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Women in A/E/C Roundtable 2026 | Panelists

Sara Costin Mockus
Chief Executive Officer and Owner
Costin Public Outreach Group, Inc.

Sara Costin Mockus is a recognized leader in public outreach, strategic communications, and stakeholder engagement, with more than 34 years of experience supporting some of California’s most complex and high-profile infrastructure programs. As Founder, CEO, and Owner of Costin Public Outreach Group, Inc. (CPOG), she has built a respected consulting firm specializing in transportation and infrastructure projects throughout Southern California. Her experience spans the full project lifecycle, from planning and environmental review through design, construction, and operation, including approximately $20 billion in alternative delivery infrastructure investments. Sara has advised major transportation agencies, led thousands of community meetings, and helped project teams navigate politically sensitive issues, build consensus, and strengthen public trust. A passionate advocate for integrating community engagement into infrastructure delivery from day one, she brings a strategic, creative, and results-driven approach to advancing projects while building meaningful connections with the communities they serve.

Sheila Wray Given
Principal, Business Development
PGH Wong Engineering, Inc.

Sheila Wray Given is an accomplished infrastructure executive with 30 years of experience in business development, operations, strategic planning, and communications across the architecture, engineering, program management, and construction management industries. As Principal, Business Development for PGH Wong Engineering, Inc., she supports major transportation and infrastructure programs throughout Southern California and nationwide, including Los Angeles Metro’s $3.5 billion Purple Line Subway Extension and the Orange County Transportation Authority’s OC Streetcar project. Her expertise encompasses client relations, strategic pursuits, business planning, staff recruitment, and workforce development. With an extensive network of industry partners and a longstanding commitment to professional development and mentorship, Sheila is an active leader in transportation industry organizations. She has served two terms on the international board of WTS and has been a member of the WTS Los Angeles board since 1999, championing opportunities for women and emerging professionals in transportation.

Kisha Given, Accoc. AIA
President, CEO, and Co-Founder
GDG Healthcare Architects

With more than 30 years of experience in healthcare construction and architecture, Kisha Given's career is a testament to learning the industry from the ground up. Starting as a blueprint runner for her father's healthcare construction firm, she wore many hats along the way—from bookkeeper, marketing coordinator, estimator, and interior designer to hiring manager. In 2005, Kisha co-founded Given Design Group (GDG) with her husband and business partner, Jesse Given, AIA. As the firm grew, she served as Vice President before stepping into her current role as President and CEO in 2024. Today, Kisha leads the firm, now known as GDG Healthcare Architects, a certified Women-Owned Business specializing exclusively in healthcare architecture. With 15 team members, offices in Orange County and Silicon Valley, and more than 60 active projects, GDG manages a diverse portfolio of healthcare projects, with engineering consultants contracted directly through the firm on approximately 90% of its projects. Passionate about empowering women in the A/E/C industry, Kisha believes leadership isn't defined by a title or a traditional career path, but by resilience, relationships, adaptability, and the willingness to keep learning and growing.

Lan Zhou
Director
Caltrans District 12

Director Lan Zhou is over a 20-year veteran of the California Department of Transportation. She currently serves as the Caltrans District 12 Director. Director Zhou previously served as District 12 Deputy Director of Planning and Local Assistance for eleven years. Before that, Zhou was the District 12 Corridor System Management Program Manager and Regional Planning and Local Development Review Branch Chief. She began her Caltrans career in District 4 in the Bay Area as a lead engineer in Maintenance and Toll Bridge Engineering. Zhou has a long history in strategic planning, organizational excellence, and partnership building, and has a wide breadth of experience including working for universities, a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), local government and multiple State Departments of Transportation (DOTs). As the District 12 Director, Zhou leads nearly 1,000 employees by building a professional, productive and people first district culture, and serves 3.2 million residents in Orange County by providing a safe, reliable, multi-modal transportation system.

Sarina Sriboonlue
Principal Engineer
Municipal Water District of Orange County

Sarina Sriboonlue is a water resources professional with more than 20 years of experience supporting Southern California communities through technical expertise, project management, and regional collaboration. As Principal Engineer with the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), she manages regional programs that provide shared services and technical support to member agencies, including water demand studies, urban water management planning, water quality reporting, and regulatory compliance initiatives. Prior to joining MWDOC, Sarina spent 17 years with Malcolm Pirnie and Arcadis, providing consulting services to public agencies and private-sector clients. She serves on the Orange County Water Association Board of Directors and chairs its Women in Water Committee, reflecting her commitment to mentorship and professional development in the water industry. Outside of work, Sarina enjoys raising her two daughters, exploring nature, listening to inspirational podcasts, and finding the perfect matcha latte.

Donna Connole
Director, Marketing
Ware Malcomb

Donna brings nearly 15 years of AEC marketing experience to the Ware Malcomb team. As Director, Marketing she is responsible for leading the firm’s marketing team across the Americas including staffing and executing marketing initiatives such as pursuits, business development support, national conferences and marketing collateral. Donna is focused on contributing strategy and creative ideas to achieve firmwide objectives, operational efficiencies and win new work.

Margaret E. Novak
Director of Business Development, Western Region
Michael Baker International

Ms. Novak is a long-time resident of Orange County and has over 25 years of experience working within the infrastructure and community development realm. For the last 18 years, she has worked for Michael Baker International – currently as Director of Business Development for the Western Region and previously as a land use planner leading economic development and neighborhood revitalization projects for the firm’s Urban Design Studio.

Ms. Novak has worked on “all sides of the public counter”– in the private sector for A/E consulting firms and a land developer, and in the public sector for a municipality. She also worked for the Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIASC), analyzing local governments' perspectives about land use and transportation policies that impact housing. Over the last 15 years, Ms. Novak has served on numerous boards and committees in elected, appointed, and volunteer roles. She is currently an elected member of the Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) Board of Directors, and previously served in elected positions on the Ladera Ranch Maintenance Corporation (LARMAC) Homeowners’ Association Board and Ladera Ranch Civic Council (LRCC). She also served on the South Orange County Economic Coalition (SOCEC) Political Action Committee (ECONPAC) – one year as ECONPAC Chair. Appointments have included her current service on the American Council of Engineering Companies of Orange County (ACEC-OC) Board and, previously, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Citizens Advisory Committee and Women’s Transportation Seminar of Orange County (WTS-OC) Board – three years as WTS-OC Board President.

Ms. Novak has a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Cal Poly Pomona and has completed coursework towards a Master’s degree in Public Administration from USC. She is passionate about making a meaningful difference in her community.