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Executive Director

Theresa Engler, executive director of DFI since 2006, also serves as the executive director of the DFI Educational Trust. From 1998-2006, she served as assistant director and operations manager. She is responsible for the operations, technical activities, regional chapters and marketing of DFI, and reports to the DFI Board of Trustees.

Working in collaboration with the DFI board, Engler has spearheaded significant growth at DFI including new members, technical committees, educational events, publications and regional chapters in Europe, India and the Middle East. She is actively involved in the deep foundations industry and represents DFI and the Trust at conferences and seminars worldwide. She attended Fairfield University and is a member of the American Society of Association Executives and the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). In 2015, Theresa was unanimously elected to membership in The Moles, a fraternal organization of the heavy construction industry and in 2019 was named Outstanding Association Executive by the New York Society of Association Executives (NYSAE).

Trust Administrator

Emilio S. Fandino, DFI’s director of administration, serves as the administrator of the DFI Educational Trust. Fandino, who joined DFI in 2012, has an extensive background in nonprofit administration, having previously served for nearly 20 years as the executive director of the Hispanic Institute, a New Jersey-based nonprofit educational organization. In addition, he has served on the boards of many nonprofits, including organizations engaged in education, health, the arts and social services. Prior to his nonprofit career, Fandino was engaged in private law practice for several years. He holds a B.A. and a J.D. from Seton Hall University. Fandino is bilingual English/Spanish and conversant in French, Italian and Portuguese.