Meet the transport mentors!

A licensed Civil Engineer with 10 years of experience in infrastructure projects; design and feasibility studies of construction projects, hydroelectric construction projects, road construction, and water supply projects, to mention a few. Lydie has extensive knowledge in construction and contract management as well as public procurement of projects. On a part-time basis, Lydie volunteers for Engineers Without Borders (USA and UK) as a mentor for young engineers working on construction projects and a technical paper reviewer. As of January 2024 she was appointed to serve as a member of the ASCE Government Engineers Council. Since 2023, Lydie has been serving as the Operations Manager of the Institution of Engineers Rwanda (IER).

Toni is a recent MEng Aeronautical Engineering Graduate, now Hydrogen Propulsion Systems Research Engineer at GKN Aerospace. During her time at university, she was a Student Champion for Engineers Without Borders UK and the former President of the EWB Glasgow Chapter. She is passionate about ethical and environmentally conscious engineering methods and now in the field of aviation propulsion design, taking a sustainable approach to ensure a better world.

Ruvan has spent the last 15 years working for scaleup plant-based food companies focused on improving nutrition in a sustainable way. He has worked in various roles within Innocent Drinks, Graze & Infarm, designing and implementing new processes and launching new products, as well as managing day-to-day operations. In his current role as COO of Huel, Ruvan leads the global supply chain, food safety and manufacturing teams, with a major project being the set-up of their first in-house factory.

Joachim is a trained civil engineer and project manager. He is passionate about collaborative problem solving and has been active in various engineering-related NGOs since 2014, both in Germany and in the USA. Concurrent to his role at EWB International, Joachim is a project manager in the German infrastructure construction industry.

Dr. Pradhananga is currently an Assistant Professor in Pulchowk Campus, Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University and a researcher in Center for Infrastructure Development Studies (CIDS). She obtained her Bachelor in Civil Engineering (2004) from the same institution, Master in Transportation Engineering (2007) from Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand and PhD in Transportation Engineering from Kyoto University in 2010. Her prior and present experience involve research, teaching and consulting works in the transport sector. Currently, she is also involved in various national transport planning, design and policy making projects with National Planning Commission, Roads Board Nepal and Department of Roads. She has experience of working not only in Nepal but also in the East Asia (Japan) and the Middle East (Qatar), and has a strong network of specialists built during her stay in these regions.

An experienced international leader and turnaround specialist delivering profitable growth across property and infrastructure sectors for asset owners and operators, construction and consultancy companies, with senior level roles in Aviation, Consultancy, and Major Projects. Having started his career in commercial property, Mathew had a second career in engineering and construction, managing an airport operational business in between. More recently, his focus turned to creating value through a company that is devoted to mitigating the impact of climate change and creating positive biodiversity in the built and natural environment. He has been active in a number of pro-bono industry roles outside his executive positions.

With a Bachelors, two Honours and Masters’ degrees in civil engineering, and over 18 years experience in the railway maintenance industry, Alex is a passionate railway engineer, who has also completed a Postgraduate Diploma In Management Practice at Henley Business School. In addition to being a railway engineer, Alex is also a play enthusiast, with a strong belief that play is the essence of childhood, the foundation of learning and the language of friendships. As a Senior Managing Partner of Straight Zigzag (a service for childhood development, surrounded by the core value of PLAY) Alex leads the business management of the company.

Jane has over ten years experience of strategic road safety and road safety audits, and is currently working on footbridge replacement schemes. She is keen to encourage others into engineering and is looking forward to supporting participants.

Ms. Zeina Elkhamissy is a regular reviewer for the Engineers Without Borders Engineering for People Design Challenge. She is a transport expert with extensive experience across various sectors and currently works as an Energy and Environmental Engineering Expert for Stantec and DAI. Ms. Elkhamissy holds a Master of Science in Transport from Imperial College London and University College London. Her research for the UK Rail Safety and Standards Board earned her the 2013 Carmen Prize for Best M.Sc. Project in London, UK, and was later presented at the Transportation Research Board 95th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Pius is a youth with over 8 years of experience in capacity-building STEM courses and supporting youth employability programs. He is currently supporting a project to promote electric mobility in Kenya, at GIZ-Kenya. Pius is passionate about sustainable transportation solutions and e-mobility as a tool to achieve this.

Doreen Kirima is a professional transportation engineer with over a decade of experience. She has served as a Resident Engineer and as a Team leader for design projects. She is determined to transform urban mobility through sustainable planning, design, and management of urban areas and public spaces. Doreen holds MSc. in Transportation Engineering and a BSc. in Civil Engineering from The University of Nairobi. She also has a Diploma in Innovation for Change in Public Transport from Lund University and in Business Information and Technology from Strathmore University. She is the Chairperson for the Young Engineers Forum for the Federation of African Engineering Organisation and a past council member of the Institution of Engineering of Kenya.

Jonathan has undertaken business leadership, technical leadership, and commercial leadership as well as acting a project director and mentor on major infrastructure schemes in the UK, Middle East, Asia and North America.

Eng. Caroline Mong’ina Matara is a transportation engineer and a Ph.D. student at the Civil Engineering department of the University of Nairobi. She holds a Master’s in Traffic and Transportation Engineering and a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering. Caroline is currently an Assistant Lecturer at the Technical University of Kenya and has extensive experience in highway design and supervision of engineering projects. Her work includes contributions to research in traffic-related air pollution, road safety and sustainable mobility.

A passionate Software Engineer with experience in JavaScript and Python. Kuyeso excels in critical thinking and teamwork, highlighted by her win in the UmojaHack Africa 2022 and participation in various hackathons. She has worked with diverse teams, including the Summer School at Mila – Quebec AI Institute, Canada Africa Innovation Fellowship with Engineers Without Borders Canada, and CAMTech Uganda, where she contributed to the Mbarara University Data Science Hub platform.

Claudia is a British-Colombian citizen currently living in Brazil. As a Civil Engineer, she has developed solid skills in management, governance, and strategy by collaborating with high-performance teams in the UK and Latin America. With over 13 years of consulting experience, she has specialised in sustainable transport and cities, advising governments, academia, NGOs, and the private sector. Three years ago, Claudia transitioned to large-scale business consulting, deepening her knowledge of finance, governance, and strategic advisory. Her passion lies in engaging stakeholders, identifying needs, connecting dots, and developing strategies with her clients that add value and generate a positive impact.

Alemgena has over 25 years of experience in road and transport engineering research and professional practices specialised in transport and mobility, pavements and highways, urban and rural infrastructure development worked with government, private sectors and academia. He is experienced as managing director of a consulting firm and technical advisor to government organisations with international research collaboration experience. He has also contributed significantly in partnerships with regional and international institutions which include research in inclusive and active mobility, developing and implementing international programs, supervise and monitor project developments and programs, sector portfolio and standards review missions. As lecturer and assistant professor in various academic institutions, Alemgena has managed several research collaborations and has advised theses and dissertations in the areas of resilient materials, inclusive transport, active mobility, managing trade and logistics last mile for smart cities.

I hold a mechanical engineering degree from Warwick University and began my career with Jaguar Land Rover, working in various design and development roles before transitioning to the Tier One supplier sector. Early in my career, I took a year out to complete the ACDMM course at Cambridge University, which broadened my perspective on industries from mining to finance and included an overseas tour in South Africa. This experience inspired me to work abroad, leading to a two-year stint with Voluntary Service Overseas in West Africa, where I was responsible for engineering at a hospital. This role honed my technical improvisation skills and deepened my understanding of different cultures and economies.

Upon returning to the UK, I continued in the automotive industry, travelling extensively across Asia, Europe, and the US. Recently, I’ve worked in aerospace, defence, and agricultural engineering, and currently serve as an RAF Reservist deployed to the South Atlantic.

Cheryl McNall’s more than 19 years of experience covers all aspects of airport infrastructure, including airfield, ancillary facilities and terminals. Cheryl has led and empowered some of the most dynamic teams in the industry, both as a consultant and a client at the busiest airports and mega-programs globally. As a pioneering problem solver, she has developed and delivered tailored solutions that offer a signature blended array of technical capabilities across infrastructure, investment, digital, sustainability and energy.

A skilled civil engineering professional capable of handling all aspects of civil engineering, from planning and designing to implementation and quality assurance. Whilst at university in Colombia, Cristina acquired the academic, technical and practical knowledge of all aspects of civil engineering within the construction industry. Since moving to England and becoming a British citizen, Cristina has completed further courses and work experience which have given her more UK-specific civil engineering experience and knowledge.

Philippa’s experience includes engineering design and management of projects in road construction, highways maintenance, water supply networks, drainage and rail. She has worked overseas, most recently as a Safeguards and Compliance Manager on the Rural Access Programme in Nepal, overseeing the challenges of constructing a 67km road, in terms of safety, social and environmental considerations.

Patricia is a Chartered Civil/Structural Engineer (CEng MICE) with over ten years of experience in designing and implementing large-scale structural projects, especially bridges. Patricia has led diverse engineering teams and worked on major projects like High Speed 2 (HS2) and Rolls Royce SMR. Specialising in dynamic analysis, post-tensioned concrete bridges, and steel design. Currently, she works as an Associate Principal Engineer at AtkinsRéalis. She is passionate about mentoring and eager to inspire the next generation of engineers.

Minhal has extensive experience within the Aviation, Finance and Cybersecurity industries. Over the last 10+ years, he has been involved in leadership roles enhancing technological advancements within SME’s. Currently, he is serving as a Trustee at an NGO focussed on water projects in low- and middle-income countries.

Peter is currently working within Transport Scotland’s Standards Branch, dealing with departures and designs related to the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges. He also deals with the Traffic Signs Manual, Cycling and Equality.

Kate currently works as an engineer within the EV team at SSE, focusing on the electrification of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). This is a very different challenge to cars and vans, and is an exciting space to be as the team are at the very initial stages of planning the transition.

Kalina has international engineering experience in the transportation sector (aviation and London transport) and understands the different mindsets of users, operators and manufacturers. She is hoping to provide new insight, direction and inspiration to your ideas.