Undergraduate Student Ambassadors
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| Nicole Brager Hometown: Richmond, VA |
Rachael Buchanan Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA |
Calla Chung Hometown: Ashburn, VA |
Kaya DeMarco Hometown: Arlington, VA |
| Major: Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning Minors: Architecture, Global Sustainability |
Major: Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning Minors: Historic Preservation, Landscape Architecture |
Major: Bachelor of Science Architecture Minors: Global Sustainability |
Major: Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning Minors: Anthropology, Landscape Architecture |
| Ask me about: Student Organizations and Clubs, Study Abroad, Greek Life, Urban Planning Opportunities |
Ask me about: Student Council and Student Self Governance, Community Service, Greek Life, Student Employment |
Ask me about: Student Organizations and Clubs, Study Abroad, Student Employment |
Ask me about: Student Organizations (Student Planning Association), Student Employment, Internal Transfer, Urban Planning Opportunities, Anthropology, Landscape Architecture, Work-Life Balance, Charlottesville |
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| Noah Depeyrot Hometown: Alexandria, VA |
Lola Garvie Hometown: Fredericksburg, VA |
Matthew Kish Hometown: Richmond, VA |
Isabella Koch Hometown: Loudoun County, VA |
| Majors: Bachelor of Architectural History, Bachelor of Science Architecture Minor: French |
Major: Bachelor of Science Architecture Minors: Architectural History, Civil Engineering |
Major: Bachelor of Science Architecture Minors: Civil Engineering, Government, Urban and Environmental Planning |
Major: Bachelor of Science Architecture Minors: Civil Engineering, Global Sustainability |
| Ask me about: Student Organizations and Clubs, Study Abroad, Work-Life Balance |
Ask me about: Student Organizations and Clubs, Student Employment, Work-Life Balance, Transferring View Lola's Portfolio |
Ask me about: Student Council, Student Employment, Music Department Matthew's LinkedIn |
Ask me about: Outdoors Activities/Clubs, General Student Clubs, Extracurricular Involvement, Student Employment |
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| Caroline Long Hometown: Reston, VA |
Leia Morrissey Hometown: Norfolk, VA |
Malanie (Lanie) Myaing Hometown: Lynchburg, VA |
Ginny Nelson Hometown: Alexandria, VA |
| Major: Bachelor of Science Architecture Minor: Architectural History, Urban and Environmental Planning |
Major: Bachelor of Science Architecture Minors: Architectural History, Global Sustainability |
Major: Bachelor of Science Architecture Minors: Architectural History, Health and Wellness, Urban and Environmental Planning |
Major: Bachelor of Science Architecture Minor: Landscape Architecture, Urban and Environmental Planning |
| Ask me about: Student Leadership, Greek Life, Student Life in Charlottesville, On Campus Employment View Caroline's Portfolio |
Ask me about: Student Organizations and Clubs, Music-related Extracurricular Activities, Work-Life Balance, Student Employment Leia's LinkedIn |
Ask me about: Student Organizations and Clubs, Student Employment, Student Leadership, Work-Life Balance, Art and Fashion-related Extracurriculars, Student Living |
Ask me about: Study Abroad, Club and Intramural Sports, Student Employment |
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| Sydney Richardson Hometown: Norfolk, VA |
Sajani Silla Hometown: Dallas, TX |
Noah Stengel-Eskin Hometown: New York, NY |
Delaney Stevenson Hometown: Richmond, VA |
| Major: Bachelor of Science Architecture Minors: Global Sustainability, Landscape Architecture |
Major: Bachelor of Science Architecture Minors: Business |
Majors: Bachelor of Science Architecture, Bachelor of Arts Interdisciplinary Studies Minor: Architectural History |
Majors: Bachelor of Architectural History, Bachelor of Science Architecture |
| Ask me about: Student Organizations and Clubs, Student Employment, Student Living |
Ask me about: Student Organizations and Clubs, Volunteering, Internships |
Ask me about: Student Organizations and Clubs, Volunteering, Study Abroad, Greek Life, Internships, Pursuing a Double-Major, Starting an Organization, Living in Charlottesville Visit Noah's website: "Designed Conversations" |
Ask me about: Student Organizations and Clubs, Study Abroad, Work-Life Balance |
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| Alan Watts Hometown: Richmond, VA |
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| Major: Bachelor of Science Architecture Minors: Economics, Latin, Social Entrepreneurship |
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| Ask me about: Student Leadership and Student Self Governance, Study Abroad, Externships and Internships, Greek Life View Alan's Portfolio |
Graduate Student Ambassadors
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| Jasmine Bender Hometown: Southwest Harbor, ME |
Caroline Chappell Hometown: Arlington, VA |
Augustin Cruz Hometown: Arlington, VA |
Jeffrey Dillenbeck Hometown: Charlottesville, VA |
| Current Program: Master of Urban and Environmental Planning Undergraduate Program: Bachelor of Arts in Outdoor Leadership (Warren Wilson College) |
Current Program: Master of Architecture (Path 3) Undergraduate Program: Bachelor of Arts in Art History (Flagler College) |
Current Program: Master of Architectural History Undergraduate Program: Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (George Mason University) |
Current Program: Master of Architecture (Path 3) Undergraduate Program: Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies (UVA) |
| Ask me about: Life in Charlottesville, A-School Culture and Social Life as a Graduate Student, Adjusting to Graduate School after Working Full-Time, Local Outdoor Activities, Cross-Disciplinary Coursework, Summer Design Institute (SDI) |
Ask me about: Being a Path 3 Student, Coming to Architecture without an Architecture background, A-School Culture and Social Life as a Graduate Student |
Ask me about: Being a Non-traditional Student and returning to School after a First Career, Work/Study/Life Balance, Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) |
Ask me about: Life in Charlottesville, Internships and Externships, the A-School Student Association of Graduate Architects (SAGA) |
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| Chloe Kikstra Hometown: Norfolk, VA |
MJ Minutoli Hometown: Vienna, VA |
Stuart Pollock Hometown: Westfield, NJ |
Sara Soba Hometown: Atlanta, GA |
| Current Program: Master of Architecture (Path 3) Undergraduate Program: Bachelor of Urban and Environmental Planning (UVA) |
Current Program: Master of Landscape Architecture (Path 3) Undergraduate Program: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design (Virginia Commonwealth University) |
Current Program: Master of Architecture (Path 3) Undergraduate Program: Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies and History (Connecticut College) |
Current Program: Master of Landscape Architecture (Path 3) Undergraduate Program: Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science (Dickinson College) |
| Ask me about: Life in Charlottesville, Internships and Externships, the A-School Student Association of Graduate Architects (SAGA) |
Ask me about: Social Engagement, Study Abroad, Queer Life in Charlottesville, Work-Life Balance, Studio Life, Changing Careers, Spots to Eat at in Charlottesville |
Ask me about: Life in Charlottesville, Internships and Externships, the A-School Student Association of Graduate Architects (SAGA) |
Ask me about: Outdoor Activities, Graduate Student Life, Housing, Returning to School After Professional Work, Student Association of Landscape Architects (SALAD), Study Abroad |
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| Kippy Terry Hometown: Kansas City, MO |
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| Current Program: Master of Urban and Environmental Planning Undergraduate Program: Bachelor of Arts in Human Geography (University of Wisconsin-Madison) |
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| Ask me about: Adjusting to Graduate School after Working Full-Time, Being an Out-of State Student, Student Directed Planning Concentrations, Life in Charlottesville, Work/Study/Life Balance |
The A-School Young Alumni Council Member Bios
Mira Davis (she/her)
Co-Chair
UVA BSArch 2021
Graduate Student, University of Southern California School of Architecture
Los Angeles, CA
Daviscdm@gmail.com
Member since 2021
Mira Davis is a recent graduate from Richmond, Virginia. While at UVA, she led the 2019 NOMAS chapter, sat on the School of Architecture Inclusion and Equity Committee, and cultivated a more inclusive community environment in her role as a Student Ambassador. Her design interests include a focus in inclusive and engaging spaces with a foundation in architecture history. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Architecture at the University of Southern California.
My-Anh Nguyen (they/them/she/hers)
Co-Chair
UVA BSArch 2018
Architectural Designer, HKS Architecture
Washington, DC
np.myanh@gmail.com
Member since 2020
My-Anh (me-on) Nguyen received their Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia in 2018. As a designer and facilitator, My-Anh is committed to spatial justice, social sustainability, and intersectional design that recognizes people individually and as reflections of their culture. Their current contributions to movements in this climate are as an architectural designer at K. Dixon Architecture, as a core facilitator of Emergent Grounds for Design Education, and as a member of the founding committee of the VANOMA chapter.
Mert Kansu (he/him/his)
Vice Co-Chair
UVA MArch 2019
Architect, VMDO
Charlottesville, VA
mk8tr@virginia.edu
Member as of 2023
Mert uncovered his interest and passion for discovering new places, cities, and architecture during two summer-long camping trips around Europe in his childhood. He enjoys architecture for its ability to change how people feel and interact with each other and their surroundings. Believing that architecture and design can be inspired from anything around us, he enjoys pulling sources from art, photography, movies, popular culture, and daily experiences. Born, raised, and educated in Istanbul, Mert's training informed his respect for the social and cultural contexts of places as well as his prioritization of the buildability, feasibility, and usability of his projects. Mert became interested in sustainability and ecology during his MArch program at UVA. For his thesis research, he extensively studied coastal, urban, and resilient solutions that temper climatic disasters through energy production and community development. Digesting the projects he works on by perceiving and presenting them as a story, he currently enjoys the inviting environment of Charlottesville and VMDO, where he works in the Higher Education studio. As the USA Country Reporter for the World Architecture Community, Mert shares his perspectives on design and American architecture with WAC's global audience. He participated in AIA Virginia's 2020 Emerging Leaders in Architecture program.
Jenni Rogan (she/her/hers)
Vice Co-Chair
UVA MUEP 2023, Carleton College BA Biology
Climate and Community Coordinator, Working Landscapes
Warrenton, NC
rogan.l.jenni@gmail.com
Member since 2023
Jenni Rogan graduated from the University of Virginia in 2023 with a Master’s in Urban and Environmental Planning. Prior to completing this degree, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biology at Carleton College, a small liberal arts college in Minnesota. While at UVA, Jenni was President of the Student Planners Association, where she worked closely with alumni and faculty to foster connections between our current planning students and our planning alumni. Jenni is now working her dream job as the Climate and Community Coordinator for Working Landscapes, a small community-based non-profit based in eastern North Carolina. In this work, Jenni blends her studies at UVA of climate adaptation planning with her passion for climate justice and community-engaged work. When not working, Jenni is out in her experimental garden, reading a great book, or discovering what lives in the forest in her backyard.
Rafi Alam (he/him)
UVA MArch 2022
Designer, Perkins & Will
Chicago, IL
rafi.alam@perkinswill.com
Member since 2024
Rafi moved to Chicago after finishing his Master's in Architecture from the A-School (2022) and is currently working at the Perkins&Will office in the Windy City. Before going to UVA, he worked in Dallas for a few years, where he also went to school at University of Texas-Arlington for his undergraduate - in architecture, as well (2018). These days, his work focuses on understanding the value of sustainable, community-oriented design in different scales. Outside of work, Rafi enjoys exploring the diverse neighborhoods that define Chicago, while occasionally capturing them with a camera or a sketchbook. He is also currently involved in a Perkins&Will-led initiative to connect diverse and underrepresented groups to the fields of design and architecture.
John Daryl Barber (he/him)
UVA MUEP + Urban Design Certificate 2016, Hampden-Sydney College BA History, 2014
Academic Personnel Analyst, UC San Diego Rady School of Management
San Diego, CA
jcb8bb@virginia.edu
Member since 2020
John is currently an Academic Personnel Analyst at the UC San Diego Rady School of Management, managing the life cycle portfolio of all ladder rank faculty in the school. He received his Master in Urban and Environmental Planning and Urban Design Certificate from the University of Virginia in 2016 and a BA in History from Hampden-Sydney College in 2014. During his time as an undergraduate and graduate student, he interned at UVA Facilities Management working in Human Resources, Project Services (now known as Construction & Renovation Services), and Geospatial Engineering Services.
Jonathan Bernard (he/him/his)
UVA MArch 2012, University of Florida BDes Arch 2010
Project Designer, Niles Bolton Associates
Atlanta, GA
bernard.jon.88@gmail.com
Member since 2022
Jonathan was born and raised in Haiti until the age of 12 when he moved with his family to South Florida. He attended the University of Florida where he earned a Bachelor of Design in Architecture and later UVA where he earned his MArch. With nearly 10 years of professional experience spanning from CA to GA, he’s worked on various project types including coffee shops, office TI, single-family residences, multi-family apartments, and hotels. He’s a Project Designer at Niles Bolton Associates in Atlanta, GA where he currently lives with his partner, daughter, and hyper-maniac goldendoodle. When he’s not working or studying for the ARE, he’s either tinkering with a 3D printed prototype, hiking with his family, writing poetry, propagating plants, listening to music or getting lost in a podcast, or simply just napping (while his daughter naps).
Collette Block (she/her)
UVA BSArch (Design Thinking) and BA Media Studies, 2019, UVA MArch 2022
Designer, Perkins&Will
Chicago, IL
colletteblock@gmail.com
Member since 2023
Collette Block graduated from the University of Virginia in 2019 with her BS in Architecture—Design Thinking and her BA in Media Studies. After working for New York-based fashion label, alice + olivia, in store design, event planning, and visual production, she returned to the School of Architecture to pursue her Master of Architecture. Graduating in December 2022, Collette now lives in Chicago, working for Perkins&Will and specializing in interior architecture. While in Charlottesville, research and work opportunities with After Architecture, HANNAH, KUTONOTUK, and Office of Things empowered Collette both as a designer and as a woman in the field. Awarded the School of Architecture Faculty Award for Public Service, Collette hopes to continue to engage deeply with both current and former members of our community.
Karim El-Araby (he/him)
BSArch 2020, MArch 2022
Designer, Hanbury
Richmond, VA
karim.m.elaraby@gmail.com
Member since 2022
Karim graduated from the A-School with a BS Arch (2020) and M.Arch with the Urban Design Certificate (2022). He currently works as a Designer at Hanbury’s Community Design Lab in Richmond, VA. Karim transferred into the undergraduate program in 2018 after completing an associate degree in fine arts and went on to serve as a Secretary for the A-School’s AIAS Chapter, and later as a research assistant for the Master of Urban Design Curriculum Development initiative before its launch in Fall ’22. His time at UVA took him to New Delhi and Jaipur, India (as part of the award-winning Yamuna River Project studio) as well as a semester abroad in Barcelona, Spain. His graduate thesis explored the intersection between Bedouin self-determinism, the tourism industry, and the ecology of Egypt’s Northwestern coast. Born in Upstate New York, Karim is a first-generation Egyptian-American who grew up in Cairo, Egypt. He’s an avid soccer fan and enjoys watching or playing soccer, practicing a foreign language, exploring the city, drawing, cooking, and playing video games.
Emma Gallaugher (she/her)
UVA BSArch + Architectural History and Art History Minors, 2023
Designer, Hartman-Cox Architects
Washington, DC
eggallaugher23@gmail.com
Member since 2023
Emma Gallaugher graduated from UVA in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and minors in Architectural History and Art History. During her time at UVA, she was actively involved in the A-School Student Council and served as an Undergraduate Student Ambassador and Staff Assistant for the School of Architecture Office of Admissions. Throughout her years at the A-School, she worked to establish support resources for First-Generation/Low Income Students and helped to begin an A-School FG/LI Student Group. After graduation, Emma began working as a designer with Hartman-Cox Architects in Washington, DC, pursuing her interest in cultural and historic work. In her free time, she enjoys reading, enjoying nature (with lots of sunscreen), and cooking and baking to Frank Sinatra Radio.
Caroline Grant
UVA BSArch 2020
Junior Manager of Visual Merchandising, F. Schumacher & Co.
New York, NY
carolinecarr.grant@gmail.com
Member since 2022
Caroline Grant graduated from the A-School in 2020 with a B.S. in Architecture and a double minor in Art History and Architectural History. She currently works for F. Schumacher & Co, an interior design company in New York City.
Josh Hadley-Goggin (he/him)
UVA BSArch 2016, MArch '2020
Architectural Designer IV, ZGF
Portland, OR
Member since 2025
Josh Hadley graduated from the University of Virginia as a 'Double Hoo', receiving a BSArch in 2016 and a MArch in 2020. At UVA, he received the Community Based Undergraduate Research Grant to study renewable energy potentials for a summer camp in the mountains of Nicaragua alongside his classmate Stephen Grotz, was a Teaching Assistant in the Fabrication Lab, a Teaching Assistant for a graduate seminar with Jenny Roe, PhD, educating on Environmental Psychology and lived in the Academical Village. Over the last 7 years, Josh has worked domestically and internationally at small, medium and large-scale architecture firms spanning a myriad of markets; affordable housing, aviation, healthcare, higher education, sports & human performance, urbanism and workplace. His design interests include built environment affordances, bio-based circular materials and places of play. In his free time, Josh enjoys chilled red wines, hiking in the Doug-firs, and playing pickleball with his wife, Jess, and golden retriever, Wally.
Maura Ikharo, AICP, MCIP-I (she/her)
UVA MUEP 2017, UMich BA English + African Studies 2012
Director of Planning, University System of Georgia
Atlanta, GA
Mauraikharo@gmail.com
Member since 2023
Maura Ikharo, AICP currently oversees master planning at the University System of Georgia’s 26 institutions of higher education. She collaborates with system and institution personnel to negotiate project scopes, prioritize projects for system-wide capital budgets, and conduct trainings on space utilization. As a certified planner in the US and Canada, she has over a decade of experience navigating complex land use and zoning matters in real estate development in both the public and private sectors.
In her spare time, Maura enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, sewing, painting, listening to audiobooks, and globetrotting to experience the food, architecture & culture from around the world.
Sam Johnson (he/him)
UVA MArch 2019
Co-Director of Ennead Lab,
Ennead Architects
New York City, NY
sjohnson@ennead.com
Member since 2024
Sam Johnson received his Master of Architecture from the University of Virginia in 2019. Since graduating, he has lived and worked in New York at Ennead Architects, where he was fortunate enough to be named Co-Director of Ennead Lab in 2023. As co-director, Sam helps to guide Ennead Lab in its pursuit of a more just and equitable world and has worked on topics ranging from community-owned energy generation in the Bronx, to post-secondary education in prisons, and carbon neutral construction in Helsinki. When not thinking about architecture, Sam enjoys playing soccer and eating vegetables.
Michelle Kahl (she/her)
UVA MLA 2024
Landscape Designer, Waterstreet Studio
Charlottesville, VA
mkahl@waterstreetstudio.net
Member since 2024
Michelle Kahl graduated from the UVA Master of Landscape Architecture program in May 2024. She sees the role of the landscape architect as spatial translator and enjoys her role most when working collaboratively with ecologists, local hydrology, green infrastructures, and community members. She recognizes that transdisciplinary practice, like inclusivity, accepts that our individual tools are insufficient and are more impactful as part of a collective. Michelle's thesis work explored how the design of public landscapes could shift the sociocultural condition to embrace domesticity and self-care. As the Co-President of SALAD (Student Association of Landscape Architecture and Design), Michelle won a Jefferson Trust Grant to host an event called "Arrival on Grounds", a place-based ritual and celebration for embodied entry into the fall semester and UVA’s landscape. She partnered with artist collaborators Nocturnal Medicine to help incoming students address UVA’s ecological, climatic, historical, and cultural contexts. Michelle's design portfolio earned an ASLA Certificate of Merit in 2024 and Honors in the Category of Planning & Analysis. She held graduate internships with RePublic studio in Petaluma, California and the UVA Institute for Engagement & Negotiations. Michelle currently lives in Charlottesville, VA where she works as a landscape designer for Waterstreet Studio.
Audrey Kelly (she/her)
UVA MArH + Historic Preservation Certificate 2019, Rutgers University BS Environmental Planning 2014
Architectural Historian, Independent Consultant
Washington, DC
al3hu@virginia.edu
Member since 2021
Audrey is an experienced cultural resource management professional with expertise in architectural history, cultural history, historic preservation planning, and museum curation. She has a keen interest in issues of race, ethnicity, gender, and class in relation to historic preservation practice. Her work promotes the preservation of the tangible and intangible heritage of underrepresented communities and champions the telling of their unique stories. She thrives in collaborative team environments and enjoys drawing on the expertise of her colleagues. Having held a number of public-facing roles in the past, Audrey is also skilled at community outreach and audience engagement.
Katie Kelly
UVA MLA 2019
Associate, TEN X TEN
Minneapolis, MN
katie@tenxtenstudio.com
Member since 2022
Katie is a landscape designer and Associate at TEN xTEN. Katie holds a BS in Interior Architecture from Cornell University and an MLA from the University of Virginia, where she co-founded the student-led organization manifestA, and was a University Olmsted Scholar and recipient of the Student ASLA Honor Award in Collaboration. Prior to TEN x TEN, Katie was a landscape designer at Wolf | Josey Landscape Architects in Charlottesville. VA, where she helped realize a variety of institutional and residential projects in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic.
Andrew Knuppel (he/him/his)
UVA BUEP 2017, UVA MUEP 2020
Associate Principal, Asakura Robinson
Houston, TX
andrew@asakurarobinson.com
Member since 2024
Andrew is an Associate Principal with Asakura Robinson, a Houston-based planning, landscape architecture, and urban design studio. Andrew leads the firm's planning practice and advises on policy and community development issues in landscape architecture and environmental design projects.
A proud “double ‘Hoo” from the A-School’s Department of Urban and Environmental Planning, Andrew’s career journey started in Charlottesville as an undergraduate intern before moving to a full-time position after graduation and later completing his MUEP degree. Now based in Texas, he has held management and leadership roles in a state educational agency’s resilience planning program and now in a private consulting firm. He previously served on the AYAC from 2018-2022.
Seshi Konu (she/her/hers)
UVA BSArch 2020
Strategist, Brightspot Strategy, a Buro Happold company
Norfolk, VA
Member since 2020
Seshi Konu is a Virginia native and recent graduate of the BSArch program with a concentration in Design Thinking and a minor in Global Culture and Commerce. On grounds, she was a DJ for WXTJ 100.1, an intern at the Maxine Platzer Women's Center, a fellow in the Meriwether Lewis Center for Citizen Leadership, and a set designer for The Black Monologues company. As a transfer student from the College of Arts and Sciences, she still carries her love for the humanities and intends to use design thinking as a creative tool in a range of subjects and disciplines. She is currently exploring the theoretical and material practices of design as a tool for social, political, and environmental activism and justice.
Caitlin Kreinheder (she/her/hers)
UVA BSArch 2022, VCU MSB 2024
Art Director, Deutsch LA
Chesapeake, VA | Los Angeles, California
cak6bf@virginia.edu
Member as of 2023
Caitlin graduated with honors from UVA in 2022 with a BSARCH on the Pre-Professional track; additionally, she minored in Dance, Studio Art, and Social Entrepreneurship, and completed the Strategic Brand Communications Track in the McIntire School of Commerce.
In the School of Architecture Caitlin served four terms on the School of Architecture Student Council, including as Vice President & President. She was also an elected representative to the Honor Committee for three terms, worked as a FabLab & Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, and participated in the Veneto Studio Program. Outside of the School of Architecture at UVA, Caitlin was a four-year Class Council Member, the Vice Chair of Education for the Honor Committee, a three-term executive committee member for the Lighting of the Lawn, a performer/choreographer with the UVA Dance Program, and was a member of the Promotions class. Her service earned her the Faculty of Architecture Award for Public Service upon graduation.
After graduating UVA, Caitlin studied at the Brandcenter at Virginia Commonwealth University where she received a Masters of Business in 2024. She now works full-time as an Art Director for Deutsch LA, a creative advertising agency. Caitlin currently serves as an active alumna on both the AYAC and as a Post-Graduate Trustee and enjoys giving back to the UVA community.
Daniel Langford (he/him)
UVA MArch 2024
Charlottesville, VA
danielclandford24@gmail.com
Member since 2024
Daniel Langford graduated from the University of Virginia with a Master of Architecture in 2024 and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky in Architecture with a minor in Historic Preservation. At UVA, Daniel worked as a graduate student ambassador, led initiatives for First-Generation College Students, and lived two years as a Range Resident on the Academical Village. Daniel served as Audrey Spencer Horsley Scholar and conducted research under CL. Bohannon about JEDI initiatives for the A-School. When he isn’t working Daniel is a part time artist, photographer, concert goer.
Jane Lee (she/her)
UVA MLA 2021, Harvard College BA 2021
Landscape Designer, Miridae
Walnut Creek, CA
christine.jane.lee@gmail.com
Member since 2021
After completing her MLA at UVA, Jane returned home to Northern California where she is looking forward to working with and learning from its myriad communities and landscapes. Jane's love for the landscape medium stems from the same place as her love for stories, and she sees the design process as an opportunity to increase mutual understanding amongst humans, other species, and the material world. In many ways Jane considers her design education an extension of her undergraduate studies in literature and her lifelong attachment to reading novels of all kinds. Jane also enjoys studying classical vocal music and experimenting with new plants in her family's garden.
Veronica Merril (she/her)
UVA BArH + BA Music 2021
Land Use Planner, Cooley LLC
Reston, VA
merril.veronica@gmail.com
Member since 2021
Veronica Merril graduated with high honors from the University of Virginia with a double major in Architectural History and Music. While at the University of Virginia School of Architecture, Veronica won the 2019 Anna Hope Book Award, recognizing one outstanding rising fourth-year student interested in Historic Preservation, the 2021 Frederick Doveton Nichols Award, which recognizes academic achievement at the School of Architecture upon completion of the Architectural History degree, and was the 2020 Bobby Newman Scholar. Highlights of her time outside of the classroom include being the 2020-2021 President of the J. Sanford Miller Arts Scholars Program, the 2018-2020 President of University Records, a member of the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society, a member of the Music Arts Board, an Executive Member of the Society of Architectural Historians, a member of The Fralin’s Student Engagement Committee, and being one of the two Student Members of UVA Arts Council. Veronica worked as an Editorial Intern with the Vice Provost for the Arts, served as a Research Assistant for UVA Architecture’s Professor Jeana Ripple, was a Teaching Assistant for UVA Architecture’s Sanda Iliescu, and worked as a summer curation intern at James Monroe’s Highland, implementing elements of historic preservation and archaeology in innovative ways to enhance visitor experiences. Inspired by her research with Professor Ripple, her experience at Highland, and her academic coursework, Veronica now works as a Land Use Planner at Cooley LLP and plans on attending law school to pursue a career in land use law.
Anna Meyer (she/her)
VCU BS + BA 2023, UVA MUEP 2025
Planner 1, Timmons Group
Richmond, VA
Member since 2025
Anna Meyer graduated from UVA with a Master’s in Urban and Environmental Planning and certificate in Historic Preservation. Her undergraduate degrees are in Political Science and Environmental Studies. She currently works as a planner with Timmons Group in Richmond Virginia and is committed to sustainable design and practice in cities. In her free time, she enjoys taking hikes and playing with her cat.
Jacqueline Restrepo (she/her)
UVA BSArch 2016 & Georgia Tech MArch 2021
Associate, PGAL
Atlanta, GA
jackie.restrepo@gmail.com
Member since 2022
Jacqueline Restrepo graduated from UVA in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and minors in Architectural History and Global Sustainability. During her time at UVA, she was actively involved in the Latinx community, serving as president for the organization formerly known as LSA (now known as COLA) and chapter founder for SLU. Since then, she has been living in Atlanta and working as an Associate at PGAL. She recently completed her Masters of Architecture at Georgia Tech in 2021. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, biking, and volunteering for mentorship programs such as LADYS to support young women of color.
Lily Roberts (she/her)
UVA BUEP + Architectural History, Dance, and Design Minors 2023
Engineer, Clark Construction
Washington, DC
lilyadrianaroberts@gmail.com
Member since 2023
Lily Roberts graduated with high honors from the University of Virginia in May 2023, where she was one of the first students to complete a Distinguished Major in Urban + Environmental Planning; additionally, she minored in Architectural History, Dance, and Design. Outside of the classroom, Lily found joy in several involvements. She served as an undergraduate Student Ambassador for the School of Architecture, the president (2021-2022) and vice president (2022-2023) of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students Chapter at UVA, and the undergraduate vice president (2020-2021) and treasurer (2020-2021, 2021-2022) of the Student Planners Association. Additionally, Lily was a Meriwether Lewis Institute for Citizen Leadership fellow, worked in Housing and Residence Life for three years and was the first student representative from the School of Architecture to serve as the Student Member of the UVA Board of Visitors. Lily currently works as an Engineer at Clark Construction Group’s Mid-Atlantic region.
Kari Roynesdal (she/her/hers)
UVA BSArch 2015, Harvard GSD (MLA +MUEP ‘21)
Agency Landscape + Planning
Cambridge, MA
kroynesdal@gmail.com
Member since July 2020
Kari Roynesdal is an urban planner and designer who is passionate about public space in cities and how planning practice intersects with community activism and cultural identities of place. She received her Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia in 2015, and after graduating, worked in landscape architecture in the Charlottesville, Virginia area. She recently graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Design with concurrent degrees in Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture. During her time at the GSD, she was a recipient of an ASLA Honor Award and funded travel research through the Penny White Project Fund. Currently, Kari works at Agency Landscape + Planning in Cambridge, MA.
Karen Salazar (she/her)
UVA BSArch 2022
Architectural Designer, Marshall Craft
Richmond, VA
Member since July 2025
Originally from Colombia. Passionate about art, painting, photography, architectural design, and drafting. I am focused on healthcare architecture. My passion for wellness extends beyond my work as a designer, as I am also an EMT and an active volunteer firefighter in Albemarle County.
Peter Sikorsky (he/him)
UVA BSArch 2019, Harvard GSD MLA 2023
Designer, Michael Boucher Landscape Architecture
Portland, ME
Member since July 2025
Peter Sikorsky developed an interest in architecture and landscape through long distance running, first along the Potomac, Rivanna, and Charles Rivers, and now, along Casco Bay. This curiosity found a spaciousness within the A-School and a form at the GSD. He is concerned with the role of precision in design to make legible our disciplines' value to a broad public; moreover, he's fascinated with the role of immutable mobiles in the production of architectural discourse. Peter works as a designer at the scale of the garden to that of land use planning; in his free time, he likes to cook, dance, hike, read, and formulate questions for pebbles and small rocks.
Matthew Tepper (he/him)
UVA BSArch 2024
Architectural Designer, Hart Howerton
New York, NY
Member since July 2025
Matthew Tepper is a 2024 graduate of UVA, where he earned a BSArch with minors in Global Sustainability and Urban & Environmental Planning. As the recipient of the Sarah McArthur Nix Travel Fellowship, his exhibition in the UVA School of Architecture’s East Gallery, “Canal Connectivity,” explored the evolution of French canals and their role in shaping historical and contemporary urban infrastructure and design.
Matthew served as Chapter President of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) for over two years, where he reimagined the organization by fostering new connections with regional firms, organizing construction site tours, career development workshops, and other professional networking opportunities. His leadership earned him the 2023 AIAS National Chapter Leader Award, and under his guidance, the chapter was recognized as one of the fastest-growing globally in 2021–22.
A dedicated member of the A-School community, Matthew also served as a Student Ambassador, student representative on the School of Architecture Student Council, and a student instructional assistant for both Foundational Studio I and Lessons of the Lawn. Following Matthew’s final year as a Lawn Resident, Matthew’s community contributions were honored with the Edgar F. Shannon Award by the Z Society and the Kyle Kauffman Scholar Award by the School of Architecture. He is currently based in New York City, where he works as an architectural designer at Hart Howerton.
Tim Victorio (he/him)
UVA MArch 2022, Boston College BA 2018
Charlottesville, VA
tv3ku@virginia.edu
Tim earned his Bachelor's degree in Biology from Boston College (2018) where he worked as a set designer for the Boston College Theater Department. Since then, Tim has earned his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Virginia (2022). While at UVA, Tim co-founded a sustainability initiative called UVA Sawmilling, which is set up to redirect the current material pathway of fallen trees on the Grounds of UVA, repurposing these otherwise chipped logs into usable lumber for both student and faculty projects. Post-graduation, Tim was a lecturer at the University of Virginia School of Architecture teaching undergraduate studio and introductory seminar courses.
Kate Wietor (she/her)
JMU BS 2021, UVA MArH '24
Architectural Historian, Marstel-Day
Charlottesville, VA
Member since July 2025
Kate Wietor is an Architectural Historian on the Cultural Resources team at Marstel-Day, an environmental consulting firm. Kate graduated from UVA with a Master of Architectural History, a Certificate of Historic Preservation, and was the president of the University chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians. Before attending UVA for grad school, she proudly served as an AmeriCorps member with the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, where she supported programming for Wheeling Heritage. Kate spends her free time involved with the local roller derby community and sits on the board of directors at Charlottesville Roller Derby, a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
Thomas James Thomal Wyatt (he/him/his)
UVA MArch 2023
Designer, KCCT Architecture
Washington, DC
thjwyatt@gmail.com
Member as of July 2024
Thomas Wyatt graduated from the University of Virginia in 2023 with a Master of Architecture after receiving his Bachelor of Design from the University of Florida. A former resident of the Range, Thomas worked under Professor Peter Waldman while at UVA as a graduate teaching assistant and researcher. He is an alumnus of the Veneto program and a Nix Research Scholar. After leaving Charlottesville, Thomas moved to Washington, DC, and joined the architecture firm KCCT. Currently, he volunteers as a Regional Director for Alpha Rho Chi, and is helping reestablish the professional architecture organization's UVA chapter. When he is not exploring Washington, Thomas enjoys listening to his record collection and doing the New York Times Crossword puzzle.
Emily Zekany (she/her)
UVA BSArch 2021, Pratt MArch 2026
Designer II, Perkins&Wil
Brooklyn, NY
Member since July 2025
Emily Zekany graduated from UVA in 2021 with a BSArch and a minor in Global Sustainability. Her senior thesis focused on coastal resiliency, reflecting her ongoing interest in climate-responsive design. After graduating, she worked for several years in Dallas at Perkins&Will and earned a LEED Green Associate certification. She is currently pursuing her Master of Architecture at Pratt Institute in New York City. Now based in Brooklyn, Emily enjoys exploring different boroughs and trying out new restaurants.
Staff liaison:
Kim Wong Haggart, Director of Engagement and Alumni Initiatives
Faculty Rep:
Mohamed Ismail
Assistant Professor, UVA School of Architecture
The Dean's Advisory Board Member Bios
Morgan C.B. Miles
Chair
UVA BSArch 2006; The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania MBA
Real Estate Development Consultant and Advisor for Goldman Sachs
Baltimore, MD
Member since 2020
Morgan C.B. Miles joined Wolf Development Services in 2024 as a Real Estate Development Consultant and Advisor for Goldman Sachs, working on both its equity and debt platforms. She supports more than 30 real estate development and major capital improvement projects across the firm's Private Wealth Management, Asset Management, and Real Estate Finance Group divisions.
Prior to consulting, Morgan was responsible for over $1 billion in development projects and financing transactions across the U.S. East Coast. She has a proven track record working on complex, multi-billion-dollar mixed-use waterfront developments, including District Wharf in Washington, D.C. and Water Street Tampa in Tampa, Florida, consistently achieving project budget and schedule goals while upholding quality standards. Her development expertise spans hotels, condominiums, multifamily residential, office, industrial and data centers, retail, and senior living. Also, Morgan has experience in workplace and corporate interiors for both renovations and relocations. Select projects include the nine-time award-winning $194 million development of North America’s first Canopy by Hilton and Washington, D.C.’s first Hyatt House, as well as the initial development of the $190 million Amaris, an ultra-luxury condominium designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects with interiors by Thomas Juul-Hansen.
Morgan has served on UVA School of Architecture Dean’s Advisory Board since 2020, as Vice Chair since 2022, and most recently as Chair since 2025. She has also been an active member of the University of Pennsylvania Weingarten Center Advisory Board since 2023. In addition, Morgan was selected as a member of the Real Estate Executive Council (REEC), a highly selective national organization comprised of senior executive minority leaders in the commercial real estate industry. A LEED Accredited Professional, she holds a B.S. in Architecture from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. in Real Estate and Finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Adam Ruffin
Vice Chair
UVA MArch 2002
Partner, ARCHITECTUREFIRM
Brooklyn, NY
Member since 2025
Adam Ruffin studied architecture at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Virginia, receiving a Master of Architecture in 2002. For 15 years he worked with Thomas Phifer and Partners in New York City rising to the role of Associate Director. As one of the longest tenured members of that team, he managed and developed some of the firm's most important cultural and residential projects, including the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Cine Colombia Headquarters in Bogota, Colombia, the Chelsea Arts Studio in New York City, the Dallas Residence and Gallery in Dallas, Texas, the Fishers Island House on Fishers Island, New York, and the United States Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah. Many of these projects garnered AIA National Honor and Merit Awards as well as international recognition for the office. Adam joined ARCHITECTUREFIRM in 2017 and manages the Brooklyn office, overseeing projects at the Corning Museum of Glass, the Museum of Ice Cream, multi-family projects in Washington DC and Virginia, and private residences in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Montauk.
Ross Altheimer, PLA, ASLA, FAAR
UVA MArch + MLA 2004; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee BS Architectural Studies
Principal & Co-Founder, TEN x TEN Landscape Architecture and Urbanism
Minneapolis, MN
Member since 2023
Ross Altheimer is co-founder and principal of TEN x TEN Landscape Architecture and Urbanism based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ross works to build just communities and institutions by leveraging landscape’s dynamic capacity for change. His design process explores the art and temporality of place and culture. He facilitates strategy, visioning, planning, and design implementation for cultural, community, and campus projects nationally. Ross teaches across disciplines at the University of Minnesota’s College of Design where he was a Cleveland Fellow. He has a BS in Architecture from the University of Wisconsin and a Masters of Architecture and Landscape Architecture from the University of Virginia where he was a Nix Fellow. His work has garnered awards and recognition from the AIA, ASLA, GSA Design Awards and Graham Foundation among others. He is the recipient of the Rome Prize Fellowship in Landscape Architecture awarded by the American Academy in Rome.
Katie Bailey
UVA BUEP 2015
Senior Director, HearstLab
New York, NY
Member since 2025
HearstLab provides investment and support to early-stage women-led tech startups. Katie works directly with the teams on portfolio value creation – accelerating growth through strategic intros, pilot programs, brand collaborations, and curated events that drive visibility and revenue. In two words: Always building.
Janet Bloomberg
UVA BSArch 1987; Columbia University MArch
Partner, KUBE Architecture
Washington, DC
Member since 2020
Janet Bloomberg is a partner and founder of KUBE architecture in Washington DC, a modern architecture studio that challenges the norms of daily life and attempts to reinterpret ways of working and living in the built environment.Janet is a native of the Washington area, and attended the University of Virginia for her Bachelor of Science degree and Columbia University for her Master of Architecture. While a student at Columbia, she was awarded the SOM Traveling Fellowship, with which she traveled to India and Nepal for research on ritual space. Janet’s work has received numerous local, regional, and national design awards, and her projects have been extensively published in national and international publications. She has taught architectural design at a number of universities around the country, including the University of Virginia and Catholic University. Janet served as President of the Washington Architectural Foundation Board for two years, where she started several new programs for DC youth in architecture. In 2016 Janet received AIA|DC’s prestigious John Wiebenson “Wieb” Award, the highest local architectural honor recognizing service to the profession and to the community. In 2020 Janet became a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.
Hallie Boyce
UVA MLA 1992; Bucknell University BA in Art History
Partner, OLIN
Philadelphia, PA
Member since 2022
Hallie Boyce is a Partner at OLIN since 2009. Her focus is the design and planning of award-winning landscapes that weave together nature and culture in the urban environment—including parks, waterfronts, plazas, and campuses. She is currently leading the design of the 11th Street Bridge Park, a community-based destination park in Washington D.C., a redesign of the grounds of the Folger Shakespeare Library on Capitol Hill, and a master plan for the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Realized projects include the new U.S. Embassy in London, the National Veterans Memorial and Museum and Spirit of Women Park in Columbus, Ohio, and California Memorial Stadium and Plaza in Berkeley, California. Hallie holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Art in Art History from Bucknell University. For three years, she led a studio at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design, which explored the potential of designed landscapes as catalysts to sustainably transform the culture and ecology of rural towns along the Czech-Austrian border. She has also been a guest critic at the University of Virginia, Morgan State University, and Temple University.
Lydia Brandt, PhD
UVA MArH 2006, PhD in Art and Architectural History 2011; NYU BA in Art History, 2004
Professor, Art History at University of South Carolina, McCausland College of Arts and Sciences
Greenville, SC
Member since 2026
Professor Brandt is a scholar of American architectural history whose work explores how historic places shape public memory. A faculty member at the University of South Carolina since 2011 and now a full professor, she is nationally recognized for her research on Mount Vernon, plantation architecture, and the built environment of the American South. Her award‑winning publications include First in the Homes of His Countrymen and numerous articles and edited volumes, with current projects examining plantation‑house iconography and modernism in the South. Her research has been supported by major fellowships, and she has contributed extensively to preservation efforts through National Register nominations, statewide surveys, and service on review boards. A past president of the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians and former co‑editor of Buildings & Landscapes, she has received multiple honors for scholarship, teaching, and public humanities work.
Mark Buenvista, AIA, CCM
UVA BSArch 2006, MArch 2009; Temple University MBA 2021
Director of Design, Development & Construction, Fairfax County Department of Housing & Community Development
Springfield, VA
Member since 2023
Mark Buenvista is a planner and registered architect with the Fairfax County, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, currently overseeing the department’s $1.7 billion program to develop and finance affordable housing and community facilities serving households with low- and moderate-incomes. Mark’s public sector service in multiple jurisdictions over the last decade has focused on land use, public-private partnerships, transit-oriented development, and placemaking initiatives at the intersection of design, finance, and politics. Prior to joining local government, Mark practiced in Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland designing and constructing projects ranging from custom residential to mixed-use and institutional buildings. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Master of Architecture from the University of Virginia as well as a Master of Business Administration from the Fox School of Business at Temple University.
Tom S. Chung, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C
UVA BSArch 1994; Harvard GSD MA 1999
Principal, Leers Weinzapfel Associates Architects
Boston, MA
Member since 2022
Tom S. Chung, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, is a Principal at Leers Weinzapfel Associates, recipient of the 2007 National AIA Architecture Firm Award. Tom is a national leader in the practice and education of mass timber design and has led the design for the John W. Olver Design Building at UMass Amherst and Adohi Hall at University of Arkansas, recipients of the 2022 AIA Education Design Award and 2021 AIA Housing Design Award, respectively. Tom has been invited to speak on this emerging subject at conferences and seminars world-wide including Canada, Costa Rica, South Korea, and throughout the United States, and has shared this knowledge and experience with his peers through numerous AIA continuing education workshops. Tom has taught at various architecture schools and is currently a Professor of Practice at Auburn University. His graduate design studio “Mass Timber and New England” received the 2022 Timber Education Prize from ACSA. Tom serves on the Board of WoodWorks and is a Trustee of Boston By Foot, an educational non-profit that promotes Boston’s history and architecture. In the office, Tom is a mentor to the next generation of architects and an advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion in our profession. Born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in the US, Tom received his degrees in Architecture from University of Virginia and the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.
Beata Boodell Corcoran
UVA MArch 1995, MLA 1997; Princeton University BA 1985
Senior Associate, Michael Vergason Landscape Architects, Ltd. (MVLA)
Alexandria, VA
Member since 2022
Beata Boodell Corcoran is driven by a need to enhance human experience, engagement, and inclusion. She draws inspiration from her urban roots in Chicago and uses her training in architecture and landscape architecture to shape all aspects of her award-winning work at MVLA. In her 35 years in the design fields, Beata has worked in positions of design leadership and project management on projects including the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in DC, The Wharf’s 7th Street Park and Pier in DC, the Sundance Square in TX and Washington University’s East End in St. Louis. She refined her interest in both design disciplines as the director of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design for the National Endowment for the Arts, a program emphasizing that physical design is a fundamental tool to positively affect social well-being and economic vitality. During her tenure, she worked with mayors from more than 100 U.S. cities. She has shared her expertise on a variety of invited juries and advisory boards. Beata has a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University, and Masters in both Landscape Architecture and Architecture from the University of Virginia.
Chris Cornelius
UVA MArch 2000, University of Wisconsin BS Architectural Studies 1996
Professor and Chair Architecture, University of New Mexico School of Architecture + Planning
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Member since 2023
Chris Cornelius is Professor and Chair of the Department of Architecture at the University of New Mexico. He is the founding principal of studio: indigenous and creates architecture and artifacts that dismantle stereotypes surrounding Indigenous design and offer a distinct vision of contemporary Indigenous culture. Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Master of Architecture from the University of Virginia. Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, studio: indigenous is working at intensely varied scales. Their distinct and highly personal approach leverages the cultural underpinnings, devices, and thinking of Indigenous culture to manifest original architecture, art, and objects. Cornelius’ awards include the inaugural Miller Prize from Exhibit Columbus, a 2018 and 2022 Architect’s Newspaper Best of Design Award, and an Artist residency from the National Museum of the American Indian. Chris has been exhibited widely including the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale. He was the Spring 2021, Louis I. Kahn Visiting Assistant Professor at Yale University.
Maurice D. Cox
Public member
Cooper Union BArch; University of Detroit Mercy Honorary Doctorate
Commissioner; Chicago Department of Planning and Development
Chicago, IL
Member since 2020
Maurice D. Cox was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) by Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot in October 2019. Celebrated for his experience merging architecture, design and politics through multiple public, private and elected positions, Cox is responsible for leading DPD's economic development, planning and zoning functions while fostering community-improvement initiatives throughout the city. His primary focus is under-invested neighborhoods on the South and West sides. Cox was formerly director of planning and development for the City of Detroit, design director of the National Endowment of the Arts, and served as mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia. He is also a former professor at Syracuse University, the University of Virginia and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design; a former associate dean for community engagement at Tulane University; and former director of the Tulane City Center in New Orleans. A native of Brooklyn, he has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Cooper Union in New York City and an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Detroit Mercy. He hopes to continue his 30-year tradition of walking and biking to work from his home on the Near North Side of Chicago.
Gina Haney
UVA MArH 1997, Stanford University MLA 2023
Founder, Community Consortium
Mountain View, CA
Member since 2022
Gina Haney specializes in the intersection of community engagement, economic development, and cultural heritage. Her experience spans 20+ years across Africa, Asia, North and South America. Gina attended Mary Washington University for her undergraduate degree in Historic Preservation and the University of Virginia for her Master of Architectural History. Gina is currently pursuing graduate studies at Stanford University. She has written extensively about the architecture of enslaved spaces in North America and strategically shaped global initiatives enhancing connections between communities and the cultural assets which are found within and around them. Gina has worked for the World Monuments Fund, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Conservation International, and World Wildlife Fund. In 2008, she founded Community Consortium and began (with the government of Iraq) a stakeholder-driven management plan and World Heritage nomination for the site of Babylon. At present, she leads the community outreach and engagement team of the Mosul Cultural Museum Rehabilitation Project, Iraq. Gina collaborates with the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders and has co-taught architectural studios on Cape Coast, Ghana at the School of Architecture.
David Hill
UVA MArch 2005, UVA MLA 2005, Georgia Institute of Technology BSArch 2000
Associate Professor and Graduate Program Chair in Landscape Architecture, Auburn University
Founding Principal, HILLWORKS: landscape + architecture
Auburn, AL
Member since 2024
David is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Chair in Landscape Architecture at Auburn University as well as the founding principal of HILLWORKS: landscape + architecture. Born and raised in a plant nursery in South Georgia, David developed a deep affinity for plants and an early admiration for the rich, working landscape of the south. After 20 years of experience, this fascination with cultural and productive landscapes continues to impact how David unpacks site histories and explores design opportunities. At Auburn, David leads research seminars and investigative design studios that unpack the complexity of the landscape across the rich spectrum of urban and rural conditions. Borrowing from the rich lineage of experimentation and long-term management in gardening, he strives to curate immersive experiences with plant assemblages that inspire imagination and awe.
David is not only able to advance disciplinary research through academic investigation, but also through the trenches of actual project development at HILLWORKS. HILLWORKS is grounded in the ecological and cultural complexities of the southeast. They revel in the spirit of craft, thrift, and resourcefulness that permeates the region. HILLWORKS projects have been presented nationally and internationally at conferences, symposia, and universities and published in rags like Dwell, Landscape Architecture Magazine, ReModeling, and Society South. HILLWORKS recently received the 2024 Emerging Voices Award from the Architecture League of New York.
Prior to joining the faculty at Auburn, David helped unearth post-industrial landscapes as an Associate, and later a Principal, at D.I.R.T. studio.
Kevin M. Holland, FAIA, NOMAC, LEED AP
UVA BSArch 1988; University of Michigan MArch
Managing Principal; k.michael architects
Los Angeles, CA
Member since 2020
Kevin M. Holland, FAIA, NOMAC, LEED AP has practiced architecture for over 25 years and is the Managing Principal of K. Michael Architects in Los Angeles. Over the course of his career he has worked as Project Manager and/or Project Architect on numerous Higher Education and Healthcare projects, most notably the Hampton (VA) University Student Center; the University of Akron (OH) Student Recreation Facility; the Indiana University Memorial Stadium North Endzone Expansion; the Purdue (IN) University France Cordova Student Recreation Facility, and; the Intermountain Healthcare Alta View Hospital Campus Expansion in Sandy, UT. Kevin obtained his Bachelor pf Science (Arch.) degree from The University of Virginia and his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Michigan and holds, or has held, registrations in the states of Delaware, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. From 2015 thru 2016, Kevin served as the 30th National President of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA.) He now serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors for the AIA Los Angeles Chapter, as well as, serving on the Board of Trustees of the NOMA Foundation and the Dean’s Advisory Board for the Tuskegee University School of Architecture. At different points in his life, Kevin has referred to Wilmington (DE), Columbus (OH), Indianapolis, and Cincinnati as “home.” And now…Los Angeles, where he and Phonisia have resided since 2016.
Sandra (Loughran) Joslyn, AIA, CDT, LEED AP BD+C
UVA BSArch 1994
Technical Director and Principal, Gensler
New York, NY
Member since 2025
As a Principal and Technical Director, Sandra balances management, design, and technical delivery while leading teams on complex interior projects across industries. Through her experience serving a diverse range of clients, including financial institutions, entertainment and media companies, and technology companies, Sandra deftly navigates project complexities and is a masterful problem solver. Her professionalism and thoroughness earn her respect and admiration from her team, clients, and consultants alike. Based in the New York office, Sandra actively spearheads regional learning efforts that buttress Gensler’s technical design excellence, and she plays an active role in her studio to mentor next generation talent.
Stephanie Landrum
UVA BCP 1998; UVA MBA 2010
President & CEO of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP)
Alexandria, VA
Member since 2023
Stephanie Landrum is President & CEO of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP). Appointed by the Board of Directors in April 2015, Stephanie has held leadership roles in the organization since 2005. AEDP is responsible for leading the City of Alexandria’s efforts to grow the tax base, diversify the economy and attract and retain businesses and organizations. The public-private corporation is focused on defining and marketing Alexandria as an innovative, creative, diverse, knowledge-based community with a high quality of life, located in the heart of the booming Northern Virginia economy. Stephanie also acts as administrator for the City of Alexandria’s Industrial Development Authority, which has historically functioned as a bond financing entity that assists qualified businesses and organizations with making investments within the City of Alexandria, and in 2021 expanded its role to own and lease real estate to facilitate significant economic development initiatives. Stephanie serves in various capacities on Boards, Commissions and Committees related to economic development, marketing and business throughout the Washington, DC region. In recent years she was inducted into both the Washington Business Journal’s annual Women Who Mean Business and 40 Under 40 awards programs and was named the 2019 Business Leader of the Year by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce. Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
Tim Love, FAIA
UVA BSArch 1984; Harvard Graduate School of Design MArch
Principal, UTILE
Boston, MA
Member since 2020
Tim Love, FAIA, is the founding principal of Utile, a 65-person Boston-based architecture and planning firm. Love’s primary focus is the relationship between individual works of architecture and the larger city. His work is not driven by aesthetics, but by collaborative deep-dive research focused on the technical, cultural, regulatory, and environmental issues of urban design problems. Love and his teams find opportunities for design by uncovering latent issues and fully leveraging and synthesizing them. Love works on diverse projects of varying scales, including citywide plans for cities, regeneration strategies for aging industrial areas, and master plans for new urban districts. Love and his collaborators are also known for their award- winning public realm initiatives, including the Boston Complete Streets Design Guidelines and the Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion on the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Love served as strategic advisor on the Imagine Boston 2030 citywide plan and the comprehensive master plan for Boston City Hall and Plaza. In addition, he led the team for Envision Cambridge a citywide plan for Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Eastern Market district plan in Detroit. Love is a tenured Associate Professor at the Northeastern University School of Architecture where he teaches urban design theory, housing studios, and graduate level research studios. He is also a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA).
Kathryn Rogers Merlino
UVA MArH 1999, UVA MArch 1999
Associate Professor of Architecture, University of Washington
Director of the Center for Preservation and Adaptive Reuse (CPAR)
Seattle, WA
Member since 2025
Kathryn is also an adjunct in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Scan Design Endowed Chair in the College of Built Environments. Her research, projects, and teaching focus on reducing resource depletion and embodied carbon by adapting existing buildings, especially those promoting environmental justice and social equity. Her book, Building Reuse: Sustainability, Preservation and The Value of Design (UW Press, 2018; paperback edition 2021), argues that existing buildings should be considered artifacts of extracted materials and embodied carbon, and together with high-performance retrofitting, are critical components of a sustainable future. Merlino frequently consults for design teams as an architectural historian, designer, and historic preservation. Merlino teaches courses on architectural history, preservation and building reuse theories, vernacular architecture and architectural design studies, and has taught study abroad programs in Rome, Denmark and France. Kathryn practiced in Seattle for several years with Olson Sundberg Architects (now Olson Kundig), receiving several awards for projects designed with the firm, and Cardwell Thomas Architects.
Ryan Moody
UVA MArch 2007, UVA MLA 2007, University of Illinois BS in Architectural Studies 2001
Principal, Moody Graham
Washington, DC
Member since 2024
Ryan Moody is a registered landscape architect and the founding principal of Moody Graham in Washington, DC. Ryan holds master's degrees in architecture and landscape architecture from the University of Virginia School of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Ryan started Moody Landscape Architecture in 2009 to help strengthen connections between people, plants, and architecture. In 2016, Moody Landscape Architecture merged with Graham Landscape Architecture to become Moody Graham. Bold in design and thoughtful in approach, Moody Graham uses the power of nature and the craft of architecture to compose vibrant landscapes that promote healthy living, working, and being. Ryan's educational background and professional experience combine to provide a comprehensive understanding of buildings and landscapes and their complementary relationship. Ryan has lectured widely on the professional practice of landscape architecture, focusing on the health benefits of nature at the intersection of landscape and architecture.
Notable recently completed and ongoing work include the Ward 5 Short Term Family Housing project with the Department of General Services (DGS), Ward 8 Senior Wellness Center (DGS), Rock Creek Golf Course (National Links Trust and National Park Service), Holly Beach Farm Stewardship Plan (Chesapeake Bay Foundation), Stack 8 affordable housing project (Flywheel Development and Department of Housing and Community Development), and the SW-Buzzard Point Flood Resilience Strategy (Ramboll Engineering and District Office of Energy and Environment).
Liz Ogbu
Public member
Wellesley College BA in Art and Architecture 1998; Harvard Graduate School of Design MArch 2004
Designer, Founder and Principal, Studio O
San Francisco, CA
Member since 2020
Liz Ogbu is founder and principal of Studio O, a multidisciplinary consulting practice. A designer and urbanist with expertise in social and spatial justice, she has designed shelters for immigrant day laborers in the United States and a water and health social enterprise for low-income Kenyans, working with communities in need to leverage the power of design to catalyze sustained social impact. Ogbu has held academic appointments at University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University d.school, and University of Virginia and was the Droga Architect in Residence in Australia, investigating urban marginalized populations and community development practices. She’s been a TEDWomen speaker, IDEO.org Global Fellow, and Aspen Ideas scholar. Liz earned her Bachelor of Arts in architecture from Wellesley College and Master of Architecture from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.
Matt O'Malley
UVA BSArch 2000
Preconstruction and Commercial Market Lead, DPR Construction
Potomac, MD
Member since 2025
With over twenty-four years of experience working with two of the largest general contractors in the United States, Matt O’Malley has worked on some of the largest and most complex commercial construction projects in the country. For more than fifteen years, Matt has taught courses on construction project delivery at The University of Virginia, University of Maryland, and Georgetown University. Matt is the author of The Business of Building, a comprehensive guide to construction for students and professionals entering the fields of real estate, construction, architecture, and engineering.
Azadeh Rashidi
UVA BSArch 1995, UVA MArch 2000
Founding Partner, SCHULHOF RASHIDI Architects
New York City, NY
Member since 2024
Azadeh Rashidi is a founding partner of Schulhof Rashidi Architects, a practice established in 2022 that specializes in cultural and academic projects across the United States with the mission to engage in regionally rooted work that enhances community. Current commissions include the Dubuque Museum of Art and an addition to the William King Museum of Art. Azadeh's design approach centers on inclusivity. She believes that human relations are at the center of design and that architecture's intrinsic value is in the ways that it positively augments these relations, while respecting, preserving and restoring our natural environment.
Prior to launching her own practice, Azadeh was part of the management team at the New York based Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners (TWBTA). During her 15 years at TWBTA, Azadeh was the leader on several high profile, award winning projects, including the addition and renovation of Dartmouth College's Hood Museum of Art and the renovation of David Geffen Hall, home of the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center. While at TWBTA, Azadeh spearheaded a mentorship program whose goal was to address the inequities of minority and immigrant opportunities in the Architecture profession.
Upon graduating from UVA in 2000, Azadeh joined the office of WG Clark in Charlottesville, VA where she worked for seven years and served as the project architect for the award-winning addition to the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia. She has also served as a lecturer at the school and most recently, was a visiting professor at the Yale School of Architecture.
Nakita Reed
UVA BSArch 2006; University of Pennsylvania MS in Historic Preservation and MArch
Associate, Quinn Evans
Baltimore, MD
Member July 2022
Nakita Reed is known for making high-impact contributions to design projects, optimizing sustainability, life cycle value, and long-term building performance. Her career has focused on the preservation and revitalization of historic buildings, restoring them to new purpose and economic vitality while also incorporating cutting-edge design strategies for sustainability. Nakita’s portfolio includes a wide range of architectural accomplishments, from the restoration of abandoned, historic buildings to major new construction and expansion projects. Her clients have included local and federal agencies and private-sector organizations throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Nakita’s commitment to preservation and sustainable design is reflected in her many professional and community volunteer activities. She serves on a number of non-profit boards and was a gubernatorial appointee and chair of the Maryland Green Building Council.
Jennifer C. Reut
UVA MArH 2004, UVA PhD 2011
Editor, Landscape Architecture Magazine
Takoma Park, MD
Member July 2025
Jennifer Reut started at Landscape Architecture Magazine as an associate editor in 2013 and was elevated to editor in 2020. In addition to editing the magazine for ten years, she has written many feature articles on a range of subjects, including, “The River Beneath the River,” on the cleanup of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., for which she won an EXCEL award for feature writing. In addition to her role as editor, she is working with the ASLA team on content strategy and digital transformation for the 2024 website launch. Reut has a master’s and a doctorate in architectural history from the University of Virginia, and she began her education at Hampshire College, where she obtained a BA in American history and literature.
Shawn Rickenbacker
UVA MArch 1994; Syracuse University BArch; New York University Certificate in Advanced Digital Interaction Design
Director, J. Max Bond Center for Urban Futures at CCNY
New York City, NY
Member since 2020
Born and raised in New York City, Shawn Rickenbacker is a trained architect, urbanist and systems technologist whose work has focused on the convergence of physical space and digital systems within the built environment, how we can learn from it and its relationship to the human experience. He is the co-founder of the privately held research and design consultancy, Urban Data + Design. Rickenbacker, most recently served as the Gensler Visiting Professor at Cornell University School of Architecture and prior to that appointment the Favrot Visiting Chair in Architecture and a Senior Research Fellow at the Taylor Institute for Social Innovation at Tulane University. He has served on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Design and held academic appointments at The Ohio State University, Architectural Association, Syracuse University, and the University of Virginia. Rickenbacker received his Master of Architecture from The University of Virginia, with a Certificate in American Urbanism. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Syracuse University and a Certificate in Advanced Digital Interaction Design, from New York University, Center of Advanced Digital Applications.
Sam Roberts, II
UVA BSArch 1998; UVA MArch 2001; UNC Chapel Hill MBA 2014
GM, Sky Club Design and Facilities at Delta Air Lines
Atlanta, GA
Member since 2020
Catalyst. Strategist. Translator. Sam Roberts has spent the past 20 years bridging the gap between design, strategy and operations across a wide variety of industries and disciplines. After a decade practicing architecture in New York City, Sam shifted his focus to helping corporations like Audi of America and Equinox align building-related decisions to strategic business objectives through design-driven innovation, change management, and collaboration. In 2019, Sam refined this approach further, founding SR2 Consulting, which brings his creative problem-solving capabilities to startups and small, growth-oriented companies, working with founders and CEOs on innovation, long-term strategy and capital program development.
Eugene Ryang, PLA
UVA MA in Cultural Anthropology 1995, UVA MLA 2000, Columbia University BA in History
Co-Founding Principal and Design Director, Waterstreet Studio
Richmond, VA
Member since 2024
Eugene is Co-Founding Principal & Design Director at Waterstreet Studio in Richmond, VA. Founded in 2008, Waterstreet Studio is a multi-disciplinary environmental design firm of landscape architects focused on planning and design of residential properties; commercial and institutional campuses; rural conservation tracts; civic spaces and urban streetscapes.
Whether working with private landowners, institutions, municipalities or development professionals, Eugene’s primary objective is to connect people to place, creating purposeful and engaging landscapes that are both economically viable and environmentally responsible.
Marc Tsurumaki
UVA BSArch 1987; Princeton University, MArch
Principal, LTL Architects
New York City, NY
Member since 2020
Marc Tsurumaki is principal and founding partner of LTL Architects, a New York-based design intensive architecture firm founded in 1997. LTL Architects engages a diverse range of work, turning the constraints of each project into the design trajectory by exploring opportunistic overlaps between space, program, form, budget, and materials. In 2019, the firm was selected as the AIA New York State Firm of the Year, and its three partners were inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame. LTL’s work has been recognized extensively including the National Design Award and inclusion in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the San Francisco MoMA and the Carnegie Museum of Art. Marc Tsurumaki is a licensed architect and received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Master of Architecture from Princeton University. Marc is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Architecture at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation and is the author with Paul and David Lewis of four books including the recently published Manual of Section. He is currently the President of the Board of Directors of Storefront for Art and Architecture.
Ex-Officio Members:
Malo André Hutson, Dean of the UVA School of Architecture and Edward E. Elson Professor
Matthew Jull, Associate Professor of Architecture (Faculty Rep)
Mira Davis (BSArch 2021), Co-Chair of the A-School Young Alumni Council (AYAC Rep)
My-Anh Nguyen (BSArch 2018), Co-Chair of the A-School Young Alumni Council (AYAC Rep)
Staff liaison:
Kim Wong Haggart, Director of Engagement and Alumni Initiatives
Mission
The School of Architecture Foundation exists to support and foster the study and teaching of architecture, landscape architecture, architectural history and urban and environmental planning at the University of Virginia, and to aid, strengthen, and extend in every proper and useful manner the work, services and objectives of the School of Architecture.
Member Responsibilities
I. Set Direction
- Develop and maintain focus on mission and vision.
- Establish and oversee implementation of strategic direction.
- Delegate authority for organizational management.
- Articulate, safeguard, model, and promote organizational values.
II. Ensure Resources
- Identify human and financial resources needed for implementation of mission.
- Establish policies for how these resources will be acquired, including policies for board member participation.
- Ensure that the necessary resources are made available to carry out the strategic direction.
III. Provide Oversight
- Establish financial policies, including spending and investment policies, and ensure accountability.
- Ensure compliance with applicable laws and ethical standards.
- Ensure compliance with the University of Virginia Policy on University-Related Foundations.
Foundation Board Member Bios
David Haresign, FAIA
President
UVA BSArch 1976
Partner, Bonstra | Haresign ARCHITECTS
Washington, D.C.
David Haresign is a founding partner of Bonstra | Haresign ARCHITECTS. Haresign is a specialist in large-scale, complex projects, leading project teams and organizations with conceptual clarity, meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to design excellence. He implements diverse project typologies with challenging entitlements, large integrated teams, and tight fiscal constraints. His integrated project delivery archives iconic design, technical innovation, restoration, and re-purposing of old fabric that re-invigorates neighborhoods and communities. Committed to smart growth planning and preservation, Haresign is a socially responsible architect charting a sustainable future. He promotes affordable housing as a basic right and cornerstone of smart growth – retaining less affluent residents in old neighborhoods and housing them in new ones.
Haresign engages the public through outreach and pro-bono activism, developing alliances and recruiting through leadership at the AIA and the academy, and exposing the results of his work through awards, publication, exhibitions, and presentations. His projects are widely recognized with over 150 national, regional, and local design awards, and in international and national publications including Urban Land, Residential Architect, Inform, Architecture DC and the Washington Post. Haresign recently organized and chaired two major, highly successful exhibits at the District Architecture Center focusing on architects’ impact on the city. His outreach extends to boards of related professional, academic, cultural and community organizations where Haresign serves as a Trustee, Director, and leader. He mentors and inspires young architects with individual guidance. Haresign is a sought-after design critic, and a frequent lecturer and panelist at noted regional universities and public conferences. He has been elevated to the College of Fellows, one of the American Institute of Architects highest individual honors.
Jeffrey Murphy, FAIA
Vice-President
UVA BSArch 1982, Harvard GSD MArch
Partner, Murphy Burnham & Buttrick Architects
New York, NY
jmurphy@mbbarch.com
Turning constraints into opportunities, Jeffrey Murphy leads the planning and design of multi-dimensional, complex projects. His award-winning work for cultural and educational institutions shows how sustainable design can enrich the beauty, function, and performance of architecture. As a founding partner of Murphy Burnham & Buttrick Architects, Murphy melds bold design vision with a commitment to addressing diverse stakeholder needs and interests. From greening historic buildings to planning campus-wide sustainability upgrades, he synthesizes technical, cultural, economic, and health criteria. His expansive definition of sustainability includes not only high-performance building systems, but also creating places that people love and care for over generations.
Murphy earned a Master of Architecture degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from the University of Virginia. At Harvard he received the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture Research Fellowship and the post-graduate Wheelwright Prize. He has served as director for the Harvard Alumni Association and a trustee of the UVA School of Architecture Foundation. Cultivating architecture’s civic role, Murphy has held Board, Secretary, and several committee positions with the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. He has served as a board member of Community District 7 in Manhattan and as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Village of Saltaire, New York. He also teaches environmental design methods at New York University.
Murphy was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 2016.
Shelby Pruett
Treasurer
UVA BSArch 1984, Harvard MBA 1987
Chairman and CEO, Capri EGM
Chicago, IL
Shelby Pruett has had a distinguished career in the private equity and real estate investment sectors, becoming highly regarded as one of the key figures in the industry across the United States. Pruett has significant experience as a fund sponsor, owner, operator, and manager and has been instrumental in leading and overseeing the business and investment activities of a number of companies. Pruett is currently Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Capri EGM, a leading Chicago based investment manager focused on the build-to-suit, sale-leaseback, and net lease commercial real estate markets. He is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Equity Global Management, a principal-oriented real estate investment firm, and Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Gryffindor Capital Partners, a venture capital firm, all of which are based in Chicago. Prior to co-founding these companies, Pruett was Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Equity Capital Management, LLC, a real estate investment firm and Chairman and Chief Executive officer of ECM Realty Trust, a real estate investment trust, each based in Chicago.
Pruett is highly adept in driving organizations towards exponential growth, profitability, and value creation, and is a trusted board advisor and visionary leader. He is widely quoted throughout the industry and has been recognized by Real Estate Forum as “one of the most influential executives in the business that have helped to shape the industry over the past few decades”. Pruett has also been recognized as a Net Lease Icon, a Chicago Real Estate Icon, and a Net Lease Influencer by Real Estate Forum. Pruett received a Master of Architecture degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Virginia.
Silvia Erskine
Secretary
UVA BSArch 1982, MLA 1986
Principal, Erskine Associates LLC
Redding, Connecticut
silvia@erskineassoc.com
Silvia Erskine is the principal of Erskine Associates LLC, an award-winning design firm based in Redding, CT. She received a B.S. in Architecture (1982) and a Master of Landscape Architecture (1986) from UVA and is registered as an architect, landscape architect and interior designer in Connecticut. Before opening her own office in 1995, she worked with Cesar Pelli & Associates in New Haven and J.P. Franzen Associates in Southport, CT. Silvia has been a member of the Redding Land Trust Board of Trustees since 2010 and now serves as its co-president. Silvia was also on the Preserve Committee of Devil’s Den, Fairfield County’s largest nature preserve. She received a commendation from the State of Connecticut for her role as a founding member of the Town of Westport Tree Board. She has also been an instructor at the New York Botanical Garden in their Certificate of Landscape Design Program.
Frank (Rusty) M. Conner III
COL 1978; JD 1981
Partner, Covington & Burling LLP
Principal, Cebelle Holdings Corporation
Washington, D.C.
Rusty Conner has been a corporate lawyer and strategist with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions for over 40 years. He is a partner with Covington & Burling LLP in Washington, D.C. Rusty is also a principal in Cebelle Holdings Corporation, a family-owned commercial real estate development, investment, and management company focused on the warehousing and logistics sector. In addition, he is active in a variety of public service efforts and has served on the boards of, and in certain cases served as the Chair of, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the Virginia College Savings Plan, Ford's Theatre, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, and the DC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. From 2014 to 2022, he served on the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia and during his term served as Vice Rector and Rector. Rusty also served on the boards of the College Foundation, Health System, Miller Center Governing Council, and Jefferson Scholars Foundation. He continues to serve on the board of the UVA Foundation. Rusty currently serves as Counsel to and on the board of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, a non-governmental organization that supports the development of democratic institutions in 65 countries. Rusty received his J.D. and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia.
Elizabeth Fain-LaBombard, FAAR
UVA BUEP 2002; Harvard Graduate School of Design MLA 2005
Executive, Master Planning Studio, Walt Disney Imagineering
Los Angeles, California
Elizabeth Fain-LaBombard is an executive at Walt Disney Imagineering and co-leads the Master Planning Studio, overseeing the land and urban planning of new business initiatives and expansion projects in the Disney Parks & Resorts global portfolio. Prior to working at Disney, Elizabeth was with Field Operations in New York City and worked on and led a range of award-winning projects, in both the public and private sectors, including the construction of Section II of the High Line, a wetland restoration and public park with Columbia University, the campus masterplan for the University of Puerto Rico and the pool decks and streetscapes of the Aria Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Elizabeth was awarded the 2013-2014 Prince Charitable Trusts Rome Prize in Landscape Architecture at the American Academy in Rome. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning in 2002 from the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia and a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture in 2005 from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.
Barbara J. Fried
UVA COL 2004
Chairman, Fried Companies, Inc.
Crozet, VA
Barbara J. Fried received a B.A. from the University of Chicago and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School. She holds an M.A. in History from the University of Virginia (2004) and completed the course work and orals for her Ph.D. in History at the University of Virginia. Fried has three children and five grandchildren, and resides in Crozet, Virginia. Fried is Chairman of Fried Companies, Inc., a real estate development and management firm. With her late husband and law partner, Mark, she practiced law in Northern Virginia with a primary focus on real estate.
Fried serves as Chairman Emeritus of the Board for Innisfree Village in Albemarle County, a voluntary community for adults with intellectual disabilities dedicated to providing a life sharing home and work environment. She and her late husband were among the founders of Innisfree. She is Chairman of the non-profit Fried Center for the Advancement of Potential (FCAP), providing evaluation and medical fitness training. She is a founder of Charlottesville Area Riding Therapy (C.A.R.T.), a non-profit organization located at the Fried Farm, devoted to bringing therapeutic recreational horseback riding to children and adults with disabilities in the Charlottesville area. She serves on the board of the Rare Book School at UVA, and on the Miller Center board. Past civic involvements include Chairman of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership and Virginia Humanities; member of the Board of Trustees of George Mason University Foundation, Inc.; Visiting Committee, University of Chicago Law School; Fairfax County, Virginia Audit Committee; member, Virginia Housing Commission; Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board; Director, National Capitol Area YWCA; Director, Albemarle Housing Improvement Program. Fried served two terms on the University of Virginia Board of Visitors (2014-2022) through appointment by Governor McAuliffe in 2014 and reappointment by Governor Northam in 2018.
Eric D. Groft, FASLA
Shippensburg University BS Geography and Environmental Science; UVA MLA 1984
CEO and Director, OEHME, VAN SWEDEN | OvS
Washington, DC
Eric D. Groft, FASLA, is renowned for a diverse body of work, including residential, commercial, and institutional work, spanning 40 years. He is CEO and Director of OEHME, VAN SWEDEN | OvS based in Washington, D.C. His commissions include the 2020 renovation of the White House Rose Garden; a riverine landscape in St. Louis, Missouri’s historic Forest Park; the American Museum and Gardens in Bath, UK; the Federal Reserve Campus in Washington, D.C., and two major projects at the University of Virginia: The Shannon Library Quadrangle and the University’s renovated and expanded bookstore. He is widely recognized as an industry leader in ecological sensitivity, environmental restoration, and shoreline stabilization. Groft holds a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in geography and environmental science from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.
John Grove
UVA BA Studio Art with a minor in Environmental Science; UVA MLA 1988
Partner and Principal, Reed Hilderbrand
Cambridge, Massachusetts
John Grove is a Partner and Principal of Reed Hilderbrand, LLC, the award-winning landscape architecture practice based in Cambridge, MA and New Haven, CT acclaimed for its museum landscapes, academic campuses, and private residences around U.S. and abroad. Since joining Reed Hilderbrand in 1999, John has been responsible for many of the practice’s most technically sophisticated projects. Among his recently completed works are Theodore Roosevelt Park at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City; the U.S. Depart of Transportation’s John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, MA; and the Sciences Center Plaza at Yale University in New Haven, CT. John was the lead presenter at the March 2025 MAAM Building Museum’s Symposium for a panel presenting his Tekαkαpimək Visitor Contact Station at the Katahdin Wood and Waters National Monument in Penobscot County, Maine.
John’s approach unites a painter’s eye with a builder’s precision craft, making him a leader in the practice’s modes of design expression and visualization as well as its technical capacities for construction documentation and quality assurance. John is highly regarded for his client relationship management as well as his professional mentorship for young designers. John earned a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art with a Minor in Environmental Science and Master of Landscape Architecture degrees from the University of Virginia.
Elizabeth (Liz) Haile Hayes
UVA JD 1978, UVA Parent 2013
Arlington, VA
Elizabeth (Liz) Haile Hayes is a retired attorney who has served on various education-related boards. She was an Equity Partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in Washington D.C. and head of its Communications Practice. After retiring from the firm, she was a trustee and board chair of St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville, VA and the National Cathedral School in Washington D.C. (where she also currently serves).
Hayes served on the Board of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation from 2009-18, including 5 years as Secretary. From 2015-2021, Hayes was a Director on the University of Virginia School of Architecture Foundation Board. Currently, Hayes is a member of the New Futures Board of Directors (an organization that provides underserved young people with scholarships for community colleges). She graduated from Emory University and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Catherine Heath, FIIDA, AIA, LEED AP
UVA BSArch 1988
Founder and CEO of HYL Architecture
Esmont, VA
Catherine Heath, FIIDA, AIA, LEED AP, is the Founding Partner and CEO of HYL Architecture, providing vision and strategy and overseeing all operations of the firm out of offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City. She is recognized as a design leader by her industry peers, elected to the International Interior Design Association’s College of Fellows in 2021. Her design career has included leadership roles on projects for some of the most notable corporate headquarters, law firms, and government agencies in the US and abroad. She has worked at scales ranging from 1,000 to more than 4 million square feet. Projects under her direction have won more than 30 design awards and been featured in numerous design and business journals and publications. Heath holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
Zena Howard, FAIA
UVA BSArch 1988
Chair, Cultural and Civic Practice, Perkins + Will
Cary, NC
Zena Howard (Arch ’88) is a Principal and the firmwide Cultural and Civic Practice Chair for global architecture and design firm Perkins&Will. An award-winning architect, strategist, mentor and team builder, her career has been defined by visionary, complex, and culturally-significant projects, such as the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., that navigate social issues of equity and justice, restoring lost cultural connections by honoring history and memory. Other noteworthy projects include Greenville Town Common at Sycamore Hill in Greenville, North Carolina; the District of Columbia Anacostia and Tenley Friendship Neighborhood Libraries in Washington, DC; the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro, North Carolina, North Carolina Freedom Park in Raleigh, North Carolina; and the much-anticipated expansion of the Motown Museum in Detroit, Michigan, a project that commemorates the history and continuing legacy of Berry Gordy and Motown’s unique artists and internationally-recognized sound.
Zena has been integral in developing and realizing Remembrance Design™, an urban and architectural design process that engages historically marginalized and negatively impacted communities to redress painful issues, bridge diverse experiences, inspire resilient communities, and infuse culture into projects. Zena is also a founding member of Perkins&Will’s global Diversity and Inclusion Council. By example and through advocacy and mentoring, she advances diversity within the architecture profession, a field where minority and women professionals are historically under-represented.
Marcus Hurley
Princeton BS Engineering, UVA MArch 2000
Senior Project Manager, CSL Consulting
Providence, RI
With more than 23 years of design and construction experience, Marcus Hurley has managed complex projects of up to $100 million in value. His experience extends across a variety of building types including new construction, renovations, and capital renewal projects. He currently focuses on higher education work. A registered architect, Hurley has professionally managed all phases of project development from pre-construction through punch list and close-out. He specializes in project documentation, reporting, post-move logistics, and the administration of communications programs. A strong and effective project manager, he consistently delivers superior results through his management of stakeholder communications, design and construction quality assurance, budget control, scheduling, and logistics for satisfied clients.
Roger Patton Janssen
UVA BSArch 1987
Principal, Dailey Janssen Architects, P.A.
West Palm Beach, FL
Roger Patton Janssen leads Dailey Janssen Architects' diverse projects that range from high-end residential projects and recreational facilities to commercial structures and office facilities. Dailey Janssen also specializes in waterfront/oceanfront construction as well as additions and renovations to existing residential and commercial structures. The firm has successfully grown over the years by focusing on one primary goal: a dedication to architectural excellence. Janssen's firm is a full-service architectural firm which pays meticulous attention to detail from the inception of the design through the completion of the construction process. The design criteria, budget and program of clients are the foremost concern of the office. Dailey Janssen Architects takes great pride in ensuring each staff member stays attuned to the newest technologies and code requirements taking place in today’s rapidly changing construction industry. They are able to provide innovative solutions to design issues while never compromising the integrity of the original design intent.
Mark Luellen
President's Representative
Vice President for Advancement
Charlottesville, VA
Mark Luellen was appointed vice president for advancement at the University of Virginia in May 2016. Charged with oversight of the advancement operation, he provides leadership for advancement programs and initiatives across the University, and is responsible for planning and directing the University’s comprehensive, $5 billion dollar philanthropic campaign – Honor the Future – launching in 2019. Luellen works with University, school, and foundation leadership to identify campaign priorities and define fundraising strategies that support the University's mission of teaching, research, clinical care, and public service. He currently serves as the president’s representative on numerous leadership boards, including various University-associated organizations (Architecture, Education, Health, Commerce, and Athletics), and sits on the board of the UVA Foundation.
Luellen has been actively engaged in community and volunteer organizations. He served on the Allegheny College Alumni Council and has been a volunteer or committee member for various community organizations including the Pennsylvania Pink Zone, the YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign, and the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life effort. He served as vice chair of the 2018 MS Society Dinner of Champions, of which UVA President Teresa Sullivan was honoree. Luellen received his bachelor’s degree in English, with a minor in elementary education, from Allegheny College. At Penn State he received a graduate certificate in project management. He and his wife, Beth Ann, and their two daughters reside in Ruckersville, Virginia.
George Keith Martin
BOV Representative
Partner, McGuire Woods LLP
Richmond, VA
George is former managing partner of the McGuire Wood's Richmond office. He practices construction, commercial real estate and local government law. He has represented public and private entities on numerous real estate projects, including construction, acquisition and disposition of real property, and redevelopment and adaptive re-use. His construction practice focuses on representing owners, design professionals, contractors and subcontractors with negotiating and drafting design and construction contracts. He has more than 20 years of experience handling construction-related transactions, including joint ventures, public-private partnerships and project finance transactions.
Martin has negotiated and drafted numerous construction-related agreements, including design-build, construction, construction management (agency and at-risk), design, program management, project management, and development agreements. He also has extensive experience negotiating and drafting comprehensive development agreements for public-private partnerships and has worked on bond financings to fund construction of those projects. He is also a member of the McGuire Wood's education law team, and has handled numerous education related real estate and construction matters. Throughout his career, Martin has been involved in firm management. He has served on the firm's advisory, pension and recruiting committees.
Sharon Ann M. (Samm) Miller, CRE
UVA BSArch 1986, NYU MS Real Estate; UVA Parent 2018
Co-Chief Executive Officer, COO, CCO, and Head of Portfolio Management, Hillcrest Finance LLC
New York, NY
Ms. Miller is a co-owner of Hillcrest Finance LLC, a New York City based real estate credit platform. In this capacity, she has oversight of the day-to-day operations of the Firm, as well as portfolio management responsibilities for Hillcrest’s investment vehicles.
Ms. Miller has 35+ years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. Prior to joining (in 2015) and re-launching (in 2017) Hillcrest, Ms. Miller was Managing Director at Rockwood Capital where she was responsible for business development, product strategy, capital raising, and investor relations. Previously, Ms. Miller held positions with notable real estate investment management firms including Global Managing Director of Trammell Crow Company's Global Services Group, Managing Partner of Investment Strategy with Hart Advisers, Inc., Vice President of Portfolio Management at J.P. Morgan Investment Management, Inc., Vice President of Marketing and Client Services with O'Connor Capital Partners, and Vice President in TIAA-CREF’s Mortgage and Real Estate Division.
Ms. Miller received a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from the University of Virginia and a Master of Science degree in Real Estate Investment, Finance, and Development from New York University.
She is a Counselor of Real Estate®, Executive Committee Liaison, and Vice-Chair of its Institutional Investment Special Interest Group, a member of the Pension Real Estate Association, a member of the WX, Inc. Board of Directors, and a RELPI community member. In addition, Ms. Miller is a member of Impart Media’s/Hive Wealth’s Board of Directors, The University of Virginia’s Architecture School Foundation Board of Directors, The University of Virginia’s Center for Real Estate and the Built Environment’s Board of Directors, and the Charter School Growth Fund’s Structured Finance Committee.
Hosea Mitchell
UVA College 1981, UVA MP 1983
Chair, City of Charlottesville Planning Commission
Charlottesville, VA
Hosea Mitchell is a solutions-focused Senior Executive and Board Member with more than 20 years of success across the medical devices, healthcare, and technology industries. Leveraging extensive management experience with a global medical devices company helping to lead the battle against cancer, he is a valuable asset for biomedical sector companies preparing to be acquired, or working on global distribution and business development. His broad areas of expertise include research & development, manufacturing, sales & marketing, medical imaging, radiology, strategic planning, organizational dynamics, and customer satisfaction. Throughout his career, Mitchell has held leadership positions at companies including Varian Medical Systems, University of Virginia Health System, and IBM. As Vice President and General Manager for Varian’s BrachyTherapy Products since 2008, he leads the division’s product offerings in oncology treatment systems with new tools to fight cancer. Promotion to the VP/GM role followed a decade as a manager and director of BrachyTherapy Sales. He joined the global medical devices leader after it acquired Multi-Medial Medical Systems, a startup where he was VP for Worldwide Sales and Marketing. He previously worked for 11 years in sales management with IBM.
Mitchell earned a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning degree from the University of Virginia, following graduation with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from UVA. As a seasoned board leader, he has held board positions with Ridley, the Monticello Area Community Action Agency, Charlottesville Planning, and Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
Sylvia Smith, FAIA
Dickinson College BA in Art and Art History 1973, UVA MArch 1979
Partner Emerita, FXCollaborative
Brooklyn, NY
After over 40 years of contributions to FXCollaborative and the field of architecture, Senior Partner Sylvia Smith, FAIA stepped out of the firm's leadership at the end of 2023 to become Partner Emerita. She will remain active with the firm as a mentor and advisor and participate in strategic initiatives including the philanthropic work of the FXCollaborative Foundation.
Sylvia is a unique leader who has inspired all who have worked with her. Her approach has been driven by the belief that grace and dignity elevate design, firmly committed to the optimism at the heart of those ideas. She believes a strong architectural concept can empower every project, regardless of type or size, and enliven the experiences of people who occupy or pass by. In recognition of her contributions, Sylvia was honored with the AIA New York State Fellows Award in 2013, the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation Pillar Award in 2019, and the Kea Distinguished Professor award at the University of Maryland School of Architecture in Fall 2014, among other awards. Sylvia was also featured in The Women Who Changed Architecture, published by Princeton Architectural Press in 2022.
Service and activism are integral to Sylvia's career. Active in the AIA and made a Fellow in 2009, she chaired the AIANY Fellows Committee. Sylvia was a Trustee of her alma mater Dickinson College for 20 years and chaired the Facilities Committee for 14 years guiding the incorporation of contemporary design on a historic campus. Building on her legacy as an early female partner at a major design firm, she was active with the Advisory Board of the Beverly Willis Foundation and often participates in academic and profession programs on women's leadership in building-related fields. Sylvia enjoyed her years on the Design Trust for Public Space board and continues her role as Co-chair of the Governance Committee of the Storefront for Art and Architecture board.
Robert Sponseller, FAIA
Notre Dame BArch, UVA MArch 1992
Design Principal, Shalom Baranes
Washington, D.C.
robert.sponseller@gmail.com
As a design principal, Robert Sponseller has extensive experience in the design, development, and execution of both large and mid-sized mixed-use urban projects in the National Capital Region. With a particular expertise in the mix-use project typology on challenging and often tight urban sites, his designs have received numerous awards both locally and nationally. Sponseller has served in a design review capacity for the District of Columbia Office of Planning regarding the development of some of the most prominent sites in the city. Since joining the firm in 1994, he has been responsible for the design and approvals of over five million square feet of office, residential, and retail space. Sponseller received his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Virginia and his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Notre Dame.
Scott J. Sottile
UVA BArH 2001, Notre Dame MArch 2005
Partner, Ferguson & Shamamian
New York, NY
Growing up in Virginia surrounded by historic buildings and classical American architectural influences, Sottile was determined to have a career in architecture. He earned his Bachelor of Architectural History with a minor in Historic Preservation from the University of Virginia and during an intensive two-year internship with the Office of the Architect for the Academical Village, was proud to be involved in the hands-on restoration work of Jefferson’s Lawn Buildings. He received his Master of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame and joined Ferguson & Shamamian in 2005. Some of Sottile’s most recent projects include a new waterfront family compound in Maine, the restoration of an iconic, historic estate in East Hampton, and new houses in California and Florida. Active in community service, he was a member of the Restoration Committee that oversaw a two-year renovation of the historic Church of St. Francis Xavier in Manhattan, a project that won the 2011 Lucy G. Moses Award from The New York Landmarks Conservancy and the 2011 Victorian Society Award. He is also an avid gardener and spends most weekends with his partner and their two whippets in Sag Harbor, NY.
Alexandra (Alex) Valmarana
UVA BArH 1996, University of Bath MSc
Senior Partner, Peregrine Bryant Architects
London, England
Alexandra Valmarana has over 25 years of international experience in sustainable conservation and design. As a Senior Partner at Peregrine Bryant Architects in London, she led award-winning projects across Europe, the United States, and the Caribbean from the 13th to the 21st centuries.
Her work includes new design, adaptive reuse, and specialized conservation across multiple sectors including residential, industrial, museum, healthcare, and education. She has designed and led award winning projects for UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Crown Estate, the National Trust, the Landmark Trust and private clients. Projects include the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the Travellers Club, Belmont House, the Royal Astronomical Society at Burlington House, and St Helen and St. Katharine School among other private Grade 1 listed sites.
With a strong focus on material science, heritage impact, and sustainability, she integrates innovation and technology into historic environments, ensuring sustainable use without compromising architectural integrity. She also contributes to the field through international lectures, publications, documentaries, and her position on several global architecture, educational and social enterprise boards.
Floyd Worsley, Sr.
UVA BSArch 1990
Project Manager, Steinberg Dickey Collaborative Architects and Engineers
Houston, TX
Floyd Worsley, Sr. is a Houston, Texas-based project manager at Steinberg Dickey Collaborative, LLP providing architectural services from the land planning process through the construction of a project. His projects range from multifamily residential and mixed-use to student and senior housing developments. In addition to his professional background, he previously served as President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Houston, Inc. and Vice-President of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. He remains an active alumni member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. Worlsey, Sr. holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture with a Minor in Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia.
Ex-Officio Members:
Malo André Hutson, Dean of the UVA School of Architecture and Edward E. Elson Professor
John Comazzi, Faculty Representative, Associate Dean of Academics and Associate Professor, Architecture
Staff liaison:
Woody Wingfield, UVA Col’ 07, Executive Director, UVA School of Architecture Foundation
Student Representative:
Genesis Rodgers, BSArch '21, MUEP '26
Research Centers and Institutes at the A-School
The School of Architecture hosts mission-driven research Centers and Institutes that seek a long-term impact on the social, material, and ecological fabrics of our home in Charlottesville, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the globe. Centers support faculty, students, and staff engaged in major research projects, typically cutting across disciplinary boundaries, that are funded by government grants, private foundations, and non-profit organizations.
Research Labs at the A-School
Our research Labs represent the broad diversity of research at the School of Architecture. Labs showcase the creativity and innovation necessary to transform our disciplines establishing new ideas, methods, and outcomes that seek to rethink how future generations will thrive. Our labs are comprised of faculty, student, and staff researchers who are advancing knowledge through their research and creative practice, scholarly work, and community engagement.
Undergraduate Degrees
Graduate Degrees
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MArH
- Master of Architectural History
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MArch
- Master of Architecture
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MLA
- Master of Landscape Architecture
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MUEP
- Master of Urban + Environmental Planning
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PhD-CE
- Doctorate in Philosophy in the Constructed Environment
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PhD-AAH
- Doctorate in Philosophy in Art + Architectural History
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G+
- Graduate Certificates in Historic Preservation, Real Estate Design and Development and Urban Design
Design Discovery Youth Summer Program
Design Discovery is a 6-day summer program hosted by the UVA School of Architecture that invites high school students of all backgrounds to explore design school and the design process. We offer two sessions each summer that demystify design and introduce it as an amazing way of seeing and working in the world.
Study Abroad Programs
The study and practice of architecture, design, planning, history and landscape architecture spans local to global scales and contexts. UVA School of Architecture believes that the future of its students will take them to all corners of the world, and therefore places values on providing varied and impactful international experiences for our students. These study abroad opportunities provide exposure to students in the areas of architecture, architectural history, urban and environmental planning, urban design, landscape architecture, and other design-related disciplines.
Admissions
Our undergraduate and graduate degree programs have distinct deadlines and application requirements. Explore the program that fits your needs for more information on the application process. Our Admissions Team and Student Ambassadors are here to help answer your questions.
REACH OUT TO US —
Contact us at a-school-admissions@virginia.edu
Financial Aid
Higher education is a major investment in your personal and professional future. At the UVA School of Architecture, we are committed to working with each student to explore every possible funding option available. Learn more through the links below and contact us with your questions.
REACH OUT TO US —
Contact Carolyn Buchanan, Director of Financial Aid
ceb4gw@virginia.edu