The Engineers Behind
Every Project
A focused team of registered engineers and environmental scientists who have spent their careers working exclusively in solid waste management across British Columbia.
Small Team. Deep Expertise.
SHA is deliberately not a large firm. We stay lean so that every client works directly with a senior engineer, not a project manager routing work to junior staff. Click any team member to learn more about their background and areas of focus.
Mircea Cvaci, P.Eng., MBA
Mircea Cvaci is President of SHA and a senior civil engineer, bringing deep expertise in landfill civil design, construction oversight, and leachate management systems. He plays a lead engineering role on many of SHA’s most complex design and construction projects across BC.
Mircea’s practical, detail-oriented approach to engineering design ensures that SHA projects are not only technically sound on paper but buildable in the field.
Areas of Focus
- Landfill civil design
- Leachate collection & treatment
- Construction oversight & QA/QC
- Tender drawings & specifications
- Geotechnical assessments
Background
Registered Professional Engineer in BC. Extensive experience in solid waste civil engineering throughout the Lower Mainland and across British Columbia.
Cris Ciuperca, P.Eng.
As Vice President, Operations, Cris Ciuperca oversees project delivery across SHA’s portfolio, ensuring that every engagement is executed on schedule, on budget, and to the technical standard SHA’s clients expect. He is also a practicing civil engineer with direct involvement in landfill design and operations planning projects.
Areas of Focus
- Project delivery & operations
- Landfill operations planning
- Civil engineering design
- Client & stakeholder coordination
- Construction management
Background
Registered Professional Engineer in BC. Experienced in overseeing multi-phase solid waste management projects from scoping through construction and commissioning.
Gabriel Betlen, P.Eng., PMP
Gabriel Betlen is a civil engineer in SHA’s North Vancouver office who brings spatial data science to solid waste engineering. He applies GIS and geospatial analysis to landfill siting, design, operations and environmental monitoring, helping clients make faster, better-informed decisions.
A certified Project Management Professional, Gabriel also coordinates multi-disciplinary project delivery, from data collection and analysis through to design deliverables and client reporting.
Areas of Focus
- GIS for solid waste management
- Landfill site selection & suitability analysis
- Airspace, volume & settlement analysis
- Environmental monitoring data & mapping
- Project management
Background
Professional Engineer licensed in British Columbia (EGBC) and Ontario (PEO), and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Holds a Graduate Diploma in GIS and an M.S. in Spatial Data Science.
Tony Sperling, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Dr. Tony Sperling founded Sperling Hansen Associates in 1995 after establishing himself as one of BC’s foremost authorities on solid waste management engineering. With a doctorate in engineering and over 35 years of hands-on experience, Dr. Sperling led SHA’s most technically demanding projects for three decades and now serves as a senior advisor to the firm.
His design philosophy (working with nature to develop environmental control systems that take full advantage of natural site attributes) continues to shape SHA’s approach to every project.
Areas of Focus
- Landfill design & engineering
- Closure & end use planning
- Regulatory submissions & approvals
- Landfill fire management
- Expert witness & peer review
Background
Over 35 years practicing solid waste management engineering in BC. Founded SHA in 1995. Prior experience includes major regional and municipal landfill projects across Western Canada.
Scott Garthwaite, AScT
Scott Garthwaite is a Vice President of Sperling Hansen Associates and leads SHA’s Kamloops office, delivering solid waste engineering projects across British Columbia’s Interior and beyond.
Areas of Focus
- Solid waste engineering
- Landfill development
- Construction management
- Feasibility studies & reviews
- Project management
Based In
Kamloops, British Columbia. Serving the Interior, Okanagan and Kootenay regions of BC, as well as Alberta.
Matthew Doornbos
Matthew Doornbos is a civil engineer with Sperling Hansen Associates, based in Prince George and supporting solid waste engineering projects across Northern British Columbia.
Areas of Focus
- Solid waste engineering
- Landfill design support
- Northern BC projects
Based In
Prince George, British Columbia. Supporting regional district and municipal clients across Northern BC.
Interested in Joining SHA?
We’re always open to hearing from qualified engineers and environmental scientists with a passion for solid waste management.