Our People

Carrie Cremin, PE

Principal

Carrie plays a key leadership role at AKF and has been integral to the firm’s success. She is a trusted project manager and plumbing engineer with a passion for designing for the healthcare sector. Carrie is sought after as a speaker on healthcare design panels, most recently sharing her expertise regarding COVID-19 emergency efforts, responding to the dire need for expedited field hospital design and adapting existing HVAC and plumbing systems to meet patient requirements. Recognized by industry professionals as a leader in engineering design, Carrie served a two-year term as President of the American Society of Sanitary Engineering New York Chapter (2019-2021) and serves on the Salvadori Center Board of Directors.

Aaron Dahlstrom, PE

Aaron specializes in sustainable design and high performance mechanical systems for commercial and campus building projects. He has expertise in energy modeling and geothermal systems design and is particularly good at providing early conceptual guidance to project teams that optimizes energy performance with little or no cost premium. Aaron’s experience managing large scale base building and tenant fit-out projects make him a strong, valuable part of any project team.

Dino DeFeo, PE

Managing Partner

AKF Managing Partner Dino is a respected and admired leader whose market knowledge and passionate commitment to clients have formed the foundation of a 30-year career. He understands working as an integral part of a design collective with the express goal of realizing the direct client’s vision; this has fostered decades-long relationships with business partners and major institutions across the United States. Since joining AKF in 1994, Dino has overseen the significant growth of AKF. In his role as Managing Partner, Dino brings the same client-focused tenets to sustainable overall firm growth.

Jared Donnamiller, PE

Partner

Jared is dedicated to providing solutions that support clients’ fundamental business drivers and is a much sought after partner for complex long-term projects. He is particularly adept at collaborating with diverse stakeholders and integrated design teams on large-scale projects. Beyond immediate project challenges, Jared’s perceptive ability to uncover opportunities and suggest innovative solutions are the foundation of the long-term relationships he builds with clients. His knowledge of market trends and new technologies make him a valuable member of the project team.

Michael Dooley, PE

Partner

With over 30 years of experience in engineering, commissioning, and consulting, Michael is highly respected for his comprehensive industry knowledge and his impressive technical expertise. He has built many long-term relationships of trust with clients who appreciate that he takes ownership of all aspects of a project to bring it to a successful conclusion. Having worked as a service supervisor on process cooling for chilled water plants, he understands how to troubleshoot equipment servicing issues, and his experience with a design / build contractor informed his understanding of the construction process. Mike is also an excellent mentor for young engineers, and he has shared his expertise at professional industry conferences.

Marcos Espinosa L.

Partner

Operations Manager - AKF Mexico

As a partner of AKF and the Operations Manager, Marcos is responsible for the operation of the offices in Mexico. During his 25-year tenure at AKF, he has focused on project commissioning and team leadership. Marcos specifically worked on the AUDI project, helping bring the multi-acre project to fruition. He also is a valuable project manager, helping to merge the importance of design and commissioning. He also works closely with the firmwide Design Technologies team to help implement standards across all AKF offices.

Michael Fischer, PE

Michael has 15 years of electrical engineering design and commissioning experience and over 10 years of managing projects in the Commercial, Financial, and Critical Space sectors. His experience spans large projects including infrastructure, data centers, trading floors, office fit-out, disaster recovery, client repositioning, and site selections. Michael is highly organized and particularly adept at bringing teams together on projects. He is tireless in his efforts to accomplish the work no matter how long it takes, with the skill to remain calm and focused on a project’s goals. Michael is currently in AKF’s Leadership Development Academy and serves as a Group Coordinator, overseeing team priorities, communication, and staffing.

Lauren Foster, PE

With diverse experience in electrical engineering consulting, Lauren has an instinctive grasp of local building codes, standards, and the electrical design and construction process. She began her career as a turnkey photovoltaic (PV) consultant, both designing and aiding in the installation of PV systems. After a transition to electrical consulting, Lauren now specializes in the design of electrical and life safety systems for high-rise residential and commercial buildings. She is highly valued by both clients and colleagues for her insightful designs, efficient project management style, and personable nature.

Rudy Frank, PE

Partner

Rudy spearheads AKF’s strategic growth in the Mid-Atlantic region. His operational leadership has helped build AKF’s international reputation for delivering high performing facilities for owners and developers. His long-standing partnerships with some of the industry’s largest architects are a testament to his strong collaborative ethic and innovative approach to project delivery. Rudy’s engineering leadership is built on a firm foundation of understanding the economic drivers, regional nuances, and vision of his clients.

Dennis Froeder

Partner

Partner, Director of Commissioning

Dennis brings a wealth of knowledge to his leadership role as Partner and Director of AKF’s Commissioning, Consulting, and Testing Practice. In this role, he leads the Commissioning team’s regional expansion for the firm. Dennis brings over 30 years of industry experience and hands-on electrical commissioning field expertise on a broad range of project types, providing superior value to the projects he oversees. Dennis prides himself on putting clients' needs first, ensuring that all systems and components of a building are designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained according to operational requirements. His passion for commissioning has allowed him to build a highly accomplished team of experts who share his commitment to client satisfaction.

Jenn Ganesharatnam

Principal

Principal, Director of Marketing

Jennifer brings 18 years of AEC marketing experience to her role as Director of Marketing at AKF. She leads the marketing and communications department in promoting AKF’s mission and brand. Jenn collaborates with cross-functional teams at all levels of the firm to develop high-quality strategic proposals and marketing collateral for new and existing business pursuits across all of AKF’s industries, with an emphasis in Healthcare, Higher Education and Science and Technology.

Robert Gibson, PE

Partner

Rob is a meticulous project executive, leveraging his extensive experience from dealing with many of the firm’s top corporate, commercial, and financial services clients to bring superior value to the projects he oversees. His strength is long term technical and project relationships with large private clients for all aspects of their businesses and is highly valued for his expertise across all disciplines. This is particularly true for master planning, building service planning, and heavy mechanical and infrastructure projects. He is also experienced in restoring damaged MEP/FP systems in emergency situations and has led most of AKF’s field work during disaster recovery efforts for both 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy.

Michael Gillespie, PE

Partner

Partner, National Healthcare Practice Leader

AKF’s National Healthcare Practice Leader, Michael builds project and account teams dedicated to improving healthcare design, operational efficiencies, and patient care for premier institutions. As an industry leader, Michael has managed and grown complex accounts by providing deep industry knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of healthcare’s unique business drivers. He is respected by clients and project teams for truly listening to their needs, understanding core challenges, and delivering results to ensure continuity of care. Michael believes in sharing the knowledge he’s acquired through participating in industry discussion panels and mentoring AKF’s future leaders.

Michael Graber, PE

Partner

Michael is a skilled mechanical engineer and project manager who has earned the trust of clients with his patience, ability to listen, and his wealth of technical expertise. His proficiency in building relationships has grown AKF’s healthcare clients in the New York City metro area while raising our profile nationally. Mike leads AKF’s New York Campus division and has proven an exceptional mentor to junior firm members. It is this devotion to the next generation of engineering that best exemplifies his commitment to and extraordinary knack for leadership.

Jeff Gutsfeld

Director of Regional Business Development

Director of Regional Business Development, Jeff Gutsfeld is responsible for expanding AKF’s general client base and portfolio throughout New England, as well as nationally in the Higher Education sector. A business development and marketing professional with nearly 30 years of experience, Jeff’s innate ability to create trust and connect people is evidenced in the results he has delivered throughout the complex, solution-oriented professional services industry. Jeff demonstrates success in achieving record level revenue and volume by interacting with prospective clients and centers of influence to uncover new opportunities and turn them into mutually beneficial outcomes for both clients and firm members.

Victor L. Guzman

Principal

Victor has over 30 years of experience in seamlessly managing projects while anticipating the dynamic needs of ever-evolving clients and spaces. He serves as the leader of the firm’s Hamilton, NJ office as well as the MEXUS team – a group that integrates AKF’s U.S. and Mexico members. Driven by a proven process-oriented approach, Vic is adept at providing clear and actionable information and mission critical guidance for project stakeholders. He consistently develops the most appropriate solutions for clients’ business drivers, budget, and overall project schedule.