We Are VERTEX

Paul King is a Senior Forensic Structural Engineer with Vertex, holding over 30 years’ international experience in Civil / Structural Engineering design. In recent years, Mr. King has completed several hundred forensic investigations and reports for claims that included design and/or construction errors, weather events, structural failures, construction impact damage assessment, water damage and catastrophic events. Mr. King has performed expert witness work on litigation cases including injury, property damage, design and construction defects.

Mr. King was a structural engineer based in New York City for 18 years, where his work included the structural engineering design of low, medium and high-rise new buildings in addition to the reuse of existing buildings. Mr. King performed analysis and design of building structural and foundation systems using building materials including reinforced and precast concrete, structural and light gauge steel, masonry and wood. Mr. King prepared and supervised the preparation of structural plans and specifications, including obtaining approvals from City and State Agencies, for projects in the residential, commercial, hospitality and healthcare sectors predominantly. Mr. King provided structural engineering support services during construction including construction document coordination, project meetings, review of contractor submittals, site inspections, review special inspection reports and non-conformance work, project completion and sign-off.

Mr. King has prior overseas experience, where he worked for over 10 years on infrastructure projects in Europe and Asia. Mr. King completed engineering analysis and design on large scale road and bridge construction, in addition to structural and foundation systems for buildings in several market sectors including healthcare, retail and commercial.

Tiffany W. Chang is a Project Manager working within VERTEX’s Litigation Support Group. She graduated from New York University in 2015 with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Environmental Biology. Continuing her education, she received her M.S. in Urban Systems Engineering and Management in 2017, also from New York University.

Ms. Chang has a strong background in civil and environmental engineering. Over the last 5 years with VERTEX, she has experienced a variety of litigation projects ranging from common issues such as home settlement to more catastrophic ones such fire and tornado damage. The projects have been located all over the continental US and included contract estimates of up to $100 million. Ms. Chang’s responsibilities have included construction estimation, report preparation, contract document composition, and litigation support.

Ms. Chang uses these skills and experiences as an integral member of the Litigation division within VERTEX to provide damage assessments, repair recommendations, and cost estimates for structural, building envelope, and civil components on residential and commercial applications.

David Magarici Nahon is a Consultant for the Surety team at VERTEX, specializing in structural engineering, construction analysis, and risk assessment. With a Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Purdue University, David brings a strong technical background to his work in the surety and forensic engineering space.

At VERTEX, David leverages his expertise in structural assessments, construction oversight, and project analysis to support surety investigations, claims evaluations, and forensic engineering services. His experience in bridge and infrastructure design, load modeling, and structural evaluations allows him to provide detailed insights into project performance, cost analysis, and dispute resolution.

Prior to joining VERTEX, David worked as a Bridge Structural Engineer at AECOM Canada Ltd., where he was responsible for detailed structural design calculations, engineering assessments, and load analysis for new and existing infrastructure. He also gained hands-on construction experience as a Project Coordinator Co-op at Turner Construction Company, contributing to a multimillion-dollar renovation project for the Bank of Montreal’s temporary trading floors. David is fluent in English, Spanish, Hebrew.

Ms. Miller has over 10 years of experience in environmental consulting, specializing in mold, mold remediation, indoor air quality and petroleum loss investigation and management. She has worked with clients across federal, state, local, and private sectors, offering expertise in compliance, permitting, environmental due diligence, site assessments, and remediation. Her field experience includes mold and moisture assessments, indoor air quality sampling, soil and groundwater. With extensive knowledge of mold and water damage assessment, she utilizes industry-standard equipment and ensures compliance with safety regulations and environmental standards. Ms. Miller is dedicated to delivering thorough reporting and effective follow-up services to her clients.

Ms. Miller currently serves as a Senior Project Manager within the Claims, Disputes and Forensics department at VERTEX. Her role includes preparing detailed environmental reports, including claim investigation reports, cause and origin reports, invoice reviews, cost evaluations and mold remediation protocols.

Jeff is a focused and results-oriented project professional. With particular experience working in existing building environments, he is a proactive problem solver with a record of positive outcomes. Jeff excels at building successful relationships with the entire project team including owners, regulators, local officials, designers, and builders. He has managed complex Historic Restoration, K-12 Schools, Universities and Healthcare projects requiring a thorough understanding of the permitting and approval process.

Mr. Bator has over 22 years of experience in the environmental consulting and insurance services. He has provided consulting services on a variety of pollution sites, including: petroleum releases, dry-cleaning releases, chemical explosions, truck rollovers, oil and gas pipeline releases, site redevelopment impacts, sedimentation events, and bulk storage facility releases. Mr. Bator has technical experience with a broad range of claims, including multi-million remediations.

Currently, Mr. Bator serves as the Senior Managing Director of the Environmental Insurance Services group at VERTEX. In this position, Mr. Bator is responsible for managing clients, and files across the United States. Additionally, he is responsible for staffing and overseeing client management services to insurance and litigation clients for risk management, claim investigation, remedial investigations/actions, regulatory reporting, cost negotiation/allocation, and closure negotiation.

Mr. Hambrook has over thirteen years of experience in civil / structural engineering design and forensic investigations. Elliott has a strong background in commercial building enclosure systems and has completed dozens of condition assessments, forensic evaluations, and designs for new construction, restoration, and repair projects. He has also performed construction administration services including bid review and award recommendations, preconstruction meetings, submittal and shop drawing review, construction progress and coordination meetings, periodic on-site observations and reporting, and project closeout.

Elliott has performed evaluation and design services including composing technical reports and communications, drafting field sketches and plan information into AutoCAD, conducting peer reviews of building enclosure systems, preparing construction documents suitable for public bids, and performing building enclosure commissioning (BECx) services. He has project management experience and is a licensed professional engineer in Connecticut.

Elliott has experience with the design and forensic evaluations of wood, concrete, stone, structural and non-structural masonry systems, steel and other metals, fenestration systems, flashings, coatings, and historic finishes. Elliott has an expertise with residential and commercial roofing and waterproofing systems and has knowledge of state and local building code requirements as they relate to the repair and rehabilitation of damaged structures and enclosure systems.

With over 16 years of combined experience, Asa Sullivan has built a solid reputation as a Senior Building Consultant, Licensed Insurance Adjuster, and Appraiser. His expertise encompasses a variety of loss types, including wind, water, and fire damage, showcasing his ability to tackle the multifaceted challenges inherent in the claims industry. Asa’s background includes both independent and staff adjusting roles, which have allowed him to hone his investigative skills and analytical thinking, which are crucial for making well-informed decisions when assessing property damage claims.

As a Senior Building Consultant, Asa’s role is pivotal in evaluating and inspecting claimed losses. His comprehensive approach to claims allows him to determine not only the cause of damage but the extent of the loss. Asa works diligently to navigate disputes and reach amicable resolutions with all parties. His collaborative nature shines through in his interactions with carriers, claimants, contractors, and public adjusters, exemplifying his commitment to fostering positive relationships in a field that often faces challenges and differing viewpoints.

Mr. Sullivan’s relevant experience in building consulting includes a range of projects primarily focused on water and fire damage assessments across various residential properties in the Greater New York City Metropolitan Area. Notable cases include a single-family dwelling in Port Chester, NY, where wind damage led to extensive water intrusion affecting three floors. Additionally, his expertise was applied to a plumbing leak in a condominium in New York as well as several incidents involving freeze damage to plumbing across multiple single-family dwellings. These projects highlighted his ability to navigate complex and disputed claims, with estimates ranging up to $250,000.

In the realm of fire damage, Asa handled detailed assessments for significant losses at both single-family and multi-family residences. A notable fire incident in Assonet, MA, resulted in damages estimated at approximately $265,000, while multiple cases in Brooklyn showcased his skills in assessing extensive smoke and fire damage, with one multi-family apartment project totaling in excess of $800,000 and another in New York City eclipsing the $1,000,000 mark for damages. Each of these claims demonstrated Asa’s proficiency in evaluating the impacts of fire and water damage, working alongside carriers and public adjusters to achieve fair resolutions amid disputed losses.

Jerry Boyd is a seasoned geologist with over 30 years of experience in the environmental industry. He has extensive experience conducting site assessments and the design and implementation of remedial systems to manage contamination in air, soil, stormwater, groundwater, and marine sediments.

Mr. Boyd’s experience includes environmental litigation support, hazardous waste characterization and disposal, and the evaluation of remediation technologies. He has conducted hydrogeologic investigations for landfill siting and expansion, as well as the assessment and remediation of oil and natural gas refineries, metering facilities, and compressor plants. He has also managed complex property evaluations, remediation efforts, and redevelopment projects within the energy sector.

In addition to his technical expertise, Mr. Boyd has played a key role in conflict resolution, working with property owners, activist groups, and regulatory authorities to navigate environmental challenges and achieve project objectives.

Mr. Chow is an award-winning Construction Executive and Forensic Architect with 15+ years of construction experience. Specialized international expertise in Surety, Construction Management, Project Management, Risk Management, and Building Design. He unites these skills to specialize in resolving complex construction defaults, insolvency, and disputes for high-value commercial construction projects across North America. He is the driving force behind the completion of high stress and high priority large scale construction projects. He has played a pivotal lead role in hundreds of claims investigations for projects valued up to $500 million. He has expertly remediated large loss claims and led claims teams to resolve some of North America’s largest commercial construction defaults. He has presented to industry in various forums, conferences, and publications in both the US and Canada as a subject matter expert and provides services across North America.

Mr. Chow is one of less than ten people in North America holding the Professional, Gold Seal Certification in Owner’s Construction Management (P.GSC-OCM) designation. He is a Registered Architect, is a Member of the American Institute of Architects, and Member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. He is a licensed Professional Technologist, a PMP designation holder, and is a LEED Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction. As a design professional, he has contributed to large-scale commercial buildings projects in healthcare, education, retail, office and corporate work, holding positions on design teams for projects valued up to $1 billion.

Ms. Tomchinsky serves as a Senior Project Manager within the Claims, Disputes, and Forensics team at VERTEX, handling environmental insurance matters. Her roles and responsibilities include: environmental pollution claim cause and origin investigations, reviewing cost proposals and invoices to evaluate both remedial feasibility and reasonable and necessary costs for remediation, reviewing historical site documents, evaluating laboratory data, environmental risk investigations, conducting site visits to oversee underground storage tank removal and pollution event sites and indoor air quality claims, and environmental underwriting review assessments.

Tony Pacifico is a Senior Manager in VERTEX’s contract claims practice with over 35 years of combined experience in claims and dispute resolution. construction management, design management and project controls. His background includes petrochemical, power, manufacturing, data center, environmental and building projects as well as public works at the federal, state, and local level including bridges, highways, light rail, and water resources. His experience includes projects in the US, Canada, and the Middle East.

Steve Mickelson brings more than 25 years of experience in professional engineering disciplines including forensic engineering explorations, management, construction observation, and building analysis and design. He has worked on low-rise and high-rise commercial buildings, custom residential buildings, and retaining walls. He is currently licensed in 32 states or territories as a professional, civil and/or structural engineer.

Steve previously served as a senior structural engineer, a principal engineer, and a forensic engineering manager performing forensic engineering explorations, expert witness consulting, neutral evaluations, and engineering analysis/design. His prior experience also includes employment as a building design department manager performing engineering analysis/design, drafting, contracts, marketing, spreadsheet programming, developing a typical detail library, specifications, job site observation, special inspections, and insurance claim investigations.

Steve provides excellent project management and communication skills. His extensive experience in the engineering industry has provided him with a unique ability to combine technical expertise and customer service to effectively serve clients.

Saday Rivera, Senior Consultant at VERTEX, is a construction professional with over 27 years of experience in the construction industry. Mrs. Rivera has held several positions within the industry some of which have been Program Manager, Construction Manager, Operations Manager, Senior Estimator, and Senior Project Manager. She has been responsible for planning, coordinating, and supervising company estimating, operations and construction field activities. Mrs. Rivera has provided technical and administrative direction to ensure estimates are on budget and projects are completed on time. Mrs. Rivera is a Certified General Contractor in the State of Florida and has managed numerous construction projects within the State. She has provided construction management for hospitals, schools, multi-family and office buildings, and government facilities. She is a team player and has held leadership roles that guarantee and ensure work is completed appropriately, and objectives are met.

Mr. Johnsen has over eleven years of experience working on various construction and environmental remediation projects at residential, commercial, municipal, and government sites. With a broad clientele base ranging from individual homeowners to law firms, private contractors, and government agencies, Mr. Johnsen has worked extensively with a wide variety of environmental contaminants and cleanup procedures. Mr. Johnsen is an American Board of Industrial Hygiene Certified Industrial Hygienist and provides expertise in comprehensive industrial hygiene, regulatory compliance including OSHA and EPA program compliance, mold, asbestos, chemical exposure monitoring (e.g. formaldehyde, hexavalent chromium, cadmium, etc.) waterborne pathogens (e.g., Legionella, E.coli, etc.), wildfire residue sampling assessments (soot/ash/char), COVID-19 consulting, illicit drug testing and remediation, and hazardous waste. As an expert, Mr. Johnsen has provided deposition testimony, written expert reports, and assisted colleagues with written expert reports.

John Belbusti is a Senior Managing Director at VERTEX. With a proven track record of driving significant growth and operational excellence across global organizations, John specializes in creating commercial strategies and delivering results through data-driven decision-making. He excels in developing innovative yet practical solutions to complex challenges.

John has successfully led multidisciplinary teams, fostering engagement and collaboration at all levels. Known for his strategic thinking and adaptability, he thrives in dynamic environments, leveraging his skills in stakeholder engagement, organizational design, and change leadership.

John holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from New York University School of Law and a Bachelor of Architecture with Highest Honors from Pratt Institute, where he received the AIA Henry Adams Medal. His diverse career spans executive roles in global real estate, procurement, and architecture, with experience at CBRE, McKinsey & Company, and more.

Sandra Burga brings over 25 years of experience in architecture, construction, and project management, delivering transformative solutions across high-end residential, commercial, public works, retail, and hospitality sectors. With a Master of Architecture and an MBA, Sandra combines strategic vision with hands-on leadership, consistently guiding complex, multimillion-dollar projects to success. Her expertise lies in bridging innovative design with cost-effective strategies, ensuring client satisfaction and lasting business relationships.

Sandra’s leadership has earned her recognition for her ability to streamline processes, optimize budgets, and foster high-performance teams, making her an invaluable asset to VERTEX’s continued growth and success. Fluent in English and Spanish, she leverages her global experience and diverse skill set to drive impactful results.

Mr. Waldenmyer is a Managing Director & Regional Lead at VERTEX with over 24 years of experience in the environmental consulting industry. As a Managing Director & Regional Lead, he is tasked with the overall leadership, management, strategy, growth and success of VERTEX’s environmental operations in the Mountain, Midwest, West and Pacific Northwest regions. He is tasked with business development, client management, strategic growth initiatives, overseeing hiring practices, proposal preparation, contract negotiations, developing and coordinating project work plans and schedules, conducting site research, report generation, and technical review, ensuring product quality control, subcontractor oversight, interacting with regulators and clients. He is tasked with ensuring compliance of operations with all local, state and Federal regulations as well as compliance with company policy and risk management practices. Mr. Waldenmyer has working knowledge of environmental regulations throughout the Rocky Mountain, Great Lakes, Midwestern, West Coast and Pacific Northwest States as well as Florida, North Carolina, and Texas.

Dynamic professional with a background in steam turbine/generator maintenance, now transitioning into fire protection engineering. With a steadfast commitment to safety, I bring a proven track record of ensuring operational efficiency and reliability in complex machinery environments. Eager to apply my technical expertise and problem-solving skills to develop innovative fire protection solutions and contribute to the safety and integrity of industrial and commercial facilities.

Kelsey Bonner is a Senior Director in the Washington, D.C. office of The Vertex Companies, LLC. Kelsey provides expertise in cost and pricing issues and forensic accounting related to U.S. Government contracts. She has extensive experience preparing and evaluating Requests for Equitable Adjustment and Certified Claims, performing cost and price analyses, developing and reviewing termination settlement proposals, analyzing and rebutting false claims act allegations, analyzing cost and pricing issues in bid protests, evaluating contractor compliance with federal regulations, and performing forensic analyses. Kelsey has provided expert testimony at the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals.

Kelsey has conducted detailed reviews of accounting records, accounting systems, and various government regulations and guidelines, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Contract Pricing Reference Guides (CPRG), and DCAA Contract Audit Manual (DCAM).

Kelsey also has experience analyzing damages and performing forensic analysis on commercial and construction matters.

Kelsey is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the National Contract Management Association, and the American Bar Association Public Law Contract Section.

Richard Tobia has over 35 years of environmental engineering experience in the specification, design, troubleshooting, and installation of various soil, groundwater, nd soil vapor environmental remediation systems. For 26 of those years, he has also worked as a project manager/engineer with technical focus in environmental engineering for industrial clients and the Federal government. His consulting experience spans privately and publicly held industrial clients from diverse industries, including chemical, pharmaceutical, petroleum, consumer goods, food, retail, manufacturing, real estate, land development and law firms.

Mr. Tobia has been involved in soil and groundwater investigation and remediation, vapor intrusion investigation and mitigation design, underground storage tank (UST) and aboveground (AST) closures and installations, characterization and disposal of contaminated soil, SPCC, wastewater and stormwater compliance, and industrial wastewater pretreatment system design and installation. Mr. Tobia has more than 8 years of Superfund experience in the execution of bench-, pilot- and full-scale remediation systems and multi-media site characterization.

As Technical Expert – Remediation and a Professional Engineer in multiple states, Mr. Tobia is responsible for development of remediation strategies, preparation of remediation system design documents, and technical document development and review.

Mr. Ezold is a senior mechanical engineer with over 35 years of experience including expertise in central chilled water plant (variable primary and primary-secondary) and central steam plant (Biomass, Natural Gas, Coal, and CHP), design, operations, maintenance, and water treatment. Mr. Ezold has extensive retro-commissioning field experience with the optimization of building mechanical systems including VRF, HVAC, chilled water, hot water, steam, compressed air, submersible pumps, centrifugal pumps, vertical turbine line-shaft pumps, air and water balancing, and Direct Digital Control. Forensic investigation experience includes weld quality control and weld failure analysis, evaluating mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) failures in commercial and residential mechanical building systems, industrial plants, food processing plants, hospitals, and educational facilities. Mr. Ezold is a licensed professional engineer in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and is an active member of both ASHRAE and AEE.

Ms. Ansley is an Architect with over 30 years of experience in the design and construction industry. Her career has not taken a linear path which has proved to be an advantage. She has acquired exceptional team building skills by serving clients alternatively in the roles of Architect, Owner’s Representative or General Contractor and as a result, brings insight from each of these major project stakeholder’s perspectives to every team interaction. Ms. Ansley’s experience spans the private and public sectors, completing projects on schedule and within budget for clients that include the University of Maryland at College Park, Baltimore City Fire Department, private multi-family housing Developers and numerous non-profit organizations. She has also worked as a Third Party Permit Plans Reviewer of hospital and casino projects for the Department of Permitting & Inspections of Prince George’s County, Maryland within their major projects division. Above all, Ms. Ansley is dedicated to providing client service that is transparent, honest and delivered with earnest urgency.

Courtney Ciapciak has over 13 years of experience working in the environmental industry. Courtney has a broad range of technical and management expertise in insurance services, environmental consulting, remediation, risk management, and due diligence services. Courtney received her undergraduate degree from Salem State University with an emphasis in Geology. Courtney is currently working towards her Masters degree in Management at CU Denver.

Mr. Steen serves as Vice President at VERTEX. As a Vice President, he is responsible for providing account management, staff oversight, and claims management services to insurance clients, specializing in No. 2 fuel oil-related matters.

Joseph J. Egan is an Executive Vice President at The Vertex Companies, LLC. Joe has over 35 years of consulting experience in economic damages and accounting issues in several litigation areas including breach of contract, lost profits, fraud investigations, construction disputes, class actions, intellectual property, environmental disputes, and insurance. His clients have included commercial property developers, hospitality industry, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers, defense contractors, telecommunication companies, oil companies, electric utilities, insurance companies, construction contractors, architects, engineers, and municipalities, among others.

Joe previously co-founded and was senior partner at Breakwater Forensics, LLC and has worked for several national and international consulting firms including Navigant Consulting where he was the Chicago Office Managing Director, and Tucker Alan, Inc. where he was a Vice President. He has also lectured at the University of Illinois on forensic accounting. He has guest lectured on construction management at the University of Illinois, Purdue University, and Northwestern University’s Master of Project Management Program.

Carson Stepler is a Manager in the Austin office of VERTEX. He specializes in the review and analysis of construction claims related to economic damages, scheduling, and productivity disputes.

Carson is experienced in the evaluation of project delays using the critical path method (“CPM”) including delays resulting from design related changes, fabrication and delivery delays, COVID-19, adverse weather impacts, payment disputes, and loss of productivity, among other issues. He has also analyzed claims related to cost overruns, lost profits, and wrongful termination. He has been involved in a variety of industrial, commercial, residential, public works, and infrastructure projects including power plants, sports stadiums, high-rise condominiums, roadways, hotels, and hospitals.

Carson is also experienced in construction cost estimating. He has developed estimates for a variety remediation and repair projects including apartment complexes, airport developments, storage facilities, senior living facilities, and food processing plants, among others.Carson has assisted in the preparation of claims, expert reports, settlement presentations, and testimony. He has also provided clients with on-going schedule support including the development and modification of project schedules, periodic tracking of schedule progress, and identification of areas for improvement in schedule quality and accuracy.

I have 20+ years of administrative experience and began my career journey at VERTEX October 2014, as an Office Administrator in our New York City office in our Surety Services group. I supported not only the administrative needs of my group, but also the office. Over time I was able to learn about the different service areas at VERTEX and started supporting other groups and clients. When VERTEX then acquired a company named Xpera, I was eager to learn about their services and this led me to work closely with them supporting Fire claims and our litigation support group. I was selected to be a Facilitator for our company wide People Management training program where I was able to acquire new management skills and refresh others. As a Facilitator, the exposure to these lessons was my affirmation that I was ready to move to the next level in my career as a people manager. With the support and guidance of my manager, I applied and was promoted to my current role as an Operations and Teams Support Manager for our Surety group. I also partner with the HR team as a local office Onboarding Ambassador, ensuring the effective integration of new employees. I look forward to implementing all the lessons I have learned to date and continuing to grow and develop my management skills. I am also fluent speaking and writing in Spanish.

Brad F. Busick, MBA is a Manager in the Ft. Lauderdale office of Vertex’s Contract Claims group. Brad has over two decades of experience in the construction industry, with experience ranging from Project Management to Financial Management and Accounting. Brad specializes in construction matters, forensic accounting, cost audits, surety and fidelity claims, and other commercial disputes.

Anissa has over 16 years of experience in the industry and is a knowledgeable and motivated Project Manager and Estimator. She is adept in all aspects of project management including planning, budget management, and coordinating all working parts of a project. She has excellent time management skills and the ability to juggle multiple projects in various phases of construction and budgeting simultaneously.

Meredith is an Assistant Project Manager on the VERTEX Owners Project Management (OPM) team. Meredith graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management with a concentration in Facilities Management in 2023. She began her career in OPM as a high school senior in 2019, where she interned with Compass Project Management, LLC (now a VERTEX company). During her final co-op at Wentworth in the fall of 2022, Meredith returned to Vertex to work on the Boston University Data Science Center Project. In the spring of 2023, after completing her co-ops, Meredith continues working with Vertex while completing her Master’s degree. She is currently working on the Westwood Pine Hill Elementary School and the Walpole Bird Middle School projects.

Mr. Heckel has been providing forensic architectural services for 25 years, and previously was an award-winning design architect. Mr. Heckel has been a registered architect in California since 1985. During his career, he has provided expert witness services on behalf of both Plaintiffs and Defendants (including subcontractors and developers) for construction defect and professional liability matters, and has provided opinions at mediation, deposition, arbitration and trial. Case experience has ranged in size from single family home remodels to 40 story high-rise and mid-rise complexes with claims from $30M to > $100M.

In addition to construction defect and professional liability claims, Mr. Heckel’s experience includes real estate development and investing, zoning and planning studies, permitting, construction management, architectural and engineering copyright infringement, ADA/FHA review, and architectural peer review. He has also reviewed commercial construction documents in Spanish related to claims in South America.

Mr. Daniels is a Licensed Professional Geologist with over 30 years experience in environmental consulting, at both engineering/environmental consulting firms and in the insurance industry. For 20 years, Mr. Daniels provided internal environmental consulting, risk management, and engineering support services to the environmental claims and environmental underwriting divisions of Chubb and, prior to that, AIG, where Mr. Daniels founded, developed and managed for 16 years an internal environmental consulting division of the company consisting of 25 in-house engineers, geologists, and environmental scientists. During his tenure in the insurance industry, Mr. Daniels provided technical consultation, analysis, and advisement on over 500 environmental claims. Prior to his insurance industry experience, Mr. Daniels worked for 10 years at Dames & Moore (currently AECOM) as a Senior Geologist and Project Manager and prior to that was employed for three years as a Staff Geologist and Project Manager in CSS-Dynamac Corporation’s Environmental Risk Management Division.

Ms. Copeland is a Division Manager at VERTEX with 26 years of experience in the environmental field. She has a successful track record of completing projects on-time, multi-tasking, exceeding the expectations of company owners and clients while achieving outstanding overall results. Ms. Copeland currently manages due diligence related projects in the Mid-Atlantic region as well as national portfolios. These duties also include managing and training employees, business development, preparation of proposals and project work authorizations, and budgeting. Ms. Copeland is also a member of VERTEX’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) council and is mentor within the company’s mentorship program (EDGE).

As Technical Director of Due Diligence, Ms. Reynolds provides technical support services for VERTEX’s Due Diligence services, and works with the Vertex Ingenieros Consultores, S. de R.L. de C.V. team on Mexico-based projects for US-based clients. Ms. Reynolds conducts Phase I ESAs and other Due Diligence-related services for complex properties, including malls, colleges, and factories, and works with VERTEX’s developer clients on initial Due Diligence investigations to review and characterize potential environmental concerns associated with properties proposed for development, including sites with contamination and Brownfield redevelopment opportunities.

Ms. Reynolds develops internal training and review programs to ensure compliance with ASTM, EPA, and industry standards for Due Diligence projects. Ms. Reynolds also develops trainings and outreach for VERTEX clients. Currently, Ms. Reynolds is closely tracking upcoming regulatory changes with respect to emerging contaminants, including Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS), and is working with the VERTEX team to develop internal and client-focused trainings to assist with these upcoming changes.

Courtney Ciapciak has over 13 years of experience working in the environmental industry. Courtney has a broad range of technical and management expertise in insurance services, environmental consulting, remediation, risk management, and due diligence services. Courtney received her undergraduate degree from Salem State University with an emphasis in Geology. Courtney is currently working towards her Masters degree in Management at CU Denver.

Courtney serves as an Assistant Vice Presdient of Loss Control within the Environmental Insurance group at VERTEX. Her roles and responsibilities include: account management, business development, environmental risk investigations, environmental underwriting review assessments, claim investigations, remedy selection, cost evaluation, invoice reviews, cost and closure negotiations, scheduling, coordination of subcontractor activities, and report composition.
She currently managing the Environmental Loss Control accounts which include project that evaluate environmental and general liability risks for underwriting purposes.
Courtney also serves as Co-Chair of VERTEX’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and Chair of the LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group.

As a Surety Claims Consultant for Vertex, Ms. Leech is responsible for s responsible for all aspects of surety claims investigations and resolutions, including initial investigations, resolving payment bond claims and other contract claims, conducting relet processes, monitoring completion of work, as well as managing on-site activities in completion scenarios. Ms. Leech is a Certified Construction Document Technologist (CDT) and is currently pursuing her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

Ms. Leech has a background in Commercial Construction, Interior Finishes, Project Management and Accounting. She has worked as an onsite owner’s representative for several large-scale mall expansion projects across the US. Ms. Leech also has exposure to the multi-family sector managing a portfolio of CAPEX projects as well as trade specific experience working with a Millwork General Contractor fabricating and installing high-end custom finishes. Along with full-cycle project management, Ms. Leech brings strong experience in accounting analytics, plan review and field operations.

Chris joined VERTEX in December 2023 as a Regional Vice President, responsible for overseeing Forensics in the Mid-Atlantic territory. With over 20 years of experience in the forensics and insurance claims industry, Casaleggio brings a wealth of expertise to the team. His background in property and casualty insurance will assist in driving growth for VERTEX’s Claims and Expert services, not only in the region, but across the country. His experience includes employment at several major insurance carriers and also time as an intercompany arbitrator, settling coverage, liability and damage disputes. Apart from expansion, Chris will also focus on improving the efficiency of the Forensic product and ensuring timely and accurate delivery of services while maintaining the highest standards of quality and professionalism for clients.

Chris is an active member of several insurance claims organizations in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. He holds several industry designations, including an Associate in Claims (AIC) and an Associate in General Insurance (AINS). He is also licensed as a Property & Casualty Adjuster in Texas, with reciprocity in over 30 states. Chris is the author of several books aimed at helping insurance claim adjusters excel in their careers, such as Adjusting to a Career in Property & Casualty Claims and Adjusting to Property & Casualty Claims: Negotiation 101. His articles have appeared in industry periodicals such as Property Casualty 360, Claims Magazine, Insurance Thought Leadership, and CLM Magazine.

In his leisure time, Chris enjoys playing and watching ice hockey, as well as traveling Europe and exploring new cultures.

Andy helps companies and their legal counsel avoid and/or resolve business disputes. He investigates complex schedule delay and economic damages issues, primarily related to the construction, energy, and utility industries.

Andy performs cost and schedule analyses often related to contract disputes, delay claims, and change orders. He performs Critical Path Method (“CPM”) analyses, executes extensive review and analysis of large volumes of project documents, and analyzes cost and schedule overruns. He has authored expert reports for purposes of mediation and arbitration. He also supports the development of expert reports, assists with the preparation of demonstratives for arbitration and trial, and supports experts in preparation for testimony.

Andy has experience assisting general contractors with development and review of project schedules for ongoing construction projects. He has also developed cost estimates for a variety of construction projects.

Prior to his consulting work, Andy worked as a Field Technical Advisor for a major petrochemical technology company. He provided on-site advisory services at refineries and petrochemical sites in China, Taiwan, Germany, Spain, and the United States.

Cristal Brun is a Senior Director in the Miami office. She specializes in commercial damages, forensics accounting investigations, and related consulting.

Ms. Brun brings over 20 years of experience in forensic accounting investigations, commercial damages, litigation consulting, corporate finance, auditing, and strategic advisory for publicly-traded, closely-held, and public sector entities. She has led multiple engagements across a broad variety of industries and Fortune 500 firms.

Ms. Brun has extensive experience in economic damage quantification in breach of contract, class action matters, and other commercial disputes. She has managed engagements involving complex accounting and financial analysis, lost profit calculations, funds tracing, assessment of business practices, and internal controls. Additionally, she has significant experience conducting forensic accounting investigations of alleged fraud, money laundering, asset misappropriation, and related issues.

Ms. Brun also has experience working with government entities and government contractors in matters involving monitoring and accounting of federal funds, allegations of breach of fiduciary duties, contract termination claims, and bid protests.

She has provided business and litigation consulting services for clients domestically and internationally across various industries, including construction, pharmaceutical, consumer products, healthcare, telecom, leisure & hospitality, investment banking, financial services, auto manufacturing, distribution, retailing, defense, aerospace, and the government sector.

Ms. Brun has testified as an expert witness in Federal Court and arbitration and has worked with the Department of Justice (DoJ), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), corporate boards, audit committees, and other stakeholders.

Prior to VERTEX, Ms. Brun was a Partner at Yip Associates and previously she was a Senior Director with Alvarez & Marsal, Disputes & Investigations group. Prior to that, she worked for Navigant Consulting and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Ms. Brun holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Corporate Finance from The Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University.

Ms. Brun is fluent in English and Spanish.

Mr. Tweet is a licensed bi-lingual General Contractor with over 20 years of hands on experience in commercial and residential construction and renovations including framing, roofing, interior finish outs, tile, stone, concrete, etc. in Texas. He has excellent oversight/management skills of commercial and residential new construction and renovations as well as extensive network connections within the construction industry. He is also well versed in damage assessment and providing detailed estimates regarding storm damage and CAT events. Lastly, Mr. Tweet understands and recognizes labor, equipment and material procurement and its challenges.