Session 1

Félix Bedard

At Elema, I lead the engineering team for the design of multi-storey buildings in steel, concrete and wood frames, the seismic rehabilitation of existing structures and the dynamic analysis of structures. I also offer Elema's clients my expertise in structural glass, prestressed concrete and the design of reinforced concrete diaphragm walls. 

I completed a Bachelor's degree in civil engineering at the École Polytechnique de Montréal in 2009 and a Master's degree in earthquake engineering in 2011. My research topic focused on the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete partition walls designed according to the 1975-1977 

National Building Code. Over the course of my career, I have developed enviable expertise in seismic design and structural dynamic analysis of higher mode effects, particularly during the completion of several hospital projects such as the new CHUM and the Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital, as well as during several high-rise commercial projects such as the TOM tower and the Quadrilatère de la Montagne.

Session 2

Stephen Reichwein, PE

Steve is licensed as a structural engineer in Nevada and as a professional engineer in New York and New Jersey. He was certified by SECB until the program’s sunset in 2022.  He earned a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering and a Master of Architectural Engineering, both from Pennsylvania State University.

Steve’s background in architectural engineering along with his design experience has enabled him to engineer his clients’ visions effectively, regardless of their complexity.  Steve is a leader of the firm’s parametric and algorithmic design team, a group whose analyses inform critical engineering decisions for major projects. These include the immersive entertainment venue Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, and 20 Times Square and Madison Square Garden V–The Transformation, both in New York, to which Steve made significant contributions. 

He is also co-author of “Steel Sphere,” which appeared in Modern Steel Construction in September 2023.

Session 3

Mike Zaborski

Mike, a principal at MdeAS, is both a conceptual and pragmatic thinker who consistently and creatively brings design concepts into reality. Whether overseeing projects or mentoring the architecture staff, he promotes and evolves MdeAS' commitment to sustainability and craft in architecture and planning.

Since joining the firm in 1998, he has worked on a diverse range of projects including master plans, commercial buildings, retail, residential and mixed-use developments, curtain wall re-clad and over-clad, as well as lobby expansions and renovations.­­

Most recently Mike completed the renovation of the Alumni Auditorium and new Schaefer Awards Gallery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, honored as Best of Year Design Finalist by Interior Design. For the past decade Mike has worked closely on the 3.5 million SF mixed-use master plan in Long Island City comprising of Gotham Center Building B2 (Department of Health) completed in 2011 and the AIA Long Island winning project, The JACX completed in 2020.

Session 3

Matthew Peitz, PE

Matt is licensed as a structural engineer in Nevada and as a professional engineer in New York and three other states. He was certified by the Structural Engineering Certification Board until the program’s sunset in 2022. He earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Engineering in civil engineering from Rutgers University.

Matt uses his advanced education and more than 15 years of experience to engineer and manage large-scale and complex structures such as transportation facilities and medical research laboratories. His portfolio of challenging projects includes New York University’s mixed-use John A. Paulson Center, NYU Langone Health’s Science Building, and the Penn 2 office building redevelopment, all in New York City. Among Matt’s other significant projects are the high-rise One Vanderbilt Avenue, expansion of the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, and the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago, Illinois.

Matt contributes to the structural engineering profession through his work with the Structural Engineers Association of New York, where he is a past director.