1. Coffee or tea?

Tea. But slowly getting into coffee.

2. Novels or movies?

Movies.

3. Mountain or beach?

Beach. A sandy beach if possible.

4. Favorite building?

The Denver Art Museum was pretty amazing. But, as a structural engineer, whenever I see an exposed structure or a building under construction, I'm interested.

5. Favorite city?

Barcelona. Great architecture, food, and nightlife.

6. Which project are you most proud of (that you’re allowed to talk about)?

Leading the transition from AutoCAD to Revit and the implementation of BIM at Build Health International. My Master's Thesis on Concrete Strength Testing Using Ground Penetrating Radar is a close second.

7. What is your most treasured possession?

Family photos.

8. What’s your secret skill?

Chopping skills. I used to help out in the kitchen at my uncle's restaurant.

9. How would your colleagues describe you?

Dedicated and patient.

10. Which word or phrase do you most overuse?

"Does that make sense?"

11. Where are you happiest?

Anytime I can be present and not worry about the past or the future. Usually with people I love.

12. What helps you focus?

Snacks and Albanian music.

13. Which habit would you most like to develop?

Meditation.

14. Greatest achievement?

A recent professional achievement was being named one of Autodesk Construction Cloud's 40 Under 40: Champions of Construction 2024. A personal goal I'm looking forward to is getting my black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I'm one belt level away from it.

15. What's missing from your LinkedIn profile?

Maybe more highlights on my projects.

16. If you could choose one superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation, so I can see my family, my girlfriend and my friends more often. Also, plane tickets are getting increasingly expensive.

17. If you could work remotely from anywhere in the world for a month, where would you choose?

Fortunately, I do get to do that at my current job and I usually choose Albania so I can spend time with my family. So wherever they want to go would be my answer.

18. What is a mantra you try to live by?

Be kind.

19. Best piece of advice you’ve received?

"This too shall pass." It’s not advice I’ve received personally, but it’s something I heard in an interview and has stuck with me ever since. I later learned that the actual origin is from Persian fables. It helps me push through difficulties and also stay grounded when things are going well.

20. What's the best thing that could happen to you today?

Waking up to a world where everyone has access to affordable and dignified healthcare. #healthequity

21. What’s your favorite app on your phone?

LinkedIn is one I've been using more recently. I like the new puzzle games.

22. What machine do you use for work?

Just a laptop for the most part. And two monitors when I'm in the office.

23. If you could change one thing about Revit, what would it be?

Some more flexibility with dimensions. This is just one I've been thinking about this week. There are plenty of other things I'd like to change, I'm sure.

24. Who are your favorite follows in the industry?

BIM Pure, Autodesk University, Become a BIM Coordinator, LearnRevitAPI... And a lot about new technology being used in the AEC industry as well. I also enjoy Paul Kassabian's content (a structural engineer based in Boston).

25. Describe the AEC industry in one word.

Overwhelming.

26. Describe the future of construction in one word.

Interconnected.

27. What’s your favorite thing about working in BIM?

It’s ever-changing and innovative.

28. What’s your least favorite buzzword in the AEC industry?

Sustainability. The term seems to be used in so many different ways and contexts, diluting its core meaning and intent.

29. What's your idea of a perfect workday?

A day with as many breakthroughs as possible (my college professor would call them "aha moments"). I also enjoy exploring and building new tools for automation, but sometimes even just doing some mundane tasks can feel pretty satisfying.

30. Which historical figure would you bring back to life to have on your team at work? Why?

I have a feeling that many architects or engineers of the past would be annoyed at how complicated and convoluted the AEC industry has become. So maybe a visionary leader like Steve Jobs would be cool to work with. Mother Teresa would also be one I would love to bring back, especially because we share the same Albanian roots.

31. If you had to choose another profession, what would it be?

An astronaut.

32. Which technology will have the biggest impact on construction in the years ahead?

I am excited to see the evolution of AI and how it will be thoughtfully integrated into the construction industry. That seems to be where the future of construction is headed.

33. What’s the most important skill for working in BIM?

Curiosity.

34. If you could impose any rule or regulation for the construction industry, what would it be?

Stop saving files on your local drive. Everything on the cloud.

35. What's your favorite thing about Kinship?

Project Tracking. Especially when it comes to families. It makes reviewing content at the end of a project so much easier.