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As an arbitrator, structural/civil engineer, and expert forensic consultant with nearly four decades of experience, Mr. Hemmatyar has provided extensive expert services for defendants’ and plaintiffs’ attorneys on numerous construction litigation matters throughout the United States and Canada.

He has been retained as an expert engineer in over one hundred and fifty litigation matters on single and class-action legal cases by the U.S. government, law firms, and insurance carriers at the State and Federal levels, working with both plaintiff and defendant sides.

Mr. Hemmatyar’s understanding of core engineering and legal concepts has enabled him to effectively assist a wide range of clientele. He brings diversified experience in structural and civil engineering design, and in forensic engineering, investigation, and evaluation. Mr. Hemmatyar also conducts research, has assisted in the development of building codes and standards, and has supervised the construction of domestic and international projects. His experience includes special structures and new buildings as well as modifications, alterations, seismic/hurricane retrofits, and upgrades to existing structures. Mr. Hemmatyar has provided failure analysis, expert consultation, structural forensic investigation, and damage assessment services for numerous litigation and insurance-related matters.

He actively presents continuing education lectures to audiences of licensed engineers, architects, and general contractors on topics of structural and forensic engineering throughout North America. Mr. Hemmatyar has been the principal structural engineer on projects for clients such as NASA and several other high-profile agencies. Currently, he directs PSFEG and has served as Director for SEAOSC from 2011 to 2013. He has been interviewed by public media, including the History Channel (documentary episode: “Collapse of Ancient Structures”) and Reuters (Mexico City school collapse).

Mr. Westbrook designed his own solar home in north Texas in 1996, which won the Energy Value Housing Award for Innovative Design. It still ranks as one of the most efficient homes in Texas. While serving as Sustainable Development Manager at Texas Instruments International Facilities, Mr. Westbrook was the LEED AP for the 1.1 million square foot Texas Instruments factory, which was the first LEED Gold semiconductor factory in the world. He led the effort to improve the energy and water efficiency of TI’s 20 million square feet of existing global facilities. They were able to double the company energy and water efficiency in less than 10 years. In 2012, Mr. Westbrook was named a Senior Fellow for the US State Department’s Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas program. He visited Honduras, Bolivia, Columbia, and Peru where he worked with governments, universities, and industry on efficiency and renewable energy. Mr. Westbrook received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1982.

Dr. Hindman serves as associate professor in the Sustainable Biomaterials department at Virginia Tech, where his research program focuses upon the efficient use of low-carbon, biological-based materials for construction. His research philosophy revolves around three principles related to wood materials: structure, safety, and sustainability. Dr. Hindman is a member of several professional organizations including the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Forest Products Society, and the National Frame Building Association. He holds a professional engineering license in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Ms. Abubakar is a Principal and Managing Director with Walter P Moore’s Diagnostics Group, where she leads teams specializing in forensic engineering, building enclosure, and structural assessments. Her work focuses on evaluating damage mechanisms, developing repair and resilience strategies, and advising insurers, adjusters, and property owners following major natural disasters. With a background that bridges structural engineering and insurance consulting, Ms. Abubakar has overseen investigations related to earthquake, wind, flood, and fire events, including multi-site loss assessments and large-scale catastrophe response efforts. She also serves as immediate past Chair of a Committee governing Structures Maintenance & Construction, advancing best practices for infrastructure resilience.

Ms. Friis is a Principal and Senior Project Manager in the Diagnostics Group of Walter P Moore with 28 years of experience in structural engineering, forensic investigations, and litigation support. She brings deep expertise in structural systems, construction administration, and building envelope performance, including waterproofing and water intrusion mitigation. Over the past eight years, Ms. Friis’ practice has centered on forensic engineering, evaluating construction defects and weather-related damage, performing detailed cause-and-origin analyses, and developing practical, defensible repair recommendations. Her comprehensive understanding of construction materials, field practices, and governing codes positions her as a trusted technical advisor to attorneys and insurers managing complex construction-related claims.

Mr. Trinkaus is an internationally-recognized expert in the field of low impact development (LID), having presented at many American Society of Civil Engineers/Environmental & Water Resource Institute (ASCE/EWRI) international conferences and many other regional conferences and workshops on LID and water quality issues. He was invited by the Water Resources Agency in Taichung, Taiwan, to present a 12-hour workshop on LID in December of 2011. Mr. Trinkaus has been an invited presenter and consultant multiple times on stormwater and LID in China and South Korea since 2013. He has designed LID retrofits in Zhenjiang, China. Mr. Trinkaus has reviewed and edited LID reports by Pusan National University and Land & Housing Institute in South Korea. Mr. Trinkaus has written LID design manuals for the towns of Tolland, Plainville, Harwinton, Morris, and East Granby, Connecticut. He has designed many types of LID treatment systems for a variety of residential and commercial applications. Mr. Trinkaus is primary author of the EWRI Filter Strip/Bioswales Task Committee. Mr. Trinkaus is a licensed professional engineer in Connecticut and Maryland. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management in 1980 from the University of New Hampshire. Mr. Trinkaus has more than 39 years of experience in the land development field and more than 19 years of experience designing low impact development treatment systems and 10 years writing LID regulations and design manuals.

Dr. Dawson recently retired as the Associate Vice President for Administrative Operations at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi where he oversaw facility operations, maintenance, grounds, custodial, and planning and construction as well as Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) for the “Island” campus. His experience spans federal, state, county and local municipality projects including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), General Services Administration (GSA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Department of Defense (DoD) including the Naval Construction Battalion’s at Gulfport and Port Hueneme, Seabees, Navy Civil Engineer Corp, Army Corps of Engineers, Air Force Civil Engineers and RED HORSE units, in addition to higher education with the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) University of North Texas System (UNTS) and Tarrant County College District (TCCD). Dr. Dawson has more than 38 years’ experience in urban planning, developmental programming, building and infrastructure design, construction and program management for a wide variety of capital investment programs and unique environments. He is a retired Air Force Civil Engineering officer with experience in the design and construction of numerous facilities supporting major weapon systems and the U.S. electronic security and space programs world-wide. Dr. Dawson is a registered architect in the State of Texas and a certified city planner. He is also a U.S. Green Building Institute Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional (AP) with experience in numerous sustainable projects. He has specialized mediation and disputes resolution training and experience directly related to the design and construction industry, successfully resolving construction claims based on errors and omissions, defective product or workmanships, scheduling deviations or Acts-of-God. Additional skills include preparation of specifications, bidding and construction plans, cost estimates, and bidding services related to federal and state contract requirements and processes.

Ms. Currotto began her career working in the halls of United States Congress in Washington D.C., where she focused on a wide array of issues including policy impacting Floridians. Her practice now focuses on first party, insurance coverage, and personal injury litigation. She has earned an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell and serves as the incoming chair of the YLD Federal Bar Association Board of Directors. Ms. Currotto earned her J.D. degree from the University District of Columbia School of Law.

Mr. Fay is a Shareholder at Colodny Fass and a member of the firm’s Insurance Regulatory and Corporate & Transactional practice groups. He is ranked in the Chambers USA Guide, a leading legal industry rankings publication, for Insurance Transactional & Regulatory. Mr. Fay represents insurance industry clients nationwide on regulatory compliance, licensing, corporate structuring, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, and other matters affecting the formation and operation of insurance companies. He advises both start-ups and established insurers on entity formation, expansion into new jurisdictions, financing transactions, and ongoing regulatory obligations. He regularly prepares regulatory filings, drafts and negotiates insurance-related agreements, and represents clients in administrative proceedings involving licensing, rate hearings, and rule challenges. He works closely with insurance regulators across the country and has extensive experience guiding property and casualty insurers through the licensing and regulatory approval process.

Ms. Grice is a litigation attorney in Baker Donelson’s Fort Lauderdale office and a member of the Complex Litigation and Class Actions Group. Ms. Grice represents clients in commercial and homeowner’s first-party property cases in both state and federal courts. She earned her J.D. degree, cum laude, from Florida State University College of Law.

Ms. Hahn focuses her practice on representing homeowners, business owners, and condominium associations in a wide range of property insurance claims and disputes. Ms. Hahn brings a distinct advantage through her prior experience as a defense attorney representing insurance carriers. Her background provides her with valuable insight and enhances her ability to navigate complex claims and pursue favorable outcomes for policyholders. Ms. Hahn’s knowledge of insurance company policies, tactics and procedures allows her to anticipate and counter the strategies often used to delay or deny valid claims. With this unique perspective, Ms. Hahn is a powerful advocate for her clients. She is committed to securing fair outcomes in their time of need and ensuring that her clients are treated with the respect and diligence they deserve. Ms. Hahn received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, with a minor in Spanish, from the University of Lynchburg in her hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia. She then relocated to Florida and received her law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 2018. Upon graduating, she was awarded the William F. Blews Pro Bono Award, for her exceptional work with the Florida Guardian ad Litem program as a court-appointed volunteer child advocate for children in dependency cases. Ms. Hahn is licensed to practice in the state and federal courts of Florida.

Mr. Haynes was born in Nashville, Tennessee but has called Tampa his home since 1972. He was admitted to the bar in 1998 in Florida and has been dedicated to helping the citizens of Florida with their insurance claims ever since. Mr. Haynes was inspired to help people with their insurance claims by his father who was an all lines adjuster and eventually a public adjuster for many years. He started his career with Wilson and Terrana P.A. in Tampa handling residential and commercial claims for building damage including but not limited to sinkhole, hurricane, fire, lightening, theft, collapse, water damage, vandalism and any other issue that causes damage to buildings that was covered by an insurance policy. He opened his own practice in 2004 continuing to represent the citizens of Florida with insurance claims in both state and federal court until joining Christopher Logori and Associates in 2018. Mr. Haynes has focused his practice on property insurance claims ever since and handled hundreds of losses, claims, and lawsuits in an effort to protect people and to do his best to make sure they receive what they deserve in both state and federal court across the state of Florida. Mr. Haynes has assisted people through all aspects of the claims process from the submission of the claim, through examinations under oath, through the appraisal process if it is demanded, through mediation and ultimately through trial. He has been a Florida Civil Court mediator and has mediated many claims for the Florida Department of Financial Services when individuals have problems with their homeowner’s insurance claims. Mr. Haynes is also a member of the Florida Justice Association, has participated on multiple committees with this association involving insurance issues and has been a constant advocate for the citizens of Florida testifying in front of the Florida legislature against proposed laws that would take away our rights and in support of fair laws that hold insurance company’s accountable.

Mr. Levin is a Shareholder with Baker Donelson’s Fort Lauderdale office and has developed substantial experience successfully representing a broad range of private and institutional clients in state and federal court, and has tried cases throughout the state, including to jury verdict as a first chair. He has developed particular experience in property and general liability litigation, defending both insurers and insureds in all aspects of the claim and litigation process, as well as advising on coverage matters. Mr. Levin recently obtained two defense verdicts, one for an insurance carrier and another for a policyholder. He regularly defends financial institutions in consumer protection claims, and prosecutes and defends complex commercial and residential foreclosures. Mr. Levin has become a trusted advisor to insurance and banking professionals, providing guidance and recommendations in pre- and post-suit matters, and has served as an expert witness in various capacities.

Mr. Montgomery is a Partner and Business Unit Leader at Kelley Kronenberg, focusing his practice on first-party property insurance defense. He serves as a Team Lead on the firm’s Fraud Fighters Team. Mr. Montgomery handles all aspects of first-party property defense, including coverage disputes, pre-suit investigations, fraud investigations, and CRN responses. Additionally, clients frequently engage him to assist with the development of claims processes and procedures. Mr. Montgomery’s practice is also focused on the highly-specialized areas of first-party property appeals and auto glass defense. Prior to joining Kelley Kronenberg, he worked as an Associate Attorney with an Am Law 200 firm, focusing his practice on first-party auto coverage and litigation, general liability litigation, and appellate law. Mr. Montgomery also practiced as an Assistant State Attorney for Florida’s Fourth Judicial Circuit, in Jacksonville, where he litigated a variety of criminal proceedings through trial and served as a liaison for UVISA Certifications. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, summa cum laude, with a Certificate of Crime Scene Investigation, from Colorado Technical University. Mr. Montgomery then went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree from Florida Coastal School of Law, graduating cum laude. Since Law School, he continued his education by obtaining a Master of Science, summa cum laude, from Florida State University, with a Certificate in U.S. Intelligence.  He also acquired an additional LL.M. in Executive Litigation Management from Baylor Law School. 

Mr. Valle is a Partner at Colodny Fass whose practice focuses on insurance regulatory matters and coverage issues affecting the property and casualty insurance industry. He represents insurers, managing general agents, and other industry participants in matters involving regulatory compliance, licensing, and insurance-related transactions. Mr. Valle regularly advises clients before the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation and the Florida Department of Financial Services on regulatory strategy and compliance issues. He also works with insurers and trade associations on regulatory-driven transactions and agreements within the insurance marketplace. In addition to his regulatory practice, he has experience handling insurance coverage disputes and related real property matters, providing practical insight into how property insurance policies are interpreted and applied when issues arise. Mr. Valle is also a certified Continuing Education Instructor with the Florida Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services.

Mr. Wank is Chair of Kelley Kronenberg’s First-Party Property and Insurance Coverage Division. In his own practice, he focuses on defending first-party claims, coverage, and bad faith matters. He also handles the defense of a wide array of third-party insurance defense claims. Mr. Wank assists insurers in all aspects of coverage disputes, including responses to civil remedy notices of insurer violations, pre-suit investigations and coverage evaluations, declaratory judgment and bad faith litigation. He defends property insurers throughout Florida in first-party coverage matters, where many of the claims involve sinkhole, windstorm, fire, mold, theft and water losses. In addition, he serves as coverage and bad faith counsel in third-party actions, including monitoring the defense of litigation. As part of this role, he is often asked to draft detailed coverage opinions, reservation of rights letters, declinations, and prosecute declaratory relief actions. Mr. Wank also has experience in handling complex civil and commercial matters, including the defense of personal injury, premises liability, employment discrimination, medical malpractice, nursing home liability, homeowner and condominium association claims, and construction defect cases. He has been named a Florida Super Lawyer Rising Star since 2014. In 2011, he was elected to the Broward Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Board of Directors, where he served as Secretary on the organization’s Executive Board and moved up to President in June 2015. Mr. Wank was also named the Chair on the Board of Directors of Legal Aid Service of Broward County & Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida for the 2019 term and previously served as the Vice Chair for the 2018 term. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Florida State University and went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center.

Mr. Wyatt is a Boca Raton native and co-founding partner of Wyatt & Schwebel, P.A., a civil litigation firm devoted to standing up for homeowners when their own insurance companies fail them. Mr. Wyatt has built his practice around first-party property insurance disputes, representing homeowners whose claims for wind, water, and fire damage have been wrongfully denied, undervalued, or delayed by the very insurers they trusted and paid premiums to for years. Florida’s property insurance landscape has undergone dramatic transformation — driven by sweeping legislative reforms, aggressive industry lobbying, and policy language increasingly engineered to limit carrier exposure at the homeowner’s expense. Mr. Wyatt has developed a litigation approach that is both aggressive and strategically efficient: moving quickly to lock in favorable evidence, deploying the right experts before insurers can shape the narrative, and leveraging a deep command of evolving case law and policy language to close off the defenses carriers rely on most. Mr. Wyatt has litigated first-party property insurance claims across virtually every loss type and coverage dispute a homeowner can face. His case experience spans hurricane and windstorm damage, water intrusion from roof failures and plumbing losses, fire and smoke damage, and mold remediation disputes. He has handled losses where insurers have invoked late-notice defenses, disputed replacement cost value entitlement, and failure to comply with any of an insured’s other seemingly endless post-loss obligations as tools to reduce or eliminate coverage. Recently, Mr. Wyatt has been fervently litigating disputes over the payment terms that carriers are attempting to strong-arm both public adjusters and attorneys into accepting. As carriers attempt to dictate their payment terms in contradiction to basic ethical and contractual obligations, it is crucial to understand your rights and responsibilities for properly accepting and distributing client funds.

Mr. Brem is a registered professional engineer since 1987 in California and holds active registration in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. He has led his own small civil engineering and land surveying practice for over 36 years with two offices and up to 28 employees. His experience includes designing private land developments, storm water management systems, sanitary sewer systems, wastewater treatment facilities, and roadways. His firm provides land surveying, construction management, engineering site design and a host of other professional services primarily for private, for-profit companies. He has been involved in the design of over 4000 residential single-family house lots many of which were open space or cluster developments, thousands of condominium units, and over 3 million square feet of commercial/ industrial/institutional space. He has advised MassDEP in numerous task forces and committees including as a present full member of the Stormwater Advisory Committee and on the Title 5, Septic System Stakeholders Group. He is currently the past president, past treasurer and member of the Board of Directors for HBRAM (the Massachusetts Homebuilders Association), past president of NEBA, and a national delegate of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) based in Washington, DC. In 2024 Mr Brem was appointed by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey to serve on the prestigious “Unlocking Housing Production Commission” to advise the Governor and the Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities on strategies and recommendations to create over 230,000 new residential units in Massachusetts over the next 10 years. He is a proud 35+ year member of the Westford Rotary Club. He has co-authored, with Harvard Law School Professors Joseph William Singer and Brandon Storm, a legal case study on real estate development entitled the “Case of the Interfaith Neighbors”, July 2016 (PSW021-SM01). In addition to engineering, Mr. Brem has been a land developer and homebuilder recently constructing 25 residential homes in the metrowest area of Massachusetts. He enjoys skiing, golfing, Cape Cod, and his family.

Mr. Dean currently serves on the Board of the Bennington County Bar Association, as a director of the Vermont Bar Foundation, as chair of the Vermont Bar Association’s Court Users Group, and as president and trustee of the Samuel Blackmer Law Library Fund. Mr. Dean draws from many areas of legal experience and clerked for the late Honorable Kathy C. Qasim in the New Jersey Superior Court’s Chancery Division. In 2017, he provided legal aid to clients throughout the Northeast as part of the South Royalton Legal Clinic. In law school, Mr. Dean served as the senior managing editor of the Vermont Law Review and as an active member of the National Moot Court Team. He has taught workshops for legal writing, civil procedure, and constitutional law. Mr. Dean’s practice areas include personal injury, appellate practice, contract disputes, debtor’s and consumer’s rights, professional licensing defense, and general civil litigation. He also serves on the board of SPEAK, Inc., a Vermont 501(c)(3) providing public speaking and debate workshops to students and incarcerated individuals.

Ms. Salsburg focuses her practice in the areas of business litigation, corporate advice and counsel, and white-collar criminal defense. She represents corporations, small businesses, and individuals in contract and business disputes, False Claims Act matters, State Ethics Commission inquiries, and government and internal investigations. Ms. Salsburg also advises closely-held businesses on corporate and employment matters. Prior to joining Laredo Smith & Kane, she was a litigator at a large international law firm, in its Florida and Boston offices. Her work at the firm focused on litigation at the federal and state levels involving breaches of contract, corporate dissolution, fraudulent transfer claims, commercial foreclosures, and patent infringement. She also handled FINRA arbitrations on behalf of broker-dealers. Ms. Salsburg’s pro bono experience includes several successful CORI-sealing petitions, petitions for asylum, an appeal from an inmate on Florida’s death row, litigation and appeal to assist a not-for-profit foundation, and invoking Hague Convention protection to return a child wrongfully removed to the United States by a parent. She was also a bar advocate for criminal matters at the Boston Municipal Court (Central).

Mr. Brislin has been a professional engineer for more than 21 years and he has designed many structures and performed many different types of analysis in that time. He has worked for a steel fabricator, an architectural/engineering firm and a seismic consultant, and he has been in private practice for over 13 years. Mr. Brislin earned his BSCE degree from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, and his MSCE degree from the University of South Carolina. He has completed all his course work for his PhD degree but has not completed his dissertation. His graduate study work has been in mathematical elasticity. Mr. Brislin has worked on a wide variety of projects from arenas such as Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Edward Jones Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, to renovation and seismic retrofit of the South Carolina State House and the design of the Columbia South Carolina Museum of Art. He has done stress analysis on weapons systems for the Department of Defense and has consulted on cellular telephone concealment projects. Mr. Brislin’s company routinely performs modal analysis of structures to provide more accurate seismic loads and to reduce the cost of seismic requirements through more advanced analysis techniques. The company is knowledgeable concerning structural dynamics and can perform a full dynamic analysis for complicated structures, and ductility requirements in concrete and masonry as well as welded steel moment connection requirements on toughness of steel.

Mr. Kurdi has been serving the electrical industry for over 30 years as an engineer, electrician and trainer. Mr. Kurdi has engineered (designed, specified and analyzed) government buildings (police stations, sheriff’s offices, fire stations, city halls, court houses, libraries, and jails), housing buildings (affordable, senior, assistant, memory care, adaptable use and student), hospitals, data centers, sport arenas, commercial office buildings, water/wastewater treatment plants and electric utility distribution and substations. Mr. Kurdi’s experience as an electrician includes estimating, laying out, wiring, installing and maintaining electrical systems for residential and commercial buildings. He has served as an engineer on construction projects in numerous locations in Texas, including San Antonio, Arlington, Bryan and Manor. He has developed and taught thousands of seminar hours over the years at Dunwoody College of Technology, Minnesota Electrical Association, IEEE and others. The seminars include NEC Code, electrician’s exam, MV system, electrical wiring, apprenticeship, estimation, electrical design, Revit MEP, and project management. Mr. Kurdi holds a BS degree in Electrical Engineering and a master’s degree in Adult Education. He is a registered electrical engineer (PE) in 37 states, including Minnesota and Texas. He holds a Class A master electrician license from the State of Minnesota. Currently, Mr. Kurdi is a senior electrical engineer and department head at BKV Group (A&E Firm with offices in Chicago, Dallas, DC & Minneapolis). Mr. Kurdi served as NCEL Board Member (Jan 2021 – present), IAEI MN Chapter president (Jan 2018 – Jan 2023), chair of IEEE Twin Cities PES/IAS (Aug 2019 – Jan 2023), Minnesota State Board of Electricity member (Jan 2018 – Jan 2020).

Mr. Gardner is a hydrologist and geophysicist who studies how water moves underground through mountains and landscapes. As an Associate Professor at the University of Montana, his research focuses on understanding where water comes from, how long it stays underground, and how it connects to rivers and ecosystems. By combining field measurements, natural chemical tracers, GPS-based earth measurements, and computer modeling, his work helps shed light on these hidden groundwater systems and improve predictions of water availability. His research is supported by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Geological Survey, and his findings have been published in leading Earth science journals.

Ms. Ols brings to her legal work years of experience working as a biologist throughout Montana and Latin America, in which she led projects to preserve wildlife habitat and improve landscape connectivity. She utilizes this experience in her legal career to guide clients through complex transactions and to craft innovative solutions in what can often be an adversarial process. At KLH Advisors, Ms. Ols represents a variety of clients including individuals, farms and ranches, and small businesses in a variety of transactional matters, including real property transactions, water rights adjudication, and water rights permitting. She received her J.D. from the University of Montana School of Law in 2023. As a law student, Ms. Ols completed a clinical externship in the United States District Court for the District of Montana, clerked for the Montana Water Court, and served as the Publication Editor for the University of Montana Public Land and Resources Law Review.

After years of practicing in larger firms, Mr. Scott returned to Bozeman to start Peter G. Scott, Law Offices, PLLC to continue representing a broad range of clients and better serve them throughout the Columbia Basin. He is well known for his in-depth knowledge of land use, water rights and environmental law. Mr. Scott has published articles and lectured extensively on a broad range of related topics. After 11 years in the U.S. Navy, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Massachusetts. Mr. Scott worked as a hydrogeologist for the U.S. Forest Service in Idaho and then for Fluidyne, Inc. in Montana. He then earned his Juris Doctor with Environmental Law Certificate from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon in 1999.

Ms. Weisz is a water law attorney with more than a decade of specialized experience in Montana’s statewide water rights adjudication. Before entering private practice, she spent eleven years at the Montana Water Court, where she began as a law clerk and advanced to Senior Water Master. In that role, she presided over status conferences, set scheduling orders, and managed the adjudication process in complex and often contentious cases. Ms. Weisz also served as a mediator for many Water Court cases, including the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Water Compact Case, which involved several hundred parties. In her role as mediator, she strived to be accessible, helping parties understand the Water Court’s role and procedures. Ms. Weisz is known for her straightforward, honest, and transparent approach. She prioritizes setting realistic expectations and ensuring clients are well-informed so they can make educated decisions about their property and resources.

Mr. Altman is a licensed architect with extensive experience navigating the complex world of the International Building Code (IBC). Specializing in the multifamily and commercial sectors, he has earned a reputation for translating intricate regulatory requirements into practical design solutions that are effective in real-world applications. He previously worked on the internal code-training team at a mid-sized architecture firm, where he helped keep the design team informed and developed tailored curricula to simplify dense code language and apply it to daily practice. These training sessions addressed major architectural challenges, such as understanding height and area calculations, managing mixed-use separations, and ensuring life-safety through egress strategies. Although much of his work focuses on high-density residential environments, Mr. Altman’s approach to codes is universally applicable. He believes that grasping the reasons behind code provisions is crucial for architects to manage risks and safeguard their firms. As an NCARB-certified architect, he remains current with code updates and state-specific amendments. Mr. Altman looks forward to extending his practical, hands-on training style to a broader audience, helping practitioners master the 2024 IBC with emphasis on professional judgment, fairness in design, and technical precision.

After working in engineering and design management with award-winning structural and construction firms for nearly 10 years, Mr. Woods founded his own firm, Woods Residential Engineering & Inspection. Mr. Woods is a licensed professional engineer in multiple states, and he holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil Engineering (with a focus on structures) from Washington University in St. Louis. He has earned “Accredited Professional” status from the U.S. Green Building Council. Mr. Woods is a member of the Woods Educational Enrichment Foundation, The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) (director of programs for the Chicago professional chapter), The American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois.

Mr. Lai is an accomplished landscape architect and thought leader in sustainability, resiliency, conservation, and Nature-based Solutions. He leverages over three decades of design and planning experience to steer large, complex projects to successful completion. Mr. Lai’s interest in drawing and environmentalism led him to a field that he describes as the ‘architecture of living things’ with an immense potential to impact quality of life for future generations. He has extensive expertise in site sustainability design, green infrastructure and water conservation that enable him to focus and maximize the creative energies of project collaborators toward innovative solutions. Mr. Lai is committed to local environmental advocacy and education. He has spoken at numerous conferences on a variety of sustainable and urbanist issues including the Net Zero Conference, Greenbuild and the California Green Building Conference. Mr. Lai is currently the Past-Chair of the Board of Directors for the United States Green Building Council, California (USGBC-CA), a founder of the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) collaborative, Living Future Los Angeles and a co-founder for the New American Dream Think Tank. Professionally, he is a lecturer at the CalPoly Pomona Landscape Architecture Department and is the Principal and Founder of Quixotic Nature-based Solutions based in Pasadena, CA.

Ms. Brennan is a partner with Hudson Cook. She represents FinTechs, banks, small business financing companies and other financial services companies navigate the multitude of regulatory requirements that apply to their businesses. A Partner in the Maryland office, Ms. Brennan guides businesses through the complexities of compliance in consumer and commercial lending, focusing on providing business-friendly advice that can be actioned by clients in real time. A large part of her practice involves advising investors in financial services along all asset classes, including personal loans, auto lending, debt settlement, small business receivables, charged off debt, mortgage loans, earned wage access, real property option contracts, and other innovative financial assets. Clients rely on her responsiveness, deep legal knowledge and her ability to simplify and solve complex regulatory challenges. By partnering with her, businesses can maintain focus on growth and innovation while mitigating the risks associated with legal and regulatory pitfalls, ultimately fostering long-term success and compliance. With more than 20 years of legal experience, Ms. Brennan is a distinguished leader in the field of regulatory compliance in financial services. Since 2022, she has been ranked in Chambers FinTech Guide since 2020 for FinTech Legal: Payments & Lending – USA. She has been named in The Best Lawyers in America for Financial Services Regulation Law since 2021. She is a Fellow of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers, a member of the Governing Committee of the Conference on Consumer Finance Law and regularly speaks at financial services events such as Lend360 and the ABA Business Law Section. Her articles and presentations on fintech regulation and consumer finance compliance are widely recognized in the legal community.

Mr. Fallahi is a dual-licensed Attorney and Certified Public Accountant with decades of experience in U.S. and international tax matters. His practice focuses on tax controversy, digital asset taxation, offshore compliance, and complex cross-border reporting. Mr. Fallahi represents clients before the Internal Revenue Service and state taxing authorities in audits, voluntary disclosures, and penalty mitigation matters. In the digital asset space, his work includes cryptocurrency and NFT taxation, gain and loss reconstruction, valuation and substantiation challenges, and emerging issues such as the tax treatment of stolen or lost digital assets.He has extensive experience advising on FBAR and FATCA compliance, including matters involving undisclosed foreign accounts across multiple jurisdictions. Mr. Fallahi holds an Executive Certificate in Blockchain Technologies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has completed executive programs at Harvard Law School. He is a member of the American Academy of Attorney-CPAs and has presented on tax controversy, professional ethics, and attorney-client privilege in tax practice.

Mr. Forester practices in the areas of tax and trust law, personal injury and criminal law. He also testified as an expert witness in various state and federal courts in California.  Mr. Forester is a Certified Public Accountant, Attorney, and Economist. As a CPA , he provides accounting, financial, and business valuation services. He received his M.A. in Economics and Finance, his Ph.D. Candidacy degree in Economics from UCLA, and his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.  Mr. Forester is an adjunct professor at California State University (CSU) and has teaching credentials in Accounting and Economics. He has taught tax, accounting, business law, statistics, and computer courses to graduate and undergraduate students. Mr. Forester is a Judicial Arbitrator of the Superior Court of the State of California for Los Angeles County as well as a mandatory fee arbitration for the State Bar of California.

Mr. Gottlieb is a partner with Morrison Cohen. His practice focuses on regulatory enforcement, litigation, and arbitration relating to cryptocurrency, securities, commodities, futures and derivatives, and structured finance. Mr. Gottlieb principally defends companies and individuals in the digital assets space, in investigations and enforcement actions conducted by governmental or self-regulatory agencies. He also regularly advises U.S. and foreign companies on blockchain and cryptocurrency law relating to litigation and regulatory risk issues.

He is ranked in Chambers Band 1 for his digital assets disputes practice, and in Band 3 for his blockchain practice more generally. He was also named to The National Law Journal’s inaugural list of Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and Fintech Trailblazers. Mr. Gottlieb has been widely published and quoted in the media for his cryptocurrency and blockchain expertise, including for CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, Fortune, The National Law Journal, New York Law Journal, Law360, The Real Deal, Forbes, Coindesk, a one-on-one “fireside chat” with SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, and many more. Mr. Gottlieb is also the principal author of the Morrison Cohen Cryptocurrency Litigation Tracker, a publicly-available, comprehensive resource that follows regulatory actions and pronouncements, private litigation, and other events of interest in the cryptocurrency space. In each regulatory enforcement matter, he brings a practical, business-friendly approach to protecting his client’s economic and reputational interests. When necessary, Mr. Gottlieb is fully ready to litigate, and has done so – for example, winning dismissal of an SEC case in federal district court, a victory later sustained by the Supreme Court of the United States. In his litigation practice, he regularly defends securities issuers, trading companies, cryptocurrency companies, manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, real estate entities, banks, hedge funds, private equity funds and individuals in a host of different areas, including securities, EB5 financing, real estate, structured transactions, partnership disputes and intellectual property. Prior to joining Morrison Cohen, Mr. Gottlieb was an attorney at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP. 

Mr. Neumeister is a partner with Neumeister & Associates. He is a well-educated and experienced forensic expert and consultant in accounting and financial advisory services. Small organizations, startups, holding entities, high-net-worth individuals, and middle market companies, directly and through their retained counsel, have relied upon Mr. Neumeister to identify problems, uncover frauds, improve efficiencies, and initiate and defend against litigation. Over his 22 years of professional experience, he has worked in firms ranging in size from large international entities to smaller regional practices. Mr. Neumeister has been designated as an expert in multiple cases and has provided valuable deposition testimony for his clients. He has provided litigation advisory services to clients spanning a breadth of industries including construction, entertainment, health care, investments, information technology, professional services, retail, oil and gas, real estate, education, food and beverage, transportation, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. He has provided business valuations for litigation and non-litigation purposes. Mr. Neumeister has also managed the financial due diligence process for both buy and sell transactions. Through the use of sophisticated analytic solutions, investigative techniques, and an understanding of accounting, he has found effective solutions for a range of clients’ problems including those related to tax strategies, operational efficiencies, and internal control.

Mr. Kurdi has been serving the electrical industry for over 30 years as an engineer, electrician and trainer. Mr. Kurdi has engineered (designed, specified and analyzed) government buildings (police stations, sheriff’s offices, fire stations, city halls, court houses, libraries, and jails), housing buildings (affordable, senior, assistant, memory care, adaptable use and student), hospitals, data centers, sport arenas, commercial office buildings, water/wastewater treatment plants and electric utility distribution and substations. Mr. Kurdi’s experience as an electrician includes estimating, laying out, wiring, installing and maintaining electrical systems for residential and commercial buildings. He has served as an engineer on construction projects in numerous locations in Texas, including San Antonio, Arlington, Bryan and Manor. He has developed and taught thousands of seminar hours over the years at Dunwoody College of Technology, Minnesota Electrical Association, IEEE and others. The seminars include NEC Code, electrician’s exam, MV system, electrical wiring, apprenticeship, estimation, electrical design, Revit MEP, and project management. Mr. Kurdi holds a BS degree in Electrical Engineering and a master’s degree in Adult Education. He is a registered electrical engineer (PE) in 37 states, including Minnesota and Texas. He holds a Class A master electrician license from the State of Minnesota. Currently, Mr. Kurdi is a senior electrical engineer and department head at BKV Group (A&E Firm with offices in Chicago, Dallas, DC & Minneapolis). Mr. Kurdi served as NCEL Board Member (Jan 2021 – present), IAEI MN Chapter president (Jan 2018 – Jan 2023), chair of IEEE Twin Cities PES/IAS (Aug 2019 – Jan 2023), Minnesota State Board of Electricity member (Jan 2018 – Jan 2020).

Dr. O’Connor is a professor of horticulture with Colorado State University Extension, where she focuses on outreach education and coordinates the Larimer County Master Gardener Volunteers. She earned her B.S. in horticulture from Iowa State University, her M.S. from The Ohio State University, and her Ph.D. from Colorado State University. With over 20 years of experience in the field, Dr. O’Connor specializes in woody plants, turfgrass management, and annuals and perennials for the landscape. She also serves as an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Colorado State University.

Mr. Miller has been a distinguished leader in the HVAC industry since 1995, bringing three decades of expertise spanning nearly all areas of focus in the HVAC industry. He holds an HVAC Master’s License in Maryland and Virginia, as well as a Stationary Engineer license. Mr. Miller is a proud member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), recently lecturing at the 2025 annual conference regarding Thermal Energy Networks. In 1998, he obtained a Security Clearance, enabling him to work on highly specialized and mission-critical classified mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) projects across the globe. His portfolio includes HVAC construction and system integrations in Egypt, India, the UK, Western Europe, the Caribbean, and throughout the United States, projects that extend far beyond the scope of traditional commercial MEP work. Since 2016, Mr. Miller has been based in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he continues to provide subject-matter expertise in all areas of HVAC. He also founded ProProfitBuild.com, a platform dedicated to empowering tradesmen and construction professionals. With real-world proven strategies, he addresses financial management practices, 1:1 construction and business management mentoring, and implementing proven practices and procedures to improve the continuity of business for trade-oriented businesses.

Professor Rahmeyer was on the faculty at USU for 31 years and spent 10 years as research faculty at Colorado State University. Professor Rahmeyer is the past Department Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering at USU as well as the senior professor of the Hydraulics and Fluid Mechanics program of the Utah Water Research Laboratory. He also served at USU as the director of the Hydro Composite Modeling Program, the division head of Water Engineering, the interim division head of both the Structures Division and the Transportation Division, and as the Undergraduate Curriculum division head. Professor Rahmeyer is currently working part time as a senior associate for Ayres and associates in Fort Collins Colorado, where his primary role is to conduct national workshops in hydraulics, culvert flow, and urban drainage for the National Hydraulic Institute of FWHA. He is a fellow and lifetime member in the American Society of Civil Engineers. Professor Rahmeyer has been a member of several professional societies, and serve on committees for the American Society of Engineering Educators (ASEE), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the International Association of Hydraulic Research (IAHR), the Association of State Dam Safety Officers (ASDSO), the Instrument Society of America (ISA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the International Erosion Control Association (IECA), and the American Society of Heating and Refrigeration Association (ASHRAE). He has regularly attended and presented at the annual conferences of ASDSO, ASEE, ASCE, IAHR, ASCE National Department Heads, and the Transportation Research Board (TRB). In the past, he has been a member of the United States Committee on Large Dams (USCOLD) and the International Committee on Large Dams (ICOLD). Over the last several years, Professor Rahmeyer has created and presented a workshop on open channel flow for HalfMoon Education and finished serving on the Bluestone Dam UASCE IEPA and on several 100% DDR review panels for the USACE. He has been on the board of directors for the Utah Floodplain and Storm Water Management Association since 1986. Professor Rahmeyer was a member the 2008 Bettelle “Final Independent Peer Review Report for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Vegetation Policy for Local Flood Damage Reduction Systems” which reviewed many of the guidelines and policies for management of levees, floodwalls, embankment dams, and appurtenant structures. Some of his recent awards include the AHRAE Technical/Symposium Paper Award, the ASHRAE Crosby Field Award for Research, and the South Pacific Division Regional Project Delivery Team Award from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He has received the Idaho Transportation Department 2012 Excellence in Transportation Award and the 2011 ACEC of Idaho Engineering Excellence Grand Award for the I-84 New York Canal Modeling and Modification. Professor Rahmeyer further received an honorable mention at the 2012 National AECE award ceremonies for his work with the I-84 New York Canal.