Management Team

Kathryn Cahill Thompson

Position: Chief Executive Officer

Kathryn joined Cahill Contractors as a Project Engineer in 2007, becoming the fourth generation of the Cahill family to work in the construction business. Kathryn held positions in project management, preconstruction, and operations before taking on the CEO role in 2016.

Prior to Cahill, Kathryn worked in management consulting, nonprofit strategy consulting, and education. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Steering Committee for the annual Construction Industry Lunch-O-Ree benefitting the San Francisco Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

M.B.A. – Stanford University Graduate School of Business

A.B., Economics/Geography; Engineering Sciences minor – Dartmouth College

LEED AP

Kathryn Cahill Thompson

Chief Executive Officer

Blair Allison

Position: President

As President, Blair oversees all Cahill company operations and projects.  Blair has nearly 30 years of experience in the construction industry and has been with Cahill since 1996. Blair opened Cahill’s Oakland office in 2008 and grew Cahill’s East Bay work to be a core part of the company’s backlog. Blair is a licensed general contractor in the state of California.

B.S., Construction Management – Texas A&M University

LEED AP

Blair Allison

President

Guy Estes

Position: Executive Vice President

Guy joined Cahill in 1992 as a Project Engineer and now serves as Executive Vice President. Guy has deep experience in both preconstruction and construction, which he lends to support all Cahill projects.

M.S., Civil Engineering – University of California, Berkeley

B.S., Civil Engineering – Cornell University

LEED AP

Guy Estes

Executive Vice President

Arash Baradaran

Position: Vice President

Arash provides executive leadership of projects through preconstruction and construction, while also helping lead Cahill’s preconstruction efforts in its San Francisco office. With a background in structural engineering, Arash has over 20 years of experience in the construction industry, including over 10 years at Cahill working on projects including multi-family apartments and condominiums, hospitality, and education.

M.S., Construction Engineering & Management – University of California, Berkeley

B.S., Civil Engineering – University of California, Berkeley

LEED AP

Arash Baradaran

Vice President

Matt Irwin

Position: Vice President

Matt provides executive leadership  to Cahill projects across all sectors while also leading Cahill’s self-perform efforts in concrete and wood framing. Matt joined Cahill in 2006 and has spearheaded successful education, multi-family residential, and renovation projects in San Francisco and on the Peninsula.

B.A., Architecture/ Minor in City Planning – University of California, Berkeley

LEED AP

Certified Green Building Professional

 

Matt Irwin

Vice President

Nate Kaufman

Position: Vice President

Nate provides executive leadership of projects from business development through preconstruction and construction.  Additionally, Nate leads Cahill’s Oakland office and oversees Cahill’s BIM coordination efforts.  Having worked at Cahill in project management and estimating since 2005, Nate’s experience spans a wide range of market areas including residential, commercial, and occupied rehabilitation. 

B.S., Construction Management, Minor in Business Administration – California State University, Sacramento

LEED AP

Nate Kaufman

Vice President

Leadron Koo

Position: Vice President

Leadron has over twenty years of experience in the construction industry. Since joining Cahill as an Intern in 1997, Leadron has extensively worked both in project management and estimating. A well-rounded leader and collaborator, Leadron has managed projects across healthcare, multifamily, and education market sectors.

B.S., Civil Engineering- University of California, Berkeley

LEED AP

Leadron Koo

Vice President

Mark Zaleski

Position: Vice President

With over 30 years of experience in the construction industry, Mark manages preconstruction and estimating for projects from early conceptual stages to final pricing. He assists clients with budgeting, bidding, site logistics, scheduling / phasing, constructability reviews, researching alternatives, and value engineering.   He also has extensive experience in green building and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

Mark is a former US Navy Civil Engineer Corps officer with naval training and was stationed in Monterey, California, and Italy. He is currently a member of the Oakland Catholic Diocese design review board and serves as Chairman  of his church’s finance council.

M.S., Civil Engineering (Construction Management) – UC Berkeley 

B.S., Civil Engineering (emphasis in structural) – UC Irvine

EIT from California, Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society

LEED AP

Mark Zaleski

Vice President

Matt Dennig

Position: Project Executive

As Project Executive, Matt leads major projects from preconstruction through construction, while also leading Cahill’s warranty and small projects teams. Matt has 22 years of Bay Area experience in the construction industry, including over 15 years at Cahill working on projects including senior housing, multi-family apartments, historic renovations, and education.

B.A., Economics – Sonoma State University

LEED AP

Matt Dennig

Project Executive

Michelle Jacobson

Position: Preconstruction Executive

As Preconstruction Executive, Michelle serves as a lead partner to our clients through all stages of preconstruction. Michelle helps clients meet budget goals, analyze design alternatives, and resolve constructability issues so that projects are set up for a smooth and successful construction process. Michelle has 19 years of experience in construction across projects that include multi-family and senior housing, factory-built construction, historic renovations, and education.

B.S., Civil Engineering – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Michelle Jacobson

Preconstruction Executive

Howard Carlson

Position: Field Operations Manager

Howard joined Cahill as a Carpenter in 1985 and served as an Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent for over 20 years before becoming Field Operations Manager in 2010.

As Field Operations Manager, Howard oversees Cahill’s field forces, ensuring that projects are staffed appropriately and providing mentoring and training to employees at all levels. Howard provides oversight for every Cahill project, assisting with planning, scheduling, and issue resolution.

Howard Carlson

Field Operations Manager

Mina Barzanian

Position: Controller

With over 20 years of experience in the construction industry, Mina manages day-to-day operations within Cahill’s accounting department, oversees the accounting team, and ensures accuracy and efficiency in accounting across all Cahill projects and departments.

B.S., Mathematics – San Francisco State University

Minor in Managerial Accounting – University of California Berkeley Extension

Mina Barzanian

Controller

Steve Wellman Jr.

Position: General Superintendent

Following in his father and grandfather’s footsteps, Steve joined Cahill in 1993 as a carpenter. Nearly 30 years later, he is now the General Superintendent.

As the General Superintendent, Steve manages superintendents on multiple jobsites while providing insight and thoughtful leadership by promoting best practices and encouraging continuous improvement in our approaches. Additionally, Steve facilitates coordination with other departments and interfaces with external stakeholders to ensure excellence across all Cahill operations.

Steve Wellman Jr.

General Superintendent