about us!

ACE is a FREE after school program led by volunteer professionals working in the design and construction industry. ACE Mentor annually excites 9,000 students from 1,000 high schools about careers in architecture, engineering, construction and the skilled trades. 74 affiliates (chapters) operate in 36 states. Almost 70% of ACE students study industry-related fields in college or enter a skilled trades training program. ACE minority and female students enter college engineering and architecture programs at significantly higher rates than their national peers.

About ACE San Diego: In 2003, a group of local architects, engineers and general contractors founded ACE Mentor San Diego. We are excited to begin our seventeenth year in the program which has graduated and funded hundreds of high school students to pursue their degrees and enter the local workforce. The ACE Mentor program gives high school students an inside look at the wealth of career opportunities available to them in the building and design industries.

For the 2021-22 school year:

11 Schools
218 Students 
130 Mentors
22 Board Members
93 Sponsoring Organizations
$120,000 in Scholarships awarded

Board of Directors

  • Anthony Damon

    Chair

    DPR Construction

  • James Haughey

    Secretary

    Michael Baker International

  • Miles Anderson

    Education Chair

    Turner Construction

  • Kirsten Blakeman

    Education Chair

    Studio E Architects

  • Jacob Leon

    Events Chair

    KTU+A

  • Bryan Wayne

    Recruitment Chair

    H+W Engineering

  • Andy Lawrence

    Scholarship Chair

    Dynalectric

  • Laurence Phillips

    Governance Chair

    Procopio

  • Cecilia Kucharski

    Fundraising Chair

    Webcor

  • Mark Moss

    Past Chair

    Schmidt Design Group

  • Randy Robbins

    Board Director

    AVRP Studios

  • Bill Magnuson

    Board Director

    Architects Mosher Drew

  • Mike Losito

    Board Director

    Bergelectric

  • Lianne Bell

    Board Director

    Patterson Engineering

  • Heather Schopplein

    Board Director

    University Mechanical

  • Panagiotis Takis Mitropolous

    Board Director

    San Diego State University

  • Paul McParlane

    Board Director

    McParlane & Associates

  • Mark Schull

    Board Director

    Balfour Beatty

  • Peter Spiegel

    Board Director

    Hensel Phelps Construction

  • Erick Moden

    Board Director

    Gensler

  • Robin Duveen

    Board Director

    Gafcon

  • Tracy Lyons

    Board Director

    Coffman Engineers

  • Gitte Russo

    San Diego Chapter Administrator

  • Cassondra Glaske

    San Diego Chapter Social Media Coordinator

2021 - 2022 program schools and team leaders

  • Canyon Hills (Serra) High School

    Team Leader: Courtney Sluder, Jeff Katz Architecture

  • Castle Park High School

    Team Leaders:

    Vera Howell, Turner Construction

    Evan Henderson, Harley Ellis Devereaux

    Laura Handschumacher, Schmidt Design Group

  • E-3 Civic High School

    Team Leader:

    Dame Brown

    Meghan Rhodus, Arch 5 Design Studio

  • El Camino High School

    Team Leader:

    Lou Cavagnaro, County of San Diego

    Keenan Salvati, DPR Construction

  • Helix High School

    Team Leader:

    Racieli Andrada, Turner Construction

  • Hoover High School

    Team Leader:

    Athena Vadovinos, Swinerton Construction

  • Kearny High School

    Team Leader:

    Lianne Bell, Patterson Engineering

  • Patrick Henry High School

    Team Leaders:

    Andy Lawrence, Dynalectric

  • San Diego High School

    Team Leader:

    Jacob Leon, KTU+A

  • Santana High School

    Team Leader:

    Jeff Zubik, Davy Architects

  • Southwest High School

    Team Leader:

    Kristi Drake, OJK Architecture

    Izary Torres, PCL Construction