Industry Advisory Board Welcomes Three New Members

The IAB plays a key role in shaping the EMDC curriculum, ensuring students develop the skills needed to thrive as leaders in the built environment sector.

There is no executive management program in the country that serves the built environment sector quite like Northwestern Engineering’s Master of Science in Executive Management for Design and Construction (EMDC) program.

The customized curriculum and specific focus on the design and construction industries provides students with the technical expertise, business acumen, critical thinking, and communication skills necessary to lead their organizations into the future. The program achieves this aim thanks, in part, to inputs from the EMDC Industry Advisory Board (IAB).

The IAB — comprised of thought leaders from across the built environment sector — provides insight and advice to program leadership about the industry's evolving needs.

EMDC recently welcomed three new members to the IAB, each of whom brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the program.

Keith Churchill

Churchill (EMDC '23) is the manager of construction at Bechtel Corporation, where he's worked since 2008. He joined the company as a civil and structural field engineer and later served as an area field engineer, project field engineer, and deputy project field engineer.

In 2016, Churchill was named corporate construction operations manager. He later was corporate manager of construction technology before being promoted to chief innovation officer.

Rada Doytcheva

Doytcheva is principal and head of design at RADA Architects, a company she founded in 1994. The firm specializes in learning environments, student residences, labs, offices, mixed-use facilities, recreation spaces, and urban renewal.

Doytcheva is skilled in concept planning and design within the healthcare, workplace, hospitality, and learning spaces.

Rosemarie Lipman

Lipman is a member of the Board of Directors for BuiltWorlds and Graycor. Her experience ranges from digital strategy and technology investment to compliance and culture. She spent 12 years with global construction services company EllisDon, including nine years on the executive team.

Lipman most recently served as chief innovation officer at EllisDon, where she developed the company's digital and data strategy.

"Our Industry Advisory Board plays such a crucial role in the evolution and ultimate success of our program, and I am delighted to have Keith, Rada, and Rosemarie supporting us," said EMDC director Shelley Finnigan. "These talented individuals bring a wealth of experience and unique industry perspectives to the IAB and complement the inputs of our standing board members. Collectively, the IAB continues to guide us on the pathway of growth and enables us to better prepare our students to be effective and impactful leaders."

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