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Speakers
2024 AIA Florida Convention & Trade Show Speakers
(In Alphabetical Order)
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Craig Aquart, AIA, NOMA, RID, CSI
Managing Principal
MCHarry & Associates, Inc.
Craig Aquart is the Managing Principal of MCHarry & Associates, a 66 – year old Miami architectural firm that specializes in public sector projects. He has over 30 years of experience in the industry and is best known for his passion for the community and the profession. This is best demonstrated through his leadership and commitment to the Architects in the Making (AIM) Program where he mentors young students exploring architecture as a possible career. He realized that educating middle and high school students about architecture is vital in the industry’s future and he is especially determined to improve diversity and inclusivity in the profession. On observing the lack of black Americans presence in the industry, he began the Black Architects in the Making (BAM) program in 2016. BAM consists of dedicated professionals who immerse themselves in existing educational programs in communities where people of color live, learn and play to enhance student’s knowledge about architecture. BAM has an active mentorship program for high school, college students and architecture interns who have shown keen desire to pursue architecture as a career. BAM also provides scholarships to deserving students of architecture from underserved communities. Craig was president of South Florida NOMA in 2020 and past president of AIA Miami.
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Randy Atlas, FAIA, Ph.D., CCP, CPTED
Atlas Safety & Security Design, Inc.
Randy Atlas at Atlas Safety & Security Design, Inc. is an independent, non-vested, architectural security design consulting firm which provides consulting and design services to Architects, Owners, and Developers in the private and public governmental sectors. We specialize in the planning, design, and construction of criminal justice facilities, building security, anti-terrorism and infrastructure protection design, safety design, and accessibility features in all types of buildings such as apartment buildings, office buildings, shopping centers and plazas, parks and recreation, parking garages and lots, nightclubs and restaurants, schools and universities, jails, prisons, courthouses, and police facilities.
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Amanda Bartle
Executive Director
South Florida Community Land Trust
Amanda Bartle is a visionary with the proven ability to shiftcommunityoutcomes. Early in her career, she published over 30 reports identifying strategies fordistressed areas, resulting in over $60MM in revenue for and over $1B of investment within South Florida’s underserved communities. Eighteen yearsago,she organized South Florida’s first regional housing conference, firstcountywidehousing needs assessment, and first coalition of businesses,community groupsand government to address affordable housing. The effortsresulted in theformation of South Florida Community Land Trust, in which she has served as the founding Executive Director since 2010. Under her leadership, the organization has developed in more cities than any other land trust in Florida and currently has 475 units in the pipeline. Mandy holds a bachelor’s from CarnegieMellon University inArchitecture and Urban Studies, where she also completed graduate coursework in Public Policyand Management.
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Phillip G. Bernstein, FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP
Associate Dean and Professor
Yale University
Phillip Bernstein is an architect, technologist, and educator. He is currently an associate dean and professor, adjunct at the Yale University School of Architecture, where he has taught since 1989. He developed the practice curriculum at Yale and has taught the required courses as well as research seminars on the business models and value propositions of the profession. He recently taught a course with Amb. (Ret) Luis C. Debaca on forced labor in the building supply chain. He has been a visiting course lecturer at Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, MIT, Michigan, Berkeley, and Cornell. He writes and lectures extensively about practice and technology issues, has been published in numerous architectural magazines and newspapers, and has contributed to books and journals about technology, design, and architectural practice.
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Chris Bettinger
Architectural Specifictions Manager
Oldcastle
Chris Bettinger, Masonry Association of Florida Board Member and Oldcastle Representative. A 1986 Graduate of the University of Michigan, School of Architecture and has a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Michigan. Chris has 20 years’ experience in masonry specification. Chris is a member of the Central Florida Chapter of the MAF. Since 2011, Chris has served on the Board of Directors of the Masonry Association of Florida. Also, he has chaired the ProMasonry & Awards Committees since 2012. This is his 7th year presenting at the Florida AIA State Convention. Over the past 7 years, he has issued over 1800 CEU’s to AIA Members of Florida. Chris is a featured speaker at the National Home Builders Show & Southeast Builders Conference. Chris lives in Winter Springs, Florida with his wife Jamie and sons Kyle and Aaron.
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Steven Brooke
Fellow, American Academy in Rome
Adjunct Professor, University of Miami School of Architecture
Steven Brooke, a globally recognized architectural and landscape photographer, is a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome. Winner of the AIA National Honor Award and five-time recipient of the Florida AIA photographer of the year, he has taught at the UM School of Architecture for over 12 years. He was invited to exhibit and speak at XPOSURE 2022 in Sharjah, UAE, Steven has photographed and authored over 40 books with works on Miami Beach Art Deco, Rome, and Jerusalem. Based in Miami throughout his career, his publications and articles champion Florida architecture and design worldwide.
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Ralph Campbell, CEO
Certified Master Coach
Learning Optimized
Ralph Campbell is a certified master coach and president of Learning Optimized. Campbell’s genuine dedication to helping others is rooted in his lifelong commitment to giving back to his community. He has supported and served on the boards of numerous charities, including Camelot Community Care, United Way of Broward County, Nova Southeastern University, Broward Partnership for the Homeless, Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, Women in Distress, and the National Conference for Community and Justice. Campbell has been recognized as one of the “Most Powerful African Americans” in South Florida and was honored by the Sun Sentinel as a Community Hero and by the Broward County Public School System. A graduate of Dartmouth Tuck School of Business Leadership Program, Leadership Broward XXII and Leadership Florida XXVII, Ralph earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Morehouse College and began his journey toward a master’s degree and Ph. D in the Fall of 2022.
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Royal Casey
Florida Sales and Technical Manager
Pac-Clad
Royal W. Casey is the Florida Sales and Technical Manager for Petersen Aluminum Corporation (Pac-Clad). He has been in the metal roofing industry for over 22 years. In the first 10 years of his career, he gained his experience by working in the family roofing business in Orlando, Florida that specialized in installing only metal. In 2015 he accepted a position with Petersen Aluminum Corporation. Royal is a past president of the Greater Orlando CSI Chapter. He is an accomplished speaker and industry educator.
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Rebecca Cegelis, EI
Engineer|Structural
TLC Engineering Solutions
Rebecca was inspired by her family of contractors and architects to pursue a degree in structural engineering. As a graduate engineer, Rebecca excels at designing several structural components, including steel, concrete, and masonry for various building types. Her consistency and detail orientation allows her to successfully support senior engineers on complex projects.
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Andrew Chin, Assoc. AIA
Associate Professor
Interim Dean - School of Architecture + Engineering Technology
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU)
Andrew Chin is the interim dean at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) School of Architecture + Engineering Technology. He earned his Bachelor of Design and Master of Architecture from the University of Florida and master of science in urban and regional planning at Florida State University. Since 1991 Chin has taught design studios, thesis research and urban design classes University of Florida, Georgia Institute of Technology, and FAMU. With the support of the Florida Department of Community Affairs, The Florida Division of Historical Resources, the U.S. Economic Development Agency, the Andrew Mellon Foundation, The Kellogg Foundation and local planning agencies, his community design assistance exposes the intersection of race and urban form in North Florida communities. Chin’s past service includes the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and the Florida Foundation of Architects.
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Dr. Joseph Choma, Ph.D.
Director and Professor - School of Architecture
Florida Atlantic University
Joseph Choma is director and professor at the School of Architecture at Florida Atlantic University. Previously, he taught at The Cooper Union, MIT and Clemson University. He was also the 2019-2-2- NCCR Digital Fabrication Researcher in Residence at the ETH Zurich. He has received awards from the American Institute of Architects, American Composites Manufacturers Association, and the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture. He was named the recipient of the 2023 ACADIA Innovative Research Award of Excellence. His material explorations have been noted by Composites World Magazine as “spearheading research into the use of foldable composites”. He is the inventor of Foldable Composite Structures – U.S. Patent Number 10,994,468. He is the author of three books. His books have received reviews in Architectural Record, Architecture NZ Magazine, Art Libraries Society of North America, RIBA Journal, and the Journal of Mathematics and the Arts among others. His work has been exhibited in the Venice Architecture Biennale, Tallinn Architecture Biennale, Center of Design in Montreal, Miller Institute for Contemporary Art, and the MIT Museum among many others. Joseph completed graduate studies in design and computation at MIT and completed his PhD in architecture at the University of Cambridge where he was a Cambridge International Scholar.
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Steven Arthur Cooke
Associate Professor - School of Architecture & Community Design
University of South Florida
Steven Arthur Cooke, architect, interim director, Sam M. Gibbons Chair in Architecture and Urban Desing, and the Markborough Chari in Urban Design and development and associate professor in the USF School of Architecture & Community Design teaches architectural design, design theory, and architectural technology courses. His research focus is “the care of making”, design benevolence and critical making - the aspect of care given to making events and things. He holds a Bachelor of Design degree in Architecture from the University of Florida and a Master of Architecture degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech). Cooke has received three teaching awards: the USF Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor Award, given in recognition to a USF graduate faculty member who demonstrates the highest level of quality in the mentoring of graduate students; the USF Teaching Incentive Program (TIP) Award, which rewards teaching productivity and excellence; and the Outstanding Professor of Architecture Award, for teaching and mentoring excellence in the USF School of Architecture and Community Design.
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Rodolphe el-Khoury
Dean - School of Architecture
University of Miami
Rodolphe el-Khoury is Dean of the University of Miami School of Architecture. Before coming to UMSoA in July 2014, he was Canada Research Chair and Director of Urban Design at the University of Toronto, Head of Architecture at California College of the Arts, and Associate Professor at Harvard Graduate School of Design. He has taught at Columbia University, Rhode Island School of Design, and Princeton University and has had Visiting Professor appointments at MIT, University of Hong Kong, and Rice University (Cullinen Visiting Chair). After earning a Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design, el-Khoury obtained a Master of Science in Architecture from MIT a el-Khoury was trained as both a historian and a practitioner and continues to divide his time between scholarship and design. As a partner in Khoury Levit Fong (KLF), his award-winning projects include Beirut Martyr’s Square (AIA San Francisco), Stratford Market Square (Boston Society of Architecture), and the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art (AIA Cleveland) and his Ph.D. from Princeton University. el-Khoury’s current research in architecture focuses on applications for information technology, aiming for enhanced responsiveness and sustainability in buildings and smart cities. He is also working on the application of robotics and embedded technology in architecture in projects and prototypes for interactive and responsive environments, including immersive environments and multi-sensory architecture.
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Matthew A. Finn, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP
Principles by Cognitive Design
Matthew Finn graduated from Kennesaw State University in 2007 and began his professional career at Perkins & Will, where he gained valuable experience delivering exceptional client service while working on complex architectural projects. As a social entrepreneur and architect, he founded Cognitive Design in 2016 - a consulting and design firm that works with a network of people from outside the design profession, including clinical psychologists, social workers, and healthcare practitioners to help inform the design process. Mr. Finn’s interdisciplinary research and innovative thinking have been recognized by Healthcare Design magazine, naming him the 2016 HCD 10 Researcher. His work has also been featured by numerous academic institutions, media outlets and conferences including the U.S. Green Building Council, Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture, and the American Institute of Architects. Matthew splits his time from his native home in Atlanta and Molino, a rural town in the Florida panhandle with his wife, Stephanie and two daughters.
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Josh Flowers, FAIA
Legal Counsel
Gresham Smith
Josh Flowers, FAIA is a registered architect and licensed attorney and is Legal Counsel for Gresham Smith, a nationally recognized leader in healthcare, transportation, water, aviation, life and workplace, and industrial design, based in Nashville, Tennessee. Josh oversees legal, insurance and compliance matters for Gresham Smith and is a member of the firm’s Risk Management Team. Josh has served in leadership roles at all levels of the AIA. He is the 2024 Vice Moderator of the AIA Strategic Council where he leads AIA’s efforts to study issues impacting the future of the profession. 2024 study groups include climate, equity, design and AI, health and wellbeing, and value of architecture. Josh is a member of the AIA Documents where he serves as Task Group Chair for the 2024 AIA Design-Build family of documents. He is a task group co-author of the 2019 updates to the Construction Management family of documents, as well as new AIA documents to address Delegated Design and Design Assist. Josh served as the Chair of the AIA Young Architects Forum; a program of the AIA organized to address issues of particular importance to recently licensed architects. As the Knowledge Director of the YAF, Josh launched the YAF Mini MBA: Mastering the Business of Architecture, a workshop presented at AIA National Conferences since 2014 in partnership with the AIA Large Firm Roundtable to enable architects to develop and apply business, legal and leadership skills. As the President of AIA Memphis, Josh founded the AIA Memphis Leadership Program which connects emerging professionals with Memphis Fellows through an eight-month leadership curriculum. Josh served as the Young Architect Regional Director for the AIA Gulf States Region where he launched “Emerging Gulf States” a regional symposium for emerging professionals that was the recipient of the AIA National Component Excellence Award for Knowledge Sharing Programs. Josh was elected as the 2019 President of AIA Tennessee and advises the AIA Tennessee Government Relations Committee on legal issues impacting the practice of architecture. He is a recipient of the AIA National Young Architects Award and the Building Design + Construction 40 Under 40 Award. Josh received Bachelor of Architecture and Juris Doctor Degrees from the University of Tennessee where he served as editor of the Tennessee Law Review. He is a member of the American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry as well as the Tennessee Bar Associations and the Association of Corporate Counsel. He is listed as a Rule 31 mediator in the State of Tennessee and is a national speaker and writer on legal issues related to architectural practice and career development for design professionals.
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Mark R. Gallagher
Regional Sales & Business Development
Euro-Wall
Over 30 Years working in the glass and fenestration industry, with 10 of those years focused on large operable moving glass walls. My focus has been to help architects and designers understand the capabilities and functions of these large moveable glass while navigating local building codes, with a key focus on wind borne areas.
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Cormac Giblin, AICP, CPM
Director of Housing Policy and Economic Development
Collier County Government
Cormac has over 25 years of experience in Collier County managing all aspects of community planning and development, ranging from local communities to large scale new towns and villages. After working in local government for over 10 years he then went on to become a project manager at a national engineering and consulting firm. Later he held leadership positions in several high profile local non-profit organizations. Cormac then returned to Collier County Government as its planning manager where he oversaw the review and implementation of all local zoning actions, site plans and permitting in Collier County. Now as the director of Collier County’s recently formed Housing Policy & Economic Development Division, he is responsible for the development and management of long-range planning efforts combined with housing affordability and economic development incentives and strategies. He authored the county’s first ever Community Housing Plan that was approved in October 2017 and worked with community partners on its implementation and success.
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Paul Goldberger, Hon. AIA
author, journalist, educator
PaulGoldbergeris the former architecture critic for The New Yorker and The New York Times, where his architecture criticism was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1984. He lectures around the country about architecture, design, historic preservation and cities.Goldbergerhas taught at both the Yale School of Architecture and the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley and currently holds the Joseph Urban Chair at The New School in New York City.Goldbergeris the author of several books, notably “Why Architecture Matters,"published by Yale University Pressand “Building Art: The Life and Work of Frank Gehry,"published by Alfred A Knopf.Goldberger’s book on the process of rebuilding Ground Zero, “UP FROM ZERO: Politics, Architecture, and the Rebuilding of New York,”published by Random House, was named one of The New York Times Notable Books for 2004. In addition to the Pulitzer, his writing has received many awards including the National Building Museum's Vincent Scully Prize and the Medal of Honor of the New York Landmarks Preservation Foundation.Goldbergerhas served as an advisor to cultural and educational institutions on architect selection and design, to organizations such as the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and the New York Public Library, emphasizing his commitment to shaping the architectural landscape.
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Naomi Harrison, Associate AIA
Senior Project Manager
MCHarry & Associates, Inc.
Naomi Harrison, a senior project manager at MC Harry & Associates in Miami, Florida, oversees the firm’s K-12 educational projects serving Miami-Dade and Broward County Schools, the nation’s 4th, and 6th largest school districts. Throughout her 24+ year career at MCHA, Naomi has overseen $140M in construction projects as a senior project manager and $150M as a junior project manager. She is active in the South Florida design community and sits on various boards and committees.
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Catherine Hartley, AICP, CNU-A
Team Manaer|Associate
Benesch
Ms. Hartley is a Senior Project Manager at Benesch with over 20 years of experience in comprehensive and land use planning for both the public and private sectors. She has focused her career on the integration of transportation and land use and making traditional, walkable places legal in comprehensive plans and zoning codes. In recent years, she has focused her energy on zoning reform and removing regulatory barriers for affordable and missing middle housing. She is an accredited member of both the American Planning Association and the Congress of the New Urbanism.
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Juan Hollingsworth
President of the Board
Hannibal Square Community Land Trust
Born and raised on the southside of Chicago, Juan grew up in low-income housing most of his childhood. He graduated from the Chicago Public School system. He got introduced to architecture through a vocational high school program. Juan on a regional NAWIC design competition with little to no direction other than a 20-year-old architecture book. After graduation from ITT, Juan moved to Winter Park where he and his wife got married. Upon moving to Winter Park, he and his wife were introduced to Hannibal Square Community Land Trust and qualified to buy one of their homes. My wife and I continued to support the organization in any capacity we could through volunteering, advisory board members, board members up to becoming the chair of the board.
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Michael “Bret” Hood
21st Century Learning & Consulting
JLI Leadership Trainer
Michael “Bret” Hood is a financial crime, ethics, money laundering and leadership expert with 25 years’ experience in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During his career, Bret has worked on some of the most infamous cases in American history to include 9/11, the Oklahoma City Bombing and the multi-billion-dollar HealthSouth fraud case.Because of his experience, Bret was chosen to be an adviser when the FBI created their executive leadership development programs as well as being chosen to be a leadership instructor at the FBI’s National Academy, a 10-week college program for law enforcement executives from all over the world. Bret has been qualified as a financial crimes and money laundering expert in the Middle District of Florida as well as the Eastern District of Missouri. He is a four-time winner of the United States Attorney’s Office Special Agent of the Year award for his work in financial crime and money laundering. In addition, Bret has received two commendations from the FBI Director for Leadership and Innovation.
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Stephen J. Hruby, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Principal
Achitects Unlimited
Stephen J Hruby, AIA is a founding partner of Architects Unlimited, an architectural, urban design and town-planning firm founded in 1982. Nationally recognized for his work with affordable housing, mixed income communities and community revitalization, his work has received awards and acknowledgement for contributions to the community. He is active in community and professional affairs in Naples, Florida where he has resided since 1998. Mr. Hruby is the chairman of the Collier Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and serves as president of the board of directors of the Collier County Community Land Trust. He is the chairman of the Design Review Board of the City of Naples and served on the board of directors of the Naples Zoo. He presently serves on the board of directors for AIA Florida Southwest and has served on the board of directors for AIA Florida, and is chairman elect of Florida Foundation for Architecture. He was awarded the Citizen Architect in recognition of this community service by both AIA Florida and AIA Florida Southwest, the W.R. Frissel Medal of Honor, AIA Florida Southwest highest honor and the 2022 Sam Noe Award for his community service to the City of Naples.
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Jeffrey E. Huber, FAIA, ASLA, NCARB, LEED AP
Principal|Florida Studio Manager
Brooks+Scarpa Architects
Jeffrey Huber is a principal and Florida Studio Manager at Brooks + Scarpa Architects. He is also an associate professor at the Florida Atlantic University School of Architecture. Huber’s work combines ecological, landscape, urban and architectural design with a focus on resiliency and adaptation. His design and research have garnered over 75 national and international design awards and has been published in numerous books and periodicals including Architectural Magazine, Residential Architect, Metropolis, The Plan Journal and Architectural Record. Huber is currently serving a three-year term as an AIA National Strategic Councilor. Huber earned a Bachelor of Design and Master of Architecture from the University of Florida and a Master of Landscape Architecture + urban design from Florida International University.
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Malcolm Jones. AIA
Principal| & Owner
MAJ Architecture & Design
Malcolm Jones stands as a distinguished alumnus of Florida International University and a Florida certified architect currently leading as the owner and principal architect of MAJ Architecture + Design. His journey to architectural mastery began as a project manager for the multi-family team at a top-tier firm in Orlando, where he honed his skills and vision. In addition to his professional pursuits, Malcolm plays a pivotal role in shaping future architects as an adjunct professor at CityLab – Orlando, part of the University of Florida’s Graduate School of Architecture. His commitment to diversity and education in the filed further exemplified through his leadership as chair of Black Architects in the Making – Orlando. This impactful program is dedicated to inspiring and nurturing young middle and high school students of color to explore and excel in architecture. Beyond the classroom and community, Malcolm extends his influence and expertise as a member of the board of trustees for the Orlando Foundation of Architecture, contributing significantly to the architectural landscape and discourse in the region.
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Cherise Lakeside, FCSI
Senior Specification Writer
RDH Building Science Inc.
Cherise is the Senior Specification Writer for RDH Building Science Inc. for all their offices in the US and Canada. She is based in the Portland, Oregon office. Cherise has experience with many facets of the project team in the built environment. She has worked mostly in architecture with stints in construction, MEP Engineering, and now Building Science. Cherise is a CSI Fellow, recent recipient of the Hans William Meier Award for Innovation of Certification Programs and the Frank Stanton Memorial Award, Past President and current Certification Chair of the Portland CSI Chapter and former Director-at-Large on the Institute Board, among many other positions in CSI. She currently teaches the CSI CDT 12-week education/certification program twice a year with over 1,000 students over the last 12 years.
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Frederick Lauro
Architectural Account Executive
Sherwin Williams
Fred Lauro has been in the paint industry for 25 years. He started working at Scott Paint in 1999 while going to college for Business Management and Firefighting. In his tenure he has done everything from mixing and delivering buckets of paint to solving multi-million-dollar coatings problems at several of Tampa’s most prestigious HOAs. Since 2015 he has been an owner advocate and specification resource as a member of the S-W team providing hands-on site visits, detailed specifications, contractor recommendations and job walks. In 2023 he stepped into the role of Architectural Account Executive covering the West Coast of Florida helping commercial architects and designers specify the right coatings roof to slab.
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Dave Lemont, Assoc. AIA
Executive Chairman
Acelab
Dave Lemont has more than three decades of experience in scaling software companies across industries, having held five CEO and 10 board member positions. Previously CEO of Revit, his leadership made Revit the most widely used building information modeling platform and was acquired by Autodesk. Mr. Lemont has also held numerous leadership roles at some of the world's leading B2B software companies.
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Rick Logan, AIA
Project Manager
Harvard Jolly Architecture
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Brian Lomel, PE, LEED Fellow, Well AP, Fitwell Ambassador
Principal, Director of Peak Institute
TLC Engineering Solutions
Brian is an advocate of sustainable design and incorporating WELL Building Standards into designs to ultimately provide financial and human benefit. His technical understanding of building systems blended with his strong commitment to common sense sustainability and out-of-the-box creativity has resulted in simple, elegant, and sustainable solutions for numerous buildings. Brian was among the first in the nation to earn his WELL AP, bringing an emphasis on designing buildings that protect and promote human health and wellness. He leads PEAK Institute, or PI, TLC's technical resource group focused on high-performance projects. Additionally, he serves on TLC's board of directors, supporting consistent delivery of services across the firm.
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Vardhan Mehta, Assoc. AIA, CSI
Co-founder & CEO
Acelab
Vardhan Mehta is the co-founder & CEO of Acelab and a former architect. Originally from central India, Vardhan graduated from Pratt Institute School of Architecture in 2018 with a B.Arch and worked as an Architect at Weiss Manfredi, a leading architecture firm in New York. He was awarded the coveted Presidential merit scholarship and gold medal at the Asian Design Awards, among other travel and research grants. He has also won three international design competitions in France, China, and Berlin.
In May 2021, Vardhan graduated from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design with a Master of Architecture in Urban Design. During his time at Harvard, he co-founded Acelab, a vertically integrated building products marketplace connecting architects and manufacturers, based on his firsthand experience in professional practice.
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Chris Morgan
Architectural Sales Representative
PGT Innovations
Mr. Morgan joined PGT Innovations in 2023 as the Architectural Sales Representative. Prior to joining PGT Innovations, Chris worked in the fenestration, custom millwork, and cabinetry industries for over 15 years. Regarding the window and door industry, he has experience working with both manufactures as well and independent dealers of vinyl, aluminum, and clad wood windows and doors. In addition, Mr. Morgan has experience working with impact rated, frameless, structural glass and railings. His focus has been primarily on builders and architects working in the custom and luxury residential market. Mr. Morgan is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration/Marketing. Mr. Morgan is a United States Marine Corps Veteran.
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Senator Kathleen Passidomo
President, Florida Senate
Kathleen Passidomo is the President of the Florida Senate. Passidomo formerly served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2010-2016 and has served in the Florida Senate consecutively since her election in 2016. Under her tenure, she has led the development and passage of comprehensive legislation to increase attainable workforce housing, expanded access to Florida’s Wildlife Corridor and invested more than $4 billion to support hurricane recovery and increase storm resiliency in the Sunshine State.
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Jeff Peters, PE, CGC
Woodworks
Jeff received his bachelor’s degree in civil/Structural Engineering from the University of Florida in 2007 after serving 5 years in the United States Air Force as an F-16 crew chief; he holds a Certified General Contractor’s License and was previously a small business owner. Jeff has a diverse background that includes structural design, field engineering, threshold inspections and quality control of structures ranging from mid-rise buildings to sporting venues—developed during his time working in the commercial side of the building industry.
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Shane Phillips
Housing Initiative Manager
UCLA
Shane Phillips is a researcher and consultant on housing affordability. He manages the Housing Initiative within the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, focusing on research, policy analysis, and education, and he co-hosts the UCLA Housing Voice Podcast, a biweekly show that translates emerging research for a non-academic audience. He's also the author of The Affordable City, which advocates for prioritizing Supply, Stability, and Subsidies and offers more than 50 recommendations for advancing those goals. Shane has presented to audiences across the U.S. and abroad, written for major publications including the Los Angeles Times and Atlantic, and worked with public agencies and private stakeholders to design context-sensitive housing solutions for their communities. Originally hailing from Seattle, Shane earned his bachelor's degree in biochemistry from the University of Washington and master’s degrees in public administration and urban planning from USC.
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Michael Puchalla
Executive Director
Collier County Community Land Trust
Michael Puchalla serves as executive director of Housing Development Corporation of SW Florida, Inc., d/b/a HELP. Mr. Puchalla joined the HUD approved non-profit counseling agency in January 2009 and took over as director in July 2013. In 2020 HELP launched the Collier Community Land Trust, Inc. and Mr. Puchalla also serves as the acting executive director for this organization. Prior to joining the HELP, Mr. Puchalla held Florida licenses in real estate, property and casualty insurance and life, health, and variable annuities insurance. He obtained his Florida mortgage broker’s license in 2002 and maintains an active Florida mortgage loan originator’s license. Mr. Puchalla worked in mortgage lending from 2002 until 2009, with an emphasis on working with first-time buyers. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, with an undergraduate degree in management – entrepreneurship.
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Michael Pyatok, FAIA
Principal Emeritus
Michael Pyatok has been an architect and professor of architectural design for 50 years. Since opening his office in 1984 in Oakland, California, he has designed over 30,000 units of housing mostly for low-income households, using participatory design methods to facilitate the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders. Winning hundreds of design awards, the mission of his firm is to bring housing justice to lower income communities through planning and designing new housing, neighborhood plans and community facilities. An honors graduate and Harvards's Graduate of Harvard's Graduate School of Design he was a Fullbright Scholar in Helsinki, Finland earlier in his career where he researched housing strategies in Finland. During his mid-career he was awarded a Loeb Fellowship at Harvard where he researched strategies for non-profit housing developers in this age of shrinking grovernment involvement. In 1995, he was elected to the AIA College of Fellows in recognition of Affordable Housing and Residential Architect featured him as "Architect of the Year" in recogntion of the design quality and affordable housing. He was named one of the 50 most influential people in the US housing industry in 2007 by Builder Magazine. In 2012 he was inducted into the Marvin Design Hall of Fame and in 2013, the AIA gave him the Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture in recognition of his cotribution to the design of affordable housing. He has co-authored a book, has published several articles and has an upcoming book titled "Architecture, Housing and Capitalism: Reflection During 50 Years of Practice and Teaching" to be released next year.
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David Rifkind
Director - School of Architecture and Ivan H Smith Endowed Professor
University of Florida, College of Design, Construction and Planning
David Rifkind joined the UF faculty July 1, 2021, as director of the School of Architecture after 14 years at Florida International University. Trained as an architect and architect historian, David studies urbanism and architecture in Ethiopia form the late 19th century to the present. His current book project, Modern Ethiopia: Architecture, Urbanism, and the Building of a Nation, incorporates field research in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti with archival research in Ethiopia, Europe and the United States. His work in Ethiopia has been supported by a grant from the Graham Foundation and residency at the American Academy in Rome as the inaugural Wolfsonian-FIU Affiliated Fellow. A practicing designer, David has worked to make environmental stewardship and community development the central focus of architectural practice in South Florida. In 201 he completed a house in South Miami which served as a model of sustainable construction and environmental stewardship. He is currently working on two net-zero energy projects.
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Henry Rueda, Assoc. AIA
Chair and Associate Teaching Professor
Florida International Unversity, Department of Architecture
Henry Rueda started teaching at FIU in 2014 and before that, he taught at Escuela de Arquitectura y Diseno at Universidad Jose Maria Vargas; Escuela de Arquitectura y Urbanismo at Universidad Central de Venezuela and at Universidad Simon Bolivar, Venezuela. His professional experience includes working for Jesus Tenreiro in Caracas, Venezuela and Wiel Arets in Maastricht, Holland. His current work focuses on single family residences in different cities in Venezuela and in Miami. In 2014 his VL House was nominated for the Emerging Architects Mies Crown Hall Prize of the Americas, organized by the Illinois Institute of Technology.
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Maya Sharfi
Founder and Executive Coach
Build Yourself
Maya is founder of Build Yourself, a leadership coaching company that helps women make it to senior leadership roles and thrive in them, ditching overworking to lead more boldly and impactfully. Maya is a former Harvard Innovation Lab resident, ran a research effort on women in social impact design for the Harvard Business School and was named as one of Impact Design Hub’s Social Impact Design 40 under 40. She’s a graduate of Brown University and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. She’s a nut for graphic nonfiction, the color yellow and pickled foods. You can find her on the beach or hiking around the swamp in her south Florida locale.
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Lourdes Solera, FAIA, RID, NOMA, LEED AP
Principal
MCHarry & Associates
Lourdes Solera, a managing principal at MCHarry and Associates, leads the legacy of the esteemed 67-year-old architectural firm specializing in public sector projects. With over 30 years of architectural expertise, Ms. Solera is dedicated to public service and advancing the architectural profession.
A prominent figure in the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Ms. Solera served as AIA Mimi's 2004 President, Director at the Florida AIA Board, and the esteemed 2022 President of the Florida AIA Board. Her commitment to public service and historic preservation is evident through roles on the City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board and Florida’s Board of Architects and Interior Design.Ms. Solera co-founded the Women in Architecture Committee at AIA Miami, highlighting women's significant contributions and establishing a Women in Architecture group at AIA Florida to nurture the next generation.
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Max Strang, FAIA
Founder, Managing Partner
Strang Design
For 25 years Max Strang has demonstrated a commitment to creating high quality designs with a focus on academic and professional engagement. He founded Strang Design, a Florida-based architectural, interior design and landscape design firm respected for advancing the principles of Environmental Modernism in extraordinary locations around the world, in 1998. His design approach acutely considers the future impact climate change will have on residential and urban development in the coming decades, and his iconic designs thoughtfully integrate with South Florida’s subtropical climate. Elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2016 and consistently recognized locally, regionally, and nationally for the strength of his design work, Max has won dozens of awards, including the 2022 AIA Miami Architect of the Year, 2018 AIA Florida Medal of Honor for Design, and 2013 AIA Miami Silver Medal for Design.
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Anson Stuart, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, PMP
Founder, Principal
Stuart Architecture
Mr. Stuart has over 25 years of combined experience in architectural design and construction project management. His extensive experience includes many different project types including commercial, educational, religious, multi-family residential, instututional, community, recreational, retail, hospitality and industrial.
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Steve Tongco, CSI, SFDI
Director of Architectural and Design Consulting
Slimpact by Faour Glass Technologies
Since 1999, Steve Tongco has been in the construction industry, providing subject matter expertise as a manufacturer’s representative and architectural consultant to architects, designers, glazing contractors, and manufacturers for Division 08 products. He has extensive knowledge of interior and exterior glass and specialty glazing, storefronts, curtainwalls and entrances, window systems, ACM panels, and mechanical and electrified door hardware, as well as access control. He was pivotal in the specification and selection of products for the first regional ICC 500 storm shelter in Florida, for which there were no existing Florida Product Approval standards. He has worked extensively in product testing for various building envelope products to meet Hurricane, HVHZ, Tornado, and ICC 500 standards. He spent more than seven years with Assa Abloy Opening Solutions and currently works for SLIMPACT® by Faour Glass Technologies as the Director of Architectural and Design Consulting.
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Lindsey Touchette
Vice President of Community Engagement
Collier County Community Foundation
Lindsey is a collaborative nonprofit leader, with nearly 20 years’ experience in philanthropy, nonprofit management, grantmaking and higher education. In her role, she employs a community-centric approach to identify and champion change for Collier County’s most critical and evolving needs. She advances solutions that foster change in the areas of climate resiliency, housing affordability, disaster recovery, education, and mental health. Lindsey partners with stakeholders to build relationships and connections that maximize resources and improve strategic outcomes.
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George Valdes
Head of Product
Integrated Projects
George Valdes deeply enjoys solving complex problems in the built environment and in the AEC industry. With product, sales and growth marketing experience in virtual reality, GPU cloud, infrastructure, international expansion and vertical saas, he invests and advises startups tackling workflow in real estate, architecture, and construction.
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Kelly Wieczorek, AIA, LEED AP
Vice President
Goodwyn Mills Cawood
Kelly Wieczorek, AIA, is a vice president and office leader at Goodwyn Mills Cawood in Pensacola, Florida having joined as a senior project manager in 2019 through the Bay Design acquisition. With over 17 years of experience in the Florida panhandle and Gulf Coast region, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her role. Actively engaged in the Pensacola community, Kelly serves on the City of Pensacola Urban Core Redevelopment Board and the Downtown YMCA Advisory Council.
A graduate of Leadership Pensacola, Kelly's leadership extends to her recent election as the 2023-2024 Vice President of AIA Florida, building on her prior leadership roles at both local and state levels within AIA. Her outstanding contributions to the field have been recognized with awards such as the Associate Member Individual Honor Award from AIA Florida, the Service to the Profession Award from AIA Florida Northwest, and the prestigious AIA Florida Presidential Citation in 2014 and 2023. Kelly Wieczorek is not only a seasoned professional but also a dedicated community leader and advocate for the architectural profession
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Shawn Wilson
President and CEO
Blue Sky Communities
Mr. Wilson has over 30+ years of experience in several for-profit and non-profit organizations. He leads as president and CEO of Blue Sky Communities. He is responsible for identifying new opportunities, determining financial feasibility, and interacting with key stakeholders. Additionally, he guides the design permitting and construction of all developments. In the early 1990’s, Mr. Wilson worked for two prominent non-profit housing organizations in Miami, including living through Hurricane Andrew and being involved in both short-term and long-term housing recovery efforts. During this time, he was responsible for the development of more than 200 housing units. Starting in 1996 he was responsible for the development of more than 3,000 affordable rental units (tax credit) with several top profit developers in South Florida. In 2012, he went out on his own together with the other partners to form Blue Sky.
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Seth Yeslow, AIA, NCARB
Architect
Steven L. Cohen & Associates
Mr. Yeslow has 24 years of experience in the architecture and construction management profession with experience in a wide range of projects ranging from commercial, retail, mixed-use, residential, hospitality, educational, medical and government facilities. He possesses proficiency in designing and managing projects with multiple programs throughout all phases of the design and construction process.
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Liz York, FAIA
Sustainable Design Expert
GSA
Liz York, FAIA joined the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings as a sustainable design expert for the US General Services Administration in 2023. Previously, Liz served as senior advisor for buildings and facilities policy and innovation and chief sustainability officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Liz brings innovation to facility policy and operations and implements healthy, resilient, equitable work environments for the federal government. Liz served as the first chair of the AIA Committee for Climate Action and Design Excellence where she worked to thread the triple bottom line into the actions, tools and communications created for architects. She has received two White House awards for sustainability, been named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Sustainability Who’s Who and has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects as a Fellow for her work to impact health and well-being by empowering architects to build better environments.
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Don Yoshino, FAIA
Principal
Yoshino Architecture, PA
Don Yoshino, FAIA is principal of Yoshino Architecture, PA, located in Boca Raton, Florida. Since his graduation from CalPoly in 1965, he has embarked on a career with an international focus. Beginning with a graduate program at Kyoto University in Japan, where he studied Japanese architectural history, Yoshino later remained in Japan as project manager and then as vice president-in-charge of the international division at several large international firms where he worked on projects for the U.S. government and the private sector in Asia. He then returned to the US to apprentice under world renowned Italian architect and visionary, Paolo Soleri in Scottsdale, Arizona at Arcosanti. Yoshino’s portfolio comprises all facets of architecture from industrial to residential, with some of his most notable projects including an award-winning 23-story luxury condo in Fort Lauderdale, several high-end, single-family homes in South Florida, as well as hotel design in Spain and India.
Yoshino began his engagement in the American Institute of Architects in 1971 as a member, and served in numerous leadership positions at the local, state, and national levels and was elevated to the College of Fellows in 2007. Yoshino received his Fellowship (the highest level of recognition by the Association) in the category of Service to Society, for his leadership within the association and for his service to his community, most notably, as trustee and former BOT President of The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, where he continued his efforts to bridge the gap of understanding between Japan and America; and assisted in the seven-year development of the award winning Harriet & George Cornell “Rojien Gardens”. Recently Yoshino traveled to Tokyo, Japan with students from FIU study aboard program and assisted in the 4th year design project for the Morikami Museum. In 2017, Yoshino was conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays medal from the Foreign Ministry of Japan for his continuous work in bridging the culture between Japan and the United States.
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