Cristina Ortega, P.E.

Director, Cuban American Association of Civil Engineers

Cristina Ortega Castineiras is the Acting City Engineer at the City of Miami Beach. She is responsible for directing the Engineering Division within Public Works, which is comprised of five sections: Engineering, Right of Way (ROW), Geographic Information Systems (GIS),

American with Disabilities Act Compliance (ADA), and Elevator Safety. She is responsible for the integrity of engineering designs and solutions within the department; she provides oversight and engages in the development of engineering policies and strategic initiatives. 

Cristina joined the City in January of 2021. Prior to joining the City, Cristina had worked for 12 years as an engineering consultant assisting public utilities with  the  assessment, master planning, pilot testing, design, permitting, construction and operation of water and wastewater infrastructure throughout South Florida—including Miami-Dade County, North Miami Beach, Deerfield Beach, Boynton Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise, Seminole Tribe, Pembroke Pines, Bonita Springs and North Springs Improvement District, among others.  Cristina also served as the Deputy O&M Manager at NMB Water, where she was responsible for the water treatment plant operation, utility-wide regulatory compliance, R&R program management and capital improvement program coordination. Throughout her career, Cristina has successfully completed projects with various delivery methods—including conventional design-bid-build and design/build. She has managed diverse engineering teams and delivered innovative solutions that saved utilities millions of dollars in capital and O&M expenditures.

Cristina obtained a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering and a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Engineering from the University of Miami; and a Masters of Engineering in Environmental Engineering Sciences with a specialization in water, wastewater, & stormwater from the University of Florida. Cristina holds certifications for Envision Sustainability Professional, OSHA 10-hr Construction Safety Awareness and PADI Advanced Open Water SCUBA.

Cristina has authored numerous scientific and technical papers for publication in peer reviewed journals and presented the research material to other scientists in regional and national conferences. Cristina is actively involved in the local engineering community, serving as the Past Chair of the American Water Works Association Florida Section (FSAWWA) for Region 7 (Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties), Chair of the FSAWWA Likins Scholarship Committee, and as a Director of the Board for the Cuban American Association of Civil Engineers (CAACE).