About
Melissa is a Partner in Canada, and leads the Project Advisory and Disputes (PAD) practice for North America as well as the global co-lead for Accuracy’s Energy & Infrastructure practice.
She is a professional with nearly 20 years of relevant experience in the implementation & procurement of large-scale projects, including various alternative delivery models such as public-private partnerships (PPP), in Canada, the United States and Internationally.
Melissa developed her strong project management and commercial management skills during her previous roles with Bechtel and SNC-Lavalin working in various sectors including Buildings, Civil, Mining & Metals, Institutions, Industrial, Health Services and Airports.
Melissa speaks English (mother language), French (fluent) and Italian (fluent).
Qualifications
- D. & MSc in Construction & Engineering Management, Columbia University (New York, NY), 2011
- Eng. in Civil Engineering, McGill University (Montreal, QC), 2006
In-depth expertise
Melissa comes from a Project Development background and has been involved in the implementation & procurement of large-scale projects, including various alternative delivery models such as Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) as well as Capital Facilities planning and financing in Canada, United States and Internationally.
She is a civil engineering and construction professional with extensive knowledge in commercial contracts, project management best practices and risk management, having worked in various project sectors such as rail, transport, building, social infrastructure, mining, oil and gas and clean power.
Melissa also has expertise in promoting team efficiency and productivity through the evaluation of project management systems and the implementation of process improvement for Joint Venture partnerships specific to major project executions in the infrastructure, transport, engineering, construction, energy & mining industries.
Example of engagements
Project Development & Advisory Experience
- Several engagements as project and commercial director for the design, build and finance (DBF) as well as for the design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance (DBFOM) of major infrastructure projects within Canada and the US.
- Delay and Quantum analysis for negotiation support in a dispute related to a road construction project in British Columbia: Provided a contractor with strategic and quantitative support related to both delay and quantum damages due to unforeseen conditions on an ongoing road construction project.
- Financial Review of Joint Venture entities (companies) for various Infrastructure Projects in Ontario: Provided independent financial assessments of numerous listed and unlisted entities involved in infrastructure projects across Ontario to assess financial stability and capacity of project completion.
- Inflation impacts related to the construction of a Public Housing facility $200M in Quebec: Quantification of inflation impacts related to supply-chain and indirect costs on behalf of a consortium (JV) due to the initiation of the war in Europe and the increasing interest rates post-pandemic.
- Impact of COVID-19 on the analysis of delays in CAD $1B tunnel retrofit project in Quebec: Supervision of the quantification of the impact of COVID-19 on the productivity of project teams and identification of the causes of delays on the rehabilitation of a large multi-site infrastructure project in Quebec.
- Executive committee member, proposal and commercial director related to the Program Management and Construction Management of a major airport expansion project in Canada.
- Provided advisory services to the Owner/Developer related to the construction of an offshore wind farm in Northeast US and Canada, regarding: (i) market outlook and labor resources in the region, (ii) estimates for construction fabrication dry-dock and (iii) procurement process of local contractors.
- Interface management and project performance audit for the contractor of a Greenfield aluminum refinery EPCM contract in the Middle East.
- Advisory services to the contractor in (i) identifying opportunities for offshore outsourcing for engineering services (ii) development of project interface plan for multiparty construction sites and (iii) start-up of remote project offices for several EPCM/EPC contracts.
- Pre-Construction Manager (Client Representative) for the design and construction of a multi-phase new campus capital development in New York.
- Provided expert advice regarding interface management between local and remote project engineering offices in order to maximize design production and handover for the engineering, procurement, and fabrication at a refinery in Northwestern US.
- Strategy advisor and JV steering committee member for the expansion of production capacity of a mine in South America.