Team

Kollaard Associates has a globally diverse team with decades of accrued experience across numerous engineering fields.

Our staff is comprised of a veritable plethora of professional engineers, engineers-in-training, civil technicians and draftspeople. Kollaard Associates also has certified environmental professionals and a knowledgeable administrative support staff to assist you with any enquiries that you might have.

Meet the team:

William (Bill) Kollaard, P. Eng.

Principal

Bill currently manages a staff consisting of professional engineers, environmental professionals, technologists, engineers-in-training, and administrative staff and has direct and indirect involvement with planning, design and project management of over a thousand projects per year.

The thing about Bill is that he genuinely believes in and enjoys the company of the people he surrounds himself with. Bill motivates his team towards doing things Just Right with a warm sense of humour and palpable superiority.

Professional Engineer, Ontario

University of Ottawa, Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc), (Civil), minor in Business Administration

 

Steve deWit, P.Eng.

Manager, Civil Engineering

Steve is a senior civil engineer with many hair-greying years of experience in geotechnical and civil projects, including design and management of municipal and civil engineering projects such as subdivision design, stormwater control and treatment, site plan control, slope stability assessments and stabilization design, retaining wall and dike design and shoreline erosion evaluation, protection and remediation. Thanks for letting us take your picture Steve!

Professional Engineer, Ontario

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg

Kaleb Lakew, P.Eng.

Manager, Septic, Servicing & Grading

Kaleb is a VERY senior civil engineer with decades of experience in civil and municipal projects.  Kaleb has managed numerous civil engineering projects including design and inspection of on-site sewage systems, grading and drainage design, municipal servicing design, and projects with shoreline and flood plain considerations.  He has experience in designing conventional stone and pipe systems, filter media beds, area beds with tertiary treatment and shallow buried trenches with tertiary treatment.  Kaleb manages the septic and grading department. It’s rumoured he was born in Ethiopia sometime in the last century.

Professional Engineer, Ontario

Post-Graduate Research, Hydraulic Transients, Technical University of Berlin, Germany
Masters Degree, Water Resources Engineering, Technical University of Berlin, Germany
Bachelor of Science in Civil (Sanitary) Engineering, Technical University of Berlin, Germany

Dean Tataryn, B.E.S., EP

Manager, Environmental and Geotechnical Engineering

Dean is an environmental and geotechnical specialist with many, many years of experience working in the private sector, specifically in the field of environmental, geotechnical and hydrogeological engineering. He is a Canadian Certified Environmental Professional (EP) with technical expertise in field operations and conducting work in environmental site assessments, site investigations, sampling and monitoring programs, remediation and clean-up programs. He has extensive experience in coordinating the exchange of geotechnical and environmental information ensuring compliance and conformance to environmental and geotechnical regulations and maintaining appropriate records, budgets, schedules, preparing reports and providing professional services. We could go on but then he’d have the longest bio on the page. And now it IS the longest bio on the page.

Environmental Professional, Canadian Environmental Certification Approvals Board

Bachelor of Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo
Certificate in Environmental Assessment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo

Chris Cogliati, P.Eng. 

Senior Structural Engineer

Chris is a project engineer with many years of experience in structural engineering projects, including structural design of foundations, beams, lintels, columns and connections for residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural building design, and structural review of architectural drawings. Chris manages the structural engineering department at Kollaard mostly because one must be meticulously organized to handle all the projects he works on, and seems to be really good at it.

Professional Engineer, Ontario

Bachelor of Civil Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa

Colleen Vermeersch, P.Eng.

Manager, Hydrogeology and Environmental Engineering

Colleen is a project engineer with years of experience in hydrogeological and environmental projects, including Phase I and II ESAs, site supervision and remediation, hydrogeological and terrain studies for subdivision developments with private water supply and sewage systems and dewatering projects involving aquifer testing.  Colleen is probably one of our best writers as well, cause she’s short and to the point.

Professional Engineer,  Ontario

Bachelor of Environmental Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa

Paul Villeneuve, C.E.T

Paul designs and inspects on-site sewage systems, grading and drainage plans, and municipal servicing plans. He has extensive experience designing on-site sewage systems for single family dwellings, restaurants, seasonal resorts, campgrounds, retirement facilities and apartments. Paul is responsible for preparing design drawings and supporting documentation for on-site sewage permit applications at the municipal level (OBC) and the provincial level (ECA). Paul was away on picture day but we eventually got a shot of him.

Certified Engineering Technologist, Ontario

Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists
Diploma, Civil Engineering Technology, Algonquin College, Ottawa

Derek Vriend, P. Eng.

Derek is a structural engineer with experience in residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural construction projects. He works with design teams and clients from the planning stage to develop structural solutions to meet project objectives. Derek should have been higher up on this list and we have no excuse for putting him here.

Professional Engineer, Ontario

Bachelor of Civil Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa

Nicole Rajnovich

Nicole Rajnovich is a designer with Kollaard Associates Inc. Nicole has been designing grading and drainage plans, and municipal servicing plans for thirteen years. Nicole studied Civil Engineering Technology at Mohawk College and graduated in 2010. Nicole joined Kollaard Associates Inc. in 2014 and has been involved in numerous land development projects. She has experience in stormwater management design and preparing site servicing briefs for commercial and residential developments. Nikki gets upset when she’s confused with Nick. The names are close but they are very different people!

Diploma, Civil Engineering Technology, Mohawk College, Hamilton

Katie Hallet

Katie is a technologist with years of experience in environmental and geotechnical testing.  Katie’s field experience includes environmental and geotechnical drilling and soil and water sampling and monitoring, as well as various construction inspections including sub-grade, footing and rebar inspections and compaction and concrete testing.  Katie’s field expertise is used mainly in the geotechnical and environmental departments. She absolutely glows because she’s our resident Radiation Safety Officer.

Diploma, Ecosystem Management Technologist, Sir Sanford Fleming College, Lindsay

Raja Hawwa, P.Eng.

Raja is a valuable member of our structural engineering department. He’s particularly adept with large complex projects that need to progress quickly. Raja is approaching middle age and we suspect he colours his facial hair.

Professional Engineer, Ontario

Bachelor of Civil Engineering, Carleton University

Richard Jenkins

Richard is a technologist that performs construction inspections including sub-grade, footing and rebar inspections and compaction and concrete testing. We’re not sure where Richard’s office is.

Diploma, Resources, Drilling and Blasting, Sir Sanford Fleming College, Lindsay

Shawn Kollaard, B.A.Sc.

Shawn is part of our structural engineering department specializing in structural specifications for renovations and additions. Shawn has been involved with Kollaard Associates for years, recently graduated from Queens and is working towards his Professional Engineer designation. No nepotism here.

Bachelor of Applied Science (Civil), Queen’s University

Ben Kollaard

Survey Crew Chief

Ben heads up one of our civil engineering field teams providing and confirming topographical and survey data for planning and design projects for septic, storm water and grading. Ben enjoys travelling, whitewater canoeing and long walks near volcanoes.

Diploma, Police Foundations, St. Lawrence College

Shawn Beaton

Shawn is part of one of our survey teams and is usually in charge of opening septic tanks and sewer covers. His sense of humour helps keep what can be a sh@tty job lighthearted and fun.

Diploma, Internet Applications and Web Development, Algonquin College.

Amanda VanBruggen, B.Eng.

Amanda specializes in servicing and stormwater management designs for commercial, industrial and multi-residential developments. She coordinates submissions and completes designs for facilities requiring Site Plan Control and Environmental Compliance Approval. Amanda is working under the supervision of senior engineers to earn her professional designation. 

Bachelor of Civil Engineering Carleton University
Engineering Intern (E.I.T)

James Redmond

Draftsperson

James is a civil engineering draftsperson who works on subdivision and site plan control projects. His team says he does a pretty good job too.

Draftsperson

Nick Recoskie, P.Eng.

Nick is part of our civil engineering team but dabbles in geotechnical design. Nick is working towards his professional designation as well. When asked if there’s anything else we could add here, he shrugged. Nick shrugs a lot. 

Professional Engineer, Ontario

Bachelor of Engineering, Carleton University

Isaac
Isaac Bacon, P.Eng.
Isaac’s expertise in hydrogeology and geotechnical engineering surpasses his appearance by over ten years. While he lifts weights and likes to cook in his off time, his true purpose in life is home-brewing. For Isaac, it’s all about the beer.

Professional Engineer, Ontario

Bachelor of Applied Science
(Mining) Queen’s University

 

Aleksandr (Sandy) Kielstra, B.Eng.

Sandy is an EIT with experience in project planning and execution. Sandy works in the civil department on stormwater and servicing projects. Sandy is working toward his professional designation under the supervision of a senior civil engineer. Hurry up Sandy. That P.Eng. experience record ain’t gonna write itself!

Bachelor of Engineering, Carleton University
Engineering Intern (E.I.T.)

Connor Ibach, B.A.Sc.

Connor is an EIT and does field work and writes reports for the geotechnical, environmental, slope stability and hydrogeology departments. Connor, a seasoned thespian, started showing up at Kollaard a number of years ago talking about character research or something. We learned his name last week. Please contact his agent if you need any more information.

Bachelor of Applied Science (Geological) Kingston

Engineering Intern (E.I.T.)

Ashlea Keevil-McKirdy

Ashlea is part of our septic & grading team, and has a knack for rural septic design. Thanks for letting us take your picture Ashlea!

Diploma, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Algonquin College

Diploma, Automotive Service Technician, Algonquin College

310S Automotive Service Technician

Sharon Kollaard

Office Administrator, Accounting and Bookkeeping

Sharon is our office administrator and is in charge of accounting and bookkeeping for the firm. Sharon is rather fond of the boss. But don’t let that colour your impression of her. They’ve been happily married for many years.

Bachelor of Social Science, University of Ottawa
Bachelor of Social Work, Carleton University

Cindy Scott

Reception & Dispatch

Cindy is our awesome receptionist with years of experience in professional environments. Cindy helps keep things organized, does dispatch and ensures the details are handled just right. Don’t mess with her.