2020 Speakers

Anna Dyson
Hines Professor of Sustainable Architectural Design and Professor of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University

Anna Dyson is the Hines Professor of Architecture at the School of Architecture and Professor of Forestry & Environmental Studies at Yale. Dyson is also the founding Director of the Yale Center for Ecosystems in Architecture (CEA) within Rudolph Hall connecting to other interdisciplinary labs on campus to collaborate on the vigorous research, development and deployment of novel architectural systems that are focused on reinventing the DNA of the built fabric in order to take on the challenge of metabolizing energy, water and materials within architecture in radically new ways.

Anna Dyson has been a professor of architecture at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she founded the Center for Architecture, Science and Ecology (CASE) in Manhattan with Skidmore Owings and Merrill LLP in 2006. CASE hosts the PhD program in Architectural Sciences/Built Ecologies (BE), which has received multiple honors, including an Award of Excellence in pedagogy from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), and the award for most innovative academic program from the Association for Computer Aided Design in Architecture (ACADIA) in 2012. Over the last decade, the BE program has distinguished itself by competitively winning awards for design research from multiple sponsors such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the US Department of Energy (DOE), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and from private sponsors such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the San Francisco Foundation, and others.

Recipient of the Innovator Award from Architectural Record in 2015, Dyson holds many international patents on building systems innovations for the collection and distribution of clean energy, water, air quality and material life cycle. Her work has been exhibited internationally at venues including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), The World Future Energy Summit (WFES), and The Center for Architecture. Designs for novel systems have been recognized with over twenty awards, including a 1st prize from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for the Integrated Concentrating Solar Façade and Climate Camouflage systems, multiple Architect R&D for systems including the Solar Enclosure for Water Reuse (SEWR) and the Active Modular Phytoremediation System (AMPS). Multiple systems are being deployed, with the AMPS system recently installed into the Public Safety Answering Center (PSAC II) in the Bronx, included in the Best Architecture of 2017 by the Wall St. Journal, as the first full scale test of the production of fresh air from within a building through plant-based air handling systems.

Patricia Reiter
Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Global Futures Laboratory, ASU

Patricia is the Arizona State University director of strategic initiatives for the Global Futures Laboratory, and formerly the executive director of the Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service. She is a social entrepreneur directing eight programs driving impact of sustainability initiatives by focusing the intellectual assets of the University on solving sustainability challenges, educating future leaders and engaging the public. She is dedicated to applying business methods to advance educational and cultural enterprises and has an uncommon level of creativity and design thinking used to bridge diverse perspectives and align financial, marketing and operational activities. Patricia holds a BFA and B.Arch from the University of Tennessee along with a MBA from the Simmons School of Business in Boston.

Jon Sargent
VP of Product, Solemma

Jon is an architectural designer and software developer based in Los Angeles. As VP of Product for Solemma, Jon creates tools that help architects and consultants evaluate the daylighting performance of their projects. His areas of focus include circadian lighting, daylight simulation workflows, and data visualization. Prior to working full time on simulation software, Jon worked as a designer at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in New York and San Francisco, where he applied data-driven methodologies to a number of award-winning international and supertall projects. Jon holds an M.Arch with distinction from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design.

Ted Hall
Founder, Creative Director, Spearhead

Ted Hall, founding partner of Spearhead, has 25 years of experience in custom residential and mass timber construction and is widely regarded as an industry leader in advanced wood design and manufacturing. Ted draws from an abiding passion for design coupled with a keen interest in progressive project delivery involving the integration of design, technology and craft.

Under Ted's guidance, Spearhead has helped re-think the construction process through the application of integrated project delivery practices and state-of-the-art digital fabrication strategies. Through an early engagement in design-assist, Spearhead develops project-specific build strategies which optimize manufacturing resources, reduce overall construction times, and bring cost certainty to a broad spectrum of work. This integrated approach facilitates the finite coordination of interface details between traditionally isolated scopes of work and in turn enables the potential for cross-platform component-based manufacturing on complex projects.

Parke MacDowell, AIA
Project Architect | Fabrication Manager | Associate, Payette

The hands-on exploration of shapes, textures, materials, and details is a critical component of Parke’s design process – both for interrogating design problems and for communicating solutions. As Parke succinctly states: “Making clarifies ideas. Clear ideas expedite decisions. Decisions move projects forward.”

As an architect, Parke leverages his background in construction to inform design and project management. He is committed to embedding fabrication within architectural practice in order to maintain design intent, control risk, and add value. Parke uses models, prototypes, and full-scale mock-ups to help all parties understand the problem and have a voice in its resolution. This is an incredibly powerful way to facilitate decision-making.

With a B.A. from Dartmouth College and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Michigan, Parke also worked as a CNC machinist, welder, and carpenter before joining NADAAA in 2011. Parke spearheaded NADAAA’s NADLAB, leading design-build projects in addition to more conventional architectural roles.
Parke joined Payette in 2015, bringing unique expertise in computational design and digital fabrication. He established Payette’s in-house design research facility, which uses conventional and digitally controlled tools for wood, composites, and metals to enhance design work. Perhaps most importantly, Parke has crafted both a Curriculum and a Culture that seed the requisite skill and aspiration to embed this approach within every project team.

As Project Architect for the recently completed Northeastern University Pedestrian Crossing, Parke championed the position that best-value for the Owner is supported by a clear and direct relationship between the Architect and the Builder. On this project, the transparent communication of priorities, constraints, and opportunities served all parties well.
With a special interest in the community-building potential of architecture, Parke leads numerous pro-bono and outreach initiatives, positioning Making as a powerful tool for outreach, community engagement, and building for the future.

Sam Miller
Managing Partner, LMN Architects

Sam Miller is Managing Partner of LMN Architects, where he provides overall firm guidance and helps to shape the firm’s culture of collaboration to meet the demands of 21st century architectural practice. Sam coordinates LMN’s sustainability initiatives, exploring the advancement and integration of sustainable technologies that have resulted in groundbreaking projects. In addition, he is a co-leader of LMN Tech Studio, an experimental research and development group empowered to explore digital design technologies and innovative approaches to design, fabrication and operations.

Sam’s project work focuses on cultural and education projects and includes the Seattle Central Library; Seattle Art Museum Downtown Expansion; Museum of History and Industry; Seattle Asian Art Museum Renovation and Expansion and the Voxman Music Building at the University of Iowa. Among his current architectural projects are the Seattle Aquarium Expansion and two projects for Stanford University.

Melissa Higgs
Principal, HCMA Architecture+Design

Melissa is passionate about creating innovative public buildings where communities come together, and is a believer in the power of architecture and design as a catalyst for positive change in the world. She enjoys working closely with clients to find creative solutions to their unique design challenges. Her expertise in recreation facilities, arts and culture, and long-range vision plans are demonstrated by the success of the award-winning Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre, Clayton Community Centre, Granville Island 2040, and the Vancouver Aquatic Strategy.

Melissa plays a key role in managing and developing the cross-disciplinary aspects of HCMA, including communication design, sustainability, and community and stakeholder engagement to augment our architecture practice, enhancing our reach and impact. She believes that true collaboration and transdisciplinary design has the power to improve creative outcomes across all project types and scales.

Melissa is currently on the Board of Directors and member of the Policy Advisory Committee for the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA), and a member of UBC’s Advisory Urban Design Panel (AUDP). She is a past member of AIBC’s Diverse Membership Group and the City of Surrey’s Advisory Design Panel. For the past two years, Melissa also teaches an architectural design studio at UBC.

Amy Mielke
Senior Associate, Ennead and Director, Ennead Lab

Amy Mielke is a Senior Associate at Ennead and serves as Director of Ennead Lab. Her role includes design and management for a range of project types, including healthcare and embassy work, as well as leading advocacy and research + design efforts within Ennead Lab. Amy teaches part-time at Columbia University as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Architecture, focusing on the agency of water in urban resilience and the spatial potential of water in infrastructure. She recognizes the participatory role of every project type and scale in a larger environmental network—objects beget action, and action begets change.

Jason Richards, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Senior Associate, EskewDumezRipple

Jason Richards has been a critical member of many award-winning projects, including the widely-published Rosa Keller Library & Community Center, the New Orleans Ace Hotel, and its sister property Maison de la Luz Hotel. He is currently involved in several ongoing projects with the firm’s higher education clients including Tulane University, Cornell University, and Louisiana State University. As a Senior Associate and Team Leader, Jason is a talented, tireless architect who has achieved tremendous growth and advancement in a very short amount of time.

Jason’s attention to detail, strict management of deadlines and cost control, and his focus on design quality make him a valuable asset to our project teams and well appreciated by each of the Clients with whom he works.

Since the beginning of his career, Jason has been involved in community and professional organizations, including his local neighborhood association and serving the board of a neighborhood charter school in New Orleans. Professionally, Jason served as the President of AIA New Orleans in 2017 and maintains active membership in AIA, ULI and USGBC.

Ashley Richardson, AIA, LEED AP
Principal, EYRC Architects

Ashley is a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, has been a key member of EYRC's team for 6 years and is a seasoned project manager on large complex projects including the Pendry Hotel + Residences. Her ability to manage large teams to ensure seamless documentation and delivery, while building strong client relationships, has made her an indispensable part of the firm's leadership team. She was elevated to Principal in 2019. Ashley is the former AIALA Design Awards Committee Chair and is currently the Co-Vice Chair of the Women in Architecture Committee. In addition to her firm management responsibilities, Ashley is currently EYRC’s senior project manager working closely with design build team members Kitchell, HKS and SWA on the 2,000 bed Future College Living and Learning Neighborhood at UC San Diego.

Stephanie Carlisle
Principal and Environmental Researcher, KieranTimberlake

Stephanie Carlisle is a Principal and Environmental Researcher at KieranTimberlake. She investigates the interaction between the natural and constructed environment, including embodied carbon, life cycle assessment (LCA), urban ecology, material toxicity, and equity. Combining a background in environmental science and architectural design, Stephanie serves as a bridge between research and practice, bringing data-driven analysis and topical research to complex design problems. Stephanie is a core member of the development team for Tally®, a whole building LCA tool which empowers designers to run full-building life cycle assessments during design.

Stephanie is also a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design where she teaches classes on embodied carbon, climate change and ecology. She serves as the chair of the Education and Research Focus Group of the Embodied Carbon Network and is on the board of the Carbon Leadership Forum, two organizations dedicated to raising carbon literacy and developing open-source research, strategies and tools for the AEC community. Stephanie’s writing on embodied carbon and the architecture has appeared in FastCompany, Architect Magazine, Domus, Buildings and the Environment, and the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.

David Mead
Senior Associate, PAE Consulting Engineers

David is internationally recognized for his thought leadership on the integration of engineering and architecture for ecologically-inspired design solutions. With over 16 years of experience as an MEP high performance building specialist and architect, he combines research, innovation, engineering and verification of concepts into designs. He worked on the net zero energy fellowship for Project Drawdown and recently presented on the role of buildings on broader ecology. David is a committed advocate for net-positive buildings and brings an innovative approach to greenhouse gas and energy analysis to advance building performance towards a carbon neutral future.

Carey Nagle
Principal, BNIM

Carey Nagle is a Principal in BNIM’s Des Moines office. Carey has emerged as a young leader in the realm of high-performance design excellence. He is a holistic practitioner with a broad range of notable project experience consisting of museums and cultural facilities, higher education projects, office buildings, adaptive reuse and modernist preservation.

Carey is currently leading the design of the adaptive reuse of the former Charity Hospital in New Orleans. His projects have been recognized with multiple
national awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), including the 2016 AIA Honor Award for the renovation of the American Enterprise Group National Headquarters and the 2014 COTE Top Ten + Green Building Award for the Iowa Utilities Board and Office of Consumer Advocate.

Carey is recognized as a leader in the design and management of high performance and sustainable projects. His award-winning work with the Iowa Utilities Board Office of Consumer Advocate facility for the State of Iowa consumes 75% less energy than an Iowa Energy Code Compliant building and is LEED Platinum certified. Carey works closely with clients at the outset of the project to set performance metrics and achievable energy and resource conservation goals that fit in clients’ budgets and visions. He holds great determination in delivering buildings that are high performing, achieving net zero energy. His experience embodies the performance, beauty, and spirit associated with design excellence.

Carey received his Bachelor of Architecture from Iowa State University. He currently serves on the Iowa State University Department of Architecture’s Architectural Advisory Committee and The City of Des Moines’ Urban Design Review Board. In 2016, Carey received the AIA National Young Architect Award.

Gaurav Sant, Ph.D.
Professor and Henry Samuel Fellow, UCLA

Gaurav is a Professor and a Henry Samueli Fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where he is also the Director of the Institute for Carbon Management. Gaurav’s research interests include chemical reactions at solid-liquid-vapor interfaces including dissolution, precipitation, and electrochemical corrosion with applications across industry sectors encompassing construction-, energy- and waste management. The objective: to develop pioneering market-focused technologies for carbon management. The outcomes of this work are described in > 120 refereed journal publications. Dr. Sant also leads Carbon Upcycling UCLA / CO2ConcreteTM: a venture based at UCLA that is a Finalist in the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE Competition, and was selected as a Global Top10 Innovation at The International Cool Earth Forum 2018.

Dr. Sant's research has been recognized by numerous awards including the National Science Foundation's CAREER Award, a Hellmann Fellowship, RILEM's Gustavo Collonnetti Medal, the American Concrete Institute's Walter P. Murphy Jr., and J.C Roumain Awards, and selection as one of UCLA's Optimists. Dr. Sant received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Purdue University in 2006, 2007, and 2009, respectively. Gaurav is a voting member of ACI 231 and 236, and an associate member of ACI 212. He is also a voting member of committees ASTM C01 and C09 and a member of ASCE, ASTM, RILEM, the American Ceramic Society and the American Chemical Society.

Ray Calabro, FAIA
Principal, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Ray Calabro’s work emphasizes the relationship of a building to its surrounding landscape; he believes that architecture is a thoughtful response to the culture and spirit of each place. Ray brings a depth of experience and great enthusiasm to a broad range of building types and regularly leads teams in a collaborative design process to achieve extraordinary buildings including visitor centers, corporate headquarters, academic buildings for science and research, and private residences across the western United States and Canada.

Ray’s passion for architecture comes from his lifelong interest in drawing and design, which extends to his leadership of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson’s publication efforts including Grand Teton: A National Park Building (2008), Bohlin Cywinski Jackson: The Nature of Circumstance, (2010), Listening (2015) and, most recently, Gathering (2020). Ray frequently speaks at regional, national and international design conferences, and serves as a juror and design critic at leading schools of architecture and design.

Leo Panian, SE
Principal, Tipping Structural Engineers

Leo Panian practices from the intersection of seismic engineering, advanced analytics, and new technology, to deliver cost-efficient, high-performance projects for his clients. His career has focused on creating practicable design solutions founded on an expert understanding of structural performance.

Leo has led and managed many of Tipping’s ambitious projects, garnering regional and national recognition for innovation and engineering excellence in seismic design. He earned his MS in structural engineering from UC Berkeley and his BS in structural engineering from UC San Diego. Leo joined Tipping in 1997 and was named principal in 2011.

Susie Teal, AIA, LEED AP
Senior Associate, COOKFOX

Susie joined COOKFOX in early 2012 and plays a vital role in the development and design of the firm’s new projects. In addition to her contribution to proposals, she was the project architect for Phase Two of City Point, a three-part, mixed-use development in Downtown Brooklyn. The project received the Award for Excellence in Design from the New York City Public Design Commission in 2013. Susie was also the project architect for 535 Carlton, an affordable building in the Pacific Park development in Brooklyn and is currently working on 378 West End Avenue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, as well as two buildings in Crystal City, Virginia. Susie regularly shares her expertise in biophilic and sustainable design, housing, and exterior wall design. She has presented at Greenbuild, CitiesAlive, NYCxDesign, the Facades + Conference and the Urban Green Council.

Andrea Traber
Managing Principal, Integral Group

Internationally recognized as a green building and sustainability expert, Andrea has been involved in numerous green building projects, climate action plans, and sustainability and energy programs. Andrea brings many years of combined experience in business leadership, deep green architecture, and sustainability and resilience consulting to her role as Managing Principal of Integral Group’s Oakland office. She sets a culture and tone of empowered, able people and teams to deliver quality work that is impactful. Andrea is a licensed Architect and a LEED Fellow.