The Nevada Connection – October 2020

Governor Sisolak appointed Lynnette Russell, PE, to the board effective September 1, 2020. She takes over the seat previously held by Gregory DeSart, PE September 30, 2019.Lynnette is a licensed professional civil engineer in Nevada. Her engineering career began in Northern California where she worked initially in the environmental field and then with the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District. Lynnette came to Nevada in 1999 when she accepted a rotational engineer position with the Nevada Department of Transportation, which provided exposure to all engineering and maintenance functions across the Department. She worked on the private side for ten years, contracted back to public agencies as a Resident Engineer in construction, and returned to NDOT in 2013. She is currently the Assistant Chief of Project Management, responsible for a team of engineering project managers, delivering the largest public works projects in the state.

Lynnette graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from California State University, Chico, and with her Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Regis University in Colorado. She has served as Southern Branch Chair of the American Public Works Association (APWA), and currently holds the position of Director I for APWA.

Lynnette lives in Las Vegas and has one daughter, Abigail. Lynnette is active in volunteerism, STEM outreach, and tutoring math, and enjoys doing home improvement projects, gardening, hiking, and off-roading in her Jeep in her spare time.

 

Governor Sisolak appointed Robert Fyda, PE, REHS, to the board effectively August 31, 2020. He takes over the seat previously held by Kent Anderson, PE who retired June 30, 2020.

Robert is a licensed professional engineer in environmental engineering with the Southern Nevada Health District who currently oversees the Safe Drinking Water program, Legionella investigations, and the septic system plan review program. Robert’s engineering passion is for decentralized wastewater and water system design and operation. By working with local jurisdictions and other state agencies, Robert works to protect Southern Nevada’s groundwater supply through sustainable development, proper engineering design, and good operational and maintenance practices.

He studied at the University of Nevada, Reno and received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. He went on to receive his Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Columbia University in City of New York. As a Bloomberg Fellow, Robert is now working towards earning his doctorate in Public Health as a part time student attending the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where he is working on addressing environmental challenges in America today.

Robert is the son of Polish immigrants and has lived in Nevada for over 20 years. Robert’s younger brother is also an engineer – at NASA. Robert spends his weekends hiking with friends and with his trusted Siberian husky named Aries.