GEI Consultants has significantly expanded its Flood Risk Management and Dam and Levee Safety capabilities with the addition of a highly specialized team of engineers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The group brings decades of national experience delivering some of the country’s most complex, high-consequence flood risk and dam safety projects—expertise that directly aligns with the evolving needs of GEI’s clients throughout the country.

These hires reflect GEI’s long-standing reputation as a trusted advisor in dam safety, levee systems, and risk-informed decision-making. As owners and regulators increasingly demand defensible, risk-based approaches to managing aging infrastructure and climate-driven flood risk, GEI continues to invest in deep technical leadership that strengthens its ability to support clients across the full infrastructure life cycle.

At USACE, this team worked collaboratively at a national level on high-hazard-potential dams and levees, helping advance risk-informed design and safety decision frameworks across riverine and coastal systems. Their experience spans projects throughout the country and includes leadership on Screening Level Risk Evaluations, Potential Failure Mode Analyses (PFMA), Semi-Quantitative and Quantitative Risk Assessments, and Dam Safety Modification Studies, as well as the development and implementation of national-scale levee safety programs, tools, and guidance. This team has worked closely together for years, bringing a shared understanding, trust, and collaborative approach that translates directly into client success.

Members of this team also played key roles in developing and implementing USACE’s LifeSim consequences modeling platform, including participation in the tool’s national rollout and application on high-profile projects. This hands-on experience provides GEI clients with practical insight into best practices, appropriate use cases, and defensible application of advanced risk tools in real-world decision-making.

By integrating this team into its practice, GEI further distinguishes itself as a multi-disciplinary firm that combines regulatory fluency, applied risk analysis, and practical engineering judgment to support clients across the full project life cycle. The expanded capability strengthens GEI’s ability to help owners prioritize investments, navigate federal and state dam and levee safety requirements, and make informed decisions under uncertainty—particularly for complex, high-risk systems.

The team joining GEI includes:

• Cheyne Aiken, R.G. – Former member of the USACE Dam and Levee Safety Risk Cadre with national experience in geologic risk evaluation
• Michael Boiardi – Leader in civil works risk assessments and risk-informed design for flood risk infrastructure
• Nicole Brennan, P.G. – Specialist in riverine and coastal levee feasibility, design, and construction
• Patrick (PJ) Mion – Expert in risk analysis and site characterization for dams, levees, and coastal protection projects
• Jesse Morrill-Winter – Leader in large-scale risk management and consequences analysis, with national experience supporting the development, launch, and application of the LifeSim modeling platform
• Mike Bachand, P.E. – Nationally recognized leader in levee safety and flood risk management with extensive experience shaping and implementing the National Levee Safety Program, including development of federal policy, tools, and guidance used by levee owners and regulators across the country

“These hires represent a strategic investment in the future of GEI’s flood risk and dam and levee safety practice,” said Troy Naperala, Senior Vice President, Water Resources at GEI. “Their collective experience strengthens our ability to deliver risk-informed, technically defensible solutions that help clients manage some of their most critical infrastructure challenges.” 

This addition further reinforces GEI’s position within the industry as a leader in flood risk management, dam and levee safety, and resilience-focused engineering.

GEI Consultants is a consulting engineering and environmental firm that delivers professional services that improve our world’s built environment. With more than 1,500 staff and 59 offices in North America, GEI is a leader in providing multi-disciplined engineering and environmental services to a range of private and public sector clients, both domestically and abroad.