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. Seventy-four 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 be in our twenty-first 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.
Board of Directors
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Cecilia Kucharski
Chair
Webcor
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James Haughey
Secretary & Alumni Co-Chair
Michael Baker International
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Anthony Damon
Treasurer & Past Chair
DPR Construction
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Andy Lawrence
Scholarship Chair
Dynalectric
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Bryan Wayne
Fundraising Chair
H+W Engineering
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Jacob Leon
Events Chair
KTU+A
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Mark Moss
Alumni Co-Chair & Past Chair
Schmidt Design Group
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Lianne Bell
Education Chair
Patterson Engineering
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Erick Moden
Education Chair
DGA Architects Inc
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Peter Spiegel
Transformative Partners Chair
Hensel Phelps Construction
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Michael Daneshvar
Vice Fundraising Chair
Turner Construction Company
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Laurence Phillips
Governance Chair
Procopio
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Paul McParlane
Board Director
McParlane & Associates
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Mark Schull
Board Director
Balfour Beatty
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Albert Valdivia
Board Director
Clark Construction
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Aaron Russler
Board Director
Bergelectic
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Thais Alves
Board Director
SDSU
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Rod Mazandarani
Board Director
CannonDesign
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Patrick Stahle
Board Director
McCarthy Construction
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Garret van Leeuwen
Board Director
Gensler
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Katie Yee
Board of Director
Connect Strategic Consulting
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Marty Glaske
Board Director
Gafcon PM-CM LLC
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Edward Holakiewicz
Board Director
Architects Mosher Drew
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Spencer Risty
Board Director
University Mechanical & Engineering Contractors
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Gitte Russo
San Diego Chapter Administrator
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Cassondra Glaske
San Diego Chapter Marketing and Events Coordinator
2024 - 2025 program schools and team leaders
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Canyon Hills (Serra) High School
Team Leaders:
Courtney Sluder, COAR Design Group
Haley Baquian, COAR Design Group
Maja Plavsic, Gafcon PM-CM LLC
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Castle Park High School
Team Leaders:
Laura Handschumacher, City of Chula Vista
Vladimir Corona, Whiting Turner
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E-3 Civic High School
Team Leaders:
Meghan Rhodus, Blue Trident
John O'Malley, Gensler
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El Camino High School
Team Leader:
Julio Dominguez, Hensel Phelps
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Helix High School
Team Leader:
Racieli Andrada, Turner Construction
Harmony Hodges, Turner Construction
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Hoover High School
Team Leader:
Ricardo Lopez, Swinerton
Devin Meker, Whiting-Turner
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Kearny High School
Team Leaders:
Lianne Bell, Patterson Engineering
Allie Shank, Ryan Companies US, Inc
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Patrick Henry High School
Team Leader:
Andy Lawrence, Dynalectric
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San Diego High School
Team Leader:
Jacob Leon, KTU+A
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San Marcos High School
Team Leaders:
Andrew Callaway, ACCO
Austin Wheelon, PCL
Mike Duby, Labib Funk + Associates
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Santana High School
Team Leaders:
Jeff Zubik, Davy Architecture, Inc.
Holly Horton, Davy Architecture, Inc.
David Suter, CBSI
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Southwest High School
Team Leaders:
Izary Torres, DPR Construction
Anastasia Schmeeckle, Turner Construction
ACE SAN DIEGO IS IN THE NEWS!
SD voyager Daily inspiration: meet cecilia kucharski
Click the link below to lear about our President, Cecilia Kucharski, who was featured in SDVoyager's "San Diego's Most Inspiring Stories!"
Cecilia’s journey in the AEC industry is a testament to passion, perseverance, and leadership. From discovering her love for construction at an early age to becoming a trailblazer in the field, she continues to inspire the next generation of industry professionals. As the President of ACE Mentor San Diego, Cecilia is dedicated to empowering students, guiding them toward rewarding careers in architecture, construction, and engineering.
High School Students Are Working to Solve San Diego’s Housing Crisis
Click the link below to check out the article AVRP Studios released about our program and the incredible efforts of our ACE Mentor San Diego students as they work to address San Diego's housing crisis with this year's 2023-2024 RFP!
Helix Charter High School students building bright futures.
Our amazing Helix High School ACE Students were showcased in the La Mesa Courier!
Click the link below to read all about the achievements of our Helix students and how they are working on building their careers before graduating with ACE!