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MU
RIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
March 23, 2026
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 47-2853.06(e), I am pleased
to nominate the following individual:
Mr. Michael J. Jelen
Rittenhouse Street, NW
Washington, DC 20015
(Ward 4)
for re appointment as a professiona l engineer licensed in the D istrict member of t he B oard of
Professional Engineering, for a term to end January 19, 2029.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-m entioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel B owser
Mayor
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3 at the request of the Mayor
4
5
6 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
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8
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10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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12
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15 To confirm the reappointment of Michael J. Jelen to the Board of Professional Engineering.
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17 RESOLVED , BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA , That this
18 resolution may be cited as the "Board of Professional Engineering Michael J. Jelen Confirmation
19 Resolution of 2026".
20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the reappointment of:
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22 Michael J. Jelen
23 Rittenhouse Street, NW
24 Washington, DC 20015
25 (Ward 4)
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27 as a professional engineer licensed in the District member of the Board of Professional
28 Engineering, established by D.C. Official Code§ 47-2853.06(e), for a term to end January 19,
29 2029.
30 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
31 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
32 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
I
• I
i
Michael J. Jelen, P.E., F.ASCE
Built Environment & Infrastructure Executive
Washington DC •
Executive Profile
Civil engineering and infrastructure executive with more than 35 years of leadership across public
works, transportation, water, civic facilities, and military construction. Recognized for governance,
regulatory judgment, and delivery oversight at city, national, and international scales. Former
Senior Vice President at AECOM with full P&L responsibility for a 300-person program
management organization. Currently Executive Vice President of The CES Companies, providing
strategic leadership for complex infrastructure programs while maintaining clear separation from
regulatory responsibilities. Retired U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lt Colonel.
Public Service, Governance & Professional Leadership
• Vice Chair, District of Columbia Board of Professional Engineering
Supporting licensure modernization, regulatory consistency, and alignment with national
NCEES standards while upholding the Board’s public-interest mandate.
• Advisory Committee Member, National Council of Examiners for Engineering and
Surveying (NCEES)
• Former Chair, American Council of Engineering Companies of Metropolitan Washington
(2017–2018)
• Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers (FASCE)
Professional Experience
Executive Vice President — The CES Companies | Washington, DC
January 2025 – Present. Provides senior corporate leadership for built-environment and
infrastructure services across the Mid-Atlantic. Guides strategic growth, client engagement, and
integration of capital-delivery capabilities in transportation, water, and civic markets. Operates at
the executive advisory level with clear separation from regulatory and licensure activities.
Senior Vice President / Program Management Business Line Leader — AECOM | DC & U.S. East
2010–2016; 2019–2022. Held full P&L responsibility for a 300-person program, project, and
construction management organization serving public-sector clients across the U.S. East Coast and
Latin America. Served on AECOM’s Global Cities Client Leadership Team and as President of AECOM
Services of DC. Provided executive oversight of nationally recognized civic infrastructure, including
the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, major school capital programs, courts, memorials, and
water infrastructure.
Chief Project Delivery Officer (Mayoral Appointee) — DC Department of General Services
2018 – 2019. Led delivery oversight for the District’s capital program portfolio encompassing public
schools, housing, shelters, and healthcare facilities. Modernized project delivery guidelines,
Michael J. Jelen, P.E., F.ASCE
Built Environment & Infrastructure Executive
Washington DC •
procurement frameworks, and governance controls; regularly briefed the DC Council and Mayor’s
Office.
Program Director — General Directorate of Municipal Projects | Saudi Arabia
2019. Directed the establishment of a new national organization responsible for planning and
oversight of approximately $20 billion in municipal infrastructure and public building projects
across 242 cities and towns.
Program Management Team Leader — DC Department of Transportation | Washington, DC
2005 – 2010. Led ward-based delivery teams for planning, design, construction, and asset
management. Directed District-wide ARRA implementation and represented DC on the Interagency
Task Force for the National Mall.
Military Service
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
1990 – 2011. Combination of active and reserve service. Assignments included Deputy Director of
Engineering (National Defense University), Plans Officer (Office of the Chief of Engineers,
Pentagon), Training & Exercises Officer (HQUSACE), and Operations Officer for Katrina hurricane
recovery in New Orleans.
Education & Licensure
• Professional Engineer: DC, MD, VA, PA, IL
• B.Sc., Civil Engineering — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Graduate Certificate, Leadership Development Program — UCLA Anderson
• U.S. Army Command & General Staff College
Selected Honors & Recognition
• GSA Design Award — Eisenhower National Memorial
• CMAA National Project of the Year — DC Public Schools COVID-19 HVAC Program
• ACEC-MW President’s Award — Leadership & Strategic Growth
• Defense Meritorious Service Medal
E
xecutive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Mi
chael J. Jelen
M
r. Michael J. Jelen, PE, F .ASCE is a DC -based engineering and
construction industry executive with over three decades’ experience. He
is a past President of the Board of Directors of the American Council of
Engineering Companies of Metropolitan Washington. He served on the
Steering Committee of the National Complete Streets Coalition from
2013 to 2022 and is currently active in the Planning and Policy Committee
of the American Public Transportation Association and as a Fellow of the
American Society of Civil Engineers.
Mr. Jelen currently serves as Principal and Executive Vice President of
the CES Companies, where he guides strategic growth, client
engagement, and the delivery of major public infrastructure programs.
His active-duty military experience included several years as the Assistant Director of Engineering
at the National Defense University at Ft. McNair, DC. He was program manager for improvements
to the University’s regional centers and the civil engineer member of the leadership team for the
13-acre campus expansion and design-build of a new 200,000 square foot facility on 2nd St., SW.
He also represented the District in military mobilizations for Operation Enduring Freedom and
Task Force Guardian: New Orleans Hurricane Protection System Restoration Program.
He is a frequent speaker at design and engineering industry events. Recent appearances have
included national meetings of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the American
Planning Association, the American Public Transportation Association, and the 100th anniversary
celebration of the DC Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was also a founding
member of the Safe Streets/Smart Cities Academy and has developed and delivered transit related
courses to states and cities across the country.
Mr. Jelen is a long-time DC resident who is active in his community. In 1999, he was awarded a
certificate of recognition from the Metropolitan Police Department for his leadership in
establishing a Partnerships for Problem Solving program in Ward 6. His wife is co-owner of a DC-
based CBE lighting business.
A Ward 4 resident, Mr. Jelen earned his B achelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681
To: Kimberly A. Bassett, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: February 4, 2026
Subject: Legal sufficiency review of a resolution reappointing Michael J. Jelen as a
member of the Board of Professional Engineering
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced resolution and
found it to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Michael Porcello, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at
202-727-0872, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth Cavendish