OUR TEAM
Tom Edwards
President / Tribal Projects Manager
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Mr. Edwards began his civil engineering career with the Texas Department of Transportation in 1985 and later served as an Assistant County Engineer for Smith County, Texas, before transitioning to tribal transportation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1996. After being recalled to active duty with the U.S. Navy Reserve during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001, he returned to focus on all aspects of tribal transportation, including funding, road and bridge design, long-range planning, road inventory, and environmental issues. Trained and experienced in multiple areas of civil engineering, Mr. Edwards is highly knowledgeable in BIA and FHWA policies and procedures and remains dedicated to staying current on tribal transportation legislation and funding.
Carla Edwards
Director of Finance, Operations, and Business Development
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Ms. Edwards oversees business development, marketing, accounting, and office management for Cross Timbers Consulting. She serves as the company’s primary client liaison, initiating and maintaining relationships with current and prospective partners. As the first point of contact, she brings a strong understanding of engineering functions, planning strategies, and tribal transportation needs. Ms. Edwards holds a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing and Management from Oklahoma State University and is a certified RIFDS user. She is passionate about her work in tribal transportation and values the strong relationships built through serving tribal communities. To her, the field is more than a profession; it’s a close-knit network where clients become friends.
Pamela Skraastad-Jurney, AICP, GISP
Project Manager (Planning - NEPA - GIS)
Ms. Skraastad-Jurney has worked in tribal transportation since 2007, applying her master’s degree in Geography from Oklahoma State University and her GIS expertise to manage NTTFI inventories for numerous tribes. As Project Manager for Cross Timbers Consulting, LLC, she oversees NEPA documentation and consultations for federally funded projects and has developed dozens of tribal transportation safety and long-range transportation plans. Dedicated to advancing GIS in transportation, she provides training and consulting services and has served since 2009 as Outreach Coordinator for the Oklahoma chapter of SCAUG. She currently serves as a member of on a the Transportation Research Board Standing Technical Committee on Native Americans and Tribal Lands committee for the Transportation Research Board (TRB), where she contributes to advancing tribal transportation planning and safety initiatives.
John Edwards, Ph.D.
Design Manager
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Dr. Edwards has over a decade of experience with Cross Timbers Consulting, contributing to civil engineering, planning, and environmental projects across several states, including Oklahoma, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. Since 2004, he has worked extensively in tribal transportation, focusing on road inventories, traffic counts, planning documentation, grant writing, and benefit-cost analyses. His technical expertise includes hydraulic and hydrologic analyses, bridge, roadway, and parking lot design, as well as environmental assessments such as wetland delineations and jurisdictional determinations. He is proficient in AutoCAD Civil 3D, HEC-RAS, HY-8, Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis, ArcGIS, and QGIS.
Rachael Cooper, PE CFM
Managing Director - Engineering
Mrs. Cooper is a licensed professional engineer in Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Louisiana, with 16 years of civil engineering experience in hydrology, hydraulics, roadway, and bridge design. A former U.S. Air Force Captain, she served at multiple bases and completed overseas tours in Kyrgyzstan and Honduras before transitioning to civilian roles as Campus Engineer for Bacone College and as County Engineer, Floodplain Administrator, and Stormwater Manager for Wagoner County, Oklahoma. She holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, an M.S. in Sports Coaching from the University of Southern Mississippi, and is a national Certified Floodplain Manager Floodplain Manager Certification (CFM).
Justin Hightower
Infrastructure Projects Manager
Mr. Hightower has over 15 years of experience in the construction and facility management industries, demonstrating strong leadership, strategic planning, and project management expertise. Mr. Hightower holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Arts in Public Administration, bringing a well-rounded understanding of regulatory frameworks, public policy, and organizational management to his work. He is experienced in right-of-way acquisition, coordinating with property owners, agencies, and consultants to ensure projects advance efficiently and in full compliance with applicable regulations. Before joining CTC, Mr. Hightower spent more than a decade managing multimillion-dollar construction projects, where he developed a reputation for delivering complex projects on time and within budget. He also developed and executed facility compliance programs addressing OSHA and ADA requirements and was entrusted with oversight of fire suppression systems, life safety programs, and disaster recovery operations. Mr. Hightower is an active member of the International Right of Way Association (IRWA) and a former board member of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), reflecting his continued commitment to professional excellence and industry advancement​​​. ​
Chris McCray
Project Planning & Development Manager
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Mr. McCray, a Pawnee Nation citizen, has over 21 years of experience in transportation and infrastructure development, including 13 years with the Pawnee Nation as Planning and Development Director. He also serves as a volunteer firefighter, EMT, and instructor for the City of Pawnee and the Pawnee Nation Fire Department. Mr. McCray has held leadership positions with the Intertribal Transportation Association (ITA), the Tribal Transportation Program Coordinating Committee (TTPCC), and the Oklahoma Tribal Transportation Council (OTTC), and serves on the Oklahoma Tribal Advisory Board. Dedicated to public safety, he has advanced national highway safety initiatives and led numerous infrastructure projects, including broadband, solar, and water/wastewater systems, as well as implementing Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) methods.
Becky Tremonte
Tribal Relations Coordinator / Grant Writer
Ms. Tremonte has 16 years of experience working with tribes in the transportation and education sectors. Her background includes project coordination, transportation program consultation, training curriculum development, grant management, and the coordination of tribal transportation training, events, and conferences. She has successfully secured funding for more than 20 funded grants and agreement awards, securing a total of over $54 70 million for tribal transportation programs. Ms. Tremonte was selected as a 2025 America Walks Walking College fellow. In the AWWC, she worked with her mentor and team of fellows to further the goal of building local and tribal capacity within the national walking movement.
Randal Oberlag
Civil / Structural Engineer
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Mr. Oberlag has over 40 years of experience in civil and structural engineering, including roadway and bridge design, water and sewer systems, recreational facilities, construction management, dam safety inspections, power plants, and environmental assessments. He has also led emergency response efforts as president of an emergency management subsidiary of a national construction firm. Holding degrees in Civil Engineering from Columbia University, Physics, and a Juris Doctor in Law, he is both a licensed professional engineer in Oklahoma and a licensed attorney in state and federal courts. Mr. Oberlag oversees all engineering services for Cross Timbers Consulting.
David Monnie
Senior Civil Technician
Mr. Monnie has over 27 years of experience in surveying, construction observation and inspection, and computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), with projects spanning Oregon, Oklahoma, and Alaska. His recent work includes developing construction drawings for roadway and bridge improvements, commercial developments, and residential subdivisions using AutoCAD Civil 3D. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the Oregon Institute of Technology and manages all construction and planning CADD services for Cross Timbers Consulting.
Megan Hightower
Marketing / Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Hightower provides vital administrative and marketing support to the Cross Timbers Consulting team. She manages office coordination, assists with client communication, and oversees marketing activities, including website updates and the production of the Tribal Transportation Newsletter. Mrs. Hightower holds a degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) and previously taught at Newcastle Public Schools from 2007 to 2012. She is currently expanding her expertise by training to take on a greater leadership role in the company’s accounting functions.
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