
<p>Forell Elsesser provided structural engineering services for the new construction of this 60,000 s.f. laboratory and classroom building. The project includes a 3-story above grade studio building and a 1-story underground plaza structure containing laboratory space, classroom, observatory, greenhouse, and support spaces.</p>


How do you create a new science building in the heart of a dense urban university campus?


<p>René Vignos is a Principal and licensed structural engineer at &nbsp;Forell | Elsesser. After entering the firm in 1999 and after more than two decades of experience, he is still invigorated by the challenge of creating the most elegant, inspired engineering solutions possible to translate an architect’s vision into a constructible reality.</p>



<p>As &nbsp;Forell | Elsesser’s Chief Operations Officer, René Vignos serves as part of the executive management team that guides the firm as a whole in addition to his responsibilities overseeing the operations of the core engineering practice.&nbsp; His skills in organization, administration, and collaboration serve him well as one of the leaders of the firm.</p>



<p>René has developed broad engineering skills in new design and retrofit, with a specialty in preserving and protecting historic landmark structures. He is currently providing state-of-the-art structural engineering design services for the complex rehabilitation and seismic strengthening of the historic Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This project involves the unprecedented base isolation and retrofit of a massive unreinforced stone masonry structure. In addition to his cultural facilities experience, he also works on athletic facilities, education facilities, national laboratory facilities, and overseas earthquake reconnaissance efforts. René is a licensed Structural Engineer in California, Utah, Oregon, and Wyoming. He has a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a Master’s degree from the University of Texas, Austin.</p>



<p>In his downtime he enjoys tinkering with home improvement projects, camping with his family, and following the latest NHL hockey game.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>San Francisco Code Advisory Committee, Structural Subcommittee</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>University of California at Berkeley, Seismic Review Committee</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Protective Systems Committee, Past-Chair &amp; Member</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), Member</li>
</ul>



<p></p>


Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City Main Temple, Seismic Retrofit

Dignity Health, Saint Joseph’s Hospital Patient Pavilion, Women’s & Children’s Center

Meta, MPK 21

Meta, MPK 20

Baker & Hamilton Building, Adobe HQ

Utah State Capitol Seismic Retrofit

Oregon Supreme Court, Modernization and Seismic Retrofit

LBNL, Building 33, General Purpose Laboratory

USF, John Lo Schiavo Center for Science and Innovation

UCSF Mission Bay Arthur & Toni Rembe Rock Hall

Oregon State Capitol, Seismic Retrofit

University of California, Berkeley, Simpson Training Center

UC Berkeley California Memorial Stadium Seismic Upgrade

UC Berkeley, Blum Center for Developing Economies

UC Berkeley Barker Hall Seismic Upgrade

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

California Maritime Academy Simulation Center

California Maritime Academy Dining Center & Bookstore Complex

Build Change Haiti Reconstruction Effort

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Rooftop Garden

San Francisco Planning + Urban Research (SPUR) Urban Center

Meta, MPK 22

Chief Operating Officer

René Vignos


<p>Russell Berkowitz has been with Forell | Elsesser since 1999 and is a Principal with 23 years of structural engineering experience. In addition to his project management work, he serves as Lead Analyst for the firm’s most complex structures. Russell’s strength lies in his ability to bring energy, dedication, and personality to his collaborations within a project team.</p>



<p>Russell has a passion for the analysis and design of advanced seismic protection systems. His knowledge of state-of-the-art structural analysis and seismic risk evaluation methodologies is instrumental in keeping Forell | Elsesser at the forefront of advanced seismic design and risk assessment.&nbsp; As Project Manager for the recent seismic rehabilitation of Giannini Hall at UC Berkeley, these qualities were instrumental in optimizing the seismic retrofit design of the geometrically complex structure. Russell’s experience includes new and retrofit design of educational, commercial, institutional, healthcare, and laboratory structures. Russell is a California licensed Structural Engineer and received a Bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Master’s degree from UC Berkeley.</p>



<p>His passions outside of the office include training for the infamous Tour of California Death Ride on his bicycle and writing, producing, and performing live music</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), Learning From Earthquakes Team</li>



<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC): Seismology Committee, Former Chair; Existing Buildings Committee, Former Vice-Chair; Ground Motions Seismology Sub-Committee</li>



<li>American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), ASCE 31/41 Document Upgrade Committee</li>
</ul>


University of California, Berkeley, Giannini Hall

University of California, Berkeley, Tan Hall

Berkeley City College

Pixar Animation Studios’ Film Production Facility

350 Rhode Island Street Office Complex

LBNL, Building 6, Advanced Light Source Seismic Upgrade

University of the Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry

UC Merced Classroom & Office Building

UC Berkeley, Sutardja Dai Hall, CITRIS HQ

Los Medanos College, Brentwood Center

Santa Clara University Leavey Events Center

Santa Clara University Harrington Learning Center, Sobrato Technology Center, & Orradre Library

Foothill Community College Physical Sciences & Engineering Center

Pinterest TI

San Mateo Police Facility

Principal

Russell Berkowitz


<p>Lindsey is a California licensed Structural Engineer and Principal with Forell | Elsesser. She joined the firm in 2006. Her strength is in working collaboratively with clients to provide practical engineering solutions for their architectural visions while incorporating sustainable elements into the design.</p>



<p>Lindsey has worked on a variety of retrofit and new construction projects including multi-family housing, laboratories, and athletic facilities. She has exceptional knowledge and passion on the subject of sustainable design and has lectured and presented on the subject nationally. She serves as an advocate for green building practices and has written numerous reports and papers about the structural engineer’s role in sustainable design. Lindsey received both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from UC Berkeley where she is currently serving as a member of the Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Advisory Board.</p>



<p>When Lindsey is not working, Lindsey enjoys running competitively for the Olympic Club and cross-country skiing around Lake Tahoe.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>UC Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Advisory Committee</li>



<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Housner Fellow &amp; 2016 Convention Chair</li>



<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California’s (SEAONC) Board Member</li>



<li></li>



<li>Structural Engineering Institute’s (SEI) Member</li>
</ul>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Awards</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>2013 SEAONC Zacher Award Recipient</li>



<li>2012 EERI Housner Fellows Program</li>
</ul>


City of Elk Grove, Aquatics Center

City of Mountain View, Rengstorff Aquatics Center

Stanford University, School of Medicine, 3174 Porter Drive, Lab Renovation

University High School, 3150 California Street, San Francisco, CA

BioMed Realty, Emery Yards, Parking Structure, Building 14

BioMed Realty, Emery Yards, Life Science Development

Kaiser Permanente Data Center

UC Berkeley Maximino Martinez Commons

Stanford University, McMurtry Art & Art History Building

University of California, Berkeley, Legends Aquatics Center

Stanford University Bass Biology Research Building

City College of San Francisco Chinatown/North Beach Campus

LBNL, Building 74, Life Science Division Seismic Retrofit

Dolby Headquarters Screening Room

Cañada College, Kinesiology & Wellness Building

Lindsey Maclise


<p>Masume is a Principal and licensed Structural Engineer at Forell | Elsesser who brings over 16 years of experience and a breadth of knowledge that includes all major construction materials for educational, cultural, laboratory, and commercial buildings. She is proactive in her problem-solving approach and always looks at an issue from different perspectives to find the most appropriate solution.</p>



<p>Masume possesses a broad skill base in the seismic analysis of structures including linear, nonlinear, static, and dynamic analysis techniques. She has experience with foundation design including various piling systems, pre-stressed and reinforced concrete design, steel design, viscous dampers, and Buckling Restrained Braced Frames (BRBF). She has particular expertise in data analysis and advanced computer modeling of buildings. In particular, her modeling of earthquake loading is used to demonstrate structural capacity and pinpoint the deficient areas of a building requiring retrofit work. Masume earned a Bachelor’s degree from Sharif University of Technology in Iran, and obtained Master’s degrees at both the University of Arizona and UC Berkeley.</p>



<p>Masume enjoys hiking, yoga, and Persian calligraphy. She is passionate about what she does—so much that she recently finished a seismic hazard analysis on her own home.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Continuing Education Committee Chair (2009-2010)</li>



<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI)</li>



<li>San Francisco Planning + Urban Research Association (SPUR)</li>
</ul>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Recent Awards</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Giles Scholarship Recipient (2010)</li>
</ul>


Google, Office Building TI, 1001 Shoreline, Mountain View, CA

University of California, Berkeley, Heathcock Hall, College of Chemistry

BioMed Realty, Lincoln Center, Life Science Development

College of Alameda/Merritt College 860 Atlantic Avenue Adaptive Re-Use

Saints Peter & Paul Church Seismic Retrofit

Jewish Home of San Francisco, Frank Residences, and Byer Square

LinkedIn, Middlefield Campus

JCC, Mono County Courthouse, Mammoth Lakes, CA

UC Berkeley Jacobs Institute of Design Innovation

San Francisco Friends School Seismic Retrofit

California State University, East Bay, Student Services & Administration Building

Genentech Building 50

University of California, Berkeley, Bakar BioEnginuity Hub

Presidio Children’s Theatre

Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA)

UCSF Parnassus Clinical Sciences Building

Masume Mansouri Dana


<p>Simin Naaseh is a Senior Principal, and serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Forell | Elsesser. She previously served as the firm’s CEO until August 2020. Simin is a recognized leader in the A/E/C industry and has devoted much time serving in leadership positions in many professional organizations. She thrives on building strong relationships with clients and colleagues and applies this strength internally to foster a collaborative working environment. She enjoys design-build projects and is a Designated Design-Build Professional (DBIA). Simin has an interest in large-scale and complex projects particularly because of their intrinsically collaborative nature. With a history of managing both large and small projects since 1983, Simin also recognizes that the key to a project’s success is working closely with clients to create a customized solution to suit each client’s goals, whether that means attention to seismic performance, cost-effectiveness, or a fast schedule.</p>



<p>Under her leadership as former CEO and president, Simin deepened the firm’s traditions of technical excellence and exceptional service and reinvigorated its long-standing tradition of investing in research and development. Simin’s special interest in advancing the firm as one of the most innovative structural engineering firms in the nation is shared by the new generation of firm leaders who continue to advance this goal. Simin is invested in mentoring the firm’s young staff, with an emphasis on supporting women and minorities to develop as leaders in the firm. Simin received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Azar Abadegan in Tabriz, Iran, and a Master’s degree from the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor.</p>



<p>When she is not busy with contributing to Forell | Elsesser’s success, Simin can be found hiking, cooking with her family, or indulging in her passion for music.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Fellow, Past-President</li>



<li>Design-Build Institute of America, Western Pacific Region (DBIA WPR), Board Member</li>



<li>OSHPD Hospital Building Safety Board Member (HBSB), Former Member 2008-2016</li>



<li>American Institute of Architects, San Francisco&nbsp;(AIASF), Former Public Board Member</li>



<li>Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), Member</li>



<li>San Francisco Planning + Urban Research (SPUR), Member</li>



<li>California Preservation Foundation (CPF), Past Trustee</li>
</ul>


University of California, Berkeley, Weill Life Sciences Building Addition

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), Biosolids Digester Facilities Project

San Bernardino County, Valley Communications Center

Gregory Bateson Office Building, Seismic Retrofit

Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic Center, Berkeley, CA

UC Merced Downtown Campus

San Francisco State University, George and Judy Marcus Hall for the Liberal and Creative Arts

Laguna Honda Hospital & Rehabilitation Center

201 Post Street Seismic Rehabilitation

San Francisco City Hall, Seismic Retrofit

San Francisco 911 Emergency Communications Center

UCSF, Wayne & Gladys Valley Center for Vision

San Francisco State University, Mashouf Wellness Center

California State University, Sacramento, The WELL Center

Genentech Manufacturing Facility CCP2

UCSF Parnassus Ray & Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine

San Francisco International Airport Rental Car Parking Garage

San Francisco International Airport North & South Public Parking Garages

Senior Principal

Simin Naaseh


<p>A California licensed Structural Engineer, Susan has been with Forell | Elsesser since 2007. With a detail-oriented approach, she is proactive and thorough in addressing client needs throughout the design and construction phases of a project.</p>



<p>Susan has worked on new construction and retrofit projects including healthcare, educational, institutional, and multi-family housing structures. She especially enjoys developing simple, customized solutions for the complex problems that often occur in retrofitting existing buildings. She also has extensive experience responding to clients and addressing field issues during the construction administration phase of projects. Susan received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and a Master’s degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.</p>



<p>Susan is an outdoor enthusiast and can often be found backpacking in the Sierras. When not exploring National Parks, she loves cooking and baking for her family and friends.</p>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Professional Associations</strong></h6>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC), Board Member, Business Forum Past Chair, Continuing Education Committee Past Chair</li>
</ul>


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Team

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