Our People

Joseph Abruzzo, PE

An industry leader in project management and technical oversight, Joseph utilizes his expertise to inform project designs in terms of best engineering practices and constructability, ensuring a holistic approach to modifications of existing MEP / FP systems. With 20 years of experience, Joseph has either designed or managed all types of in-hospital and outpatient renovation projects, including hybrid ORs, LRDP, step-down units, emergency departments, imaging centers, and dialysis suites. Throughout his career, Joseph’s key indicator of success has been his long-standing relationships with NYC and Long Island healthcare networks.

Mary Acciani, PE

Mary brings over 40 years of mechanical engineering and management experience and a keen understanding of an owner’s perspective to her role, having previously served as the Director of Planning and Construction at Rowan University. A Certified Energy Manager and Certified Green Building Engineer, Mary excels at applying sustainable and high-performance solutions to project designs. She has authored articles in publications such as Facilities Manager Magazine and Green Building and Design. Mary has Design and Project Management Experience in multiple sectors including Science and Technology, Healthcare, Higher Education, K-12, and Commercial.

Prince Addo

Prince brings 25 years of experience as a plumbing / fire protection engineer and project manager. His expertise encompasses design for critical systems, infrastructure upgrades, and high-rise developments, as well as on-site troubleshooting. Prince is technically proficient, detail-oriented, and focused on engaging with clients to understand and resolve their needs. He is a member of AKF’s Technical Committee, charged with implementing design standards, maintaining the employee knowledge database, and providing training to staff. Prince is a graduate of AKF’s Leadership Development Academy, a former member of the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee, and assists in project specifications, technical oversight, communication, and staffing.

Caitlyn Angelini, PE

Partner

Partner, Director of Code Consulting

Caitlyn is a Partner at AKF and leads the firm’s Code Consulting practice. A building, fire, life safety, and accessibility code compliance expert, she is respected throughout the industry for her depth of technical knowledge and talent to see beyond obstacles. Caitlyn collaborates with architects and owners to deliver solutions rooted in safety that result in successful construction projects. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Professional Women in Construction Boston Chapter and has held multiple leadership roles within the organization, including VP, President, and now Immediate Past President. Caitlyn has previously been honored as a 40 Under 40 industry professional by Consulting-Specifying Engineer. 

Geraldo Aviles

Geraldo is a highly regarded project engineer with over 40 years of experience. He is respected for his diligent attention to detail, his responsiveness, and his technical expertise. Geraldo works closely with clients to understand their needs and help them reach their goals. He also collaborates with team members to focus on reaching cost-effective solutions within schedule constraints.

Austin Azzaretto, PE

Austin is an experienced team leader, project manager, and commissioning specialist whose goal is to help deliver projects to clients as smoothly as possible. He has an impressive background commissioning new buildings, renovations, and existing systems of various types of facilities. Most of his experience is in healthcare, higher ed, laboratory, office, data center, residential, assisted living, and federal projects. He has also worked in facility staff augmentation in higher education and healthcare. He is valued by his clients and colleagues for his clear and robust communication, integration into project teams, and engineering solutions.

Jeanette Baiardi

Principal

Principal, General Counsel

Jeanette Baiardi, the firm’s General Counsel, has been at AKF since 2009 and has more than 20 years’ experience in the practice of law. Jeanette is always available to help broaden every AKF member’s understanding of the legal principles involved in complex contract language and sticky situations. She works with AKF’s Executive Committee and Team Leaders to understand our risk tolerances and to continually refine our risk management policies. Jeanette consistently applies such policies to all interactions internally and externally in ways that foster client relationships and protect the firm from business and legal losses through reasoned negotiations.

Charles Benson

Principal

Principal, Director of Instrumentation and Building Controls

Chuck has an in-depth understanding of the Controls industry, technologies involved in all engineering disciplines, and the attendant costs of each. His expertise enables him to help clients navigate Smart Building decisions and leverage AKF’s suite of Integrated Services to achieve technology goals. As a liaison for client accounts, Chuck serves as Project Manager for many MEP projects to bridge the relationship between the client and engineering team. He is appreciated for his ability to communicate honestly and with compassion and is often called upon by leadership to voice his opinion on delicate matters. Chuck is motivated by learning and enjoys sharing his knowledge, with a particular interest in mentoring young engineers

Anthony Bifano

Anthony leads AKF's Baltimore office, providing leadership and management to its team members. Anthony is an experienced electrical engineer and project manager who has worked across several market sectors throughout his career. His primary focus has been on healthcare projects, with an emphasis on creating comfortable, patient-centric, energy-efficient environments. Anthony is a very responsive, detail-oriented professional who puts his primary focus on the client’s specific needs and attaining project goals. He enjoys working collaboratively with clients and design teams to achieve innovative design solutions, while remaining within budget and on schedule.

Lance Brown, PE

With over 20 years of engineering experience, Lance specializes in mechanical design and commissioning for the built environment. He leverages his proficiency in engineering management with on-site functional performance testing to provide clients with exceptional technical leadership. Lance’s expertise in a wide variety of mechanical systems ranges from the Navy’s nuclear propulsion plants to healthcare, higher ed, and commercial buildings. His Certified Commissioning Professional and Certified Energy Manager designations attest to his aptitudes in those areas, making him a versatile and valuable team member.

Michael Brumberg

Principal

Principal, Director of Philadelphia Office

Michael leverages his experience in the design and documentation of Electronic Security Systems (ESS) including access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, intercommunications, biometrics, and Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) to bring exceptional value to his clients. He is also experienced in electrical power distribution, lighting design, lighting control, and low voltage communications systems. Mike’s depth of understanding helps provide innovative solutions to complex projects. Clients and colleagues alike value his outgoing personality, meticulous attention to detail, and ability to clearly explain options to help clients make informed decisions.

Joseph Buckley

Joe has 27 years of experience in project management, engineering, and facilities operations. He has successfully directed the commissioning (Cx) of large-scale projects for federal agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Veterans Affairs, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, and NASA. Joe is responsible for leading the development and execution of AKF’s Cx endeavors in the Southeast Region. As a part of his leadership role, Joe has introduced new technology, methodologies, and standards to the team to become more efficient and effective. Joe has volunteered countless hours developing online Cx courses and authoring study guides for ASHRAE’s Building Commissioning Professional (BCxP) certification program.

Travis Byrne

Travis has 20 years of electrical engineering experience. He is involved in every aspect of a project, including pre-design coordination with owner / client, full electrical design, construction administration, and close-out documentation. An expert in his field, he is a member of AKF’s Technical Committee, setting guidelines and best practices for the firm, as well as running electrical QA/QC.

Alex Cabrera

Principal

Principal, Director of Management Information Systems

As the Director of MIS, Alex brings over 20 years of experience in the Information Technology field and has had an integral role in developing AKF’s Information Management systems and ensuring stability and smooth operation in keeping with the firm’s business and professional goals. He is valued for his strong analytical thinking, astute business abilities, and excellent communication skills.

Marc Carola, PE

Senior Leader of Science and Technology

Marc Carola, PE has 30 years of experience in managing and directing the design of life sciences, physical sciences, bio-containment, animal research, and public health facilities. His expertise spans across research and development, academic, institutional, corporate, and government market sectors. Marc’s extensive experience in large-scale science and technology projects is instrumental to his clients and their projects in providing thought leadership in early design strategies, sharing lessons learned, and implementing quality assurance. As a LEED Accredited Professional and sustainability leader, Marc places a focus on incorporating environmentally responsible design solutions while navigating our industry to a low-carbon economy.

Seth Cohen, PE

Seth has a broad range of experience across various sectors including industrial, infrastructure, commercial, and historic projects. His success managing simple to highly complex projects is attributed in large part to his excellent organizational skills, collaborative process across internal and external team players, and objective approach to problem solving.