Russell is a Principal at Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA) who has designed office, housing, and special-use projects throughout the United States, including many high-rise towers in areas known for seismic activity and strong winds, such as San Francisco, Seattle, and Chicago. Russell is deeply involved in research efforts focused on developing the next generation of wind design techniques. He has written about and presented on the topic of wind engineering and Performance-Based Wind Design for the American Society of Civil Engineers/Structural Engineering Institute (ASCE/SEI), Structural Engineers Association of Washington (SEAW), the Chicago Committee on High-Rise Buildings, Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC), and other organizations.