Bios

Vincent Hellens – Chapter President 

Vincent is the California Regional Manager at Alta Planning + Design. He’s a Principal with over 17 years of transportation management and design experience. Vincent has won the coveted Chapter’s Emerging Leader Award for 2015 and was a graduate of APWA’s Emerging Leaders Academy, Class X. He serves on the National Public Works Institute Committee and co-chairs the highly successful SoCal APWA Public Works Institute.

Alvin Papa – President Elect/Secretary/Treasurer 

Alvin has 20+ years of public works experience and is the Deputy Director of Public Works-Utilities at the City of Huntington Beach. Alvin is a registered Civil Engineer and holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration from CSULB. He enjoys rock climbing, snowboarding, hiking, and fishing. He currently serves as Chair of the Membership Committee and Co-Chair of the Mentorship Committee.

Kelli Pickler – 2nd VP 

Kelli Pickler PE is the Lakewood Public Works Director.  Kelli also serves as Co-Chair of the Awards Committee and a member of the Golf Committee. She usually spends her weekends on a pool deck watching her son and daughter play water polo, but when she finds time she loves skiing and golfing.

Reuben Tolentino – 1st VP 

Reuben Tolentino serves as Principal/Vice President at Psomas and Regional Manager overseeing the Orange County Office.  Reuben has served on the APWA SoCal Board and Chairs the Chapter mentor program.  Reuben previously served as CIP Coordinator for the Long Beach Public Works Dept.  Reuben is a proud father of 4 and enjoys family time in Hawaii.

Marie Marston – Past President

Marie is Group Leader for Transportation, Roads, and Highways at DEA, Inc. She also presently serves as the 2023 SoCal Chapter President as well as the Awards Committee Co-Chair. Marie is a Registered Civil Engineer and serves as a Newport Beach Harbor Commissioner. She is an avid snow skier and wakeboarder, and an artist in ink, pastels, and oils.

Carlos Castellanos – Delegate

Carlos is the Anaheim City Engineer. He is a licensed Civil Engineer with a BSCE (CSULB), MS – Construction Engineering (CSUF) and Executive MBA – Real Estate Development (UCI), with 20 years of government experience. Carlos is passionate about learning, teaches SAC, SCC and SDSU & coaches youth sports. He is also the Chapter Installation Committee Chair.

 Nicole Jules – Director

Nicole is the Lead for the Traffic & Transportation Services for Ardurra. She presently serves as the Public Works Institute Committee Co-Chair.  Nicole is a Registered Civil Engineer and member of many professional and community service organizations.  She is mom to 2 kids, 2 dogs and 4 guinea pigs and loves the beach and the outdoors

Ken Taylor – Director

Design Manager at Griffith Company.  Responsible for business development and marketing for transportation projects in southern California, including large multidiscipline design-build projects, BRT, light rail and regional rail improvements, grade separations, station site design, flood control facilities, storm drain, water, sewer, and other municipal facility projects.

 Jesseca Martinez – Director

Jesseca Martinez is a Transportation Design Engineer II at Mark Thomas. She is the Young Professionals Committee President 2022 and Chairs the Scholarship Committee. Jesseca enjoys going on scary tours, collecting pins, attending concerts and trying out new cuisines.  She was honored as the APWA SoCal 2017 Emerging Leader of the Year – Private Sector.

Chris Tanio – Director

Chris is the Deputy Director of Public Works/City Engineer for the City of Placentia.  He presently serves as the Programs Co-Chair of the APWA SoCal Chapter and as a member on the APWA National Certified Public Works Professional (CPWP) Council. In his spare time, he enjoys playing basketball.

Tom Wheeler – Director

Tom is the Public Works Director and City Engineer for the City of Lake Forest. Tom is responsible for all CIPs, engineering related private development inspections and plan checks, solid waste services, flood control, traffic, and road and park maintenance. One of Tom’s projects, the City’s new Civic Center, won the 2020 National APWA project of the year award.

Victor Chavez – Director

Victor is an Associate Engineer for the Costa Mesa Public Services Department. He is currently the SoCal Chapter’s Young Professionals Co-Chair, and serves on the APWA National Young Professionals Committee as the Region 8 liaison. Victor enjoys golfing, traveling, race car driving, and connecting with others that are passionate about giving back to the community!

Tom Herbel – Director

Tom is the City Engineer for the City of Huntington Beach.  He is responsible for the City’s $60 million CIP and all engineering related to the City’s infrastructure.  Tom previously served as President for APWA SoCal in 2015 and prior to that served as the Chair for the Streets and Technology Committee for 6 years.

 Rene Guerrero – Director

Rene Guerrero, P.E. has 25 years of public works experience and is currently the Director of Public Works for the City of Pomona overseeing the City’s $433 million CIP and $45 million operating budget. He is currently a Mentor in the Mentorship Program. Rene is very proud of his son and daughter who currently attend UCSD and Chapman University, respectively. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf.

Flo Langilotti – Director

Flo is the Facilities Manager at IPAC/Caltech. She is a 25+ year APWA member and serves on the APWA Knowledge Team for Facilities and Grounds. In 2018 she received the APWA Professional Manager of the Year in Administrative Management.  She is an avid runner, hiker, and loves to travel.

Temo Galvez – Director

Temo Galvez PE serves Fountain Valley as the Deputy Public Works Director/City Engineer . He serves as authoring member and Co-Chair of APWA’s Greenbook Standard Plans Committee and APWA’s Work Area Traffic Control Handbook (W.A.T.C.H.). He serves as an Adjunct Professor of Engineering for the Rancho Santiago College District.

Jerry Burke – Inland Empire Branch President

Jerry is the Director of Engineering at Inland Empire Utilities Agency in Chino, California. He started his Civil Engineering career in 1989 with the County of Los Angeles in Alhambra, California and spent almost 17 years there working in various Divisions such as Bridge Inspection, Facilities Maintenance, Road Maintenance, Flood Control and finally, Watershed Management. In 2006 he joined the private sector working with a Civil Engineering firm then in 2009 he went to work as the City Engineer/Assistant Director of Public Works for the City of Glendora and since 2015 he has worked at the Inland Empire Utilities Agency helping to manage their capital improvement program of over $900 million dollars in projects. He lives in Norco, California with his wife, dog and two horses.

Tim Jonasson – Coachella Valley Branch President

Info coming soon.

Amalia Marreh – High Desert Branch President

Amalia Marreh is the Assistant City Engineer for City of Santa Clarita Public Works Department, she has been an active member of the High Desert Branch and served as a Director as well as on the Audit, Communication and Membership committees. She went to schools in Toronto and is an avid Maple Leafs hockey fan.

Trish Pietrzak – Chapter Administrator

Trish Pietrzak is the owner of Maverick Group, a consulting firm, and has volunteered in many roles with APWA since 1998. Trish serves APWA as the chapter administrator for APWA SoCal Chapter since 2011.  She handles chapter administration, marketing, customer relations, finance and event coordination.  Originally from Australia, she enjoys attending her daughter’s many sports events with her husband, Terrell.

Trish@maverickgroupinc.com

310-995-9800