SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Swinerton, a general contractor and construction manager, announces that Lisa Podesto, PE, has joined the firm as Regional Director of Preconstruction - Mass Timber and Sustainable Construction Innovation. With over two decades of experience in the construction industry, Podesto brings expertise in mass timber and industrialized construction to the team.

"We are thrilled to have Lisa join our team," said Terry McKellips, Senior Vice President and Region Manager of Swinerton in Northern California. "Her wealth of experience and passion for mass timber and sustainable construction make her the ideal leader to spearhead our efforts in Northern California. With Lisa on board, we are confident in our ability to deliver pioneering projects, streamlining construction schedules, and ensuring cost-effective project delivery that meets the evolving needs of our clients and state legislation. Her hire is another step in a string of major investments the company is making in mass timber."

In her new role, Podesto will continue championing low carbon structural solutions like mass timber and guiding clients through the early stages of project development. Her leadership and expertise will drive innovation and excellence in mass timber construction, advancing mass timber and off-site construction technologies nationally.

Podesto is a leading authority in mass timber construction in the U.S., contributing significantly to industry advancement through advisory roles in organizations like Tallwood Design Institute, the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, the National Institute of Building Sciences, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. She has co-authored key publications and led groundbreaking research in 2018 on blast resistance design methodology for Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), expanding opportunities for timber structures.

Swinerton's Northern California region is transforming the built environment with over $344 million in education, civic, life sciences, and residential projects utilizing mass timber. Notable projects include the California Mass Timber Building Competition grant recipient Sunnydale Community Center with Mercy Housing in San Francisco and Chico State's new University Services Building — the first mass timber building for the California State University system.

With a passion for advancing mass timber knowledge, Swinerton hosts Timber Talks, which brings together developers, commercial real estate professionals, architects, and engineers to discuss industry trends and local advancements in mass timber construction. Swinerton Incorporated is investing in a new CLT facility operated by subsidiary Timberlab in Oregon, bringing a new supplier to support mass timber construction.