HDR’s Lyons and Rushenberg Selected in 40 Under 40 by Consulting-Specifying Engineer

Lisa Lyons, lighting lead, and Eric Rushenberg, associate market lead of the technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) sector, have been selected in Consulting-Specifying Engineer’s 40 Under 40 program for 2026.

The program is dedicated to encouraging and recognizing the most talented young individuals in the engineering community, supporting the building industry. Nominees were submitted by peers or mentors and evaluated by a panel of industry experts across nine key areas, including academic achievements, professional accomplishments, community involvement and personal growth. 

Lyons, a highly valued member of the HDR lighting design team, joined the company in 2016. Within five years, she was promoted to section Manager and, in May 2025, to lighting business class lead. The bulk of her virtuosity lies in architectural lighting, design and electrical engineering. 

Lyons can pay her knowledge forward by working as a graduate assistant with architectural engineering students at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. As an active mentor, Lyon’s has taught an entire course on lighting and acoustics at the interior design department, donating three hours of her time a week, educating and inspiring the next generation of engineers.

Rushenberg, who was also selected in the program, leads large, multidisciplinary design teams from pre-programming and schematic design through final construction and ownership, including stakeholder engagement, concept development, construction documents, contract administration, and closeout. Innovation is at the forefront of his professional life. 

During his time at HDR, he has pioneered a method for studying different camera views and overall coverage using photometric simulation software. Rushenberg is one of HDR’s advocates for automation, consistently improving processes through implementing macros and scripts wherever possible. 

The May/June edition of Consulting-Specifying Engineer showcases each winner, spotlighting their recent projects, industry impact and the qualities that set them apart.