted: Master Sgt. Bradley Wilson, Innovative Readiness Training Program
Camps: Cdr. Cindy Miller, P.E., F.SAME, USN (Ret.), Jacobs
Construction: Angie Martinez, P.E., F.SAME, Martinez Construction
Environmental: Rick Wice, PG, F.SAME, Battelle
Facility Asset Management: Michael Zapata, P.E., Air Force Civil Engineer Center
Joint Engineer Contingency Operations: Col. Rick Sloop, P.E., USAF (Ret.), Fluor
Leader Development: Cdr. Roland DeGuzman, P.E., CEM, USN (Ret.), MBP
Membership: Dana Otto, WSP
Resilience: Col. C. Patrick Hogeboom IV, P.E., F.SAME, USA (Ret.), Michael Baker International
Small Business: Sally Clark, AFG Group Inc.
STEM Outreach: Josh Graham, P.E., PMP, F.SAME, HDR
Young Professional: Suzanne Grix, Forgen

Elected Directors

2021–2024
Lt. Col. Craig Bryant, P.E., USA, USACE Tulsa District
Tiffany Castricone, RA, Michael Baker International
Col. Nick Desport, RA, LEED AP, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), Merrick & Company
Christina Przygoda, LEED AP, RA, PMP, Yaeger Architecture

2022–2025
Danielle Barner, PMP, Atkins
NK Mbaya, F.SAME, S&B Christ Consulting
Dave Newkirk, F.SAME, BCE Engineers Inc.
Capt. Arpan Patel, USAF, 560th RED HORSE Squadron

2023–2026
Col. Scott Grainger, P.E., PMP, F.SAME, USAF, University of Portland
Col. Anthony Higdon, P.E., F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), Department of Energy
Ltjg Erin Krug, P.E., PMP, USNR, Consor
Master Sgt. Shane Payne, USA, 526th Engineer Construction Company

Appointed Directors

Rad Delaney, AIA, LEED AP, F.SAME, PRIME AE Group
Col. Blair Schantz, F.SAME, USA (Ret.), Prime Associates LLC
Lee Ann Zelesnikar, iSoft Solutions

Service Liaison Officers

Matthew Parks, U.S. Army
Maj. Kathleen Deiters, USAF, U.S. Air Force
Lt. j.g. Alice Beittel, NOAA. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Lt. Cdr. Corey Fagan, P.E., USCG, U.S. Coast Guard
Lauren Luckett, Department of State
Lt. Emily Wolff, CEC, USN, U.S. Navy
Lt. Kevin Remley, P.E., USPHS, U.S. Public Health Service
Raymond Savoy, Department of Veterans Affairs
Cdr. Preston Taylor, P.E., CEC, USN, Office of the Secretary of Defense
Seth Cutler, Office of the Secretary of Defense