Celebrating Excellence: The 2025 Top Young Professionals from ENR’s West Region

The construction industry is a dynamic landscape, constantly evolving and adapting to new challenges and opportunities. In this vibrant environment, recognizing the next generation of leaders is crucial. ENR (Engineering News-Record) has proudly announced its inaugural group of Top Young Professionals from the West region for 2025, showcasing the talent and innovation that will shape the future of construction.

What is the West Region?

Before diving into the impressive list of honorees, let’s clarify what the West region encompasses. ENR has recently restructured its regional divisions to better serve the diverse audience within the construction industry. The West region now includes the former California region (California and Hawaii) and the Northwest region (Washington, Oregon, and Alaska), with the addition of Nevada from the Southwest region. This reorganization aims to provide relevant content and insights that reflect the evolving geographic footprints of firms and professionals in the industry.

Despite these changes, ENR remains committed to delivering quality content. Each of the five newly formed regions will continue to publish six bi-monthly print and digital magazines, a twice-monthly newsletter, and daily regional-specific digital content on ENR.com. Additionally, the well-regarded Best Projects competition and top firm rankings will persist, offering firms ample opportunity to showcase their exceptional work.

The Selection Process for Top Young Professionals

The selection process for ENR West’s Top Young Professionals was rigorous and competitive. Nearly 100 candidates from across the West region submitted applications, each demonstrating remarkable achievements and contributions to the construction industry. A panel of esteemed judges evaluated the candidates, ensuring a fair and unbiased selection process. This year’s judges included industry leaders such as Mannie Barnes from Guy F. Atkinson, K.K. Clark from Clark Construction, and Wendy MacLeod from Turner Construction Co., among others. Notably, judges refrained from scoring applications from individuals affiliated with their firms to maintain impartiality.

From this extensive pool of talent, 30 professionals under the age of 40 were chosen for recognition. Each awardee will be featured in the first edition of ENR West in March 2025, highlighting their successes and career journeys. Furthermore, winners from all five regions will automatically be entered into ENR’s National Top 20 Under 40 contest, providing them with even greater visibility and recognition.

Meet the 2025 ENR West Top Young Professionals

The following individuals have been honored as the 2025 Top Young Professionals in the ENR West region. Their achievements reflect not only their personal dedication and hard work but also the innovative spirit that drives the construction industry forward.

• Madhubala Ayyamperumal
  Five Design Architecture and Interiors
  San Francisco

• Christopher Baersten
  Kennedy Jenks Consultants, Inc.
  Federal Way, Wash.

• Craig Bailey
  Layton Construction
  Irvine, Calif.

• Nik Bandak
  Bandak Project Management
  San Diego, Calif.

• Alissa Bautista
  Rosendin Electric
  Aiea, Hawaii

• Enrico Bertucci
  McCarthy Holdings, Inc.
  Newport Beach, Calif.

• Emily Blair
  DPR Construction
  Seattle

• Grant Bowen
  Peak Projects
  San Francisco

• Margaux Burkholder
  Walter P Moore
  Los Angeles

• Jeff Byrne
  JE Dunn Construction
  Beaverton, Ore.

• Priscilla Chavez
  PCL Construction Services Inc.
  Glendale, Calif.

• Ryan Cummings
  Burns & McDonnell
  Brea, Calif.

• Larisa Nabokova Escalle
  GHD Inc.
  Concord, Calif.

• Sheena Fitzpatrick
  Rockaway Construction
  Pacifica, Calif.

• Trevor Lykins
  Performance Contracting, Inc.
  Anaheim, Calif.

• Tess Massaroni
  Mortenson
  Kirkland, Wash.

• Chris Miller
  Kimley-Horn
  Bellevue, Wash.

• Rahul Mittal
  Arup
  Los Angeles

• Brittany Moffett
  Arup
  Los Angeles

• Ryan Ouyang
  Balfour Beatty
  Culver City, Calif.

• Alicia Pajares
  AECOM
  Seattle

• Cori Palmer
  Mortenson
  Kirkland, Wash.

• Eric Propst
  Hensel Phelps
  Honolulu

• Jacqueline Reed
  Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering
  Los Angeles

• Master Rhodes
  Suffolk
  San Francisco

• Rami Selim
  KPFF
  San Francisco

• Alicia Suzuki
  Kennedy Jenks Consultants, Inc.
  Honolulu

• Anthony Valdiosera
  VST Engineering Inc.
  Oakland, Calif.

• Melissa Vollmer
  Exxel Pacific
  Bellingham, Wash.

• Catherine Woodworth
  Hensel Phelps
  Irvine, Calif.

These young professionals exemplify the innovation, leadership, and commitment to excellence that are essential in today’s construction landscape. Their contributions not only enhance their respective firms but also inspire the next generation of professionals in the industry.

As we look forward to the feature in March 2025, it’s clear that the future of construction in the West region is in capable hands.