John Talavera
Toa Alta
Summary
Results-driven Technical Specialist with extensive experience at FEMA, excelling in property damage assessment and project closeout. Demonstrated keen attention to detail and quality management, successfully validating over $1 million in emergency measures. Proficient in EMMIE and Grants Manager, ensuring compliance and accuracy in grant processes while mentoring cross-functional teams.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
State Public Assistance Officer
Alaska Emergency Management
08.2024 - 07.2025
- Validation of documents for repairs and new construction after DR-4672-AK, in accordance with the PA guidance, and processing the reimbursement of the disaster-related grant funds.
- Maintain a registry of supporting documentation, including communications, pertaining to each damaged facility for the visibility of all parties involved, and a clear understanding of the history.
- Follow up with the applicants on the unsubmitted documents and unanswered questions, which may delay the obligation of funds and the reimbursement of grant funds.
Technical Inspector
US Army Corps of Engineers
01.2024 - 07.2024
- Quality Assurance Construction Inspection of the utility infrastructure and reinforced concrete buildings, ensuring compliance with good construction practices, design, regulations, and safety standards, on a 30-acre site within the US Army National Guard Camp Santiago in Salinas, PR.
- On-site daily inspection of the work performed, including, but not limited to, demolition of abandoned structures, displacement of unstable soil, erosion control, and ground stabilization.
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - Coleman Consulting Group
03.2022 - 06.2023
- On-site damage assessment of roads and buildings under DR-4559, 4570, 4590, and 4606-LA.
- Performed a visual, non-invasive inspection of over 30 chip and seal paved rural roads in Franklin Parish and Tensas Parish.
- Field validation of the damages claimed as a direct result of the declared disaster, and properly register the information in the Building Import Spreadsheet for the Damage Description and Dimensions (DDD) in Grants Manager (GM) to formulate the grant.
- Validated the applicant consultant's inspection of public schools, churches, and private non-profit facilities in Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes.
- Quality Assurance and Quality Control reviews of SIRs, prior to being submitted to the Consolidated Resource Center (CRC).
- Peer reviews, create location maps, advisory base flood elevations (ABFE) map, and FIRMette.
- Rework of inspectors' SIR when new technical information requires changes.
- Coached cross-functional team members on the site inspection process and work detail for a report focused on methods, techniques, and supporting documentation for a quality outcome to reduce delays in the grant obligation and closeout process.
Construction Quality Manager
Independent Consultant
11.2020 - 11.2021
- Infrastructure assessment and forensic inspection of reinforced concrete structures.
- Validate and approve construction bidders estimate for private and commercial clients.
- Maintain field construction records and photos of the work progress, to validate and approve the certification from the construction contractor.
- Identify risks, prepare Scope of Work (SOW) for repair and replacement of components with best practices to prevent further damages to the facility and hazards to the occupants.
- Advise on the FEMA PA program policies and requirements, prior, during and after a natural disaster declaration, to qualify for government funds.
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - CDM Smith
06.2018 - 10.2020
- On-site damage assessment of reinforced concrete Public Housing, Schools, and Universities, and validation of Inspection Reports by Consultant's of Correctional facilities, under DR-4339-PR 'Hurricane Maria'.
- Capture disaster and non-disaster related damages separately, because some may qualify under the 428 program, Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2018, or by Codes and Standards.
- Crew lead and mentor over 10 multidisciplinary Site Inspectors on the infrastructure inspection process and procedures for an inspection report with the terminology and technical verbiage for a quality outcome that reduces delays in the grant process.
- Instrumental in helping to design a process to correctly input information into the approved GM spreadsheet to permit a swifter input of the component list, and develop Site Inspection Report (SIR) that most Applicants and reviewers could understand.
- Populated GM's Building Import spreadsheet with information captured in the SIR and upload the field signed paperwork under supporting document.
- Reworked Damage Inventories that previous inspectors completed without the approved procedure, with incorrect and incomplete supporting documents.
- Quality Assurance and Quality Control review reports and supporting documents to ensure consistency, accuracy and compliance that will not jeopardize the Applicants' funds.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to resolve issues discovered during review.
- Ensure compliance with PA eligibility, program procedure, and anticipate irregularities that might be misinterpreted, delay the grant process and lead to appeals.
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - CDM Smith
01.2017 - 06.2018
- Closeout of disaster grants under DR-4086-NJ 'Hurricane Sandy', formulating the Project Worksheet (PW) amendments and Final Inspection Report (FIR) on all categories of Work.
- Validated the eligibility of additional damages, discovered during the construction, claimed by the Applicant for additional grant funds.
- Updated RS Means estimates and prepared a new Cost Estimate Format (CEF) to validate and evaluated Scope of Work (SOW) changes for Alternate and Improved Projects.
- Cross referenced the documents in EMMIE and NJEM Grants, and requests Information from the state, when there were incongruences, to validate the costs and write the FIR.
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - CDM Smith
03.2016 - 10.2016
- On-site damage assessment of Public Infrastructures under DR-4238-4250-MO.
- Formulated PWs on categories A through G work, and reduced costs on one of the team's largest Applicant for a total cost over $700 thousand.
- Performed Desktop Review and rework site inspectors reports to ensure the information captured in the PW complies with the PA Program policies and regulations.
- Worked on category C Special Projects to clearly clarify controversial issues supported with policies, regulations, and technical knowledge, and prevent an appeal by the Applicant.
- Managed, mentored, and provided technical assistance to 10 inspectors for proper reworks.
- Validated the documents provided, and cost validations with RS Means CostWorks and the CEF.
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - CDM Smith
12.2012 - 12.2015
- On-site assessment of damaged paved roads, culverts, and ditches across Precinct 3 of Walker County in Texas for a total repair cost of approximately $1.1 million under DR-4223-TX.
- Assessed the damages together with the Applicant and explain the PA program to help gather the supporting documents required for the grant.
- On-site assessment of damaged Buildings, Water Control facilities in the Completion Team and the Closeout Team, under DR-4086-NJ 'Hurricane Sandy'.
- Validated the documentation on EMMIE, NJ Grants, and lead Applicants on the required supporting documentation to complete the FIR.
- Reviews, amendments, and rewrites of grants for permanent work. Estimated repairs cost using local historical data, FEMA cost codes, RS Means and the CEF.
- Technical reports of engineering matters on a Congressional Appeal of the New Jersey Moonachie Borough, for damages allegedly overseen by previous FEMA personnel for an outcome of 22 times the obligated amount for a total repair cost of approximately $4.5 million.
- Formulated the Disaster Grants in EMMIE with the actual costs and quotes received.
- Completed rewrites and amendments of PWs on hold status for a total cost over $1 million.
Construction Quality Manager
Sandoz Pharmaceutical
Broomfield, CO
06.2012 - 09.2012
- Managed the execution of capital projects in the FDA-regulated industry from start to finish, with construction safety, quality control, and quality assurance at all times.
- Project planning, change control requests, scheduling, cost control, report generation, startup activities, punch list coordination of field activities, protocol execution activities, compiling data, all in accordance with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP).
- Interfacing with clients and vendor representatives, vendor acceptance testing, writing Standard Operating Procedures, Preventive Maintenance Procedures, and providing technical guidance to specialists and engineers.
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - Fluor Government Group
08.2011 - 11.2011
- On-site assessment of damaged rural roads across Noble County, under DR-4002-OH.
- Gather the historical documents, maintenance records, and other information about the facilities to determine the eligibility of the damages claimed.
- Review and validate, with local historical documents, FEMA cost codes, RS Means, and FEMA CEF, the cost estimates to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - Fluor Government Group
11.2009 - 07.2011
- On-site damage assessment under DR-1603-LA (Hurricane Katrina) on roads, bridges, water control, and other public facilities in the southern parishes for a total of over $3 million.
- Meet with the Applicant, survey the damaged facilities and infrastructure, and collect financial data and documentation.
- Determine the eligibility of additional disaster-related claims discovered during construction, and prepare amended applications for the allocation of additional funds called Project Worksheet Version.
- Validate the cost of work using the Cost Estimating Format (CEF), with local historical documents, FEMA cost codes, and RS Means.
- Researched, gathered, and documented the information needed to determine the eligibility of additional disaster-related claims discovered during construction.
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - Fluor Government Group
10.2008 - 06.2009
- On-site assessment of over 60 sites in all categories of work under DR-1785-1831-FL.
- Building inspector of 26 public housing units. Documented the disaster-related damages claimed by the applicants' representative and captured the findings in the inspection report.
- Formulate and upload the Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE), FIRMette, location map, photo templates, and other supporting documents required for the project worksheets.
- Validated $1 million contracted EPM operation for eligibility and cost reasonableness.
- Kept track of communications in the Case Management File (CMF) for clear knowledge of all employees, especially regarding potential controversial issues with the applicants.
Construction Project Manager
Miguel P. Vélez & Associates
07.2007 - 10.2008
- Resident Engineer, Quality Control Manager of all construction activities of the 'Taxiway Sierra Embankment and Safety Area Extension' at the Puerto Rico International Airport (SJU).
- Supervised and mentored construction inspectors, to ensure compliance with codes and design on activities including displacement of unstable soil, embankment stabilization, placement, and compaction of selective material, up-to the concrete paved surface.
- Weekly Inspection Report of the work performed by the construction contractors validating the compliance of construction with the approved drawings, and regulations requirements.
- Determine the acceptability of the day-to-day work performed by the contractor. Daily monitored construction activities with the construction contractors.
- Validation and approval of the construction contractor's certification for payment. Monthly report supported by the field inspectors' daily reports, photos, and test results.
Construction Quality Manager
Amgen Pharmaceutical
05.2006 - 06.2007
- Coordinate on-site activities with the facilities supervisors, construction contractors and sub- contractors, during the Building Envelop Improvement construction.
- Determine the acceptability of the day-to-day work performed by the construction contractors.
- Assisted in project planning and report generation, with construction quality assurance and quality control.
- Practiced current Good Manufacturing Practice and Gowning, at all time.
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - Fluor Government Group
09.2005 - 01.2006
- On-site assessment of infrastructure-damaged Private Non-Profit (PNP) facilities in the Southern Parishes under DR-1603-LA 'Hurricane Katrina' and DR-1607-LA 'Hurricane Rita'.
- Met with the applicants to assess the damaged facilities, document the information to determine eligibility, and utilize software to develop construction cost estimates.
- Validated contact costs over $1 million for emergency protected measures for eligibility and reasonableness, according to local historical documents, FEMA cost codes, and RS Means.
Construction Project Manager
Miguel P. Vélez & Associates
01.2001 - 09.2005
- Quality Assurance construction inspection of underground systems including communication, water supply, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, roads, gutter, and reconstruction of reinforced concrete community centers, with over 500 cubic yards of concrete.
- In charge of the supervision of personnel performing Quality Control Inspection Services in the Taxiway Sierra Embankment and Safety Area Extension at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico.
- Approval of change orders and application for payments.
- Construction inspection and coordination of underground concrete encased traffic signal network, new paved roads, heavy rail train station facilities, gabion and gravity retaining walls, and a 10-million-gallon prestressed concrete tank over a foundation of stone columns.
- Manager of over 12 construction inspectors, ensured specifications compliance, regulation standards, and identify conditions that required extra work orders or change orders.
- Monthly progress report with photo supported construction activities captured by three Field Inspectors, and management meetings with the client and design firm.
- Validation and approval of the construction contractor's application for payment.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Civil Engineering
University of Puerto Rico
05.2000
Skills
- Microsoft Word
- Excel
- Outlook
- SharePoint
- Teams
- EMMIE
- Grants Manager
- Grants Portal
- Google Earth Pro
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Property Damage Assessment
- Quality Management
- Keen attention to detail
- Technical Reviews
- Infrastructure maintenance and repair
- Project Closeout
Certification
- Professional Engineer Certification, Department of State, 11/20/26
- Professional Civil Engineer member, 18904, College of Engineers and Land Surveyors of Puerto Rico (CIAPR)
Languages
Proficient technical, written, and oral communication skills in English and Spanish
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
State Public Assistance Officer
Alaska Emergency Management
08.2024 - 07.2025
Technical Inspector
US Army Corps of Engineers
01.2024 - 07.2024
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - Coleman Consulting Group
03.2022 - 06.2023
Construction Quality Manager
Independent Consultant
11.2020 - 11.2021
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - CDM Smith
06.2018 - 10.2020
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - CDM Smith
01.2017 - 06.2018
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - CDM Smith
03.2016 - 10.2016
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - CDM Smith
12.2012 - 12.2015
Construction Quality Manager
Sandoz Pharmaceutical
06.2012 - 09.2012
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - Fluor Government Group
08.2011 - 11.2011
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - Fluor Government Group
11.2009 - 07.2011
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - Fluor Government Group
10.2008 - 06.2009
Construction Project Manager
Miguel P. Vélez & Associates
07.2007 - 10.2008
Construction Quality Manager
Amgen Pharmaceutical
05.2006 - 06.2007
Technical Specialist
FEMA PA - Fluor Government Group
09.2005 - 01.2006
Construction Project Manager
Miguel P. Vélez & Associates
01.2001 - 09.2005
Bachelor of Science - Civil Engineering
University of Puerto Rico
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