Barbara Gao, EIT
Senior Project Director, Thornton Tomasetti
Barbara Gao, Senior Project Director at Thornton Tomasetti, is a climate risk and resilience expert passionate about helping clients understand natural hazard risks over a building’s lifespan. She leads site-specific risk assessments that integrate historical data, codes, design guidelines, and climate research to inform resilience strategies in complex urban environments. As a practicing structural engineer, she collaborates with design teams and building owners to promote performance-based design approaches that address natural hazards, support operational continuity, and reduce disaster risk.