About Us | ACEC Research Institute

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ABOUT US

Our Mission

Deliver knowledge and business strategies that guide and elevate the engineering industry.

Identify, fund and provide industry wide research, forecasts, and trend analysis.
Capitalize on the rapidly changing nature of technology and society to ensure a sustainable engineering industry.
Promote the engineering profession’s essential value to society.
Inspire future generations to solve the world’s most challenging problems through engineering.

Introduction to ACEC Research Institute

Board of Directors

John L. Carrato

Chair
Michael J. Carragher, PE

Vice Chair
Mike Corkery

Treasurer
Daphne Bryant

Secretary
Lewis P. Cornell

Board Member
Joseph A. Fiordaliso

Board Member
Charles J. Gozdziewski

Board Member
Linda Bauer Darr

Board Member
Nicolas Mangon

Board Member
Dr. Gary W. Raba

Board Member
Kate Harris

Board Member
Steven Lefton

Board Member
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Board Member
Cathy Ritter

Board Member
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Board Member
Alyson Watson

Board Member

Staff

Daphne Bryant

Executive Director
Kerry Gaylor

Director, Programs

John L. Carrato

Chair

John L. Carrato

John Carrato is Chairman of the Board of Benesch, a multi-disciplined professional services firm providing civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, geotechnical, landscape architecture and environmental services. During Carrato’s tenure, Benesch has grown from 210 to 750 employees and from 5 offices in 4 states to 36 offices in 18 states.

Carrato currently serves as a vice chair on ACEC’s Executive Committee, is chair of the ACEC/PAC Champions Committee, and is vice chair of the Management Practices Committee. He was appointed chair of the ACEC Research Institute’s board of directors. He also serves on ACEC’s Government Advocacy and Transportation Committees, and the Design Professionals Coalition (DPC).

Carrato holds a BS and MS in Structural Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign.

Michael J. Carragher, PE

Vice Chair

Michael J. Carragher, PE

Mike Carragher is the Chair & CEO of VHB, a multidisciplinary civil engineering consulting and design firm headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts, with 1,600 professionals.

Carragher is active in numerous professional associations, including ACEC, where he serves as vice chair of the ACEC Research Institute board of directors, and on the executive committee of ACEC’s Design Professionals Coalition (DPC). He is also active with the Women’s Transportation Seminar, Design-Build Institute of America, American Public Transportation Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, and the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association.

He received a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware and served as chairman of the university’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Advisory Council.

Mike Corkery

Treasurer

Mike Corkery

Mike Corkery is president and CEO of Deltek, an enterprise software and information solutions provider with over 3,000 employees. During his tenure, Deltek has more than doubled in size and now serves 30,000 customers across 80 countries.

Corkery formerly served as CFO and acting CEO of ICO Global Communications, and held various executive positions for leading technology companies. He serves as group executive of software at Roper Technologies, and is a board member for both the Year Up National Capital Region and the Northern Virginia Technology Council. He also is a board of trustee member for the Flint Hill School in Oakton, Virginia.

In 2013, he was named private company CFO of the Year by the Northern Virginia Technology Council and has been twice named (2015 and 2019) to the Wash100 list, as one of the most influential leaders in the government contracting industry.

Corkery earned a BS in Accounting from St. Bonaventure University.

Daphne Bryant

Secretary

Daphne Bryant

Daphne Bryant is the executive director of the ACEC Research Institute and senior vice president of membership and MO services for ACEC, joining the council in 2018. She has over 30 years’ experience in nonprofit, association and foundation leadership roles, focused on building relationships and revenues. Prior to joining ACEC, she was executive director, GBTA Foundation and senior vice president of business development for the Global Business Travel Association (2000-2018), responsible for generating nearly $500 million for the organization through sponsorships, expositions, advertising/media, special events and donations. Prior to GBTA, Bryant spent 11 years at Gifts In Kind International where she held senior roles in marketing and communications, membership, distribution, and business development.

Bryant attended Virginia Tech and has completed the Global Leadership Professional program and the Women In Leadership program at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Lewis P. Cornell

Board Member

Joseph A. Fiordaliso

Board Member

Joseph A. Fiordaliso

Joe Fiordaliso is a seasoned public policy professional with vast experience and expertise solving complex governmental issues. During a career that spans nearly twenty-five years, Joe has held prominent positions in and out of government. He has distinguished himself as a trusted advisor to Members of Congress, Governors, cabinet officials and clients, including corporate executives, business leaders, and heads of non-profit and charitable organizations.

Joe serves as President of the American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey (ACECNJ), a position to which he was appointed in 2011. He led a bottom-up overhaul of the organization, stabilizing and rebuilding membership, developing strong programs and events, and reestablishing the organization’s presence in Trenton. Under Joe’s leadership, ACECNJ has regained its position as trusted voice before policy-makers and stakeholders. Today, ACECNJ is known throughout New Jersey and the region as an effective and influential advocacy organization, fighting to protect the business interests of A/E firms.

In 2020 Joe was elected Secretary/Treasurer of the National Association of Engineering Company Executives (NAECE), whose membership includes ACEC Member Organization executives from throughout the United States. He presently serves as President-elect of NAECE and sits on the Board of Directors of the ACEC Research Institute. He will serve as President of NAECE in 2022 and in this capacity will sit on the Executive Committee of ACEC.

Charles J. Gozdziewski

Board Member

Charles J. Gozdziewski

Mr. Gozdziewski is Chairman Emeritus of Hardesty & Hanover in New York.
He is active on ACEC’s Planning Cabinet, the Design Professionals Coalition, and was Chair of the national ACEC/PAC Champions Committee. He has served as President and National Director of ACEC/New York.
He holds a BS in Aerospace Engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn.

Linda Bauer Darr

Board Member

Linda Bauer Darr

Linda Bauer Darr is president and CEO of ACEC, joining the Council in August 2018. She came to the Council after serving as president of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (2014-2018) and the American Moving & Storage Association (2007-2014). She also held senior positions from 2001–2007 with the American Bus Association, and from 1998-2000 served as deputy assistant secretary for budget and programs at the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Darr holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of Maryland and is a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Committee of 100 Top Association Executives.

Nicolas Mangon

Board Member

Nicolas Mangon

Nicolas Mangon is vice president of AEC industry, business and marketing strategy, at Autodesk, a multinational software corporation, which he joined in 2003.

As an accomplished structural engineer, Mangon infuses his industry expertise in the continued development of innovative solutions for architects, engineers and contractors to optimize the life-cycle management of their projects. He is also a leader of the global development of 3D visualization and the BIM process across the AEC industry.

Mangon earned a Master of Science degree in civil and structural engineering from the Ecole Spéciale des Travaux Publics, du Bâtiment et de l’Industrie in Paris and a Master’s degree in Engineering specializing in Water and Fluid Dynamics from the University of Le Havre.

Dr. Gary W. Raba

Board Member

Dr. Gary W. Raba

Dr. Gary W. Raba is Chief Growth Officer of Raba Kistner, Inc. in San Antonio, Texas.
He is active on ACEC’s Planning cabinet, the Design Professional Coalition and is Chair of the national ACEC/PAC Committee. Gary has served as ACEC/Texas Chairman and PAC Chair.
He holds BS, MS and Doctor of Engineering degrees in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.

Kate Harris

Board Member

Kate Harris

Steven Lefton

Board Member

Steven Lefton

Steve Lefton is president and CEO of Kimley-Horn, an engineering, planning, and design consulting firm with more than 4,000 employees in over 90 offices nationwide.

Lefton joined Kimley-Horn in 1997 in Miami Beach, where he led an interdisciplinary practice focused around urban redevelopment. He later served as regional leader for the firm’s Mid-America region, which he helped more than double in size and revenue. He was appointed to the firm’s board of directors in 2016 and became president and CEO in 2018.

Lefton earned his Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Cornell and his MBA from the University of Miami School of Business.

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Board Member

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Cathy Ritter

Board Member

Cathy Ritter

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Board Member

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Alyson Watson

Board Member

Alyson Watson

Daphne Bryant

Executive Director

Daphne Bryant

Daphne Bryant is the executive director of the ACEC Research Institute and senior vice president of membership and MO services for ACEC, joining the council in 2018. She has over 30 years’ experience in nonprofit, association and foundation leadership roles, focused on building relationships and revenues. Prior to joining ACEC, she was executive director, GBTA Foundation and senior vice president of business development for the Global Business Travel Association (2000-2018), responsible for generating nearly $500 million for the organization through sponsorships, expositions, advertising/media, special events and donations. Prior to GBTA, Bryant spent 11 years at Gifts In Kind International where she held senior roles in marketing and communications, membership, distribution, and business development.

Bryant attended Virginia Tech and has completed the Global Leadership Professional program and the Women In Leadership program at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Kerry Gaylor

Director, Programs

Kerry Gaylor

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