In December, Luciana Burdi will become director of capital programs and environmental affairs for the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) as Sam Sleiman will be retiring after 27 years of service. The Massport Board of Directors voted to make Burdi the Authority’s next director of the department, where she will oversee the overall management of the Authority’s capital investment program, safety program, utilities management, in-house project design and environmental permitting and management.
“We are thrilled to promote Luciana Burdi to Director of Capital Programs,” said Massport CEO Lisa Wieland. “Luciana has led projects across the Authority in areas of innovation and technology. I anticipate Luciana will further integrate technology into our operations to support our infrastructure, as we advance strategic improvements across our facilities.”
Burdi has been at Massport as Deputy Director of the department for the past eight years. She will be the first woman to hold the position of Director. Burdi is an architect and planner, with more than 20 years of experience managing design and construction projects. Luciana introduced Lean and Agile systems to the department as well as an employee engagement program (EASE). As the pandemic began to impact construction, Burdi led a team to create an efficient project check-in system, and eventually an app, to check every contractor and construction worker before they were allowed on a Massport jobsite.
Before joining Massport, Burdi was with the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for eight years. In 2019, she was recognized by the Boston Society for Architecture (BSA) with the Women in Design Award for her contribution to the “world of design and to the community at large.” She received her Doctorate from Harvard Graduate School of Design. She was a SPURS Fellow (Special Program in Urban and Regional Studies) at MIT, and she holds a Master's Degree from the Instituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia (IUAV) in Venice Italy.
Burdi replaces Sam Sleiman who is retiring after 27 years with the Authority. During his tenure at Massport, Sleiman oversaw several significant projects at Logan International Airport, Conley Container Terminal, Worcester Regional Airport, Hanscom Field and other Massport properties. Among these: the consolidation of multiple companies and creation of the Rental Car Center, the demolition and rebuilding of Terminal A, improvements in every terminal, and expanding parking at Logan; building new fire stations and reconstructing runways at both Worcester Regional and Hanscom Field; and creating the Butler Freight Corridor and building a new berth at Conley Terminal.
“Sam has been an integral part of Massport’s strategic growth and environmental sustainability programs for nearly three decades,” added CEO Wieland. “His expertise in engineering has helped us solve a number of problems at our facilities, from aging infrastructure and inefficient roadways at Logan, to building new parks in our surrounding communities, and improvements at all of our facilities. On behalf of Massport, I want to thank Sam for his dedication and years of service.”
Sleiman has received multiple awards and accolades for his work over the years. In 2018, he received an honorary doctorate of engineering degree from Wentworth Institute of Technology, and was awarded the 2018 National Person of the Year by CMAA (Construction Management Association of America).
