Michael Baker International Names Shara Castillo RA, AIA, Vice President and Integrated Design and Advisory - Architecture Design Principal

Ms. Castillo to drive architecture design excellence, strategic growth and transformational development across practices, markets and offices

PITTSBURGH, July 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, consulting and technology services, today announced that Shara Castillo, RA, AIA, has joined the firm as Vice President and Architecture Design Principal within the Integrated Design and Advisory business vertical, which includes the firm's Architecture, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP), Structural Engineering and Fire Protection Engineering, Telecommunications, Cybersecurity, Commissioning, Cost Management  and Planning services. In this role, Ms. Castillo will collaborate closely with leaders across practices, markets and office locations to provide architecture design leadership that delivers creative, high-impact architectural solutions and uniformly high design and production standards, while also driving operational excellence. Additionally, she will help drive client and industry engagement and expand Michael Baker's presence in federal, aviation, transit and public sector projects, as well as private sector markets including corporate, industrial, manufacturing, defense, aerospace, higher education, life sciences, energy transition and healthcare.

"At Michael Baker, we seamlessly integrate architecture with planning, design and engineering to address our clients' challenges from every angle as One Michael Baker," said Pankaj Duggal, President, Integrated Design and Advisory at Michael Baker International. "Shara's leadership will be instrumental in advancing our mission of delivering holistic, sustainable and innovative architecture design solutions that balance image and cost, performance, aesthetics and technology. With her strong focus on client engagement and design excellence, Shara will ensure we elevate our presence across both public and private markets."

Ms. Castillo has more than 20 years of architecture industry experience leading complex, large-scale and innovative architecture projects in technology, data centers, healthcare, industrial, manufacturing and institutional markets. Prior to joining Michael Baker, she served as Head of Architecture and Permitting for Tesla, Inc., where she directed over 11 million square feet of infrastructure projects, including data centers, manufacturing expansions, new vehicle programs, support facilities and workplace development initiatives. She also collaborated with cross-functional teams representing manufacturing, engineering and product development to ensure the seamless execution of design solutions. Ms. Castillo previously spent nearly 15 years as an Architect and Principal with the premier architecture firm Zimmer Gunsul Frasca (ZGF).

Ms. Castillo earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

About Michael Baker International
Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering, consulting and technology services spanning three distinct Verticals: Infrastructure, Integrated Design and Advisory (IDA) and GovTech. The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design and civil engineering for diverse bridge, highway, water, rail and transit and aviation projects, as well as planning, architecture, environmental and construction and program management. For 85 years, the company has been a trusted partner to clients, providing comprehensive services and solutions, delivering expertise and quality, and embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations – like intelligent transportation, engineered models and public safety software as a service (SaaS).

The company has more than 5,100 employees across more than 90 office locations. Michael Baker's Wolf Pack is committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement while evolving its business to become a full-service engineering and consulting firm.

To learn more, visit https://mbakerintl.com/.

Contact: Julia Covelli
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(866) 293-4609

SOURCE Michael Baker International