Evaluation Committee

Frank Li is a Senior Structural Engineer with the Structural Safety Section of the California Division of the State Architect (DSA) in Los Angeles Regional Office. At DSA Mr. Li is responsible for the review of construction documents for public K-12 schools, community colleges, and essential services facilities for compliance with Title 24 of California Code of Regulations and other governing regulatory requirements. In addition, he had authored a Design Criteria for DSA Pre-check procedure on Cantilevered Solar Canopy Steel Structures.
Prior to joining DSA in 2013, Mr. Li had spent twenty years in the private sector including ten of those with his own consulting practice. His experience includes single-family residential buildings, multi-family mixed-use buildings, commercial buildings, schools, hospitals, etc.
Mr. Li is registered in California as Civil Engineer and Structural Engineer. He received his Bachelor of Science from University of California, Los Angeles and Master of Science from San Jose State University.

Jeanna Scott is currently an Assistant Building Official for the City of Plano, Plano, Texas and has been with the City since 2016.  Her responsibilities include managing the permit and plan review services department, as well as acting as the liaison to the planning and engineering departments for new development projects. Jeanna has 13 years’ experience with other jurisdictions as a Plans Examiner Supervisor and as an Assistant Building Official.  She holds several ICC Certifications including Certified Building Official, ICC Certified Accessibility Inspector/Plan Reviewer, ICC Certified Residential Plans Examiner and ICC Certified Building Plans Examiner.

Bob Waite is the Managing Architect for the University of Virginia Building Official. He joined OUBO as Senior Review Architect in December 2008. He has over 25 years of professional experience in architectural design, project management and code compliance inspections. He has experience in all types of building uses including health care facilities, residential and dining facilities, athletic facilities and classroom and laboratory facilities.
At OUBO, Bob manages and distributes the reviews for all projects that the office reviews. He coordinates with Project Managers and helps them schedule the reviews for their projects. He assigns the processing of all building permits. He provides ADA compliance inspections and expertise when needed and assists in reviews for architectural code compliance, constructability, ADA compliance, and compliance with UVa’s Facilities Design Guidelines.
Bob served with the US Army as a 1st Lieutenant with the 101st Airborne Division in the Republic of Vietnam.
Bob is a registered Professional Architect in Virginia and holds certification with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development as a Residential Building Inspector, Combination Building Plans Examiner, and Certified Building Official.
Bob holds a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from UVA and is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Dr. Arash A. Altoontash is a member of the Seismic Compliance Unit at the California’s Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. He has more than 15 years of experience as a structural engineering regulator and design professional, in addition to 5 years of academic research and development experience at Stanford University. He was in charge of design or review of structural systems and elements utilizing a variety of building materials, including concrete, steel, masonry, wood, aluminum, cold-formed metal, acrylic, fiber-reinforced polymers, and glass. His expertise includes static/dynamic linear or nonlinear structural analyses, seismic design/retrofit/vulnerability assessment, base isolation and supplemental damping, liquid containing/soil retaining structures, utility lines’ seismic bracing, equipment seismic anchorage, laboratory testing of structural material/components/systems, and performance-based design, structural investigations. He has developed and taught advanced and introductory Structural Steel Design courses at the University of California, Irvine.

Mr. Session is currently the Assistant Building Official for the City of Dallas, Texas. He has held this position since 2015. This position is responsible for all Construction Codes including Plan Review, Field Inspections, along with Fire Protection and Food Establishments plan review.
David formerly served as the District Manager for one of Dallas’ four Inspection districts.
While district manager, he concurrently served as the Chief Building Code Administrator for the City of Dallas, Texas. He held this latter position since 1999. His responsibilities included overseeing the Commercial Plans Review Section, the Health Plans Review Section, and the Building Field Inspectors. Part of Mr. Session’s responsibility was the training of the plans examiners and field inspectors. In addition, David was responsible for the adoption of Dallas’ Chapter on the Administrative Provisions to the Construction Codes as well as the adoption of the International Building Code, the International Residential Code, the International Existing Building Code, the International Energy Conservation Code, and the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code.
Mr. Session has been with the City of Dallas for 32 years, previously holding the position of Manager of the Commercial Plans Review Section, Commercial Plans Examiner, Zoning Plans Examiner, and Permit Technician.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Session served as Building Official for the City of Lancaster, Texas. The responsibilities there included administration of building, zoning, health department, and animal control issues.
Mr. Session was a member of the PRIME BEEF Civil Engineering Squadron of the United States Air Force and is a Vietnam Era Veteran.

Matt Zamani currently is working as Structural Engineer Senior for the City of San Diego Development Services Department. Matt has been working with the department for over 20 years, reviewing structures ranging from single family to multi-family dwellings, commercial mixed-use buildings, high rise buildings, and temporary structures, Matt’s current duty is to supervise associate structural engineers in the review of plans for various type buildings/structures for conformance with Structural, Fire Life Safety, and Accessibility requirements of California Building Codes and Local Ordinances, In his supervisory role, Matt assists his staff to resolve complex structural and Fire Life Safety code issues, investigate and research to accept use of new construction method and materials proposed by architects and engineers. Matt also actively participates in building code development through the City of San Diego Development Services Department.
Matt is an ICC certified plan examiner and is registered as a Civil Engineer in the State of California.

Werner Hellmer has served in various capacities at the Clark County Department of Building since 1999. He is presently the Manager of Plans Examination where he oversees permit intake, plan review and permit issue staff. Werner has previously served the department as the Manager of Engineering and has been involved with some of the largest projects on the Las Vegas Strip performing structural and geotechnical plan review, oversight of special inspection and testing programs as well as monitoring structural observation programs. He has been actively involved in the building code development process at both the local and national levels. He is an active member of six committees at ACI International.

Werner’s prior experience includes working for a small engineering firm that performed geotechnical design and inspection & testing of construction materials. He has also worked for a general contractor performing construction management and quality assurance.

Gary Fisher is the Building Official for the County of Goochland, Virginia. His responsibilities include handling day-to-day administration of the county’s Department of Building Inspection, including the supervision of 7 employees, assisting with commercial plan review and inspection audits, assisting permit technicians with complex incoming permit applications, providing code interpretations, overseeing plan of development plan review, establishing written policies and procedures, assisting with fire marshal duties and providing technical related assistance to other personnel within the Department of Community Development. Prior to joining the County of Goodland, Gary was a Code Consultant and conducted plan reviews, field inspections and provided expert testimony for a variety of commercial building. He has reviewed large complex industrial facilities such as an ethanol plant, high-rise buildings, and one million square foot warehousing facilities providing in depth plan review comments, detailed inspection reports and valuable expert insight and interpretation of the ICC Codes.

He holds several ICC Certifications including ICC Certified Master Code Professional, ICC Certified Fire Code Official, ICC Certified Mechanical Code Official, ICC Certified Plumbing Code Official and ICC Certified Building Code Official.

Robyn Weitknecht is currently working as a Chief Plans Examiner for the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. Robyn has been working with the department for over 5 years where he reviews drawings and calculations for many different types of structures ranging from temporary structures to complex ride/attraction structures for conformance to the code and all other applicable reference standards. Before coming to Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, Robyn spent 9 years working as a design engineer where he provided structural engineering drawings and calculations for many different types and sizes of structures. Robyn is licensed as a Plans Examiner, Building Inspector and registered as a Professional Engineer in the State of Florida.