We are pleased to announce Aileen Santos-Redman, PE, as an incoming member of our Board of Directors!

Aileen brings more than 28 years of experience in transportation infrastructure and aviation, with a record of leading capital improvement programs across California, Arizona, and Nevada. Previously serving as the Aviation Sector Project Manager at TYLin, she has overseen both design and construction management for a diverse portfolio of projects. A creative and practical engineer with an open mind for innovation and a collaborative working style that promotes strong team engagement and alignment, Aileen is passionate about improving infrastructure to ensure that the needs of the community are met.

Aileen joined SEAOSC early in her career, recognizing it as “the way to guide me in my structural engineering journey.” What began as a resource for technical growth has evolved into a source of mentorship and advocacy, especially through her involvement with the Women in Structural Engineering (WiSE) Committee. "Over the years, my reasons for staying involved has evolved, from initially relying on the technical resources SEAOSC provides to now deeply valuing the support and camaraderie of the WiSE committee. The insight and encouragement I’ve received from fellow WiSE members, especially in navigating the unique challenges women face in our profession, have been truly invaluable. More recently, my ongoing commitment to SEAOSC has been fueled by a passion for promoting structural engineering as a career to the next generation and advocating for greater recognition of the essential role structural engineers play in shaping and advancing our communities.” she shares.

Her advice for the next generation? “Be adaptable.”

Aileen’s career success is rooted in her willingness to pivot and learn, "While there’s clear value in becoming an expert in one specific area, my resilience in this profession stems from my willingness to adapt and contribute wherever I can be of service.

In my first job that I found just as I was about to finish grad school, I worked on commercial projects for several national chains. A few years later, I intentionally shifted to a firm specializing in residential work to gain exposure to wood and masonry—experience I knew I needed to pass the PE exam. From there, my career led me to a wide range of projects: one day I’d be working on a school, the next on a hospital. Some days were spent designing structures; other days had me overseeing the progress of construction.

This flexibility proved invaluable, especially during slowdowns in the building design industry—like in the early 2000s—when I was still able to find meaningful work for projects in aviation, public works, or rail and transit. By adapting my skill set to meet the specific demands of different types of projects, I’ve been able to stay engaged and employed through various market cycles."

We’re honored to have Aileen’s leadership on the Board, where her experience and commitment to community-driven infrastructure will help shape the future of our profession!

We’re thrilled to welcome Karyn Beebe, PE, LEED AP, to the SEAOSC Board of Directors! Karyn brings over decades of industry experience and a deep commitment to building collaboration across the profession. As a Government Relations Regional Manager for the International Code Council, she supports adoption and implementation of building codes throughout California, Nevada, Guam, American Samoa, and the Mariana Islands.

A licensed professional engineer and a LEED Accredited Professional with forensic investigation expetise, Karyn previously served as Past President of ICC’s San Diego Chapter and was a longtime leader in APA – The Engineered Wood Association, where she worked on strategic partnership development and product support across the Western U.S.

“I’ve been a member of SEAOC since the beginning of my career—25 years ago!” Karyn shares. “I’ve worked with all of our member organizations (Southern California, San Diego, Central California, Northern California) around the state as a member, trainer, committee chair and I’ve stayed active to stay abreast of the issues most important to our profession and collaborate with colleagues through committee work, meetings, and our convention.”

Karyn’s path into structural engineering was shaped by both passion and family. “I grew up with a love of architecture and aptitude for math,” she says. “My father and two uncles graduated from Purdue University and pursued electrical, chemical, and mechanical engineering. So, it felt natural for me to follow suit in the field of structural engineering.”

We’re honored to have Karyn’s leadership and perspective on the Board. Welcome, Karyn!

We’re excited to welcome David Funk, SE, to the SEAOSC Board of Directors! A principal at Labib Funk & Associates since 2011, David brings expertise in seismic retrofitting, adaptive reuse, and the design of commercial, multifamily, and mixed-use developments. With over 22 years of engineering experience, he is responsible for structural concepts and design, mentoring, and technical leadership in the firm.

He has co-authored ICC’s published design guides for the City of Los Angeles Mandatory Non-Ductile Concrete and Soft Story Retrofit Ordinances and has served on the SEAOSC Existing Buildings Committee and Safer Cities panel, helping shape mandatory retrofit ordinances that impact communities across municipalities.

When asked why he joined SEAOSC, David shared:

“As a professional, I believe it is our duty to join our local affiliated organization and contribute to the betterment of our profession, and our community… I am proud to be a member of such a great organization and to have had an opportunity to contribute.”

His advice to young engineers?

“Approach structural engineering as a career, and not a 9-5 job. Dive deep into codes and technical papers, understand ‘why?’, ask questions, and get involved in SEAOSC. Learning and advancement don’t stop when you get your license. I continue to learn about new concepts, techniques, and ideas every day. If you are passionate about structural engineering, you have a bright and rewarding career ahead of you.”

Outside of the office, David enjoys family time, golfing, skiing, snowboarding, and coaching Little League.

We’re grateful to have David’s insight, experience, and passion on the Board this year—please join us in welcoming him!

Dear Members,

It has been an honor to serve as your president for this 2024-2025 term and I want to use this final message to encourage you as a member or fan of SEAOSC to say "yes." I have found that volunteering or giving your time, energy, or resources to a cause beyond yourself is one of the great joys in life and certainly a great sense of satisfaction in our career as structural engineers.

At SEAOSC, we have many opportunities to say "yes" and I encourage you to ask yourself how you might be able to give some of your time to SEAOSC in the 2025-2026 year.

• Membership. If you are not a member, I encourage you to say "yes" to joining SEAOSC. If you aren't regularly participating in our events, I encourage you to find the events that meet your interests and say "yes" to giving your time to attend. Talk to your company about supporting these interests — they are likely to say "yes."

• Committees. Our committees are the foundation of SEAOSC and where the real work of advancing our profession happens. You have a place on a committee and I encourage you to find the committee that best fits your passion and your abilities and to say "yes" to joining a committee.

• Committee Chairs. Our committees only exist with leaders that have said "yes" to stepping into the committee chair position. Turnover of the leadership should happen more regularly, but many of our committees have been chaired by volunteers who faithfully say "yes" year-over-year. Our committee members have a place to serve as committee chairs and I encourage you to say "yes" to this next step in your participation.

• Mentorship. An amazing mentorship program has been underway at SEAOSC for several years now. Members that want some encouragement in career engagement, advancement, and satisfaction are finding that encouragement through the dedicated time of mentors. Say "yes" to being a mentor (get in touch at Mentorship@seaosc.org).

• Leadership. SEAOSC is run by the leaders in our profession that serve on our Board of Directors. Each of these leaders was asked by a nominating committee to give their time and talents in volunteer service. I am proud to serve alongside such dedicated volunteers that have all said "yes" to empowering our members and advancing the structural engineering profession by serving on the board.

This list is not exhaustive and there are many other opportunities within SEAOSC to say “yes.” Each "yes" comes with its sacrifice of time, energy, and resource, but gives back so much more in return. My "yes" to serving as your president has given me so many opportunities in networking, leadership and professional development, technical advancement, personal encouragement, sense of belonging, and friendship, and I am deeply grateful for your trust in me to serve as your President.

Sincerely,

Garrett Mills, SE | SEAOSC President 2024-2025

Dear Members,

In the practice of structural engineering, I often find myself coming across a problem that I don't have the ability to solve — I don't have the knowledge, I don't have the tools, I don't have the expertise. I know enough to identify the problem and I usually believe I could spend the time to figure it out — but that would take a lot of time and resources. That's when I turn to colleagues at SEAOSC that do have the knowledge, tools, and expertise for guidance. Knowing that not having the answer myself is not a weakness but an opportunity is incredibly freeing. I have yet to come across a colleague from SEAOSC that is not willing to share openly to help solve my problem. In the past few years, I have approached SEAOSC colleagues for help in addressing my challenges in non-ductile concrete, dynamic analyses, adaptive reuse, low-carbon concrete, type III wood construction, ASCE 41, ERP software, and even advice on managing staff. The trade of structural engineering is not full of trade secrets, it is full of knowledge-sharing.

At SEAOSC, we celebrate this knowledge sharing and collaboration throughout the year with technical and leadership seminars, but our next two events will truly highlight the extent to which our knowledge-sharing is at the core of our identity. Next week, we celebrate Structural Engineering Excellence Awards. As a spectator, these awards are inspiring as they exhibit the best of our ingenuity, collaboration, and knowledge. The "how did they do that?" is explained and celebrated. I can only assume that every project and project team can trace the excellence of structural engineering on display back to a moment (recently or years ago) when they reached out to a colleague for help and can acknowledge the pioneers in structural engineering that came before them that made the achievement possible. I am proud to be part of this profession where we are more prone to share our knowledge with each other than to keep it to ourselves.

In June, we again celebrate excellence, by acknowledging our members that have greatly contributed to our profession at the annual President's Lunch. The individuals being honored cannot imagine a SEAOSC where we would hold on to trade secrets and not share them widely — they are givers and doers and they make our association and our profession excellent. Our morning technical seminars will focus on the way that SEAOSC and our industry partners have given back to our communities' recovery after fire and landslides. I hope to see you at both these events where we celebrate excellence.

Garrett Mills, SE | SEAOSC President 2024-2025

Dear Members,

As structural engineers, we commonly partner with others in our architecture, engineering, construction industry; our partnerships are what make our projects successful, and we often express gratitude to be on a great project team that enhances and advances our success.

As our SEE Awards approaches on May 14th, we will surely hear the awardees express thanks to the project teams and our hope is that the architects and contractors of those teams can receive thanks in person at the event.

At SEAOSC, our partnerships enhance and advance our profession. We have worked hard this year to build and strengthen our relationships with many partner organizations and I want to take this opportunity to thank and promote this success.

• In October, we partnered with AIA Pasadena Foothill to host an in-person SAP training put on by our DES committee.

• In November, our partners at ICC taught us about code updates to design temporary structures at our Orange County member breakfast. We continued to cross promote ICC events and collaboration through attending ICC meetings.

• In January, our partnerships were further strengthened when a group of AEC organizations formed to jointly respond to the great need for recovery expertise after the wildfires. This joint group includes leaders from SEAOSC, AIA-LA, AIA-PF, AIA-SFV, So Cal NOMA, ASLA, APA-LA, WiOps, USGBC, ACE Mentorship, LA County Public Works, and others. We participated in panel discussions hosted by AIA to represent the structural engineering side of the rebuilding efforts. Our DES committee invited our SAP trained partners from AIA-PF to join us on our reconnaissance team deployed to Altadena.

• In February, we hosted a great Career Fair and Emerging Engineers Night where we had representatives from our local student chapters and universities in attendance and several students received scholarships from the SEAOSC Foundation.

• In March, our WiSE committee put on an inspiring Leadership Symposium. We continue to strengthen our relationship with Women Working Together and we recently officially signed an MOU with AIA-LA, NAWIC-LA, and WiOPS to enhance and advance this partnership. We have a lot to look forward to in future joint events.

• In April, we will join AIA San Fernando Valley for a Structured Connections event in Van Nuys where we will promote our partnerships in advancing Adaptive Reuse strategies and policy. I hope to see you there! This week, SEAOSC student members, faculty, and our volunteers will participate in the ASCE Student Symposium on Cal Poly Pomona's campus and other volunteers will run a SEAOSC table at ACLA's Design by Diversity Day at PCC.

• May will bring our Safer Cities annual meeting. We have strengthened relationships with CALBO throughout the years through our Safer Cities initiative and these partnerships continue to be strengthened as we work directly with building officials in recovery and rebuilding initiatives after the wildfires. Last week, several SEAOSC members joined City of Malibu officials on our second reconnaissance trip to fire damaged areas in the City.

• June rounds out our SEAOSC year and we will host our President's Lunch on June 11th at the AIA-LA space. Speakers include experts from EERI and other partner organizations. We also end the year commemorating the centennial of the 1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake with our partners at AIA Santa Barbara and other local organizations. Be on the lookout for promotions for those events.

In writing this, I am amazed, but not surprised, at all the involvement that our members have in these partner organizations (and I am sure I am leaving some out). Our partnerships continue to make our organization successful, and I am grateful for each of our members participating on these great teams that enhance and advance our profession. Join us at these upcoming events!

Garrett Mills, SE | SEAOSC President 2024-2025

The 2025 SEAOSC Leadership Symposium, curated by the WiSE Committee, brought together industry professionals on March 12 for a day of insightful discussions on leadership, workforce empowerment, and inclusivity in the AEC sector. The event featured a keynote presentation from the former President of Disney Imagineering, Barbara Souza, and panel discussions among established AEC professionals aimed at fostering professional growth and creating a stronger, more inclusive industry.

Opening Keynote: Memorable Experiences—Value the Moment

Barbara Bouza, FAIA, former president of Walt Disney Imagineering, opened the symposium with a keynote on "Memorable Experiences – Value the Moment." Drawing from her experiences at Gensler and Disney, she emphasized the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration and adaptability in leadership.

“There are always going to be down points, and how you show up in times of challenges really teaches you what you can do,” Barbara remarked. She urged professionals at all levels to recognize their value, stating, “The only difference someone with 30 years of experience has over you is that they have 30 years of experience. It doesn’t mean your points of view and values don't matter.”

Fireside Chat: Elevating Female and Underrepresented Leadership in the AEC Industry (sponsored by Brandow & Johnston)

A fireside chat with Annie Kao, PE, and Juliana Burke, PE, titled "Elevating Female and Underrepresented Leadership in the AEC Industry," addressed the challenges of navigating spaces where one doesn’t always feel they belong. The discussion highlighted the importance of representation, mentorship, and relationship-building in leadership development.

Annie emphasized stepping outside of comfort zones, embracing opportunities, and challenging self-doubt with the question, "Why not?" Annie and Juliana emphasized that discomfort in unfamiliar environments is inevitable, but perseverance and relationship-building can help foster success. Annie highlighted the power of one-on-one connections, showing how small, intentional interactions can create a more inclusive culture.

Lean, Lift and Thrive: Empowering Women Together

This panel discussion featured industry leaders Michelle Kam-Biron, SE, F. SEAOC; Amber Freund, PE; Elizabeth Mahlow, PE; Traci Petcoff Wong, PE; and Minye Pak, SE. The panelists shared how Lean In Circles—small, supportive groups—helped them navigate career challenges, build confidence, and uplift each other.

Inspired by Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In, the idea behind a Lean In Circe is to create an environment to be supportive and confidential within a small diverse group. Their message was clear: embrace vulnerability, use available resources, and advocate for those whose voices need to be heard.

Strategic Networking and Professional Development

Jahida Nadi of Hilti North America led a workshop on how uniqueness helps us improve, where participants identified three of their personal “superpowers” and three areas for improvement. By surrounding themselves with mentors who excel in areas they seek to develop, attendees learned how to leverage diverse perspectives for professional growth.

“Someone else’s superpower can be your next goal,” Nadi advised, underscoring the power of intentional networking and collaboration.

Building a Safe and Respectful Workplace

Dolores Leal, JD, of Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, led an important discussion on “Building a Safe and Respectful Workplace.” Specializing in sexual harassment, employment discrimination, and wrongful termination cases, she outlined the five types of harassment defined under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—race, color, religion, nationality, and sex—and shared key statistics and real-world examples.

Key takeaways included documenting incidents, understanding legal protections, and implementing proactive leadership strategies to ensure a culture of accountability and inclusion. Dolores also emphasized the role of both employees and employers in fostering respectful workplaces.

Empowering Your Workforce: Actionable Steps for Engagement and Retention

In the afternoon, Natalie Tse, SE, LEED AP of Tipping, and Claire Leader of Martin/Martin led a discussion on workforce engagement and retention. With only 10% of senior positions in structural engineering being held by women, the session highlighted the urgent need for better workplace policies.

Key strategies included fostering psychological safety, clear communication, and supportive leadership. “What costs little but earns a lot?” the speakers posed—suggesting that small changes, such as setting boundaries, taking PTO, and connecting beyond work, can significantly improve employee retention and well-being.

Closing Panel: Employee Retention & Engagement

Closing out this year’s Leadership Symposium, Kimberly Guzman of Buehler Engineering led a discussion on Employee Retention & Engagement with panelists Matthew Barnard, SE, of Degenkolb Engineers, Molly Pobiel, PE of SGH, Claire Leader, and Natalie Tse, SE, LEED AP.

The conversation tackled challenges for engineers navigating their early careers, emphasizing the importance of work-life balance, self-advocacy, and empathy in the workplace. Natalie highlighted the need to give yourself grace and ask for company-provided resources, while Molly reminded attendees that taking time for yourself ultimately benefits both the employee and the firm. Matt stressed the importance of understanding that everyone’s balance looks different and practicing empathy for others’ choices.

The panel also discussed how organizations can foster a supportive culture, from building connections outside the firm to creating spaces where both employees and leadership can be vulnerable. Companies that recognize and appreciate their employees see better engagement, stronger retention, and long-term success.

Addressing high stress and low compensation, the panel encouraged engineers to advocate for their value, communicate effectively with clients, and work towards licensure to elevate the profession. Matt summed it up emphasizing that what we do is built on integrity and trust—that will help the value of our work shine through.

The SEAOSC Leadership Symposium underscored the importance of embracing challenges, fostering inclusion, and taking actionable steps toward workforce engagement and leadership growth. As the industry evolves, these insights serve as a guiding framework for professionals striving to create a stronger, more equitable future in the AEC community.

Dear Members,

As psychologists and trained disaster workers know, there are emotional phases that we all experience following a disaster — The Six Psychological Stages of a Disaster. For those impacted by the LA Fires, the initial weeklong heroic phase ("I need to do something useful.") and two-month long honeymoon phase ("I'm going to be OK, we're going to get through this together.") are nearing their end.

The next phase is a tough one and may last for 36 months. The disillusionment phase begins after the adrenaline wears off, and the work of rebuilding takes an emotional toll. As described in a recent Psychology Today article, "Frustration, exhaustion, anger, and rage are common… The time it will take to have some semblance of normalcy feels massive, and the emotional toll of dealing with the aftermath may feel insurmountable."

As structural engineers, our work in responding to this disaster is just beginning. Although the emotional disillusionment phase is normal and needed in the emotional recovery process, this is likely the phase in which we encounter those reaching out for our assistance.

Our expertise is desperately needed and SEAOSC is committed to helping fill this need. To that end, we have updated our website to highlight the availability and expertise of our members in the specific areas that will be of most helpat seaosc.org/LA-Fire-Recovery. If you can be of service, please fill out the form here.

Additionally, we continue the efforts that I outlined in my message last month:

Policy: our committee members are engaged directly in conversations with building officials and affiliated AEC organizations in forming policies for the recovery process.

Technical expertise: The document RECOMMENDED INVESTIGATION AND DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR FOUNDATIONS EXPOSED TO FIRE is posted on the SEAOC website. I have personally discussed the guidelines with building officials at City of LA, County of LA, City of Malibu, and City of Pasadena and I pass on their sincere thanks to the SEAOC Wildfire Task Group to put this together. This is an ongoing effort, and our local committees are working to develop the document further. We are also working on technical review and guidance for efficient home construction that could expedite the permitting process.

Reconnaissance: Visits to areas affected by the Eaton Fire and to the Palisades Fire have begun and will continue in the months ahead. The work following the reconnaissance will continue to develop the resources for future wildfire preparedness and recovery efforts.   

There is a place for all of us in the recovery efforts. For some, that is policy, technical, reconnaissance, but for all of us, that is to be a trusted resource, advisor, advocate, and leader. To be equipped in this role takes developing the skills needed to engage, communicate, and enter the emotional space where we encounter those in need. I love the theme of next week's Leadership Symposium to be held Wednesday in downtown LA: Leading with Purpose, Inspiring with Passion, Connecting with Impact. I know for myself and all those attending the Symposium that we will leave better equipped to be of service in this time of great need and I look forward to seeing you all there.

Garrett W. Mills, S.E.
SEAOSC President 2024-25

This document is a compilation of two recommended guidelines with different objectives. The first presents criteria for the investigation of foundations exposed to fire, and the second presents design criteria for foundations exposed to fire. Discussion of concrete and masonry wall elements is also included. This document should not be taken as a general endorsement or encouragement to reuse any concrete or masonry element exposed to fire.

Additional geotechnical evaluation may be necessary to assess the feasibility of reusing any individual foundation, including retaining walls and their footings.

Additionally, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and any other systems passing through the foundation are beyond the scope of the structural assessment, however these systems should also be evaluated.

When considering rebuilding efforts, the impact of removing and reconstructing foundations on carbon pollution should not be ignored. It is recommended that the owner consult a design professional about the environmental impact of using or not reusing existing foundations.

Following the removal of debris, an assessment of the soil should be conducted to assess if the soil contains any contaminants. This assessment should follow local regulations and be performed by a licensed consultant.

It should be noted that reuse of an existing foundation may have an impact on eligibility to receive financial support from various federal, state, or private entities including but not limited to FEMA and insurance companies. Owners are advised to consult relevant agencies regarding whether reusing a foundation could affect eligibility for federal or state grants, insurance companies’ funds, or other financial aid.

This document is based on the report document, “Investigation Guideline for Foundations and Soils Affected by Fire,” dated 1/9/2019, which was prepared by Degenkolb Engineers and Ninyo & Moore Geotechnical & Environmental Sciences Consultants and presented to the City of Ventura in 2018, following the Thomas Fire of December 2017.

This document has been further modified by the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC) Wildfire Task Group in January 2025 for specific distribution to Southern California Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ’s) in response to the fires around Los Angeles during January 2025.

Click here to download.

Dear Members,

If I saw you in the last month, I probably told you how grateful I am that you are a part of my community. This sentiment has anchored me as I reflect on the Jan 7th wildfires that destroyed so many homes and structures in our neighborhoods and as I look to the years of rebuilding ahead. At SEAOSC, our response has been swift, organized, and deliberate. We as structural engineers have a unique role to play in the rebuilding effort and we are doing so as a community.

Here are some of the ways that we are responding:

• Policy: through our relationships formed over years of work in our Safer Cities program, SEAOSC is communicating directly with building officials and their chief staff. These building officials and staff are working tirelessly to help the public under enormous pressure and SEAOSC is providing technical guidance to help them face current challenges. At the same time, our affiliated groups, AIA and others, are looking at ways that we can help individuals navigate the rebuilding and permitting process efficiently and quickly - we are experts at designing structures and navigating the approval process - and our committees are hard at work to provide input to these efforts.
• Technical expertise: our local engineers are engaged in a wider effort to gather relevant information developed following previous wildfires in our state. A SEAOC Wildfire Task Group was immediately formed in the days after January 7th and gathered current resources. These resources were passed on to building officials to aid them in answering the technical questions posed by the public in regards to rebuilding. This is an ongoing effort to continue gathering of technical resources and learn lessons from previous incidents that our members will be able to use to help their clients rebuild. At the more local level, we are also working on technical review and guidance for efficient home construction that could expedite the permitting process.
• Reconnaissance: a team has been formed and our Disaster Emergency Services committee is organizing team deployments. Visits to areas affected by the Eaton Fire and to the Palisades Fire have begun and will continue in the months ahead. The work following the reconnaissance will continue to develop the resources for future wildfires.

Our board of directors, our committees, and our members at large are all working together, but we cannot do this without more help from our members. Please reach out to our board, committee chairs, or to me if you want to serve. As we respond to each of these efforts (and more), we do so as a community.

Garrett W. Mills, S.E.
SEAOSC President 2024-25