About

Steven Sands, PE

Steven is a licensed Professional Engineer with a structural designation through the Texas Board of Professional Engineers & Land Surveyors. As a principal owner of Bluebonnet Structural Engineering and Consulting, his dedication to responsible, accountable project management is foundational to the constructability, economics, and engineering excellence found in every Bluebonnet design document.

A graduate of Texas Tech University in Civil Engineering, Steven began his career in the construction industry managing construction projects in both the private and municipal markets to assist in funding his education. His ground-up experience gives him a unique perspective for incorporating a wide array of building materials and construction practices.

Because of his particular interest in historical preservation and building forensics, Steven is currently restoring his own 1893 gingerbread home in the heart of Ellis County, Texas. His passion for incorporating unique building practices with modern-day construction norms walks alongside him both on and off the job.

Justin Farmer

Justin Farmer, Project Director and Founding Managing Partner, brings over 20-years of project management and operations leadership in engineering, construction, and manufacturing to the table. As Bluebonnet’s primary client liaison, he is a skilled communicator focused on maximizing workflow, efficiencies, and customer service throughout the entire process.

Justin oversees and coordinates our projects from proposal through contract, inspection and completion, with the target priority of meeting scheduling and budgeting parameters. He is highly valued for his level-headed approach to difficult project adversities, uncompromising accountability, and his open accessibility.

A Waxahachie native, his personal investment in the responsible and professional growth of the area where he grew up now spread far past its city limits and well beyond the Texas borders.

Timothy Botello

Timothy Botello, Lead Design Technician and Founding Managing Partner, is a specialized structural designer with over 22-years of drafting and design experience. Skilled in AutoCAD, Code conformity, and quality control protocols, he is recognized across the industry for producing accurate, constructable design documents that consistently meet the rigorous standards and expectations of our clients and keep our projects moving smoothly and successfully to completion.

Having started drafting in high school, Timothy found his calling and has prepared and completed thousands of residential and commercial projects, guiding them from schematic layouts through final engineering and client review.

At Bluebonnet, Timothy’s detail-oriented approach and ability to coordinate with architects, engineers, and contractors makes him an essential part of the design process. He is often described as “self-sufficient, possessing a deep understanding and problem-solving skills. He’s just damn good.”

Paul Ciampi, PE

Paul is a Texas-licensed Professional Mechanical Engineer with more than 30 years of industry experience spanning industrial infrastructure, R&D laboratory facilities, structural rehabilitation and preservation, and residential home construction.

The foundation of his career was built with Dow Chemical Company where he created value through innovative, cost-effective engineering solutions, and the application of new technologies. Paul successfully led and contributed to infrastructure projects focused on asset life extension, reliability improvement, and operational efficiency.

A strong advocate for continuous improvement and cost reduction, Paul is committed to streamlining processes to optimize and add value. He believes in actively seeking feedback and maintaining a customer-focused approach that supports both internal and external stakeholders, helping build strong and collaborative teams.

Paul brings a proven history of engineering excellence, project leadership, and a solutions-oriented mindset grounded in honesty and integrity. He enjoys the technical “nuts and bolts” of engineering projects, thrives in detailed problem-solving environments, and is known for his thorough, innovation-oriented approach to delivering practical and effective solutions.

Steven Watabe

Steven is a Specialized Design Technician, holds a BS in Architecture from the University of Texas at Arlington. His depth of framing expertise and attention to detail ensures Bluebonnet projects have sound constructability; unforeseen challenges can be quickly mitigated in the field; and successful completion is achieved.

With an extensive background that encompasses stick framing and timber truss plans for standardized and repeatable engineering, Steven brings to the table an unmatched proficiency in optimizing schematic framing layouts with his deep understanding of the constructability and sensibility behind timber framing construction.

Travis Dacon

The newest member of the Bluebonnet team, Travis Dacon is a graduate of Texas Tech University and holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He is also a board-certified Structural Engineer-in-Training, recognized through the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.

Travis brings a fresh perspective, energy and a devotion to extracurricular structural depth and knowledge of engineering principles. This passionate devotion to the art of structural engineering makes him an essential part in ensuring the highest quality and optimization within our structural designs. He’s also responsible for clearing printer paper jams.