DBIA Names 2026 Distinguished Leadership Award Recipients

Michele Basic, Ghada Gad and Stephen M. Reams recognized for leadership across the Owner, academic and industry communities

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, October 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) has named Michele Basic, Assoc. DBIA; Ghada Gad, Ph.D.; and Stephen M. Reams, Assoc. DBIA, as recipients of its 2026 Distinguished Leadership Awards.

Each year, DBIA’s Distinguished Leadership Awards recognize individuals whose work has strengthened design-build project delivery and advanced collaboration across the industry. Basic is recognized in the Owner category, Gad in Faculty/Academia and Reams as an Industry Practitioner.

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MICHELE BASIC: OWNER

Michele Basic is Vice President of the Comprehensive Modernization Department at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), where she oversees more than $2 billion in capital investment across 12 developments in all five boroughs.

Her work focuses on preserving and modernizing public housing through comprehensive rehabilitation, infrastructure upgrades and resiliency improvements, with resident engagement central to project delivery. Previously, she managed NYCHA’s $3 billion FEMA-funded recovery program following Superstorm Sandy.

“I’m honored to receive DBIA’s Distinguished Leadership Award and grateful for the recognition of the work the New York City Housing Authority is doing to transform and preserve public housing across New York City,” Basic said.

“Design-build has given us an important tool to bring residents, designers, builders, property management teams and community partners together to solve complex challenges collaboratively and deliver improvements that make NYCHA communities safer, healthier, more resilient and sustainable for generations to come.”

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GHADA GAD, FACULTY/ACADEMIA

Ghada Gad, Ph.D., is Professor of Construction Engineering and Management and Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Civil Engineering at California Polytechnic State University.

Her work connects research, education and industry practice, with a focus on procurement, project delivery, contracts, risk, cost and quality. Gad has led or contributed to more than 20 national and state-funded research projects and authored or contributed to more than 75 peer-reviewed publications.

“I’m truly honored to receive this recognition from DBIA,” Gad said. “Connecting education, research and industry practice and seeing each strengthen the other has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.

“I’m grateful to the entire DBIA community for the relationships, collaboration and opportunities that have shaped this path, and I look forward to continuing to help prepare the next generation of design-build leaders.”

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STEPHEN M. REAMS, INDUSTRY PRACTITIONER

Stephen M. Reams, Assoc. DBIA, is a partner with Smith Currie Oles LLP and a nationally recognized construction attorney who has spent decades advising Owners, design-build teams and other industry stakeholders.

A longtime DBIA instructor and advocate, Reams has taught nearly 500 courses over 20 years and helped develop instructor and testing materials supporting DBIA’s updated Design-Build Done Right^® Best Practices.

“I am deeply honored to receive DBIA’s Distinguished Leadership Award,” Reams said. “Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working alongside Owners, designers, contractors and industry professionals who share a commitment to collaboration and innovation.

“I am grateful that DBIA has entrusted me for so many years to help educate project professionals in the best practices for design-build project delivery.”

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Basic, Gad and Reams will be recognized during the 2026 Design-Build Conference & Expo, Nov. 4–6 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Erin Looney
Design-Build Institute of America
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