Section Leadership

Lisa Castronova, PSP (President) - castronovala@cdmsmith.com   or lisaj433@yahoo.com

Lisa has more than 39 years of cumulative construction experience in Transportation / Heavy Highway projects.  She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering Technology from Missouri Western State University and a Project Management Certification from Cornell University. She has served as a Senior Construction Manager with CDM Smith since 2020, primarily responsible for managing the schedule review team and completing CPM Schedule Reviews and delay analyses on behalf of multiple Owners including FHWA and various State DOTs. She is also a US Army Veteran, having served as an Officer in the US Army Corps of Engineers at various stateside installations from 1985 to 1994. Lisa taught Construction Scheduling and Cost Control as a part-time adjunct professor at Seminole State College in Lake Mary, FL between 2004 – 2010.  She has spent equal time of her career working for contractors, consultants, and owners and has continued to grow and serve in roles including construction inspector, scheduler, project engineer, project manager, construction manager, schedule analyst, delay analyst, and scheduling trainer. Lisa has served on the AACE - NC Section Board since 2020 in various roles including Treasurer, Secretary, and President.

Benjamin (Ricky) Payne, PMP, PSP (Vice President) - rpayne@brasfieldgorrie.com

Ricky graduated from Western Carolina University in 2008 with a degree in Construction Management. He brings to the industry a diverse background in planning and scheduling that spans multiple areas within the construction industry. He has worked in areas ranging from nuclear fuel processing facilities and nuclear reactors, power substations, healthcare, hospitals, data centers, and commercial construction projects ranging anywhere from $10 million to $10 billion. His experience includes planning and scheduling responsibilities on the first nuclear reactors to be constructed in the US in over 30 years. Ricky has been active in AACE since 2017 and holds an AACE International certification as a Planning and Scheduling Professional (PSP), as well as his PMP certification through the Project Management Institute(PMI). Ricky orchestrated the reformation of the North Carolina Section in 2020 and served as President of the Section from 2020 to 2022. He has been serving as the Section’s Vice President since 2022. 

Ryan Benedek, PMP, CCT, (Secretary) - ryan.benedek@hdrinc.com

Ryan graduated from the University of Michigan in 2019 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After spending two years as a mechanical design engineer he pivoted into a project management role. Ryan has provided project controls and scheduling support services for utility and facility projects for the past three years. Ryan’s project responsibilities include developing, monitoring, and communicating budgets and forecasts as well as developing Level 3 Critical Path Method (CPM) schedules using Microsoft® Project and Oracle® Primavera P6. Ryan’s project experience includes offshore wind, solar, hydroelectric dams, oil and gas pipelines, and manufacturing facilities. He holds an AACE International certification as a Certified Cost Technician (CCT) and the PMP certification through the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Andrea Dunn, PDRI, (Treasurer) - adunn@mbpce.com

Chris McLuckie, CCM, PDRI (Communications Director) - cmcluckie@mbpce.com

Chris earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland and a Masters in Construction Management from Virginia Tech.  He has 32 years of experience in construction management, including the construction of commercial office buildings, high-end renovations, site and civil construction, and high-security facilities. His construction background includes serving as a general contractor and an owner’s representative. He has performed construction management services for various clients, including universities, airports, healthcare facilities, K-12 schools, and state and local governments, and he has extensive experience on federal government projects. Chris is experienced in all phases of the construction process, including risk management, cost estimating, CPM scheduling, constructability review, claims analysis, and on-site construction management. Throughout his career, he has taken on projects from the early stages of design to project completion and closeout. Chris has been a member of AACE since 2004 and has served on the Board as Section President and the current Communications Director. 

Michael Velose (Certification Director) - mvelose@ocmi.com

Michael has over 30 years’ combined experience in engineering and project controls.  He earned degrees from New Mexico State University with a BA in Mechanical Engineering Technology and from University of Texas, Arlington in Management of Technology.   As a vice president of OCMI his current role is managing a team in the Charlotte NC office and providing consultant services for a wide range of clientele for federal, state, county, and private industry sectors.  Michael has been an AACE member and CCP certified since 2014 and has served as the Section Certification Director since 2022.

Sheetal Kumar Patidar, CEP, PSP (Membership Director) - skpatidar5@gmail.com

Sheetal graduated from North Carolina State University in 2019 with a master’s degree in construction engineering, building on a foundational bachelor's degree in architecture. With over six years of professional experience, Sheetal has specialized in cost estimating and scheduling for various projects, including municipal, educational, civil, healthcare, and federal design and construction. His expertise is further validated by his certifications in Certified Estimating Professional (CEP) and Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP). Sheetal has been a member of the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International (AACEI) since 2022 and currently serves as the Section Membership Director, a position he has held since 2023.

Bruce Jensen, CEP (Scholarship Director) - bjensen@chasolutions.com

Bruce graduated from Rensslear Polytechnic Institute with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and Construction Management. He has been active in AACE since 2020 and holds an AACE International certification as a Certified Estimating Professional (CEP). Bruce has been serving as the Section’s Scholarship Director since 2022. 

Cokey Mills, CCP (Director At-Large) -  cokey.w.mills@gmail.com

Cokey is a Senior Certified Cost Engineer with over 30 years of experience in all aspects and divisions of estimating and project management. He has performed and managed a broad range of estimating projects for the EPC, government/military, industrial, and commercial sectors. As the Director of Cost Management Services for iParametrics, he manages projects from conceptual through final estimates for federal, military and industrial projects and provides cost estimating in all divisions- civil, structural, architectural, mechanical, electrical, and security, including ESS, fire protection, and Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (ATFP). Cokey has been a member of AACE since 2008 and has served on the Section Board in various roles throughout the years, including as the current Treasurer.

Don Johnson, CEP (Director At-Large) - donmossyjohnson@gmail.com

Don brings over 40 years of experience in planning, estimating, cost control, project management, construction, and business development in the fossil, nuclear and renewable power market and in the oil and gas production and refinery, chemical, pharmaceutical, and mining industries.  Don has been a member of AACE since 1998 and earned his AACE Certified Estimating Professional (CEP) certification in 2008. He served as the NC Section (previously named the Catawba Valley Section) as Vice President from 2004 – 2006 and President from 2007 – 2010.  Don has also been serving as the Section’s Director At Large since 2023.