About Us
Our Values
The IBIS Group, core values originate from the Ibis, and represent mindfulness and opportunity. We apply these values to our work delivering excellence, reliability and integrity, to exceed our customer’s expectations.
Leadership
Our Experts
Dr. Francisco De Caso
Founder and Principal
Dr. De Caso received his M.Eng. in Civil and Architectural Engineering from the University of Bath, England (UK) with a first-class honors, and his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Miami, FL.
With over 15 years of experience in civil, architectural and structural engineering, his expertise encompasses a spectrum of applied knowledge on the performance of building materials and systems, the effect of aging and durability, failure analysis, design and code compliance, quality management, and walkway safety.
He has been retained as an expert witness in many built-environment and maritime matters ranging from: materials, structural evaluation; design requirements, lighting/illuminance, failure analysis, building code compliance, pedestrian safety, slip resistance, patent evaluation and quality control processes.
Dr. Vanessa Mela
Sr. Forensic Engineer
Dr. Mela was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She has over 13 years of experience as a licensed Professional Engineer in Civil Engineering. Her academic journey began at the University of Miami, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in 2009. Then, she went on to earn a Master’s from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Statue University in 2010, followed by a Doctorate in Civil Engineering in 2016 from her hometown school, The University of Miami, specializing in composite structural systems.
Upon graduation, she worked as an Engineer for EAC Consulting and CONNECT Engineering. She later took on the role of project manager at Main Street Engineering where she oversees digital kiosk deployment projects for various government entities throughout South Florida. Dr. Mela holds a Professional Engineering license throughout Florida and serves as Vice President on the Board of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) South Florida Chapter.