DBIA has announced the formation of its new Region Relations department, a strategic move designed to strengthen regional support as design-build continues to grow nationwide.
The new department will be led by Richard J. “Rich” Formella, PMP, CPPO, FAC-C III (Retired), FDBIA, as Senior Vice President, with Carissa Linnane, CAE, and Gloria Moore serving as Field Directors for the East and West regions, respectively. Together, the team will serve as the primary liaison between DBIA National and its regions, supporting volunteer leaders, strengthening regional operations, and ensuring consistent delivery of programs and resources aligned with DBIA’s national strategy.
“DBIA’s regional network has always been the heartbeat of our organization,” said Lisa Washington, CAE, Executive Director and CEO of DBIA. “As our membership and impact have grown, so has the need for dedicated, field-focused support. These leadership roles strengthen our ability to partner with regions, respond more quickly to local needs and continue delivering meaningful value to members across the country.”
A Dedicated Team for a Growing Network
As Senior Vice President of Region Relations, Formella leads DBIA’s regional engagement strategy, drawing on decades of experience in federal procurement and design-build delivery. Before retiring from federal service, Formella spent 32 years in government leadership roles, including Chief of Procurement for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers and Chief of Construction Contracting for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where he administered a $2.5 billion federal prison construction program. His portfolio also includes oversight of major laboratory renovations and new construction projects totaling more than $1.5 billion.
A long-time leader within DBIA, Formella has served on the National Board, supported federal committees and taught extensively through DBIA education programs. His experience spans multiple delivery methods, including design-build, and positions him to strengthen coordination between DBIA National and its regions while advancing consistent delivery of Design-Build Done Right® nationwide.
Supporting DBIA’s Eastern regions, Linnane brings nearly a decade of experience in the nonprofit and association sector, with a strong track record of building governance structures, strengthening operations and aligning local initiatives with broader organizational strategy. A Certified Association Executive, she has worked closely with volunteer leaders and staff across more than a dozen tax-exempt organizations to advance impact, sustainability and long-term growth. At DBIA, Linnane takes a collaborative, people-centered approach to regional engagement, helping ensure regional priorities are aligned with national goals.
Moore supports DBIA’s Western regions, bringing more than 20 years of experience in strategic program development, industry engagement and organizational leadership. She previously served for more than a decade as Executive Director of DBIA’s Western Pacific Region, where she led a large, multi-state region through sustained growth in membership and revenue while deepening engagement across the AEC community. In her current role, Moore works closely with regional leaders to support volunteers, advance consistent program delivery and strengthen alignment with DBIA’s national strategy.
The Region Relations leadership team begins work immediately, building on DBIA’s recent strategic regional realignment to deliver a more coordinated, responsive and member-focused regional experience nationwide to support continued growth of design-build and strengthens DBIA’s ability to serve its members across the country.
