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Alberto is the Global MC leader in the Advanced Interlayer Solutions Division of Kuraray; he is located in New York City and is responsible of the Global Marketing Communications and Americas Downstream Marketing . Alberto, through the Trosifol® and Sentryglas® interlayers for laminated glass, helps Architects, Designers, Facade Consultants, and Engineers to improve the glass performances for facade’s, structures and other applications in terms of acoustics, aesthetics, structural, and safety requirements. He has over 15 years of experience in the industry including commercial and consulting positions. He is a Graduate of the ULSA in Chemical Engineering. He has been a critical resource for the advanced design of building facade elements and is highly skilled in structural glass and interlayers. 

Alex Barmas brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and perspective to his projects. His unique qualifications and experience as design architect, professional engineer and sustainability consultant for the façade industry serve SOCOTEC’s clients well.

Alex has served as a façade consultant and represented an international manufacturer on exemplary projects in New York City and around the world in Spain, South Korea, the United Kingdom and Qatar. His expertise lies in architectural geometry, building physics, thermal performance, structural analysis and façade system detailing.

In addition, he has developed project bids, performed system design, and conducted research and development work, including for a fully unitized fire resistive curtainwall system.

Andrea Hatzinikolas is a Principal of FERO and provides her team with strong leadership to execute on FERO’s strategic goals. She has degrees in Business and Law and over 19 years of experience building and operating businesses across a variety of industries. Andrea has overseen FERO’s growth in the North American market and emergence as an industry leader in engineered masonry products. She is focused on ensuring FERO continually delivers high quality and innovative products with exceptional customer service.

Andrew Pries, Technical Sales Director at Boston Valley Terra Cotta, holds a BS in Architecture from the University at Buffalo and a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan. With a focus on design development and leveraging diverse fabrication methods to expand the applications of terra cotta, he has played a pivotal role in high profile projects such as the Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) and 120 Stockton. As one of the coordinators of the Architectural Ceramic Assemblies Workshop (ACAW), Pries spearheads design development with the workshop teams, as well as the fabrication and construction of successful mockup assemblies.

Bersu Serin, a Mechanical Engineer graduated from New York Institute of Technology, is the Assistant Project Manager at Bisam Facade. Specializing in building envelope and facade systems, Bersu manages mid to high-rise residential and commercial building construction from start to completion. With expertise in building envelope systems, project planning, installation, and ensuring QA QC to meet market and factory standards, Bersu is involved in construction of commercial and residential projects.

Bob joined Northglass in 2012. For the first two years He worked on the technical side, then moved to project management and worked on the Apple Park project. In 2015, He came to the US and started the Northglass US office in New York, working more closely with architectural consultants and various contractors. He has worked on more than 100 projects at most of the major cities in the US and had a lot of experience with glass technology.

Brian Loughlin is a Principal at Magnusson Architecture and Planning where he brings expertise in public housing, master planning, community engagement, special needs housing, trauma informed design, and sustainability, building on the firm’s long history of community-based planning and human-centered affordable housing design.

His career in community development and affordable housing also includes over fifteen years in Public Housing and the non-profit housing sector. As the Co-Chair of the Housing Committee for the AIANY, Brian has organized symposia including: NYC’s Housing Crisis; Public Housing, Practice, and Design: New York + London; Housing Opportunity: Office to Residential Conversion in New York City; and the annual Ratensky Lecture. He is a former Chair of the Housing & Community Development Division of the American Planning Association, a frequent author and panelist on current issues in housing, and an Adjunct Associate Professor in Architecture and Real Estate Development at Columbia GSAPP.

Since joining Studio Libeskind in 1999, Carla Swickerath has gained diverse experience in cultural, civic, retail, commercial, residential, and planning projects worldwide. She has led many of the Studio’s successful project teams from concept design through to completion— including the Crystals retail complex in Las Vegas, the Hyundai Haeundae Udong I-Park residential development in Busan, Korea, and the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. Carla led the design and construction of two affordable housing projects in New York: Freeport Senior Residences on Long Island and the Atrium at Sumner in Brooklyn. She is currently managing the rebuilding of the Tree of Life in Pittsburgh.

Carla has also led the complex World Trade Center redevelopment process from the initial competition phase to the present. Today, her dual management and design skills come into play as she oversees all operations at Studio Libeskind.

She earned a Master’s in Architecture from the University of Michigan, following undergraduate studies in English and Art History at the University of Florida. She has taught at the Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee in Berlin and at the University of Michigan. Carla speaks publicly on architecture, design, and planning and is a member of the Board of Trustees at the Van Alen Institute in New York.

Cheryl Saldanha leads SGH’s Building Science and Passive House Practices and specializes in designing and evaluating building enclosures for new construction projects and existing building enclosure renovations. Her experience includes curtain wall, rainscreen facade, roofing, and waterproofing systems on a range of building types. Cheryl is adept at using multiple computer software packages to simulate building systems and details for thermal, condensation, whole-building energy, and daylighting analysis. Cheryl has co-chaired the New York City Chapter of the International Building Performance Simulation Association and participated on the NYC Commercial Energy Code Technical Advisory Committee for the last two code cycles. Cheryl has authored technical papers and lectured on topics ranging from embodied and operational carbon of facades, thermal bridging calculations, energy modeling, curtain wall spandrels, and condensation issues in building envelope systems. Cheryl was recently awarded Building Design + Construction magazine’s Top 40 under 40 for 2022. Fun fact about Cheryl: In June 2023, she did the charity stair climb at 1 World Trade Center (104 stories!) in 29 minutes.

Christoph Timm leads SOM’s Enclosure Group, a practice embedded among the design and engineering studios in the firm’s New York office that focuses on the design of building enclosures and facades. With more than two decades of experience in the creative field, Christoph has designed a wide variety of projects that go far beyond architecture to encompass products, furniture, and even streetlights.

Christoph has deep expertise in the design and fabrication of high-performance building enclosures, and is particularly interested in how their aesthetically crafted appearances shift under varying lighting conditions. At SOM, Christoph started a construction site visit program that regularly takes young architects to different sites in New York to create a better understanding of the complexities of construction in relation to design. He is deeply engaged with technological innovations in the field and shares his expertise actively at conferences and industry events. He has also lectured on design and building performance-related topics worldwide.

Daniel Sundlin is a partner at BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping some of the firm's most iconic projects. After studying architecture at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, he joined BIG's Copenhagen office in 2008. He later moved to New York City to help establish BIG's US presence, becoming a partner in 2014. Daniel has led major projects like the VIA West57 residential building in Manhattan, The Heights Public School in Arlington, and Google’s new campus in Mountain View. His work spans international urban-scale initiatives, including Penang South Islands in Malaysia and the OCEANIX Busan floating city prototype. A regular guest critic at architecture schools, Daniel also serves as a juror for American Institute of Architects (AIA) design awards.

Darijo Babic is the Director of Architectural Sales and is responsible for increasing Guardian Glass specifications and sales for commercial projects by leading and directing sales marketing teams. He is involved with the new product strategies and development, capital expenditure planning, and establishment of business goals.

Prior to that, he held a variety of roles with PPG Industries and Enclos (one of the largest glazing contractors in the US).

In his 24-year career in the glass and glazing industry, Darijo has worked with a wide array of architects, engineers, glaziers, and glass fabricators. He has worked on projects ranging from small retail stores to some of the most iconic projects across the world.

David is an industry veteran that is engaged in business development for Tecnoglass/ES.

He has a wide range of experience in Sales, Marketing, Product Development, Contract Glazing and Operations in the architectural glazing space. 

David has experience with multiple industry board positions including the National Glass Association (NGA) and was a contributor to the NGA Glazing Manual.  He is also a co-holder to patent #6,421,966 “Power Wall”. 

Dean has a 30-year history in the building materials and construction industry ranging from quality management to senior sales management focused on the building envelope. His approach is solution based and consultative. Dean provides practical knowledge to help with design assist and material selections for projects. He has a keen interest in innovative materials and application methods for use on commercial façade projects.

Dylan Baker-Rice is serving as the Deputy Chief Asset & Capital Management Officer at the New York City Housing Authority. He has oversight over capital planning, design, and construction for capital improvements with an annual capital budget of more than $1 billion. Capital work is spread across more than 133,000 units in all five boroughs of New York City.Prior to working at NYCHA, Dylan has worked in the AEC industry for more than twenty years both in the US and abroad. He has served in leadership roles at international architecture practices and as a principal for his own practice, including Zaha Hadid Architects in London and Asymptote Architecture in New York.With expertise in large scale cultural projects, multi-family and affordable housing, mixed-use, commercial, and single-family residential projects he has taught and lectured at leading architecture schools in the US and abroad. Including Pratt Institute’s Graduate School of Architecture, the University of Hong Kong, and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture.

As Vitro’s Director of Commercial Innovation, Ms. Losego works with Vitro’s Marketing & Innovation Team to bring new glass product ideas from the drawing board to the production line. A former practicing architect, National Architectural Manager and magnetron sputter vacuum deposition (MSVD) product manager for Vitro, Losego is responsible for defining the vision for the architectural commercial market.

Gary Mancini joined the firm in 1995 and heads our Renewal practice, which encompasses the repair, rehabilitation and alteration of a building structure, envelope or mechanical system. During his extensive career, Gary has worked on a variety of building types on behalf of commercial and residential owners and developers, institutions, attorneys and insurance companies. His resume includes major structural alterations and rehabilitations, façade evaluations, structural investigations, feasibility studies and forensic analyses as well as expertise in historic structures. Gary also serves as an expert witness. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from The Cooper Union and a master’s degree in civil engineering from Rutgers University.

Constadino ‘Gus’ Sirakis, Professional Engineer, serves as Deputy Commissioner for Development & Technical Affairs at the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB). His work spans several decades of improving construction standards and ensuring compliance to the Building Code. Gus led the first revision cycle of the 2008 NYC Construction Codes to update the Structural and Special Inspection requirements for new technology, materials, and national standards in what became the 2014 NYC Construction Codes. Most recently he spearheaded the team to revise the City’s current Codes in what is now the 2022 NYC Construction Codes. Respected by colleagues and the industry alike, Gus is the recipient of multiple awards and has served with distinction on the International Code Council (ICC) since 2007.

Gustav Fagerström is Principal and co-founder with the Walter P Moore New York office, where as Digital Practice Leader he oversees design technology for Façade Engineering. Specializing in design computation he operates at the intersection of architecture, engineering and computer science. He has practiced with KPF, UNStudio and BuroHappold and has published, given workshops and been on academic juries at architecture and engineering universities worldwide. Work of his has been presented at the Venice Biennale, CAADRIA, ACADIA, FABRICATE and the SmartGeometry conference. He currently teaches at Pratt Institute and University of Pennsylvania.

Hisham Mujib brings over 15 years of experience in the construction industry, having worked extensively in India and the Middle East for nearly a decade before relocating to the USA. For the past 10 years, he has specialized in creating, managing, and delivering optimal Saint-Gobain glass facade specifications for projects worldwide. Now, with the introduction of low carbon glass, Hisham is at the forefront of integrating this innovative material into facade design and specifications. He is committed to guiding clients through this unique and exciting opportunity, ensuring sustainable and cutting-edge solutions for modern construction needs.

James O’Callaghan is a world leading Structural and Facade Engineer who is widely acknowledged as an authority in application and engineering of structural glass.

His innovative and practical approach has made him an integral part of the design team for a number of internationally known clients and their pioneering and award-winning projects. These include Apple, Google and Atlassian to name but a few. He is passionate about sustainability and strives for continual improvement and evolution in all the solutions his practice delivers.

He is co-founder of the multi award-winning structural and facade engineering practice, Eckersley O’Callaghan, which he has led in being one of most recognised creative engineering design practices in the world. The established practice now has ten offices around the world and continues to grow through a combination of great clients and valued solutions.

As an architect practicing in NYC for over 30 years, Jim Seger sees the city as an ever-evolving organism, full of opportunity but also in need of caretaking. He focuses on helping cultural, educational and religious organizations further their missions through architecture and design.

Through his work on projects like the Park Avenue Armory, the Spence School, and Powerhouse Arts, Jim has explored ways that renovation and adaptive reuse of buildings can maintain cultural richness while infusing vibrancy through contemporary uses.

Similarly, his new work responds to both context and program, and includes Riverdale Country School’s new Aquatic Center, Equinox’s new flagship club at Hudson Yards, and a new, non-profit media hub.

Jim earned his Bachelor of Architecture from Mississippi State University. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, a LEED Accredited Professional, and has served as visiting lecturer and critic at the NY Institute of Technology.

Jamison Guest, AIA, joined Heintges in 2007. He leads the technical design and construction administration of complex enclosure consulting projects in North America, Asia, and the Middle East. In collaboration with renowned architecture firms worldwide, his project portfolio includes a wide range of building types and deep experience with enclosure systems for both new construction and re-clad applications.

Originally hailing from Southeast Michigan, Jamison is proud to be leading major enclosure consulting projects in the Detroit metropolitan region including the Detroit Hudson’s development and Ford Motor Company’s 2-million-square-foot new Campus Headquarters. He is also Principal-in-charge of multiple large-scale academic building enclosure projects active in the Northeast U.S.

He is a licensed architect in NY state, holds a master’s degree in Architecture from Columbia University, and has taught as a facade consultant studio critic at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate level design program since 2016.

Jason Long is a Partner at OMA and leads its New York office. Since joining the firm in 2003, Jason has brought a research-driven, interdisciplinary approach to OMA’s projects internationally. A number of projects under Jason’s direction take a creative approach to adaptive reuse and preservation, including POST Houston, the transformation of a former post office warehouse into a mixed-use hub, and LANTERN, the reimagination of a former commercial bakery into a community arts hub in Detroit. Ground-up cultural buildings in progress include the Waco Culture, Arts and Performance Center in Texas. His diverse portfolio extends to residential developments across housing types and regions. He led the design of Eagle + West, OMA’s first high-rise towers in New York, and The Avery in San Francisco. Projects currently under construction include 730 Stanyan, a 120-unit, 100% affordable housing building in historic Haight Ashbury, and The Perigon, a beachfront high-rise in Miami

Jennifer Cass is the Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Resilience of the Capital Program of the New York City Economic Development Corporation where she leads a diverse portfolio of projects that enhance NYC communities. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a licensed professional engineer in New York and California. Ms. Cass has a mission to drive economic and sustainable growth in the great City of New York. With over 20 years of experience in the public and private engineering sector, she specializes in the sustainable and resilient design and construction of large complex infrastructure projects such as NYC Ferry, UN Esplanade, and the Clean and Circular Construction program.

Jeremiah Watson is a fifth-generation family member in the recycling business. He is president and CEO of Watson Recycling and Infinite Recycled Technologies, as well as their affiliated companies. Under his leadership, the companies have grown from a single warehouse in Rochester Minnesota to include six facilities in Minnesota, Florida, and New York. The company has won several awards including the Small Business Administration Minnesota Family-Owned Business of the Year and US Glass Green Award. Jeremiah considers raising five amazing children with his wife Andrea to be his greatest adventure.

As the Executive Vice President of Sales for Consolidated Brick, a company with a proud 55-year history, John Matzelle leads a dynamic team of professional sales representatives with offices spanning the New England & Mid-Atlantic regions. Based in New York City, John identified the need to broaden the company’s product catalog, integrating cutting-edge installation systems, European designs, and innovative materials. Through strategic partnerships with manufacturers, he has ensured that Consolidated Brick offers a wide selection of high-quality masonry materials, catering to the diverse needs of architects and developers. Under his leadership, the company continues to set new standards in the industry, delivering exceptional value to its clients.

Jordan Rogove is an architect who approaches his work with a belief in the power of architecture to positively influence the lives of all who engage it. He co-founded DXA Studio with his partner Wayne Norbeck in 2011. Over the course of his 26 year career, Jordan has completed projects that span numerous typologies. The common thread in his work is the ability to resolve the tension between opposing forces into elegant responses: art and science, design innovation and technical excellence, and contemporary considerations and historical context. His work comprises some of the most sought-after residential buildings in New York including The Maverick, 49 Greene and 280 St Marks, the renovation and restoration of 100 Barclay and the Carbide & Carbon Building in Chicago; contemporary new buildings and additions in landmark districts including 10 W 17th Street, Willem de Kooning's studio, 14 White Street and the converted Mt Pleasant Church.

Jordi Marasse is Project Consultant Manager North America at Reynaers Aluminum. For the last 3 years Jordi has been coordinating the North American projects. Jordi consistently goes above and beyond to foster enduring partnerships with our esteemed architects, real estate developers, general contractors and engineers. By nurturing these relationships, we ensure mutual growth and success in the future.

‘Together for Better’ is our company’s motto. And this we want to achieve on the level of sustainability as well. We want to be a trusted partner in achieving our partners’ sustainability ambitions and grow together. Together with our partners we want to focus on energy-efficient, circular and low-carbon products that make a difference to homes, buildings and the people.

Josh Voice is the Brand and Projects Executive for Josef Gartner, an industry leader in curtainwall and advanced façade technologies since 1952. Having joined in 2007, he is currently responsible for all of Gartner’s North American operations and has been involved in numerous iconic projects including Apple Park, Uber Mission Bay, and LaGuardia Airport. Josh specializes in bringing technically complex facades from design to reality, pushing the leading edge of façade innovation to advance our built world.

Karilyn Johanesen is a Senior Associate at SO – IL (Solid Objectives – Idenburg Liu), where she drives the design of innovative multi-family residential projects in Brooklyn. In collaboration with Tankhouse Development, 450 Warren, 9 Chapel, and 144 Vanderbilt explore new housing models that embrace outdoor living and urban connectivity. Karilyn has also led projects such as CubeHouse, a timber high-rise in Amsterdam recognized with BREEAM Excellent and Well Gold certifications, and Stanton Yards, a transformation of a marina into a dynamic arts campus in Detroit. She holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rutgers University, has taught at Cornell AAP NYC, and is a licensed architect in California.

Katarzyna (Kasia) Burzynska, AIA is a Building Envelope Consultant at Walker Consultants in New York City. Her professional interests encompass the investigation and repair of the building envelope and historic preservation. Kasia is a SPRAT Level 1 Technician and an ITC Level 1 Thermographer. She is a member of the AIA, the Association for Preservation Technology International (APTI), APT Northeast Chapter and National Women in Roofing (NWiR). Throughout her career, she has presented at several industry conferences focused on historic preservation and restoration of the building envelope.

Starting his career forty (40) years ago in 1984 as a plumber then moving on to the electrical industry as a member of the IBEW Local #3, where he still holds an “A” Journeyman’s card, Kevin Hoey has a diverse background that spans many aspects of the real estate and construction industry.

In 1991, Kevin switched directions and joined Tishman Speyer Properties as an assistant property manager at 1301 Sixth Avenue and his management career went on from there. In addition to Tishman Speyer, he spent the next three decades working with firms such as the Witkoff Group, Blumenfeld Development, Capital Properties, Cushman & Wakefield and for the past twelve (12) years, L&L Holding Company.

Kevin is currently Executive Vice President of L&L Holding Company. In this role, he oversees all property management, operations, and interior construction functions for the firm’s ten (10) million square feet of commercial and residential properties from New York to Miami. Additionally, he is responsible for the firm’s ESG policies and all sustainability efforts throughout their portfolio.

Currently a Senior director in the Design and Construction group at Tishman Speyer, Kimberly Garcia manages the design and execution of several projects in pre-development through design and construction in Manhattan. As a licensed Architect in New York State, Ms. Garcia has over 20 years of experience directing and overseeing the design, documentation and construction of some of NYC’s largest and most complex projects. Throughout her career, she has gravitated to the design and implementation of building enclosures, becoming an industry leader in curtain wall design, material selection, detailing, testing, and installation. Prior to her time at Tishman Speyer Kimberly was a Technical Design Director at Skidmore Owings & Merrill where she provided design and documentation services for a wide variety of sustainably driven projects including large scale office headquarters, and mixed-use masterplan projects.

Matt Capone is a design and construction professional driven to create projects which leave lasting positive impacts for our communities and environment. As the founder of facades X Inc. in 2015, Matt has worked on many prominent and complex projects to bridge the gap between the architect's vision and ultimate reality of built work.

Matt graduated from Roger Williams School of Architecture and began professional life in a boutique design firm in Boston before progressing towards the “dark side” of construction and façade systems. With a passion for sustainability with facades Matt studied Passiv Haus design and was fortunate to work on some of the very first large scale projects in North America. Always a Boston guy with a love for family and baseball – Matt now serves on the Executive Board for Little League in Trumbull, CT.

Matthias Hollwich is the founder of HWKN, a NY-based collective of architects, sculptors, socialstrategists and innovators dedicated to using architecture to shape a better world. Matthias wasborn and raised in Germany where he studied architecture and brings a dual perspective to all thefirm’s designs, combining German precision with American aspiration. He was honored in FastCompany’s ranking of the world’s Top 10 Most Innovative Architects and in Business Insider’s list ofTop Business Visionaries. Matthias Hollwich published his first book UmBauhaus- UpdatingModernism in collaboration with Rainer Weisbach and the Bauhaus Foundation in 2006. His latestbook, New Aging: Live Smarter Now to Live Better Forever, suggests a new way to think aboutaging that could fundamentally change the way we design for it. Matthias lectures widely on thetopics of architecture, sustainability, aging and innovation at world-renowned conferences,including TED, PICNIC, Stelka, and the Conscious City conference. In 2019 he spoke at meConvention about “Unforgettable Architecture”.

Michael Bollan is the Global Product Director for powder coatings at Axalta Coating Systems, a global paints and coatings company.  He has a bachelor's degree in applied engineering and a master degree in industrial technology from Eastern Illinois University.  Michael started as a territory account manager in powder coatings before moving into sales and segment management, business director and product management.  

Michael Syracuse, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is a Partner at FXCollaborative. His work on programmatically driven higher education, performing arts, medical education, workplace, and commercial projects—both new construction and adaptive reuse—starts at a project’s inception and carries through construction and occupancy. Michael is driven by the unique culture of each client, combining craft, constructability, and environmental responsibility to support a client’s mission. Michael’s work has encompassed some of New York City’s premiere educational and cultural institutions, including New York University, The Juilliard School, Columbia University, and Pace University.

Nikolas Dando-Haenisch has played an instrumental role in Grimshaw’s large-scale North American projects, delivering complex works across a range of sectors. He has extensive experience not only in designing transformational civic spaces, but also in managing them to realization through collaboration with city agencies, community groups, and stakeholders.

Nikolas was the design lead for the recently completed Newark Liberty International Airport's new Terminal A, the upcoming LAX Airport Metro Connector Transit Station, and the highly-awarded Los Angeles Union Station Master Plan. He guided the concept development for the Washington, D.C. Union Station Expansion Plan, which includes extensive new rail, intermodal connections and passenger infrastructure.

Most recently, Nikolas has been directing the development of the New York Penn Station Expansion Plan, the guidelines for the Ayalon Highways Transport Hubs and the concepts for the Be’er Sheva North Station. Previously, he supervised both the Fordham Plaza transit interchange in the Bronx and the Fulton Center subway complex in Lower Manhattan.

Renowned for his wealth of knowledge and strategic insights, Peter Hutley has played a key role in CDC’s growth. With more than 14 years providing structural engineering and thermal analysis services, Peter has led many significant engineering projects across the United States which have greatly benefited both our clients and internal team. He has been responsible for the design and engineering of façade systems for both the new construction and renovation markets, with a particular emphasis on custom glazed aluminum curtain wall systems. Peter holds a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rice University of Houston, TX.

Philip Schmerbeck began his collaboration with Herzog & de Meuron in Basel in 2007 and became an Associate in 2011. He was project manager of 56 Leonard Street, a high-rise residential development. After relocating to the New York office in 2008, he became project manager of Parrish Art Museum through its completion in 2012. Philip has maintained oversight of a diverse range of US projects as Project Director in various phases of design including the completion of 215 Chrystie (Public Hotel, NYC), 160 Leroy Street (Residential, NYC), Park Avenue Armory, and CityCenter DC Conrad Hotel.

He currently oversees the waterfront project Powerhouse Arts, a contemporary arts fabrication center recently completed in Brooklyn, and the Memphis Art Museum on the Mississippi River in Tennessee, in early phases of construction. Through his range of experience he has gained specific knowledge working in residential, cultural, and adaptive re-use of heritage buildings. As of 2022 he has assumed the role of Studio Director USA.

Philip studied Architecture at Mississippi State University, Jackson, and graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. He collaborated from 2000 to 2001 with the studio of Terence Riley & John Keenen in NYC, and from 2001 to 2007 with 1100 Architect in New York City.

Rachel Ehrlich’s focus is the architecture of affordable housing, with a specialty in the design of supportive and senior housing. Her passion lies in contributing to vibrant, livable neighborhoods, which form the cornerstone of social equity by offering well-designed, sustainable homes for people of all income levels. A climate activist, Rachel believes that good design is socially and environmentally just, making a lasting contribution to the built realm and the social fabric of cities.

In 2019, Rachel was elected to the Borough Council of Madison, NJ. Prior to running for office, she served on the Madison planning board. She holds a Master of Architecture from New Jersey Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Arts from Skidmore College. Rachel is the recipient of the AIA Henry Adams Medal.

Ryan Hansen, AIA, is an architect and envelope consultant at Heintges, based in New York City. Since joining the firm, he has consulted on large-scale projects in all phases of design and construction, with an emphasis on unitized curtain wall system design, cladding material procurement, and complex thermal modeling for envelopes.

Ryan’s involvement in projects at Heintges include the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, IL, and 50 West 66th Street in NYC, covering a wide range of enclosure system types and innovative design approaches. His specialty concentration on thermal analysis efforts is spurred by a deep interest in sustainable design and the need for carbon reduction in architecture.

He is a licensed architect in NY, holds a master’s degree in architecture from Columbia University, and holds a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Minnesota.

Sara Tsiropinas oversees L+M's entire project portfolio working with development and management to address building envelope compliance, preservation designs, repairs and preventive maintenance. She is committed to advancing preservation practices that harmonize community needs with future growth and contemporary sustainability standards. She has been a part of several PACT projects from design inception through construction, among them: Cross Bronx; Stanley Avenue Preservation; Harlem River I and II; and Edenwald Houses. Prior to L+M, Sara founded and led an Industrial Rope Access Team to implement FISP and safety protocol throughout NYC; and was a part of the Wildlife Conservation Society Team responsible for designing and building the Exhibits throughout NYC's 4 Zoos and Aquarium. Sara is a Registered Architect of New York, LEED AP; a NYC QEWI and a Level 3 Society of Professional Access Technicians, and has over 20 years of experience with the design and construction industry.

Sarah Palmer is a Deputy Program Director for Delta Air Lines with 15+ years of experience working on complex construction projects throughout New York City in the Aviation, Waterfront, Higher Education, Healthcare, Private and Landmarked sectors.

She is currently part of the Phase 2.5 Redevelopment Project at John F. Kennedy Airport, Terminal 4. Previous construction projects include LaGuardia Terminal C, Moynihan Station and various projects at the New York University Campus, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital, Ferry landings around NYC and the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.

Sarah received a bachelors of Civil Engineering from University of Delaware and previously worked for Skanska USA Building and Whiting-Turner Contracting Company.

Sherry Xuan Yang is an Associate Principal with over 10 years of design and technical experience at SOM’s New York office. She is an NCARB and LEED certified licensed project architect with an affinity for contextual design solutions, and a strong interest in environmentally- and socially-conscious projects. She specializes in civic and education projects and strategically leads BIM Technology and firmwide carbon accounting at her firm. Operating at both ends of the spectrum, she has spoken at construction industry round tables and critiqued on academic juries at Pratt, Cornell and NJIT.

Skyler Will is an Associate Technical Service and Development Scientist in Dow Consumer Solutions Building and Infrastructure. He provides technical support to the Northeast regions and contributes to the innovation and development of new products for the building and infrastructure market. Skyler got his start at Dow Corning working in Product Development with fluorosilicone elastomers. From there he transitioned to new roles in silicone architectural coatings, waterborne exterior coatings, hybrid and polyurethane roof coatings, adhesives and sealants. He has developed and commercialized products for both internal and external customers as well as leading small innovation teams resulting in small scale prototypes, technical reports and commercialized products utilizing his technical skills, subject matter expertise and customer facing experience.

Stephen A. Varone, AIA, is the President and Founder of RAND Engineering & Architecture, DPC, a New York City firm established in 1987 that specializes in surveying building systems and providing design, specification, and administration for repair, upgrade, restoration, adaptive reuse, and new construction projects. RAND has been heavily involved in facade inspection and repair work since its inception and filed more than 4,000 FISP reports.

Stephen oversees the firm's overall management, including operations, finance, project management, and business development. He has led numerous seminars on topics such as: Improving Capital Improvement Projects, Complying with Local Law 11/98, and Procurement Practices. He has also spoken at many industry events sponsored by organizations such as CNYC, BuildingsNY, and the Landmarks Conservancy. He has written extensively on building repair and maintenance issues in many industry publications. Stephen received his Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. He is a Registered Architect in New York State.

Suzanne Castellano, a 26-year veteran at Turner Construction, serves as Vice President and Construction Executive in the New York Business Unit. She ensures seamless execution from preconstruction to turnover and closeout for each of her clients. Suzanne works collaboratively with her teams to oversee operational planning activities and maintain overall responsibility for safety, quality, schedule, and cost.

At Turner, our business is built on trust. Turner, New York, is synonymous with the highest standards of service, quality, and personal attention to our clients. This reputation allows Turner to lead some of the most high-profile and unique projects in the New York Metropolitan area. Suzanne's recent projects include the redevelopment of Delta’s Terminal 4 at JFK Airport and Columbia University’s Manhattanville Campus Business School. In 2022, Suzanne was named to Crain’s New York Notable Women in Construction List.

Sydney Mainster serves as VP of Sustainability and Design Management at the Durst Organization, one of the oldest family-run commercial and residential real estate companies in New York City. She brings over 17 years of professional and academic sustainability, architecture, design, and construction experience to support Durst’s vision for sustainability in ground-up development projects, existing building renovations, and building operations.

Sydney works strategically to implement sustainability guidelines, set targets, and maximize tenant engagement. She defines and refines design and construction sustainability criteria utilizing data from current green building rating systems, health research and chemical red lists; and sustainability best practices in energy, water, indoor environmental quality, and cradle-to-cradle product manufacturing, use, and disposal. Sydney works to achieve outcomes on current building projects, but also to improve environmental standards and innovation in the industry at large.

In 2023 & 2024, Sydney was recognized as a Notable Leader in Sustainability by Crain’s New York. Sydney is a current board member of the Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex), of the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) and is a past chair of the Advisory Council for the Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Art and Design. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from UC Berkeley and a Master of Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Tali Mejicovsky is an Associate Principal at Arup in New York and Façade Skills Leader across four façade groups in the Americas (Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Toronto). She has more than 20 years of façade experience around the globe, having worked in Australia, Asia, the Middle East, and America. With a background in design and structural engineering, She has expertise through all stages of design and construction and has presented and published widely on the discipline of façade engineering.

Her project typologies have been wide ranging in scale and performance and include humidity sensitive art museums, laboratories, and hospitals, retrofits, renovations, and expansions of existing historic buildings, large transit hubs for rail and airports as well as small, standalone art pieces, handrails, canopies, one-off glazed jewels, and temporary structures. With each project, Tali seeks to optimize the façade to dovetail with the architectural design intent, the multidisciplinary performance requirements, sustainability measures, and the client’s objectives.

Theodore Carpinelli is an architectural designer and technical coordinator with more than 20 years of experience at KPF. Since joining in 2000, he has brought valuable technical knowledge and problem-solving skills to several of the firm’s most notable projects, spanning residential, commercial and institutional developments.

Ted is frequently brought on to problem solve complex technical issues in ongoing projects. In 64 University Place, a residential building in Greenwich Village, he assisted in the detailing of the exterior wall of precast layered bricks. For the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), a campus designed to accommodate more than 10,000 students and faculty and a full range of university facilities, Ted aided with detailing and interior planning of several spaces.

Ted is an active member of the BIM leaders at KPF. He is also on the Office QA/QC review team and routinely makes time to mentor members of KPF’s junior staff.

Tigran Kostandyan is an Armenian architect registered in New York. His design research examines supply chains through the intersections of architecture and the environment, utilizing cinematography, model-making, algorithms, and storytelling.

He has worked on architectural and exhibition design projects in New York, Sharjah, and Dubai for institutions such as the Sharjah Art Foundation, the Jewish Museum, and the Graham Foundation. Tigran has played a key role in various residential, cultural, and commercial projects.

As a research fellow at the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture, and Design, he contributed to Strelka Mag. Tigran taught at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and received the 2024 GSAPP Incubator Prize from Columbia University.

He earned his Bachelor of Architecture from the American University of Sharjah and a Master’s in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University’s GSAPP.

With over thirty years of proven experience authoring and implementing visionary urban architecture, Vishaan Chakrabarti is the Founder and Creative Director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism | PAU, where he leads the firm’s growing global portfolio of cultural, institutional, and public projects including Indianapolis’ new multi-modal Wave Bridge, the redesign of New York’s Penn Station, the design of the FAA’s new sustainable air traffic control tower prototype, which will be adapted to replace over 100 aging towers in regional and municipal airports across the nation, the expansion of Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Brooklyn’s Domino Sugar Refinery, Philadelphia’s Schuylkill Yards, Ford Motor Company’s Michigan Central Station project in Detroit’s Corktown, Princeton's Hobson College, and a unique urban village in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia as well as serving as the Collaborating Architect on the recently announced JP Morgan Chase World Headquarters.

Vishaan is also the author of the book, A Country of Cities: A Manifesto for an Urban America and the upcoming The Architecture of Urbanity: Designing for Nature, Culture, and Joy.

He was the William W. Wurster Dean of the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley, a professor at Columbia University for a decade, and served as the Director of City Planning in post-9/11 New York.

Yegal Shamash, Professional Engineer, serves as Deputy Commissioner of Enforcement at the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) where he oversees construction safety, construction complaints, accident response and investigation, continuity of operations, major disaster assessment, and day-to-day enforcement operations. Yegal’s career spans nearly three decades and his expertise has contributed to some of the most complex and defining projects in New York City. He holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Columbia University and has numerous professional affiliations, including the Structural Engineers Association of New York, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Concrete Institute, and the American Institute of Steel Construction.