Society Leadership

SAME National Leadership Assembly

The SAME National Leadership Assembly is the voice of the Society charged with being active representatives for their constituents within SAME. It is an entirely volunteer group, led by nine national officers: President, President-Elect, Past President, three Vice Presidents, Treasurer, Counsel, Foundation President, and the Executive Director as Secretary. The Assembly includes: 12 Elected Directors who serve three-year terms; 18 Regional Vice Presidents who have oversight of all Posts in their geographic region for two-year terms; Chairs of the Communities of Interest, Committees, and Councils (C3s) for two-year terms, up to five Appointed Directors who serve at the discretion of the President for 2-year terms, and Service Liaison Officers who represent SAME’s military/federal stakeholders.

SAME Board of Direction

The Board of Direction has overall charge of all activities of SAME and has the power, within the limits specified in the Constitution and Bylaws, to initiate and execute measures needed to support the SAME Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan. It is led by nine national officers listed above. The remainder of the Board of Direction is appointed from the National Leadership Assembly by the President and includes 3 Elected Directors, 3 Regional Vice Presidents, and 3 C3 Chairs.

A subset of the Board of Direction, the Executive Committee, comprised of the National Officers is responsible for the effective governance and strategic direction of the organization.

SAME Executive Advisory Group

Previous to a governance change the Society enacted in 2012, the SAME President primarily had been a position 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 engineering and technology needs of the uniformed service engineering departments.

The Executive Advisory Group meets twice annually with the SAME National Officers.

Benjamin Matthews, P.E., F.SAME, SAME 107th National President.

National Foundation Board Nominations Are Open

The SAME Foundation Board of Directors’ primary mission is to raise funds to underwrite programs that “foster engineering leadership for the nation.” The Foundation and the Society share the same strategic plan, and the Foundation is committed to investing in SAME programs and initiatives. Terms for board members are for three years on a January 1 cycle with an option to extend for an additional three years. Help is needed in the areas of finance and budget, fundraising, marketing, and stewardship. Meetings are primarily virtual four- to five-times per year, with some in-person meetings.

Nominations are due by August 1, 2026.

Learn more and submit your nomination

SAME National Executive Committee

Maj. Gen. David Hill, PMP, USA (Ret.), Executive Director, SAME and the SAME Foundation | Board Secretary, non-voting

National Leadership Assembly 2026-2027

(effective May 20, 2026)

National Officers

President: Benjamin Matthews, P.E., F.SAME, AtkinsRealis
President-Elect: Brig. Gen. Patrice Melancon, P.E., F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), CWG Consulting
Immediate Past President: Michael Huffstetler, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, F.SAME, DLR Group
Vice President: Carrie Ann Williams, CPSM, F.SAME, Andana Consulting LLC
Vice President: Col. R. Scott Grainger, P.E., PMP, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), RS&H
Vice President: Rear Adm. Dean VanderLey, P.E., F.SAME, USN (Ret.), HDR
Treasurer: Jordan Beard, JD, AmerInd
Counsel: Craig Crotteau, P.E., Dawson & Associates
President, SAME Foundation: Maj. Gen. Tim Byers, F.SAME (Dist.), USAF (Ret.)
Executive Director/Secretary: Maj. Gen. David Hill, PMP, USA (Ret.), SAME National Office

Regional Vice Presidents

California: Phil Welker, P.E., PMP, F.SAME, GeoEngineers, Inc.
Carolinas: Chris Carter, Tribal 1
Europe: Chief Master Sgt. Adam Boubede, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), Black & Veatch
Gulf Coast: Col. James Frishkorm, PMP, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), BB&E Consulting Engineers
Heartland: Emelia Brooks-Sisco, Calibre Engineering, Inc.
Lakes: Erin Krug, P.E., LEED AP, HDR
Mid-Atlantic: Col. Ed Chamberlayne, Ph.D., P.E., F.SAME, USA (Ret.), PRIME AE Group, Inc.
Missouri River: Scott Nall, P.E., Mason & Hanger
North Atlantic: Melinda Hinsley, CPSM, F.SAME, FSMPS, Hinsley Collective LLC
Northeast: Jeff Dulgarian, PMP, AECOM
Northwest: Tony Roos, P.E., F.SAME, Kittelson & Associates
Ohio Valley: Bill Lorenz, ECC
Pacific: Capt. Alexander Hutchison, P.E., F.SAME, USN (Ret.), AECOM
Rocky Mountain: Elizabeth Wessling, Weston Solutions
Southeast: Ray Ramos, Raymond-Global Inc.
Southwest: Ed Mears, PG, F.SAME, HDR
Tennessee/Kentucky: Brandi Smith, CQM, Cornerstone Engineering
Texas: Elizabeth Parent, P.E., F.SAME, 5engineering

Communities of Interest, Council, and Committee Chairs

Architectural Practice COI: Darryl Moser, AIA, RA, GFT, Inc.
Camps COI: Allison Cantu, P.E., F.SAME, NAVFAC Southwest
College Outreach COI: Chris Poulos, AKIMA LLC
Construction COI: Curt Haldeman, Granite Construction Co.
Environmental COI: Ann Ewy, PMP, F.SAME, USACE Kansas City District
Energy Security COI: Elizabeth Bradford, ENV SP, Michael Baker International
Facility Asset Management COI: Rigo Cinsneros, PMP, Jacobs
Warfighter COI: Col. Matt Beverly, P.E., USAF (Ret.), AECOM
K-12 STEM COI: Victoria Hernandez, AFCEC
Leader Development COI: Julie Eiter, P.E., LEED AP, Black & Veatch
Membership Committee: Lee Ann Zelesnikar, F.SAME, FORTÉ
Resilience COI: Dr. Paul Tschirky, Aptim Federal Services
Small Business Council: Lori Revely, F.SAME, Cavalry Consulting
Uniformed Council: Chief Master Sgt. Adam Brady, USAF
Young Professionals Council: Elena Soto, Jacobs

Elected Directors

2024–2027
Cdr. Roland DeGuzman, P.E., CEM, F.SAME, USN (Ret.), MBP
Maj. Gen. Anthony Funkhouser, P.E., USA (Ret.), AECOM
Candice Scale, HDR Inc.
Corey Weaver, P.E. , F.SAME, GFT Inc.

2025–2028
Alyssa Agustin, PMP, GHD
Lt. Cdr. Aaron Kotlarz, P.E., PMP, USN
Capt. Steven “Sid” Osgood, P.E., PMP, F.SAME, USCG (Ret.), Civil Engineering Unit Oakland
Lt. Col. Rick Sloop, P.E. , F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), Fluor

2026–2029
Summer Gladden, CF APMP, DBIA, LEED AP, F.SAME, CDM Smith
Lt. Col. Chris Knutson, CEng, P.E., FICE, FInstRE, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), Jacobs
Susan Thames, F.SAME, Miller-Remick LLC
Senior Master Sgt. Brad Wilson, USAF

Appointed Directors

Angie Martinez, P.E., F.SAME, Martinez Construction Services
Col. Shawn Moore, F.SAME, USAF (Ret.), Woolpert Inc.

Assistant Treasurer
Jim Carter, PG, F.SAME, EMAX Laboratories

Service Liaison Officers

Lt. Col. John Knight, USA (Ret.), U.S. Army
Master Gunnery Sgt. Forrest Elge, USMC, U.S. Marine Corps
Lt. Meredith Goergen, CEC, USN, U.S. Navy
Maj. Kristin Ober, USAF, U.S. Air Force
Lt. Cdr. Dan Lagdon, USCG, U.S. Coast Guard
Lt. Cdr. Andrew Colvin, USPHS, U.S. Public Health Service
Lt. Cdr. Nick DeProspero, NOAA, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
Seth Cutler, Office of the Secretary of War
Ferdinand Gawaran, Department of Veterans Affairs