2024-25 BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
President
Matt Brash
Parsons
Matt is a Program Director at Parsons specializing in the design of road and highway projects. He has 17 years of experience and has managed the design of over half of a billion dollars of road and highway projects throughout the state. In addition to his Project Manager responsibilities, he is also the Engineering Manager for Parsons’ San Diego Office responsible for staffing and training of our staff over 70 transportation engineers.
President Elect
Amin Azimi
Michael Baker
Dr. Amin Azimi is a project manager at Michael Baker International with over 15 years of experience in civil engineering, including structural and earthquake engineering, trenchless technologies, and finite element analysis. He has contributed significantly to consulting, research, teaching, and professional practices both nationally and internationally. Previously, Dr. Azimi was a professor at several universities, including LATech University and the University of Technology Malaysia. He has led numerous engineering projects, including an underground robotic project with FB’s engineering department. He also helped develop the AWWA M55 manual’s Appendix B on earthquake applications. He is the main author of “Trenchless Construction and Rehabilitation Methods” rewriting old manual under National Utility Contractors Association NUCA. Dr. Azimi has over 110 publications (Journal papers and books) and more than 2600 citations. He is skilled in FEM software like ANSYS and holds a certification in Machine Learning from MIT. He has served in various professional roles, including Director C and Vice President at the ASCE San Diego Section, and Vice Chair for UESI-ASCE Louisiana Chapter. His innovations have earned him over 35 Gold and Special awards, including “Best American Inventor” and a Gold Award from SVIIF-Silicon Valley. He is also a committee member of AWWA and NASTT, and a Board member of ASCE San Diego Section.
Vice President
Isaac Kontorovsky
BKF Engineers
Isaac is an accomplished professional with a wealth of experience in both private and public projects throughout California. With an impressive track record in the Civil Engineering & Construction Industry, he has actively contributed to a diverse range of challenging developments. His portfolio boasts an array of residential, academic, civic, and commercial projects, performed for a large client list that includes several government agencies as well as Fortune 500 companies. Isaac has been actively engaged with various ASCE sections, sharing his expertise in Career Advancement, Innovation, and Sustainability through presentations at various universities. His strong leadership is branded on disruptive innovation, challenging the status quo in extremely collaborative ways, helping development teams reach highly efficient solutions that hinge on the use of new technologies and industry trends.
Secretary
Marc Weinberger
PSOMAS
Marc is a Senior Project Manager at Psomas specializing in the design water and wastewater infrastructure. He has over 35 years of experience and has managed the design and construction management of hundreds of water projects including potable water, wastewater and stormwater pipelines, pump stations and reservoirs. In addition to his Project Manager responsibilities, he is an Associate at Psomas and member of the Psomas Mentorship Committee. In 2023, he won a Psomas award for his mentorship of young professionals. In the past he served on the Board of the ASCE Pipeline and Environmental Technical Committee where he held the increasingly responsible positions of Treasurer, Secretary, Vice Chair and Chair.
Treasurer
Hossein Bahmyari
Twining Consulting
Hossein is a senior lead geotechnical engineer at Twining Inc., supporting both northern and southern California. With over 19 years of diverse civil engineering experience, Hossein has established himself as an expert in geotechnical engineering, working on projects including but not limited to dams, levees, high-rise structures, bridges, highways, and tunnels. His role involves performing design reviews for high-risk structures, ensuring safety and stability in complex engineering projects. He holds a PE in several states, including California, and is recognized as a PhD Fellow and BC.GE. Hossein’s commitment to the engineering community is reflected in his active contributions to ASCE and GI committees, as well as his board memberships for prominent geotechnical journals. Beyond his professional duties, Hossein is deeply involved in advancing geotechnical engineering through research. His interests include soil stabilization and remediation, slope stability analysis, the hydromechanical behavior of soils, and deep foundations. He serves on esteemed technical committees within ASCE and contributes to national and international geotechnical journals. Hossein’s dedication to education and knowledge dissemination is evident in his role as an invited lecturer, where he shares his expertise in geotechnical engineering at various academic institutions. He has authored numerous technical papers and presented at prestigious national and international conferences, highlighting his commitment to innovation and excellence in the field.
Director A
Jeff Sparks
Parsons
Jeff Sparks has made San Diego his home since attending San Diego State University (SDSU) in 2006. During his tenure at SDSU, Jeff did erosion control product testing for Caltrans and learned valuable lessons when it comes to partnering between Universities, Agencies and Private Enterprises. Jeff has worked his way into a Project Manager role representing Parsons throughout the state of California on all types of capital improvement projects. Locally, Jeff has worked with the City of San Diego, City of San Marcos, Caltrans D11, County of San Diego and SANDAG. Jeff has been an ASCE member since his college days and was the ASCE YMF Golf Chair from 2015-2017. For the last two years, Jeff has represented ASCE Region 9 as a Policy Transportation Board Chair Policy Writer and published PS367 (Highway Safety), PS382 (Transportation Funding), PS 552 (Vision Zero) and PS537 (Complete Street). Jeff traveled to DC in 2023 to meet with Diane Feinstein, Katie Porter and Scott Peterson promoting and bringing spotlight to ASCE critical issues and legislation like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Jeff is committed to bringing the same level of commitment to the ASCD Director A position next year.
Director B
Yazmin Arellano-Torres
City of El Cajon
Yazmin Arellano-Torres is the Director of Public Works for the City of El Cajon, California. Yazmin is a Registered Civil Engineer and Land Surveyor in California with over 20 years of experience in municipal engineering. Yazmin holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, President of the ASCE Imperial Valley Branch, Vice-President, and President of the ASCE San Diego Section.
Director C
Michael Drennan
NV5
Michael is the VP and Director of Water Resources and Green Infrastructure for NV5. Michael has spent most of his career in Los Angeles, but now lives in Carlsbad. He provides leadership in the development of integrated sustainable solutions which help communities meet their water resources and public infrastructure needs, while protecting and enhancing their natural ecosystems. He helped found a nonprofit in Los Angeles called the Council for Watershed Health and served on the Board for many years, including serving as President. During his time in Los Angeles, he served on ASCE’s EWRI Committee and was privileged to receive the “Engineer of the Year” award from the LA Section for his work advancing watershed management principles.
Director D
Habid Coronado
BKF Engineers
Habid is a distinguished Registered Professional Engineer in California and currently serves as an Engineering Manager at BKF Engineers. With over a decade of experience, he has managed diverse projects in sectors such as recreational, hospitality, industrial, laboratory/technology, commercial, healthcare, K-12, higher education, and multi-family residential developments throughout California. At BKF Engineers, Habid leads a specialized land development team, delivering innovative and sustainable solutions that meet regulatory and community needs. During his undergraduate years at San José State University, Habid was actively involved in the ASCE student section and now extends his contributions to the ASCE San Diego Section. He remains committed to professional development, regularly attending industry events and advocating for continuing education and mentorship. Habid’s career blends technical expertise, leadership, and a commitment to the engineering profession, making significant contributions to both BKF Engineers and the broader civil engineering community.
YMF Director
Valeria Ceron
Wood Rodgers
Valeria Ceron is an Assistant Engineer at Wood Rodgers working as a transportation designer. She has over 7 years of experience in Roadway, Rail and Transit projects. A San Diego native, Valeria obtained her bachelor’s in civil engineering at San Diego State University and has been involved with ASCE since college. Valeria served on the ASCE SDSU Executive Board as a student, transitioning into YMF and is now the YMF Director and ASCE SDSU Practitioner Advisor. Beyond technical experience, Valeria is passionate about leadership, professional development, and community engagement. She continually seeks opportunities to expand her impact—whether through mentorship, industry events, or advocating for the growth of young engineers.
Past President
Jose Ramirez
Kimley-Horn
Jose Ramirez is a Senior Engineer and Project Manager at Kimley-Horn and Associates. With over 14 years of professional experience specializing in the design of structures, Jose’s main focus has been on the design of bridges, retaining walls, and miscellaneous structures for highway/roadway and light and heavy rail transportation projects. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Structural Engineering from UC San Diego and has been involved with ASCE since college, participating in the Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge competitions. Jose has served in the ASCE San Diego YMF board as Treasurer, Scholarship Chair, and Webmaster. In the ASCE San Diego Section, Jose has served as President-Elect, Secretary and has been a member of the ASCE Awards Event Planning Committee. Jose has also served in the ASCE Transportation Group board as Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary and looks forward to continuing to support the ASCE board and the Civil Engineering profession.
Webmaster
Justin Thornber
Dokken Engineering
Justin is a licensed Civil Engineer currently working for Dokken Engineering. He has over 12 years of civil design experience specifically working on roadway design, complete streets, public transit, site development, utility coordination, and mass/precise grading. He has delivered all phase of civil design from preliminary engineering through construction. Justin holds a Bachelor Degree of Science in Civil Engineering from San Diego State University and has been involved with ASCE since college, participating in the concrete canoe and earth retaining wall geo-challenge.