Board of Directors, Officers, and Regional Directors
Jump to regional map
Jump to Board of Directors and Officers
Regional Directors:
- Region 1 – East Coast, Tim Barnes, FHFI
- Region 2 – West Coast, Vacant
- Region 3 – US Dept. of Veterans Affairs, John Bulick, FHFI, Washington, DC
- Region 4 – US Navy, CMDR Alex Aldana, FHFI, Woodbridge, VA
- Region 5 – US Army, CPT Ricky Rodrigues-Cruz, FHFI, Bristow, VA
- Region 6 – US Air Force, Vacant
- Region 7 – Defense Health Agency, Debra Mortland, FHFI, Falls Church, VA
Board of Directors and Officers:
Chairman and Board Member – Jim Reichart, FHFI
Jim Reichart has over 40 years of government healthcare construction experience. He supports and oversees a range of healthcare construction efforts but focuses primarily on the construction of Veteran Affairs hospitals or associated buildings. Jim has performed management, operations, and strategic communications in his various roles. Additionally, he has conducted courses in building construction management to provide needed instruction to future engineers. Jim is a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Civil Engineering and is available by email for any questions.
Board Member through 2024 – Michael Plante, MPH, FHFI
Michael Plante, MPH, FHFI, has over 30 years of medical facility planning, construction coordination, and equipment outfitting experience as an on-site medical construction liaison officer and senior regional director for the Navy Medical Department. Projects included major medical centers, small hospitals and freestanding medical and dental clinics. His project portfolio during the last 15 years of tenure with the Navy exclusively focused on worldwide medical research laboratories , human performance facilities, and other unique medical support facilities. He has a Masters of Public Health from Tulane University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Florida State University.
Board Member through 2026 – Mary Ann Haar, MS, CHID, IIDA, FHFI
Mary Ann has worked in the hospital design industry for over 30 years and held a variety of project development and management positions at Herman Miller Healthcare. Her clinical project experience is broad-based having worked with the Veterans Administration and the Military Health System in the US and abroad. Currently, she is founder and principal of Laylock Cottage Design. Mary Ann holds a BS in Interior Design from Florida State University and an MS in Healthcare Management from the University of St. Joseph.
Board Member through 2027 – Kurt Neubek, FHFI, FAIA
Kurt Neubek, FHFI, FAIA, is an architect and Principal with Page, the nation’s third largest architecture/engineering firm. Kurt has specialized in pre-design, strategic planning, and project management for healthcare facilities for thirty years. He is Principal-in-Charge for over $1B of healthcare projects in four cities, and is also an author and frequent speaker at national conferences on topics such as Trends in Healthcare Facilities and Getting Decisions That Stick. Kurt is a Certified Facility Manager, LEED Accredited, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Evidence-based Design Accredited and Certified, and an instructor for both the Lean Construction Institute and the Construction Owners Association of America.
Board Member through 2028 – Kenneth Dickerman, FHFI, ACHA, Emeritus AIA
Kenneth Dickerman has 48 years of medical facility programming, design and project management experience. He also served on Active Duty from 1968 to 1972 as a project manager and Chief of Operations and Maintenance at Craig AFB, Alabama. After Active Duty he served as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee in Disaster Preparedness at several Air Force Bases. His health facility projects include new hospitals, major renovations, outpatient centers, and all types of specialty facilities in more than 20 states and several foreign countries. He is the author of two books: “Hospital Space Programming” and “Florida Project Development Manual.” Ken is a Founding Member of the American College of Healthcare Architects and has been a Fellow at HFI since shortly after its creation. He served on the FGI Guidelines Revision Committee for the 2006 and 2010 editions and had a peer reviewed paper on patient safety design published by AHRQ. He has made conference presentations on programming, planning and design, simulation modeling, patient safety design, and evidence based design. For the past thirteen years he has worked as an Architect/Planner at the East Region Office of VA’s Office of Construction and Facility Management. Ken retired from the VA in January 2024. He has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and has also studied at MIT and the University of the Seven Seas. He is a registered Architect in Florida AR0006232.
President/CEO
Jonathan Sylvie, Ph.D., PE, PMP, FHFI is currently a Board Member and Chief Revenue Officer of Page, the nation’s third largest architecture/engineering firm. Jon retired from the US Army after a 21-year career that included over 15 years of project and program management in assignments with the US Army Health Facility Planning Agency. Jon holds B.S. degrees in Industrial Management and Information and Decision Systems from Carnegie Mellon University, an MBA from The University of Texas at San Antonio, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.
Emeritus President
Robert Farrow, AIA, LEED AP, FHFI has over 44 years of professional experience in the design and construction industry, with a specialty in healthcare facilities. Bob’s extensive experience includes comprehensive master planning, building design, and construction administration in both the private and government sectors. He has focused on healthcare facilities across the world, and his design portfolio includes ambulatory care centers, community hospitals, large complex hospitals and research facilities, corporate office/manufacturing facilities, and office/retail/mixed use developments. Bob served as President/CEO for ten years and is now serving as the Emeritus President.
Chief Financial Officer
Angela Webster, PMP, FHFI, retired from the US Navy after a 34 year career that included over 15 years of Project and Program Management in positions with the Bureau of Navy Medicine, the Bureau of Naval Personnel and an executive level administrative position for the Assistant Secretary of Defense/Health Affairs. She received her undergraduate degree in Business Management from Jacksonville University, a Master’s of Construction Management from Western Carolina University and a Master’s Certificate in Project Management from Villanova Online University.
Assistant Chief Financial Officer
Ron Deike, MBA, FHFI, has over 30 years of medical healthcare project management experience as a Medical Construction Liaison Officer (MCLO), Facilities Planning and Projects Officer (HFPPO) and senior project manager with projects ranging from small, medium and large medical outpatient clinics to tertiary care facilities. Ron has an MBA from National University, and a BA in Business Administration from Southwest State University.
Vice President for Business Development
Chip DeShields, FHFI, is Senior Associate and the Director of Business Development for Sherlock, Smith & Adams, a multi-disciplined architectural and engineering firm founded in 1946. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Troy University and has worked in architecture executive management for 18 years. Chip maintains a results-oriented commitment to pair his client’s needs with complex teams that stir creative minds.
Assistant Vice President for Business Development
Gary Schindele, EMT-B, FHFI, is a Fellow of the Health Facility Institute, and a leading subject matter expert in the field of emergency preparedness design and implementation. In 2020, Gary served on two Facility Guideline Institute committees for Emergency Conditions on Surge and Alternate Care Sites. With a strong clinical background Gary has led international capital equipment teams in healthcare for over 40 years and has been involved in many hundreds of healthcare projects around the world during his career.
Vice President for Educational Programs
Craig Rowland, FHFI, recently retired from the Navy after 31 years, with over 15 years of experience in Healthcare Facilities management, programing, design development, and execution as a Senior Project Manager. As program manager for Defense Health Agency (DHA) he managed both domestic and international capital assets, while planning and programming support of over $3 billion in real property, and overseeing the design and construction program of over $1.5 billion in projects throughout his career. His experience continues to grow as a project manager for both DoD and VA projects contracts. Craig has a Bachelors in Science and Healthcare Administration from Southern Illinois University.
Vice President for Communications and Event Planning
Patti Rowland, AFHFI,is the event planner and communications administrator for the Health Facility Institute. She has held the positions as a licensed Property and Causality agent, and as an executive assistant at for Wells Fargo’s Home Mortgage loan offices. She is a proud Military Spouse.
Administrative Support Specialist
Kristy King is a career assistant who has supported the administrative and project needs of companies, teams, and C-Suite executives in varying industries for more than 35 years. Kristy holds an Associates degree in Business Administration and brings her education, experience and expertise to the HFI in support of administrative functions and educational program planning, coordination, communications for the annual symposium including event registration and AIA reporting and accreditation.