The Region
The community of El Zarzal is located in the district of San Dionisio in Nicaragua. A new bridge will directly serve the communities of El Zarzal, Jaguas, El Corozo and El Quebrachal that are all affected by the river that winds between them, the Rio Calico. Many residents are farmers who must cross the river to access their fields and the markets to sell their crops. Young children also must cross the river to attend one of two primary schools in the nearby community of El Corozo. The river also is a barrier to reaching the nearest town center in San Dionisio.
Crossing the river can be dangerous, and sometimes impossible during the four-month rainy season, causing interruptions in work and income. The high water marker at the project site showed us that when flooded, the river rises above a man’s head by a significant margin, creating a potentially life-threatening journey for local residents. It became obvious to our team that a suspension footbridge was necessary in order to ensure that local communities are not cut off from one another and the essential resources that they need, not only to survive, but to thrive.
The Project
Early portions of construction started several months before our team arrived on site and involved creating the concrete ramps that lead up to the bridge and creating the places for the bridge anchors, in addition to clearing and grading work. When we arrived, we were armed with a context-sensitive, cost-effective and sustainable bridge design provided by B2P. Along with B2P’s in-country team members and the local communities, we built the scaffolding, prepared the site for construction, lifted the towers using a robust pulley system, pulled support cables across the bridge span and installed the decking and fencing.
Intermittent rain interrupted construction a few times throughout the project, but ultimately did not impact our timeline because we had more than a few helpers from the local communities, including many hard-working young children eager to get involved in any part of the project where we needed extra hands.
Our Impact
The construction of the suspension footbridge in Nicaragua, improved mobility and access for nearly 2,000 residents, including 139 families in the community of El Zarzal and 244 families in nearby communities. The footbridge was the final link connecting all neighboring communities to one another. Where locals once made dangerous crossings or forfeited their ability to reach school, work, emergency health services and each other due to a flooding river, this footbridge will now provide a safe way for the locals to travel without interruption.
Local communities had been asking for a bridge for more than 15 years to ensure the safety of their residents. We realized the success and impact of the project during the three-hour inauguration celebration unveiling the new footbridge to hundreds of community members, some of whom travelled on foot for over an hour to attend and join the festivities. During the ceremony, we were especially touched by Oliver, a local musician, who wrote and performed a song to commemorate the new bridge and to thank the team for its help and friendship. Seeing the looks of glee and awe on the faces of the men, women and children crossing the bridge for the first time was unforgettable. To feel the bridge sway with the weight of so many people crossing was a bit terrifying, but also exciting and incredibly rewarding.
Of Mexican heritage, Mireya de la Pena was born in Auckland, New Zealand and raised in Arizona. She grew up travelling extensively with her family and continues to relish international travel and outdoor adventures. She lived for nine years in Guam, where she worked for the airlines and raised two daughters, now both adults. One daughter lives in Alaska and the other one in New Zealand.
Mireya has been an Alaskan resident for almost 20 years and holds a civil engineering degree from the University of Alaska, Anchorage.
Mireya is a project manager and has been with Michael Baker for more than 10 years, with one year spent in Indonesia supporting an ExxonMobil pipeline project as an independent contractor. Her most recent work accomplishment was managing the design and supporting construction of ExxonMobil’s Point Thomson export and gathering pipelines in the North Slope of Alaska.
Chad Huffines is Michael Baker’s North Carolina construction services manager. He is a North Carolina native and grew up growing greenhouse tomatoes with his parents, while attending engineering school. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering and has been involved in many high profile highway and bridge construction projects during his 19-year civil engineering career. One of his most notable construction projects is the Triangle Expressway, North Carolina’s first toll road.
Chad lives in Browns Summit, N.C., with his wife, Jennie, and 3 children (Olivia, Josie and Alex). Chad and his wife fostered Alex for approximately three years and recently adopted him in January 2016. Outside of the field/office, he enjoys spending time with his family, volunteering as a director on the production team with his church and tinkering with his yard/plants.
Brian Link is a native of Lancaster County, Pa., and holds a civil engineering degree from Case Western Reserve University. He has been working in Michael Baker’s Cleveland office since 2013.
Prior to his time at Michael Baker, Brian worked for contractors in heavy civil construction and was a project engineer and project safety committee member for the construction of the 4,300-foot-long westbound George V. Voinovich (Innerbelt) Bridge in Cleveland, Ohio.
In his free time, Brian enjoys traveling and doing a variety of outdoor activities with his wife Cindy.
Danielle Cemprola is an environmental specialist with eight years of experience serving as an environmental planner and NEPA specialist. She works on every level of the NEPA process, from wetland delineations through authorship of the document to organizing public involvement efforts.
Danielle lives in Greenville, South S.C., with her husband, AJ, and rescued Rottweiler, Rocket. When she’s not working or traveling, you’ll find Danielle out running – 50 marathons and counting.
Claire Carrell is a PR Specialist in Michael Baker Santa Ana, Calif., office. She manages the company’s public website and advertising portfolio.
Born and raised in southern California, Claire received her bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Sociology from the University of California, Irvine. She also holds a master’s degree in Political Science from American University in Washington, D.C. She regularly participates in many of the Santa Ana office’s volunteer efforts, from building a local playground to coordinating the office’s CANstruction project to help feed the hungry in Orange County.
David is a civil associate and recent graduate from The Ohio State University. He has worked with Michael Baker for a little over a year. Currently, he’s a member of a team working on a green infrastructure project in New York City.
David lives in White Plains, N.Y., and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Jillian Betts currently is working in the Construction Management department in Michael Baker's Ontario, Calif., office. She attended Cal Poly Pomona, while interning for the company, before being hired full time. Her understanding of the construction field has given her the opportunity to be self-contracted to work for/with public agencies.
Jillian lives in Chino Hills, Calif., and in her free time works with a nonprofit organization that helps kids from low-income families. Her hobbies include coaching, hiking and frequently visiting Disneyland.
Anna Klenke is a civil associate in Michael Baker’s Louisville, Ky., office. She has worked for the company for four years and has spent the majority of her time working on the Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley Basket Handle tied arches from the preliminary design phase to the current construction service support phase. She also is currently serving on the Society of Women Engineers Region G Council of Representatives and enjoys volunteering with various high school and college outreach events throughout the year.
She enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures and associated adventures. She also is an avid cook and enjoys spending her free time as a pianist and with her German Shepherd/Greyhound mix dog, Nokia.
Krista Stippelmans is a civil associate specializing in bridge design for Michael Baker. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pa., she moved to Minneapolis, Minn., to help open the company's Minneapolis office in 2014.
Her desire to become an engineer sparked from her passion to help make a difference. As a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, Krista had the opportunity to aid in the design and construction of a water storage tank for an underdeveloped community in Panama. Since learning about Bridges to Prosperity at a conference in 2012, the organization's mission has continued to inspire her to pursue opportunities in international development.
Krista has traveled to more than 10 different countries. She enjoys being outdoors, hiking, rock climbing, traveling, biking and spending time with her family and friends.
Jay Sullivan recently celebrated his twelfth year with Michael Baker. Over the past decade, he has served in the surface water department working on a variety of flood-control and water quality-related projects. One notable project includes a 540-foot-long bridge at Camp Pendleton crossing the San Mateo Creek, which has a 100-year peak flow rate of more than 30,000 cubic feet per second.
Recently, Jay moved to the land development department where he serves as a project manager.
Outside of work, Jay stays busy with organized sports (soccer and basketball), music (guitar, ukulele and piano), health and fitness (gym and yoga) and quality time with family and friends. He has a passion for travel, culture and helping others.
Chris Tagert is the water resources department manager for Michael Baker's Denver, Colo., office. Chris has spent a significant part of his career working in response to flood-related disasters, from hurricanes on the Atlantic Coast to flash flooding in the hills of Colorado. This work has given Chris an appreciation for the impact that floods have on the natural environment and the communities that surround them. He is passionate about making river environments safer.
Chris loves being outdoors hiking or skiing in Colorado with his wife Joy and three grade-school boys, Jack, Owen and Drew.
John Dietrick is Michael Baker’s National Bridge and Highway Regional Practice Lead for the Great Lakes region. He has worked more than 28 years in the bridge engineering profession and has had the good fortune to work on a number of large and complex bridge projects. His international bridge design experience includes serving as one of the lead designers on the eight-mile-long Confederation Bridge between Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, Canada and on a number of bridges in Thailand.
John lives in Twinsburg, Ohio with his wife, Annette and their two teenage daughters, Kiersten and Erin. He enjoys running and hiking in his spare time, and is an avid reader and frustrated puzzle-solver.
Of Mexican heritage, Mireya de la Pena was born in Auckland, New Zealand and raised in Arizona. She grew up travelling extensively with her family and continues to relish international travel and outdoor adventures. She lived for nine years in Guam, where she worked for the airlines and raised two daughters, now both adults. One daughter lives in Alaska and the other one in New Zealand.
Mireya has been an Alaskan resident for almost 20 years and holds a civil engineering degree from the University of Alaska, Anchorage.
Mireya is a project manager and has been with Michael Baker for more than 10 years, with one year spent in Indonesia supporting an ExxonMobil pipeline project as an independent contractor. Her most recent work accomplishment was managing the design and supporting construction of ExxonMobil’s Point Thomson export and gathering pipelines in the North Slope of Alaska.
Chad Huffines is Michael Baker’s North Carolina construction services manager. He is a North Carolina native and grew up growing greenhouse tomatoes with his parents, while attending engineering school. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering and has been involved in many high profile highway and bridge construction projects during his 19-year civil engineering career. One of his most notable construction projects is the Triangle Expressway, North Carolina’s first toll road.
Chad lives in Browns Summit, N.C., with his wife, Jennie, and 3 children (Olivia, Josie and Alex). Chad and his wife fostered Alex for approximately three years and recently adopted him in January 2016. Outside of the field/office, he enjoys spending time with his family, volunteering as a director on the production team with his church and tinkering with his yard/plants.
Brian Link is a native of Lancaster County, Pa., and holds a civil engineering degree from Case Western Reserve University. He has been working in Michael Baker’s Cleveland office since 2013.
Prior to his time at Michael Baker, Brian worked for contractors in heavy civil construction and was a project engineer and project safety committee member for the construction of the 4,300-foot-long westbound George V. Voinovich (Innerbelt) Bridge in Cleveland, Ohio.
In his free time, Brian enjoys traveling and doing a variety of outdoor activities with his wife Cindy.
Danielle Cemprola is an environmental specialist with eight years of experience serving as an environmental planner and NEPA specialist. She works on every level of the NEPA process, from wetland delineations through authorship of the document to organizing public involvement efforts.
Danielle lives in Greenville, South S.C., with her husband, AJ, and rescued Rottweiler, Rocket. When she’s not working or traveling, you’ll find Danielle out running – 50 marathons and counting.
Claire Carrell is a PR Specialist in Michael Baker Santa Ana, Calif., office. She manages the company’s public website and advertising portfolio.
Born and raised in southern California, Claire received her bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Sociology from the University of California, Irvine. She also holds a master’s degree in Political Science from American University in Washington, D.C. She regularly participates in many of the Santa Ana office’s volunteer efforts, from building a local playground to coordinating the office’s CANstruction project to help feed the hungry in Orange County.
David is a civil associate and recent graduate from The Ohio State University. He has worked with Michael Baker for a little over a year. Currently, he’s a member of a team working on a green infrastructure project in New York City.
David lives in White Plains, N.Y., and enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Jillian Betts currently is working in the Construction Management department in Michael Baker's Ontario, Calif., office. She attended Cal Poly Pomona, while interning for the company, before being hired full time. Her understanding of the construction field has given her the opportunity to be self-contracted to work for/with public agencies.
Jillian lives in Chino Hills, Calif., and in her free time works with a nonprofit organization that helps kids from low-income families. Her hobbies include coaching, hiking and frequently visiting Disneyland.
Anna Klenke is a civil associate in Michael Baker’s Louisville, Ky., office. She has worked for the company for four years and has spent the majority of her time working on the Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley Basket Handle tied arches from the preliminary design phase to the current construction service support phase. She also is currently serving on the Society of Women Engineers Region G Council of Representatives and enjoys volunteering with various high school and college outreach events throughout the year.
She enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures and associated adventures. She also is an avid cook and enjoys spending her free time as a pianist and with her German Shepherd/Greyhound mix dog, Nokia.
Krista Stippelmans is a civil associate specializing in bridge design for Michael Baker. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pa., she moved to Minneapolis, Minn., to help open the company's Minneapolis office in 2014.
Her desire to become an engineer sparked from her passion to help make a difference. As a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, Krista had the opportunity to aid in the design and construction of a water storage tank for an underdeveloped community in Panama. Since learning about Bridges to Prosperity at a conference in 2012, the organization's mission has continued to inspire her to pursue opportunities in international development.
Krista has traveled to more than 10 different countries. She enjoys being outdoors, hiking, rock climbing, traveling, biking and spending time with her family and friends.
Jay Sullivan recently celebrated his twelfth year with Michael Baker. Over the past decade, he has served in the surface water department working on a variety of flood-control and water quality-related projects. One notable project includes a 540-foot-long bridge at Camp Pendleton crossing the San Mateo Creek, which has a 100-year peak flow rate of more than 30,000 cubic feet per second.
Recently, Jay moved to the land development department where he serves as a project manager.
Outside of work, Jay stays busy with organized sports (soccer and basketball), music (guitar, ukulele and piano), health and fitness (gym and yoga) and quality time with family and friends. He has a passion for travel, culture and helping others.
Chris Tagert is the water resources department manager for Michael Baker's Denver, Colo., office. Chris has spent a significant part of his career working in response to flood-related disasters, from hurricanes on the Atlantic Coast to flash flooding in the hills of Colorado. This work has given Chris an appreciation for the impact that floods have on the natural environment and the communities that surround them. He is passionate about making river environments safer.
Chris loves being outdoors hiking or skiing in Colorado with his wife Joy and three grade-school boys, Jack, Owen and Drew.
John Dietrick is Michael Baker’s National Bridge and Highway Regional Practice Lead for the Great Lakes region. He has worked more than 28 years in the bridge engineering profession and has had the good fortune to work on a number of large and complex bridge projects. His international bridge design experience includes serving as one of the lead designers on the eight-mile-long Confederation Bridge between Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, Canada and on a number of bridges in Thailand.
John lives in Twinsburg, Ohio with his wife, Annette and their two teenage daughters, Kiersten and Erin. He enjoys running and hiking in his spare time, and is an avid reader and frustrated puzzle-solver.
