The Firm

Since its inception in 1999, MLA Engineering , a consulting structural engineering firm, has focused on building relationships by providing quality, thorough, and responsive solutions in all of our services. Our services include structural design, seismic evaluations, and facility assessments as well as earth retention and value engineering. We are experienced in designing new and existing structures in wood, structural steel, masonry, and reinforced and pre-stressed concrete. We specialize in small to mid-size public and private projects.

MLA Engineering offers a substantive record of performance.  We learn and confirm the project requirements starting with the allowed budget and schedule for performing each phase.  We inform our clients of structural options and help develop solutions that deliver value.  We strive to be thorough in providing the specific services that are required for each project.

MLA has a team of motivated, qualified professionals who enjoy what we do. With access to state-of-the-art resources and tools and continuing education, our engineers provide the most current, innovative and technically sound solutions to address our clients’ needs and objectives. Our key staff includes four registered professional engineers and a design engineer.  Our senior CAD drafter and administrative assistant provide drawing production and assistance to our engineers.

Strong client relationships and trust are critical to the success of our clients' projects.  More than 80% of MLA's business is from retrun clients, which demonstrates our commitment made to providing responsive, sound engineering.  

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"Once again, MLA has come through for me and my clients.  Your alternatives for the City of Des Moines Grandstand project saved the client 70% of the structural budget, and your thoroughness on the Kent Courthouse job has been outstanding.  I have never seen drawings so complete, so well thought out, or work so in tune with the budget and needs of the client and the Architect.  I asked for Nordstrom service, and you and your people went above and beyond my expectations."

"It is clear to me that MLA is the best of the best.  Please pass along my heartfelt appreciation to everyone in the office."

 

--Dave Clark, David A. Clark Architects, PLLC

Michael Leonard loves finding outstanding structural solutions.  After earning his BSCE from the University of Washington in 1978 and his MSCE from the University of California at Berkeley in 1979, Michael has continuosly developed his tool bag of ideas that is built upon 30 years of engineering for a variety of regional and national projects.  His project experience includes design of:

• foundations and seating bowl framing for Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington;  the deep foundation incuded 1,400 driven steel pipe piles;
• a 220-foot long composite steel and concrete truss, with a post-tensioned hollow pipe bottom chord, located at the University of Washington Hec Edmundson Pavilion, Seattle, Washington;
• construction engineering and quality control for a high-strength, lightweight post-tensioned concrete floating drilling structure used for oil exploration in the Beaufort Sea, built in Tsu, Japan;
• a 60-foot tall,  3/4  mile long permanent tied-back retaining wall built to provide soil retaining and stability at the West Point Treatment Plant in Seattle, Washington;
• a variety of public buildings and zoo facilities that are constructed of wood, masonry, steel and concrete.

Mr. Leonard is a licensed Professional Engineer in Washington, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, and Texas.

Dennis Pradere has over 18 years of experience providing structural designs for new and existing buildings and industrial structures. His work includes framing with steel, wood, concrete, masonry, aluminum, and fiber-reinforced polymer retrofits. He has experience applying FEMA seismic evaluation and design guidelines for improving the performance and safety of existing buildings.  Through his experience and work, Mr. Pradere has developed the skills to analyze, evaluate and identify critical design issues and determine alternative solutions early in the design process.  His excellent oral and written communication skills allow him to communicate effectively with clients and members of a design team.

Project types include libraries and other municipal structures, custom residences, and industrial structures.  This variety of experience is useful in identifying construction systems best suited to meet building performance needs.  His training and experience with seismic evaluations and designs for seismic improvements has also provided building owners with valuable preliminary decision-making information and implemented retrofit designs.

Dennis also has experience in performing constructability reviews, value engineering studies, and forensic investigations.  Through these projects he has attained a broader perspective on construction issues. 

Debbie Jung joined MLA in June 2011 and is an Associate in the firm.  Debbie has over 11 years of experience with 9 of those years spent providing structural engineering design for buildings and water treatment facilities.  In addition, she has provided construction management services of electrical and civil work for industrial facilities.

Debbie has played an integral role as the lead or project engineer for projects that range from new construction to additions and upgrades that require intricate coordination with the existing building(s) and facilities.  The projects, often located in high seismic and/or wind regions, included LEED certified buildings and involved designing with a variety of materials such as reinforced concrete, structural steel, masonry, timber and aluminum.

Debbie has designed and renovated structures for the commercial, institutional, and municipal sectors. 

Serena Markey joined MLA Engineering in the Fall of 2011 as a Senior Engineer.  She has over 7 years of structural experience with 5 of those years as a staff structural engineer in the buildings market, working closely with architects and various engineering disciplines.

She brings a wide variety of experience including small building facilities and remodels, large hospital towers, and bridge design. This variety of projects has given her a wide range of experience working with both public and private clients as well as with contractors.  She has worked on structures for the municipal, commercial, residential and institutional sectors.

James Stephens has over 5 years of engineering experience since receiving his BSCE degree at the University of Washington.  He has worked on a variety of projects ranging from single-family residences to governmental/public facilities buildings.  He has experience designing with common building materials including wood, masonry, steel and concrete.

James brings his cool, effective and responsive communication and organizational skills to the team to provide smooth coordination and construction assistance.  He has experience using finite element analysis programs such as RISA 3D and RAM Systems.

When not keeping his nose to the grindstone, he enjoys a balance of swing dancing and outdoor sports like snowboarding and mountain biking. 

Shawn Robérge has over 5 years of experience in structural engineering.  Shawn has a broad range of design, detailing, and analysis experience.  This experience includes preparing and/or leading the preparation of design drawings, specification, and calculations for mid-sized to large retail projects, mid-sized to large hospitality and hotel projects, small to mid-sized residential/mixed-use projects, single family residences, equestrian facilities as we as government and privately-funded industrial nuclear facilities.

Shawn is committed to bringing quick and efficient construction support to minimize change orders and meet project goals and deadlines.