Schedule
11:00 AM: Registration & networking
11:30 AM: Welcome remarks and lunch is served
12:00 Program panel discussion
1:30-2:00 Networking and dismissal
Location:
Long Beach Marriott
4700 Airport Plaza Drive
Long Beach, CA 90815
Panelists:
Emcee:
- Talin Espinoza – Chief Strategy Officer, Royal Electric Company, IPI Board Member
Moderator:
- Darrin Lambrigger, P.E., CCM, FCMAA – Construction Management/Field Services Leader, HDR, IPI Board Member
This panel brings together AGC of California, contractors, construction management consultants, and owners for a candid conversation about what real partnering looks like on today's projects. Rather than repeating familiar talking points, panelists will tackle the hard questions the industry too often avoids: Where does collaboration break down? Who bears the risk when it does? And what will it actually take to build a culture of true partnership across every phase of a project, from preconstruction through closeout.
Attendees will leave with practical insight into how these groups can move from transactional relationships to genuine alignment, and what that shift means for project outcomes, risk, and trust industry-wide.
Sponsor today, space is limited!
Adham Almasri, P.E., PMP
Advanced Water Treatment Program Manager, Inland Empire Utilities Agency
Adham Almasri is the Advanced Water Treatment Program Manager overseeing the capital delivery of the Chino Basin Program. He is a licensed Civil Engineer in the State of California and a Certified Project Management Professional. He hold a B.S. and a M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering. He has over 20 years of experience in the engineering management of potable, recycled, and wastewater infrastructure.
Mat Antonelli, P.E.
Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer, Los Angeles Metro
Mat serves as Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer at Los Angeles Metro, bringing extensive experience in contract management and the delivery of complex transportation programs. Prior to his current role, he managed a $40 billion portfolio of mega projects and served as Project Manager for the $1.8 billion Regional Connector, helping lead the project through completion and opening. He brings a practical, results-focused approach to contract management, accountability, and project delivery.
Ryan Aukerman
President, Griffith Company
Ryan Aukerman is the current President of Griffith Company, where he oversees the day-to-day operations of one of California’s most respected heavy civil construction firms. With more than two decades of experience in the construction industry, Ryan brings deep operational knowledge, a commitment to innovation, and a proven track record of leadership to his role.
Since joining Griffith Company in 2004 as a Project Engineer, Ryan has demonstrated steady advancement and a results-driven approach. He was promoted to Estimator/Project Manager in 2006, and by 2011, he was appointed Regional Manager of the company’s Southern Region—its largest business unit. In 2013, he became Vice President, and in 2015, was again advanced to Executive Vice President. Most recently, Ryan was promoted to President in 2024 and has been guiding key strategic initiatives and operational functions across the company.
Throughout his tenure, Ryan has worked with a wide range of public and private clients, managing complex infrastructure projects through both traditional and alternative delivery methods, including Design-Build, Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC), and Progressive Design-Build. He is known for his forward-thinking leadership, enthusiasm for industry evolution, and dedication to advancing Griffith Company's mission and capabilities.
Ryan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Technology and Operations Management from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He is an active leader in the construction community, currently serving as President Elect for the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of California. He previously served on the AGC Los Angeles Regional Board and has been a member of the Caltrans Partnering Steering Committee since 2016. In 2024, he was appointed as a management trustee with the Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust (LECET) Southwest. Additionally, Ryan serves on advisory boards for CBU and Cal Poly Pomona.
Ryan’s career is defined by a passion for collaboration, operational excellence, and cultivating long-term partnerships that elevate the standards of the construction industry.
Justin Fornelli, P.E.
Chief, Program Delivery, Metrolink
Justin Fornelli is Chief of Program Delivery, a member of the executive team at Metrolink, Southern California’s regional rail service that operates in six counties. Fornelli directs staff and teams of consultants in the delivery of Metrolink’s capital programs including state of good repair, rolling stock, and new capital expansion projects.
Fornelli has over 25-years of experience in transportation, working in both the public and private sectors. Fornelli is a California Profession Civil Engineer and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Davis.
Cesar Larios
Director, Construction Management Division, Port of Long Beach
Cesar Larios, MBA, PE, CCM, is the Director of the Construction Management Division of the Engineering Services Bureau’s Program Delivery Group at the Port of Long Beach, California, promoted to the post in April 2026. His 27-year career includes 20 years as part of the Port’s Construction Management team, coming aboard in 2006 as a Construction Manager, moving up to Deputy Chief Harbor Engineer in 2012 and Engineering Manager in 2025.
As Director, Mr. Larios oversees the ongoing construction of the Port’s $3.3 billion capital improvement and modernization program – the largest of any non-energy port in the nation. Major projects managed by Mr. Larios include completion of the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility – dubbed “America’s Green Gateway” at its 2024 groundbreaking – and the infrastructure needed to double the Port’s container throughput by 2050, achieve zero-emissions operations and strengthen Long Beach’s position as the Port of Choice.
He has successfully completed many construction projects throughout the Port, most notably leading the Construction Management team for more than a decade to complete the $1.5 billion Middle Harbor Terminal Redevelopment Program, now known as the Long Beach Container Terminal. He was also responsible for managing and overseeing more than $900 million in construction contracts and over $100 million in construction management services contracts. The 300-acre Long Beach Container Terminal is equipped with nearly all electric and zero-emissions equipment and can handle up to 3.3 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent container units) annually. On its own, it would rank as America’s sixth-busiest container port.
Talin Espinoza
Emcee, Royal Electric
Darrin Lambrigger
Moderator, HDR
Sponsor opportunities are limited!
