Our Team
We love our people! J|D gathers elite professionals from varied disciplines and cultures to enrich our insights in the global aviation industry. Experience the wealth of knowledge and innovation that only diverse perspectives can offer.
Miriam L’Engle
Director
Capital Programs & Infrastructure
Ms. L’Engle has over 25 years of experience in Project and Construction Management, Project Development, and Architectural Design having worked in mostly commercial projects and coordinating project representatives, consultants, and authorities for all phases. During 2014 to 2016 Ms. L’Engle’ was a part of the Design Build Team for the consolidated rental car facility project at the San Diego International Airport. As the Architectural Design Administrator and liaison to the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, Ms. L’Engle led the design revisions effort and created all related Architectural Supplemental Instructions in coordination with other Engineers and RAC Industry representatives. She also provided construction observation and oversight during the construction phase, working with airport engineering staff to ensure program requirements aligned with RAC operating agreements with the airport and were programmed, designed, and ultimately constructed properly, including review of all submittals, responses to RFIs and related QA/QC team engagement.
From 2017 to the present, Ms. L’Engle has been the Tenant Engagement Coordinator on the LAX ConRAC Project, responsible for coordination of the Concession and Lease Agreement (CLA) with the Technical Provisions (TPs) of the DBFOM Agreement. Miriam has been responsible for RAC Industry engagement throughout the design and construction phases, including meeting and schedule coordination, ensuring timely responses from all parties from a schedule management perspective. During the DBFOM Procurement Phase, Ms. L’Engle engaged the Rental Car Industry in the Design Proposal evaluations and analysis of Alternative Technical Concepts. She currently is supporting the Project Management Team and representing LAWA by ensuring on-going compliance with the Technical Provisions as these relate to the specific requirements of the CLA.
Q & A with Miriam
How did you join J|D?
I worked on a project with J|D in San Diego. I was with the architectural firm on record. They were an elite team from my point of view. You could trust the JD team would deliver that made a big impression on me. Years later I was chatting with Jacob Sotsky at a coffee shop. We had such a great conversation when it ended, he said I want to recommend you for a job.
What advice would you give someone starting out in this industry?
Knowledge is power but acknowledging that we don’t have the knowledge is also powerful. Be brave and admit if you don’t know something, its ok we can learn we are here to support each other and grow.
What professional project are you most proud of?
The projects that I’ve designed myself from scratch. It almost feels like making a piece of art. So many projects don’t get built or are changed completely but when you deign something and it gets built, it is very satisfying. Once a friend invited me for dinner at her home. It’s quaint and beautiful I thought while she was giving me a tour. After the tour she said I wanted to thank you. Do you remember 5 years you sketched this house on a piece of paper while we were having dinner? I kept it and took it to the engineer. I hadn’t even remembered that idea and sketch. It just proves ideas can be realized. Don’t be afraid of sharing. She took a 3-minute sketch and made it come to life.
What is your work motto?
Do whatever it takes. I like to feel that if something doesn’t happen it wasn’t because I didn’t try. I must be comfortable that I tried my best to make it happen.
What is your favorite snack or food?
Sushi! I love Japanese food. I used to work next to sushi restaurant. I’d go almost every day so the owner proposed that I pay in advance for the week. I did that for a year, he’d make the best food and educate me on the different kind of sushi and how to combine the flavors. I learned so much.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Organizing closets and anything around me even my friends’ houses, its soothing. I love taking care of and propagating plants. I buy the dying ones it is a fun challenge to rehabilitate them.
What would your perfect weekend look like?
Spontaneous, unplanned just going with the flow and seeing what develops. And if it includes seeing my grandson that would be great.
Where is your favorite place to be?
Traveling! It doesn’t matter where. Exploring a foreign city or a domestic one that I’ve never had the chance to see. Seeing new places is wonderful. If you told me to show up with my passport and I didn’t know where we were going, I’d do it!
Where is the best place you’ve traveled to and why?
Japan, provides a very stark contrast in cultures. The old traditional juxtaposed with the new and super modern provides a very full range of things to see.
What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?
Landscape architecture: I even started studying the Japanese language because I thought about studying it in Japan.
What’s a cause that you are passionate about?
Architectural and historical buildings preservation.
What type of entertainment do you enjoy?
I love theater and the phantom of the opera, the music, the score…I’ve seen the production in cities all over the country.
Tell us something that might surprise us about you:
I’m a marathon finisher And I’m planning to complete another one. I love that you must train and be consistent daily. You can’t cheat. It requires dedication and your mind must be strong. Its also a team effort. You can feel the energy of the crowd, groups of people cheering you on, those you trained with, the volunteers and organizers.
