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 Director 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.

Grant Dickson is a graduate of the University of North Florida, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. During his time in school, he gained internship experience in MEP design of healthcare buildings and design/construction management of wastewater projects. Experience included usage of various software, including REVIT, AutoCAD and IESVE. Additionally, basic field work and handling the submittal and RFI processes were tasks he regularly performed. Following his graduation, Grant transitioned to a fire protection designer role, where he gained experience in fire sprinkler and alarm permit drawings, life safety and egress plans, fire alarm shop drawings, fire sprinkler system hydraulic calculations, and on-site fire suppression system evaluations.

Mr. Aldridge, CPA, CFF, has notable experience providing testimony as a CPA expert witness at deposition and authored expert reports for various federal and state courts. He has a concentration in investigative accounting and litigation support, with previous engagements having involved work for major property insurance companies, law firms, and corporations.

He specializes in the evaluation of damages and has handled a wide range of files related to property damage or theft including business interruption, out-of-site and in-site inventory (stock) losses, and employee dishonesty. Mr. Aldridge has handled a multitude of diverse business interruption-related engagements ranging across multiple industries.

ames Granstra is an Executive Vice President in the Austin office of VERTEX. James assists companies and their legal counsel avoid and resolve business disputes. James is experienced in critical path method (“CPM”) delay analysis and analysis of economic damages in the construction and government contract industries. He has analyzed contractor and owner claims arising from delays, productivity loss, disruption, force majeure events, payment disputes, and environmental impacts. He has assisted in the preparation of settlement presentations, expert reports, and subsequent expert testimony in state and federal courts, as well as United States and international arbitrations.

James has also assisted owners and general contractors with the oversight of ongoing construction projects. He has reviewed and participated in baseline schedule development, schedule updates, and delay fragnents for ongoing projects. James has produced schedule updates, periodic project reports, and correspondence. ”

Prior to his work at VERTEX, James worked as a Partner with Breakwater Forensics until 2023 when Breakwater was acquired by VERTEX, Earlier in his career, James worked as a Principal Consultant for The Kenrich Group, LLC, and held a variety of on-site project management positions at Kiewit Corporation before he started consulting. James’ project controls responsibilities included maintenance of project CPM schedules, change order estimation and negotiation, analysis of labor trends and variances, preparation of payment applications, and project cost forecasting. James’ construction management experience included subcontractor management, material procurement, and field supervision.

Libby has more than 25 years of progressive experience in business management, accounting, payroll, technical writing and proposals, and over five (5) years Human Resource experience. Libby began her early career in business administration in a variety of industries, earning her bachelors degree in Business Administration in 2009. She has also taken part in continuing education and professional development programs, earning her SHRM-CP certification and State of Florida Notary designation

Libby has been with Vertex since 2022 and has become an invaluable part of the team. Utilizing her skills and experience, she serves as the Operations Manager with her main focus on the daily business operations including accounting, payroll, human resources support, process improvement, development and implementation of standard operating procedures, estimating, bid preparation, project scheduling, and other administrative tasks.

Suzanne Sniscak Blevins’ lifelong interest in biology, geology, and chemistry has driven her distinguished 48-year career in laboratory biological sciences. She pursued her studies in microbiology at Virginia Tech and dedicated 20 years to American Medical Laboratory, Inc. (AML), where she progressed from night shift bench work to the role of Technical Director of the microbiology department, acquiring extensive expertise in clinical pathogens and laboratory operations.

Suzanne holds the Specialist in Microbiology SM(ASCP) certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology. In 1997, her commitment to integrating clinical and building science microbiology led her to establish Aerobiology Laboratory Associates, Inc., which gained national recognition for its contributions to healthcare pathogen investigations and environmental assessments. Suzanne actively participates in the USP <797> and <1163> Pharmaceutical Compounding Expert Committees and serves as an instructor for the Association of Water Technology, with a focus on Legionella Water Safety. Additionally, she is a co-owner of Apheresis Associates of Northern Virginia, a stem cell collection laboratory supporting the National Marrow Donor Program.

Ms. Agha is an Industrial Hygiene professional with 4 years of experience in the environmental health & safety industry. Ms. Agha has conducted numerous hazard exposure assessments for various contaminants and general industrial hygiene concerns including hexavalent chromium, silica, welding fumes, diisocyanates, lead, VOC’s, noise, respirable dust, ozone, noise, electromagnetic frequencies (EMF), formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, etc. Ms. Agha has experience in laser safety (non-medical) with experience in being a Laser Safety Officer for a large-scale heavy manufacturing facility.

Adam Rhoten is a Director in the San Francisco office. Prior to joining VERTEX, Mr. Rhoten was a Principal, a Manager and a Senior Analyst in the Intellectual Property practices at California Consultants Group, Ocean Tomo and NERA Economic Consulting, respectively. In these roles, Mr. Rhoten oversaw all aspects of client engagements, where his primary focus was providing litigation support for the valuation of intellectual property and other intangible assets for corporate clients. Mr. Rhoten has experience in assisting various Federal and State Courts, Mediation bodies, and Arbitrators in determining economic damages related to Copyrights, Trademarks, and Patents, as well as FRAND/RAND rates for SEPs in corporate acquisition and infringement/litigation settings.

Mr. Rhoten has provided support for opinions regarding patent licensing and damages on behalf of Plaintiffs and Defendants within the telecommunication, consumer product, thermal management, mobile device, enterprise resource management, and Software as a Service industries.Mr. Rhoten is proud to have served many of the AM Law 100 firms, as well as served on working groups related to technology, SEPs / FRAND licensing commitments, and telecommunication as it relates to autonomous vehicles and modern mobility.

Thomas William Bender is a Senior Fire Protection Designer with over 20 years of experience in fire system design, fire investigation, and project management across industrial, commercial, and residential sectors. He is a NICET III in water-based design and is working towards NICET IV and the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam. He has extensive experience in fire suppression systems, fire origin investigations, and providing expert witness testimony. Thomas has contributed to complex fire protection projects, including bio-research facilities, high schools, and industrial sites, showcasing his ability to problem-solve fire systems in various industries.

Kevin Talley has over seven years of experience as a construction claims consultant, with a specialty in schedules and delay analysis, as well as five years of general contracting experience on projects ranging in value from $7mm to $50mm. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Temple University, Kevin served as an Assistant Superintendent, Field Superintendent, and Project Engineer for two ENR Top 400 General Contractors. He worked on projects located throughout the northeast of the United States of America, with a focus on utility and infrastructure. Kevin’s claims analysis experience includes project of multiple types, including bridges, schools, hospitals, hotels, offices, apartments, condominiums, highways, electrical transmission lines, natural gas pipelines, solar farms, and light rail. Kevin utilizes his technical proficiency and practical experience to clearly present claims and assist clients in dispute resolution, and Kevin has performed analyses and reports for various forums of dispute resolution, including mediation, arbitration, and litigation.

Courtney Ewell is a seasoned Human Resources leader with extensive experience in developing and executing HR strategies that align with organizational goals. Courtney spearheads the full spectrum of HR functions, including employee relations, performance management, and compensation and benefits administration. She has a proven track record of establishing strong working relationships with department heads to ensure that HR initiatives support business objectives.

Elizabeth Faber is Certified in Public Health (CPH) by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. Ms. Faber is an EPA accredited asbestos inspector with licenses in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. She also maintains additional certifications for OSHA 30 – Construction Health and Safety, HAZWOPER 40 and NIOSH 582 Phase Contrast Microscopy. Ms. Faber has performed various asbestos abatement oversight and asbestos building inspections to a multitude of facilities not limited to government agencies, universities, public schools, industrial, and commercial buildings. Ms. Faber has also conducted a multitude of chemical exposure assessments for chemicals such as Benzene, Xylene, Methyl Methacrylate, and Formaldehyde. Some of the specialized Industrial Hygiene that Ms. Faber has provided includes confined space monitoring, sound mapping, respirable dust monitoring, and RCRA-8 sampling to name a few. She also has experience in conducting indoor air quality assessments and Phase I Environmental Site assessments. For every client and contact, it is Ms. Faber’s priority to deliver both quality and commitment to the services that she provides.

Thomas was brought on by The Vertex Companies LLC (VERTEX) in October 2023, as a Forensic Accounting Consultant. Prior, Thomas worked at FORVIS, LLP (formerly BKD, LLP) as an Audit Associate from January 2022 through September 2023. While there, Thomas performed audits in accordance with GAAS for a variety of clients in a stretch of industries (insurance, private equity, manufacturing, health care, higher education, nonprofit, commercial real estate, and others).

Thomas is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) as of January 2023.

Dr. Tumeo has expansive experience and background in the Civil / Environmental engineering field. He received his Ph.D. in Civil/Environmental Engineering from the University of California Davis in 1988 and has been a practicing engineer for over 30 years. In addition to civil and environmental engineering, Mark has received a J.D. Law degree and has served as a professor at multiple universities including the University of North Florida, Cleveland State University, and University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Mark initially joined Neptune Fire Protection Engineering in 2019 as a contract employee working specifically with risk engineering including consequence modeling and analysis. He transitioned to a full-time employee in 2021. His experience includes dispersion modeling, fire and explosion modeling, hazardous and toxic waste remediation, environmental risk assessments, and environmental policy and regulation. He has completed multiple projects involving fire and explosion modeling specifically for oil and gas facilities and chemical processing facilities. In addition to consequence modeling, he has completed multiple projects assessing the radiant heat impingement on equipment and the applicable fireproofing requirements of such equipment in accordance with API RP 2218.

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.

Chelsea Cullum is an Executive Vice President in the Washington, D.C. office of VERTEX specializing in cost and pricing issues and forensic accounting related to U.S. Government contracts. She has extensive experience assisting clients with damages and procurement analysis, forensic accounting and investigation support, litigation support, management consulting, and compliance review and assistance. Chelsea has provided expert testimony on matters before various courts and Boards of Contract Appeals. Chelsea also served as an Adjunct Professor in the George Washington University Graduate School of Business, where she developed and taught the course Pricing and Cost Issues in Government Contracts.

Chelsea has conducted extensive reviews of accounting records, accounting systems, and various government regulations and guidelines, including the FAR, DFARS, DFARS Procedures, Guidance, and Information (PGI), Contract Pricing Reference Guides, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) and DCAA Contract Audit Manual (DCAM).

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.

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.

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.

Neil Wharton is a superintendent for the T.I division in Denver. He has been in construction for 5 years. He graduated with honors with a B.S in Project management and has had various roles in the construction industry. Whether it be on the project management side or the boots on the ground superintendent side, he loves what he does. His love of building relationships with clients, building managers and inspectors has helped him to flourish in this role and his love of learning helps him to excel.

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.

Ms. Sarson has a strong scientific background, focused in the physical environmental sciences. As a Senior Project Manager in the Environmental Vertical, Ms. Sarson is a key manager for both the Remediation and Environmental, Social, and Governance (EGS) departments. For the Remediation department Ms. Sarson is responsible for managing and conducting specific job functions related to Brownfield Site redevelopment throughout New England, Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) and Phase II Subsurface Investigations nationwide, and remediation projects conducted under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP). For the ESG department Ms. Sarson is responsible for reviewing Client specific ESG checklists, greenhouse gas emission data, and building energy audits. As a Senior Project Manager Ms. Sarson designs site-specific scopes of work, manages budgets, manages and directs project staff, and client deliverables and communication of results.

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.

Connor is an award-winning construction executive with expertise in Construction Management, Project Management, Risk Management, and Building Design. He specializes in resolving complex construction defaults and insolvency for high-value commercial construction projects. In addition to his practical work, Connor has authored expert witness reports and played a pivotal lead role in hundreds of claims investigations and remediation for numerous construction projects. Connor is one of less than ten professionals with the P.GSC (OCM) designation from the Canadian Construction Association, is a Member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, an Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects, and holds a professional Applied Science Technologist designation amongst various other certifications. As a design professional, he has contributed to large-scale architectural projects in the healthcare, education, and commercial sectors, holding positions on design teams for projects valued up to $1 billion.

Connor holds top honors including National 40 Under 40 in Construction, as well as Insurance Business National Top 50. He has been spotlight profiled in the Saskatchewan Construction Association magazine – We Build, and the national magazine – Piling Canada, among various other distinctions.

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.

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.

Neil is an Executive Vice President with VERTEX and specializes in the forensic investigation of financial, economic damages, project scheduling, productivity, construction management, contract administration, and other issues, primarily related to the government contract, construction, oil & gas, and public utilities industries. He has assisted government agencies, owners, contractors, architects/engineers, sureties, insurance companies, and their counsel with the investigation and resolution of complex business disputes. He has authored expert opinions in approximately 80 litigations/arbitrations. He has testified in trial and arbitration and has presented his opinions at numerous mediation proceedings. Neil also assists general owners, contractors, and other stakeholders with proactive oversight of on-going projects. He evaluates and updates project schedules and project status reports and documents events which have or may impact the contractor’s performance.

Neil cofounded Breakwater Forensics, LLC which was acquired by VERTEX in 2023. Earlier in his career Neil was a design engineer focusing in the areas of civil and structural engineering. His projects included government and commercial contracts including highways, bridges, office buildings, schools, and other civil projects. During this time, he prepared construction drawings, design calculations, specifications, proposals, contracts, budgets, and schedules. He reviewed and approved contractor shop drawings and change order requests. He has also performed forensic structural investigations of steel, concrete, and timber structures.

Mr. Mora, a Forensic Engineer at VERTEX, offers 15+ years of structural design, contracting, and forensic engineering experience, specializing in inspections, reports, and structural analysis in the Chicago/Midwest region. His expertise covers various industrial, commercial, and residential structures, alongside rehabilitation projects. He excels in on-site fieldwork, condition assessments, testing, and expert witness reports. Mr. Mora’s professional background spans steel, concrete, and wood structures, including new designs, modifications, and collaborative project work.

Mr. Morrow has a strong background in residential and commercial buildings, structural systems, architectural systems, and building analysis. He is a licensed structural engineer in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Texas, Florida and Hawaii. For more than 10 years, he has applied his knowledge as a member of the forensic engineering division at Vertex to provide clients with structural damage assessments, cause and origin investigations, and code compliant repair and design recommendations for residential and commercial applications. His experience includes stuctural design for new building components as well as assessing damage and recommending repairs on a wide variety of building systems, including structural members, roofing systems, and foundations.

In addition to his role in forensic claims and litigation support, Mr. Morrow is an integral member of the construction loss control service for Vertex, which provides plan review reports, construction quality control site visits, and health and safety site visits at construction sites nationwide. As part of the service, he has performed geotechnical report reviews, structural plan reviews and construction quality control site visits for high-rise construction and multi-family housing projects. Mr. Morrow also has experience in construction management roles with the Owner’s Project Management division at Vertex. Responsibilities included documenting existing conditions during demolition, determination of appropriate response measures to unexpected conditions, establishing proper construction methods to meet design guidelines, and communication between contractors, architects, engineers, and building owners.

Mr. Broesler has over 40 years of experience in the construction inspection industry. He has served as resident engineer, chief inspector and office engineer on LKB’s major construction administration projects, including numerous highway and bridge construction projects, ranging in size from several thousands of dollars to over $100 million. His construction inspection experience covers a broad spectrum from New York City street construction involving complex utility work, and coordination with numerous public agencies, to work on high volume, high speed interstate highways, involving staged construction and complex maintenance and protection of traffic schemes. He has been responsible for supervising and coordinating the activities of crews as large as 30 inspectors.

Ms. Sarles is a Project Manager at VERTEX. She earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Villanova University. Ms. Sarles previously served in multiple construction management roles for a national General Contractor/Construction Management at Risk firm.

At VERTEX she has provided owner’s project management services a variety of projects including educational facilities and public safety building construction. In many of these projects, Ms. Sarles assisted the project team and the clients in all phases of the design and construction process including trade contractor prequalification and construction administration.

Allyson has been in the design and construction industry for over thirteen years managing large capital projects in the public and private markets. Her experience is widespread with a focus on financial management, contract administration, and project controls. Allyson has managed multiple public and private projects including K-12 and higher education projects and also worked as a Construction Project Manager for the Massachusetts School Building Authority gaining extensive knowledge of their policies and procedures. As a Project Manager at Vertex, Allyson is currently working on the Pembroke Community Center and the Scituate Hatherly Elementary School projects. She is a natural leader and hands-on teamplayer.  With her comprehensive industry knowledge and thorough understanding of administration, technology, and FF&E, she is able to facilitate effective communication and document control processes, ensure compliance and make informed decisions for a successful project outcome.

Christy has over 25 years of experience in the construction industry with extensive Institutional and Healthcare project portfolios as well as experience managing large, complex multi-use development projects. Working in both Union and Open Shop environments, Christy has a vast understanding of construction projects. She fosters an environment of teamwork and ensures that strategy is clearly defined while overseeing performance and maintaining morale. Her strong communication and client service skills enhance Vertex’s process-driven management philosophy.

Andrew L. Sargent, a Senior Director in Vertex’s Contract Claims practice, specializes in resolving complex construction disputes involving critical path method (CPM) scheduling delays and productivity impacts. Mr. Sargent’s proficiency in preparing claims and expert reports is well-regarded, addressing issues like schedule delays, productivity loss and disruption impacts, quantum/damages, and more. His experience spans various project types, providing a broad spectrum of knowledge in construction disputes. Mr. Sargent has testified at trial, and he consistently offers his expertise to clients engaged in all dispute resolution forums.

Carl Stokley is a Senior Manager in VERTEX’s Contract Claims group. Mr. Stokley is a professional engineer who has provided consulting and expert services for matters throughout North America. Mr. Stokley is proficient in schedule review and analysis productivity analysis, quantity take-offs, cost estimating, and provides opinions on construction standard-of-care. In addition, Mr. Stokley has performed investigations related to construction defects, including onsite observations, and prepared damages calculations and reports for high-rise and mid-rise condominium buildings in New Jersey and private and institutional entities in New York City.

Ethan Evans graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management with a Minor in Sustainability. Once university had been completed, he immediately began his foray in the construction industry as an assistant to the project manager. He worked on a variety of projects pertaining to the federal-government market such as Coast Guard stations, military hotels, training centers, and aircraft hangars. Daily tasks included handling submittal documents, daily site-safety inspections, vendor prequalification, purchase orders, Requests For Information (RFI), submitting sustainability criteria, bid estimation, proposal writing, scheduling, and basic field work. With his valuable field experience, Ethan then transitioned into designer of fire protection systems in 2022.

Frank Benway has over 18 years of construction management experience on some of the most complex projects nationwide. Specific expertise includes surety consulting and project completion, owner’s representation, construction oversight, construction claim analysis and preparation, construction bid package preparation, and cost to complete preparation.

Mr. Harrigfeld serves as a Forensic Architect for the forensic division at VERTEX and is a Registered Architect in the State of Idaho. He has over ten years of design experience in architecture in addition to over eight years of project management experience in a variety of project types including commercial, industrial, educational, institutional, retail, multi & single-family residential as well as mixed-use projects. Mr. Harrigfeld provides a wide array of consulting services including forensic analysis of construction defects, building envelope assessments, water intrusion investigations, and property loss claims. Mr. Harrigfeld has expertise in Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Failure Mode & Effect Analysis (FMEA), and Defect Elimination (DE).

Ms. Pelkey is a Project Manager II for VERTEX, and graduated from Saint Michael’s College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in the Spanish Language. Ms. O’Brien has been involved in a variety of projects including Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments including Limited Compliance Reviews and Soil Management Plans. She has had experience managing a variety of site assessments including storage facilities, various industrial facilities and distribution centers, gasoline stations, and large commercial and residential facilities, which have included additional services such as radon testing, mold assessments, lead in water testing, and limited compliance reviews.

Bryan Jarvis is a seasoned construction professional with experience managing complex public construction projects including public safety facilities and complex K-12 school projects. Bryan’s proactive management and organizational skills, along with a hands-on approach, allow him to strategically lead projects while creating a positive, team-oriented environment. He is an excellent communicator and a resourceful problem-solver which are invaluable attributes throughout a project. Bryan is a licensed Construction Supervisor, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified and earned his OSHA 10-hour and MCPPO Certifications.

Adam Buck, a Senior Fire Protection Designer at VERTEX, is a seasoned professional specializing in Fire Protection Engineering Services. With an A.S. in Instrumentation from the University of Rhode Island and certifications including OSHA 10 and NICET III, Adam has received special training in various areas, such as Autodesk Certified Professional: AutoCAD and Victaulic Vortex Design. In the realm of Fire Protection and Life Safety, Adam is a key contributor, offering expertise in system design, performance-based design, hydraulic analysis, code consulting, audits, surveys, inspections, and more. With 23 years of experience in Fire Alarm and Suppression, Adam joined VERTEX in August 2023, showcasing a dedication to quality and excellence, backed by his U.S. Navy veteran status and ongoing pursuit of CFPS certification.