Our Team
Erik Anders Nelson, PE
Engineer / President
Erik has been working in the engineering and construction industry since 1996 and started Structures Workshop in 2008. He has helped design over 1000 structures ranging in scale from small houses to baseball stadiums and high rises.
Erik was the President of the Structural Engineers Association of Rhode Island (SEARI) until 2019. Erik had been an adjunct professor for 13 years within the Architecture Department at the Rhode Island School of Design. He has also taught engineering courses at University of Massachusetts and MIT. He reads and writes about the intersections of engineering with philosophy, art and architecture and continues to publish articles in Structure Magazine, Civil Engineering Magazine, and Modern Steel Construction Magazine.
Eric Donahoe, PE
Engineer
Eric received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Eric began his engineering career at Structures Workshop shortly after graduation in 2011, where he worked for over 4 years. In that time he'd fostered an interest in designing with steel, wood, and glass. He left in 2016 and moved to New York City, where he worked on interior fit-out projects, facade and other large-scale renovations, then eventually on high-rise residential buildings.
He has returned to Structures Workshop in 2021 to continue his career, and he enjoys working on projects with eager and engaged clients. He spends his free time writing music, reading, and creating things.
Yuran Tavares
Engineer
Yuran was born in Cape Verde, an archipelago located on the west coast of Africa; he immigrated to this country with his family at the age of fourteen. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He enjoys working at Structures Workshop (joined SW in 2016) because it is an innovative firm that cares about design and clients. In addition to engineering, Yuran is very passionate about fitness and health. He enjoys playing soccer and being around his family and friends. Yuran’s ultimate life goal is to give back to his homeland by using his engineering skills to improve building design and infrastructure.
Ethan Pierce Tirrell
Engineer
Ethan has been professionally active in the construction industry since 2006. From 2006 to 2010, Ethan worked as a carpenter in high-end remodeling and renovations. In 2010, Ethan started his structural engineering career here at Structures Workshop.
Ethan is an experienced structural engineer and effective team leader. In his time at Structures Workshop, Ethan has contributed on over 400 projects and boasts a diverse work portfolio that includes design of miscellaneous metals, steel connections, and residential and commercial buildings.
Ethan is driven by a passion to build. In 2017, Ethan designed and built a house in Rehoboth, MA, where he currently resides.
Adriano Goncalves
Engineer
Adriano received his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Jean Piaget University in Cape Verde in 2011, and a M.S. degree In Structures from Porto University in Portugal in 2014. He started his carrier in construction industry and later designed of residential and commercial buildings in reinforced concrete and steel. Also, He also worked as Assistant Professor at Cape Verde University for 5 years and moved to the US in 2022.
He spends his free time playing soccer, running 10k’s, practicing athletics, and swimming.
Ali Yildirim
Engineer
Ali earned his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Yildiz Technical University in Istanbul, Turkey in 2002, and his Master’s degree in Earthquake Engineering from Istanbul Technical University in 2006. He worked as a Structural Engineer in Istanbul for 13 years before moving to the US in 2015. He has experience with steel and reinforced concrete building design and has worked on many residential and commercial building projects. He is interested in the seismic design of structures.
In his free time Ali enjoys playing the guitar, watching soccer and basketball, and traveling.
Sanaa Nelson
Accounting and HR
Sanaa helps with QB accounting/invoicing/book keeping and HR (insurance/etc) and helps us all keep things on track! Sanaa hails from Morocco.