Bringing together decades of technical expertise, industry insight, and a shared commitment to delivering clear, reliable engineering support.
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We’re always looking for talented, driven professionals who share our commitment to clarity, integrity, and real-world results.
We help protect buildings from the elements through expert analysis, practical solutions, and clear, evidence-based reporting.
We investigate structural failures and construction issues with expert analysis, practical solutions, and clear, evidence-based reporting.
We restore aging or damaged structures with expert assessment, thoughtful design, and practical support from start to finish.
We support legal and insurance teams with expert analysis, clear communication, and credible testimony grounded in real-world engineering experience.
We help clients navigate complex accessibility codes with expert guidance, practical recommendations, and a clear path to confident, code-compliant spaces.
We help insurers, attorneys, and property owners resolve claims with expert evaluations, practical insights, and clear, defensible engineering documentation.
Matt Blackmer, M.S., P.E. and Rachel Schmitt, M.S., P.E., CDT are featured in the latest issue of the Community Association Institue Common Interests magazine. See their article on Preventative Maintenance for Water Management to learn some important tips on keeping water out of your buildings.
Check out some of our other articles below:
Jolynn Jarnagin is an experienced Accessibility Consultant with more than 20 years of expertise in accessibility compliance, construction administration, and quality assurance.
She specializes in conducting facility inspections and construction document reviews to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS). Her experience includes managing ADA design and construction projects, developing policies and procedures, coordinating accessibility training and outreach programs, and collaborating with project teams to eliminate physical and policy barriers.
Ms. Jarnagin has also provided quality assurance oversight for construction projects, ensuring adherence to codes, regulations, schedules, budgets, and industry standards. Her extensive background in accessibility consulting and project management makes her a valuable resource for organizations committed to creating inclusive and compliant environments.
Colin Plante serves as a project engineer in the Irving, Texas office. Colin has over six years of experience in forensic engineering, geotechnical consulting, and design-building geotechnical engineering. His responsibilities include site investigations, report writing, design of mitigation measures, and QA/QC for structural, civil, geotechnical, and building envelope failures, damages, and defects.
Colin is a registered Professional Engineer in several states including Texas, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. He holds a Master of Science degree from Norwich University in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Geotechnical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in Civil Engineering.
Sam is as a Project Engineer for the firm in the Arizona office. Sam has experience with assessment of damage to buildings due to natural occurrences such as wind, hail, rot, and expansive soils. He also has experience in forensic investigation of other methods of damage to buildings including vehicle impacts and fires. Sam has experience in designing repair solutions for damage of civil components including grading and drainage, erosion control, ADA compliance, and driveways. He also has experience in forensic investigations and construction defect reports for Civil components including grading and drainage, erosion control, and various code compliance issues.
Sam has produced new designs and repair designs for commercial and residential (multi-family and single-family) structures of various sizes. He has experience in structural steel, masonry, concrete, timber, and light-gage materials in addition to a good understanding of the application of current building codes.
Sam is a registered Professional Engineer in Washington, Colorado, and Arizona. He holds a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington.
Jeff Sanchez joined Higgins & Associates in 2026 and serves as the lead engineer in the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area. Jeff has 20 plus years of experience in civil engineering design, construction project management, forensic engineering investigations, and expert witness support. Jeff’s technical expertise includes assessing property damage caused by natural occurrences such as wind, snow, rain, flood, fire, and expansive soil as well as assessing properties for compliance with jurisdictional requirements in premises liability matters.
Jeff is a registered Professional Engineer in several states including Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Nevada, Florida, North Carolina, and Washington. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Structural from the United States Coast Guard Academy.
Wesley Walthall, P.E. is a graduate of Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He brings experience in structural analysis and design of steel and concrete systems for industrial and transportation facilities across the United States and Canada.
Wesley supports projects through structural modeling, design calculations, drawing review, and preparation of technical documentation. He collaborates closely with project teams to address design challenges and provide construction-phase support when needed. Wesley brings a practical, detail-oriented approach to engineering and is committed to delivering clear, well-supported solutions.
Ed Dressel joined our team in early 2026 as a seasoned building expert and owner’s representative specializing in guiding clients through technically complex projects, construction defect investigations, and high-risk built environments. Ed supports owners, developers, and legal teams in understanding building failures, evaluating remediation strategies, and making informed decisions that align technical performance with financial and operational realities.
Ed studied architecture at Washington University in St. Louis and earned a graduate degree in Construction Management from Colorado State University. His academic foundation, combined with more than three decades of hands-on industry experience, has allowed him to cultivate a uniquely integrated perspective across the full lifecycle of the built environment—from design intent and constructability through failure analysis and reconstruction.
Over the course of his career, Ed has played a key role in the delivery and evaluation of more than $620 million in construction projects totaling over 2 million square feet. His portfolio includes luxury single-family residences, large-scale retail developments, high-rise commercial towers, and mixed-use facilities. He brings particular expertise in building envelope systems, fenestration, water intrusion, and forensic architectural analysis—disciplines that are often central to complex construction defect claims and performance disputes.
Known for his methodical approach and clear communication style, Ed works to translate technical findings into actionable insights for stakeholders across ownership, legal, and design teams. Whether serving in an owner’s advisory capacity during active construction or providing forensic analysis in post-loss or defect conditions, he is committed to protecting project integrity, reducing risk exposure, and helping clients move forward with clarity and confidence.
Theresa Rief is a Client Services Manager based in our Dallas, Texas office. She is focused on building strong, long-term partnerships through clear communication and trusted service.
She works closely with clients to understand their goals and ensure a seamless experience from start to finish.
Outside of work, Theresa is an avid golfer, a sports enthusiast, and enjoys spending time with her dog, Riley Rose.
Jordan leads our structural engineering group and has extensive experience with forensics assessments with expert witness support, insurance claims for storm related damage, and producing designed repairs for all types of commercial and residential structures.
He has experience with assessing and providing repair drawings for structural components, roofing, building envelope, exterior cladding, terrace and balcony, below grade, parking garage, and working with clients on tiered solutions for repairs. Jordan’s experience also includes providing third-party consulting design reviews for new and existing buildings.
Jordan retains a bachelors of science in Architectural Engineering – Structural Option from the University of Wyoming and holds an NCEES record with P.E. licenses in numerous state jurisdictions.
Andy Dryden is a Senior Construction Consultant for the firm. In addition to leading construction related field activities, Andy also serves as a cost estimating expert. Andy’s technical expertise includes over two decades of experience as a Senior Director of Construction for multi-family assets. He is experienced applying these skills across structural, roofing, building envelope, civil and redevelopment projects. Andy can easily interface with engineers, architects, contractors and owners key stakeholders. His extensive experience with insurance restoration and capital projects from the perspective of an owners representative make him valuable supporting litigation and insurance related projects.
Andy has managed multi-million dollar insurance, elective rehabilitation, asset preservation and redevelopment work for over 20 years, encompassing residential, multi-family, retail and commercial projects. His attention to detail, and high standard for keeping projects within budget and on schedule earns the respect of those he has conducted business with.
Along with his extensive experience and technical knowledge, Andy has led the implementation of customized project management systems at two multi-family REITS. He is also experienced operating Matterport, a 3D rendering platform, BlueBeam, ProCore and Constructware.
