April Falcon-Villa, PE, PMP

Experience

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  Lanier & Associates, Consulting Engineers, Inc.

  May 1999 - Apr 2001

  Civil/Structural Engineer

  As a civil/structural engineer, performed Structural Design/Analysis, Foundation Design, Bulkhead Design, Marine Structure Design, Highway and Road Design, Stormwater Management, Site Development, Cost Estimates, and Structural Stability Inspections.

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  US Army Corps of Engineers

  Apr 2001 - now

  As Civil Engineer Supervisor, responsible for the performance of over a dozen individuals known as the Business Operations Section. Major Supervision responsibilities include the oversight of the following: • development, management and execution of Engineering Division’s yearly operating budget, • development of labor codes, PR&C, Customer Orders, MIRPs for all projects worked on in Engineering Division (ED), • creation of Contracting requirements package and Project Coordination of all new IDIQ contracts in Engineering Division to include development of ED’s Acquisition Plan, Scope of Work development for each unique solicitation, SCAR submission/approval, AT/OPSEC submission/approval, • payment and processing of all invoices associated with AE Contracts, • identification, development and management of COR duties and responsibilities. Show less Responsible for implementing the Levee Safety Program. Self motivated and organized in managing and coordinating the numerous activities of these programs. Led communication of critical information to the local co-sponsors. Served as a Lead PDT member for the Levee Safety Program, with particular emphasis on the Levee System Evaluation Reports (LSER). Assisted in the management and execution of all activities associated with the Federally built and locally sponsored and maintained projects. Prepared scopes of work, cost estimates and other technical information for projects designed under contractual agreements by various Architect Engineer (A-E) contracts. Coordinate with AEs the submission, review and out-brief of their inspection findings to the Chief of Engineering/Levee Safety Officer and MVN Levee Safety Committee. Implementing the LSP has improved knowledge of the laws, policies, regulations, and procedures.Responsible for completing the LSERs with all disciplines in Engineering Division. These systems include the review and analysis of levees, embankments, floodgates, pumping stations, control structures, bridges, drainage structures and culverts, temporary braced excavations, dikes, and channel slopes for acceptance into the National Flood Insurance Rate Maps (NFIRM). Coordinated with FEMA to release the LSERs to the Local Sponsors. Trained in the Levee Screening Tool with role as coordinator of all ED disciplines along with Economics, Emergency Operations and ICW Manager. Work with Geospatial personnel to populate the National Levee Database (NLD). Show less As Resident Engineer to St. Bernard Parish for LPV 144, LPV 146, and LPV 147, supervised and managed the daily activities for these construction contracts including assigning duties and responsibilities to 3 Project Engineers, 12 Quality Assurance Representatives, 2 Document Control personnel, and 1 Office Engineer to meet a very aggressive Hundred Year Level Achieved (HYLA) June 1, 2011 schedule using P6 (scheduling software).Project Engineer of 1.8 mile one-of-a-kind Floodwall and Bayou Bienvenue Lift Gate on the IHNC-Design Build: Lake Borgne Surge Barrier Project (LBSBP) responsible for managing the daily construction activities. Directed, coordinated and supervised activities of professional and sub-professional personnel engaged in conducting construction of dredge channel, T-walls, surge barrier wall, floodgates (including a sector gate, barge gate and vertical lift gate), and temporary braced excavations for a cofferdam. Supervised data gathering for reconnaissance, feasibility reports, and design memoranda; and coordinated studies with personnel of other organizational elements, local interest groups, state and Federal agencies.AWARDInner Harbor Navagational Canal Surge Barrier OCEA Award & OPAL Award(ASCE) March 2014The OCEA award, which “recognizes a project that makes a significant contribution to both the civil engineering profession and society as a whole,” is the highest and most prestigious honor ASCE can bestow on an infrastructure project.http://blogs.asce.org/the-inner-harbor-navigation-canal-surge-barrier-wins-the-2014-ocea-award-2/#sthash.Ulc72pVu.dpufless Show less As the Senior Project Manager (Sr PM) of the Armoring Team, responsible for armoring critical elements of the New Orleans Hurricane Protection System in both the Protection and Restoration Office (PRO) and the Hurricane Protection Office (HPO) and responsible for coordination and accomplishment of the planning, scoping, development, design, construction and direction.As Sr PM of the Borrow Team, in charge of seeking, investigating, reviewing and approving, all borrow sites and material for the Protection and Restoration Office (PRO) and the Hurricane Protection Office (HPO). Responsible for the overall management, control, coordination and execution of assigned projects. Made programming decisions affecting long and short-range courses of action related to the over 70 million cubic yards of material needed for over 100 projects. Coordinated with other Project Sr PMs and PMs to provide project borrow that met quality, quantity, budget and schedule needs using CEFMS, P2 and P6. Show less As a Project Engineer, served as a Functional Team Leader (FTL) of Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) to provide Southeast Louisiana residents FIRMs and to support sound floodplain management and prudent flood insurance decisions. This task required routine management, control, coordination and execution with FEMA and local officials. Controlled and managed project milestones and budgets on tasks which consisted mainly of Hydraulic Modeling and GIS Map Production using CEFMS and P2.Also served as Engineering Division's FTL and Point of Contact (POC) for Morganza to the Gulf (MTOG) Feasibility Study. Coordinated, controlled and managed project milestones and budgets to brokered design work to the upper 5 MVD districts, AE designs for the local's cost share efforts and internal PDT design work. Participated in district programming decisions affecting long and short-range courses of action for MTOG. The structural features are integrated into the levee alignment to provide flood control, flood protection, drainage, environmental benefits, and navigational passage.As a Structural Engineer, performed structural design work, reviewed the work of A-E contractors, inspected existing structures for their structural stability and delegated work to technicians and student trainees. Developed design details for civil works structures such as Drainage Structures, T-walls, I-walls, Bulkheads, Sector Gates and Flood Gates using Micro Station, STAADPRO, CFRAME and CPGA computer programs. Performed design calculations and design details using reinforced concrete, steel and prestressed concrete for structural features of complex structures such as locks, drainage structures, sector gates, and flood gates. Co-designed, prepared the plans and specifications for the St. Rose Drainage Structure. Show less

  • Chief, Regional Projects Branch/PPMD

    Oct 2023 - now

  • Civil Engineering Professional

    Apr 2001 - now

  • Deputy Chief - Geotechnical Branch

    Jan 2018 - Dec 2023

  • Technical Manager

    Oct 2015 - Jan 2018

  • Supervisory Civil Engineer/A-E Coordinator

    Jul 2013 - Oct 2015

  • Levee Safety Program Team Lead

    Aug 2011 - Jun 2013

  • Construction Resident Engineer & Project Engineer

    Mar 2009 - Aug 2011

  • Sr. Project Manager - Projection & Restoration Office and Hurricane Protection Office

    Jun 2006 - Mar 2009

  • Engineering Division - Project Engineer & Structural Engineer

    Apr 2001 - Jun 2006
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  USAID

  Jun 2003 - Oct 2003

  Structural Engineer

  Represented USACE in Al Hilla, Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Served on technical committees, visited construction sites, performed quality reviews of AE contractor’s work and was responsible and accountable for the overall management, control, coordination and execution of numerous projects. Controlled and managed project milestones and budgets from planning through construction and initial operations on over 100 schools, 4 medical clinics and 1 government building. Reviewed project progress, measuring performance and ensuring proper resolution of issues were implemented. Directed local nationals in work performed to insure quality workmanship. Show less