Carollo Engineers has announced veteran water consultant Farhan Shaikh has joined as vice president and senior strategic advisor for digital transformation and solutions while Alan Roberson, a nationally recognized leader in drinking water policy and regulation, has also been retained to support policy and advocacy efforts.
Carollo said the new appointments will help boost its capabilities in the areas of infrastructure modernization and regulatory compliance.
Shaikh
Based in Atlanta, Shaikh has nearly 30 years of experience delivering solutions across the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. In his new role, Shaikh will work with clients to assess their digital readiness, identify technology solutions aligned with their operational goals, and facilitate implementation alongside Carollo’s Digital Water Technical Practice Lead Jennifer Steffens. He will coordinate with technology vendors to provide Carollo’s clients with access to proven digital tools and emerging solutions.
As a senior strategic advisor, Shaikh will also help drive Carollo’s overall service offerings and creative solutions to new and existing clientele as part of the firm’s continued growth.
“I’m passionate about helping utilities navigate their digital transformation journeys—whether that’s implementing advanced SCADA systems, deploying predictive analytics and AI, or integrating operational data to make faster, more informed decisions,” said Shaikh. “Carollo has an outstanding reputation for solving the water industry’s toughest challenges, and I look forward to collaborating with teams across the firm to deliver practical digital solutions for our clients and the communities they serve.”
Most recently, Shaikh served at Jacobs as vice president and data and digital sales director, where he led strategy for data and digital solutions across the firm’s North American infrastructure business. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Georgia State University.
Roberson
Based in Washington, D.C., Roberson is the former executive director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators and has more than 34 years of experience in drinking water policy and federal regulatory development.
In his role at Carollo, Roberson will help utilities anticipate and prepare for upcoming regulations, represent clients in meetings with federal and state agencies, and develop regulatory compliance strategies for emerging contaminants and water quality standards.
“I’m excited to guide Carollo’s clients through the evolving regulatory landscape,” said Roberson. “My relationships across EPA and state agencies will help utilities stay ahead of compliance requirements and translate new regulations into cost-effective implementation strategies that protect public health.”
Roberson developed much of his policy expertise during a 25-year tenure at the D.C. office of the American Water Works Association (AWWA).
He has served on the Fairfax Water Board of Directors for over 16 years, providing governance direction and decision-making for the largest water system in Virginia, serving more than 2 million people. In 2024, the AWWA Virginia Section honored him with the George Warren Fuller Award for distinguished service in the water supply field. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech, an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech, and is a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia.
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