CDM Smith announced on June 18, 2024, the expansion of their North America-based water team with the addition of Andrea R.H. Cheng, Felipe S. Contreras and Traci Minamide.
In their new roles, they will help provide CDM Smith’s clients with innovative solutions to water challenges like PFAS, water reuse and lead in drinking water.
Andrea Cheng joins the firm as a principal and management specialist and is based out of the Chicago, Illinois office. With over two decades of industry experience, Cheng is an expert in drinking water, specializing in water quality, lead corrosion and lead service line replacement (LSLR), activated carbon adsorption, water meters and water and sewer utility management with a focus on digitization of business processes. In her new role, Cheng will help clients address the generational challenge of lead in drinking water.
Felipe Contreras is a drinking water treatment and distribution expert with 25 years of experience. His new role of associate and senior project manager will be based out of the Edison, New Jersey office.
With expertise in integrated water resources management, he specializes in the design and construction management of drinking water treatment and distribution systems. Contreras has proven his abilities to lead successful water projects, manage teams and help clients achieve utility efficient operations and ensure regulatory PFAS-level compliance with industry standards.
Traci Minamide is a wastewater treatment and water reuse expert with 35 years of experience. She joins the firm as a principal and civil engineer, located in the Los Angeles, California office.
Minamide joins CDM Smith after serving the city of Los Angeles at LA Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) as Chief Operating Officer. In that role, Minamide provided executive leadership over the operations and management of various LASAN programs including wastewater treatment, conveyance, water recycling, watershed protection and solid resources. Her broad portfolio of experience includes supporting the expansion of Los Ageles’s Recycled Water Program.
Her contributions include
Her contributions include the $4.5 billion Hyperion 2035, a plan that initiates the mayor’s goal to recycle 100% of the city’s wastewater by 2035 to create a local water supply.
Cheng, Contreras and Minamid are part of the CDM Smith’s growing water services team, providing partnership solutions for their clients in North America and beyond.
