Philip Sandel, PE, DBIA
Senior Vice President, Transportation (Roadway) Discipline Lead
Philip joined Neel-Schaffer in 2021 and in January 2026 was named the firm’s new Transportation (Roadway) Discipline Lead, supporting roadway design strategy, technical excellence, and project delivery across the firm.
Philip has more than 20 years of transportation engineering experience, including 13 years with the South Carolina Department of Transportation, where he served in key leadership roles such as Lead Roadway Engineer, Design Manager, and Midlands Regional Production Group Lead. During his tenure at SCDOT, Philip helped deliver more than 100 projects to let, gaining deep experience in roadway design standards, agency coordination, and project delivery.
Since joining Neel-Schaffer, Phillip has been promoted to Vice President (2023) and and then Senior Vice President (2025). As Senior VP for South Carolina Operations, he worked closely with Matt Lifsey, PE, DBIA, to support the growth and expansion of our Columbia and Atlanta (GA) offices, while continuing to provide technical leadership and mentorship to teams across the region.
As the firm’s Transportation Discipline Lead, Philip now focuses on strengthening firmwide collaboration, sharing best practices, and continuing to elevate how we deliver roadway solutions for our clients and communities across our nine-state, 39-office footprint.
