SmithGroup Promotes 24 to Principal

SmithGroup, one of the nation’s largest architecture, engineering and planning firms, has promoted 24 to principal.

Matt Alleman, IALD, LC, LEED AP

Matt Alleman is a senior leader within the Lighting Design Studio at SmithGroup’s Detroit office and has served an influential role in expanding the group’s practice and award-winning portfolio, domestically and abroad. Recent notable projects include the new $261 million Biological Science Building at University of Michigan, currently under construction; and the University of Pennsylvania’s Neural-Behavioral Sciences Building, slated for completion in spring 2016. Alleman is a certified lighting professional and a member of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD). He earned Bachelor and Master of Architectural Engineering degrees from Pennsylvania State University, and in 2010 was cited by LD+A Magazine as a rising star and future leader to watch for within the lighting industry. Alleman is a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania and currently resides in Plymouth, Michigan.

Andrew Beilfuss

Andrew Beilfuss leads the Health Studio in SmithGroup’s Los Angeles office and brings 30 years of experience working on healthcare projects for academic, for-profit and non-profit clients. His accomplishments include multifaceted, large-scale projects for clients such as University of California, San Diego and Sutter Health, and he is currently charged with supervising a new inpatient tower addition at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center in Chula Vista, California (2019). Beilfuss received a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, preceded by a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He’s a registered architect in California and currently resides in Los Angeles.

Chad Brintnall, PLA

Chad Brintnall joined the firm’s Ann Arbor office in 2007 and possesses nearly 17 years of experience. He has been recognized as one of SmithGroup’s most creative landscape architects and specializes in planning and development of resorts, hospitality-based destinations, and urban landscape and waterfront projects. Brintnall’s portfolio of work includes the new 70-acre, 600-slip Makronisos Marina and Resort in Ayia Napa, Cyprus; and a universal-access playground planned for Gallup Park in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Brintnall earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from The College of Wooster, followed by a Master of Landscape Architecture from The Ohio State University Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture. He is a registered landscape architect and resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Bryan Cannon, AIA

Bryan Cannon serves as leader for the Science & Technology Studio and has over 30 years of experience. Cannon specializes in designing sites and buildings for laboratory research, cancer care and academic institutions for clients such as Johns Hopkins, Emory University, the University of Virginia and Germany’s prestigious Max Planck Institute. Recent projects include the Max Planck Institute’s $66 million Florida Institute for Neuroscience and Emory’s $90 million Health Sciences Research Building. Cannon earned a Master of Architecture degree from Princeton University after graduating from Williams College with a Bachelor of Arts. He is now a resident of Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Tony Catchot, PLA

Tony Catchot has been an active member of the design community for over 30 years. He rejoined the firm’s Ann Arbor office in 2015 as a senior campus planner after having served as the assistant university planner at the University of Michigan for 10 years. Catchot was previously employed with SmithGroup from fall of 1986 through July 2005. He specializes in campus master planning and site design for various project types and sizes, and is adept at developing ideas to build consensus between campus and community stakeholders. Notable clients include the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States Air Force Academy and Louisiana State University. Catchot is a registered landscape architect in Michigan and received a Bachelor’s in Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University. He resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Kathryn Dunn, AIA

Kathryn Dunn is a senior architect and designer in the San Francisco office’s Health Studio. She manages an array of complex healthcare projects, including interior design and tenant improvement work. Currently, she is serving as project manager of interior design for two Sutter Health California Pacific Medical Center hospitals—the 12-story, 740,000-square-foot Van Ness and Geary Campus; and the 120-bed, 215,000-square-foot replacement hospital at the health system’s St. Luke’s Campus. Both facilities are under construction and scheduled for completion in 2019. Dunn graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. A native of Fresno, California, she now resides in Oakland.

Jonathan Hoffschneider, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Jon Hoffschneider has over 28 years of architectural experience, primarily in the healthcare sector. His expertise lies in large-scale hospital projects completed locally and around the world, with a focus on sustainable design and resiliency. He is currently serving as project manager on the highly anticipated 132,788 square-meter (nearly 1.5 million-square-foot), six-story Manazel Medical City, a comprehensive medical center located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Hoffschneider received a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and is a member of the Washington, DC chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He currently resides in the Takoma neighborhood of Washington, DC.

Hsiao Lin Hu, IIDA

Hsiao Lin Hu is a senior interior architect and designer for the Health Studio at the San Francisco office. Hu excels at developing sophisticated conceptual design solutions, including work on two award-winning projects—the Comprehensive Transplant Center for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles (2014); and interior design efforts for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Robley Rex VA Replacement Medical Center and VBO Office Building, Louisville, Kentucky. Hu earned a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Chung Yuan Christian University, Taiwan, followed by Bachelor and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Arizona, Tucson. Hu currently lives in San Mateo, California.

Michael Krager, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP

Michael Krager is a staff leader at the Phoenix office and has over 28 years of experience within the design community. His expertise encompasses commercial, higher education, healthcare, laboratory and sports facilities, to name a few. Notable work includes the recently completed Energy Systems Integration Facility for the US Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado; and the new Engineering Building at the University of Texas at Dallas, slated for completion in 2018. Krager earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies and Bachelor of Architecture from North Dakota State University, Fargo. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Phoenix chapter, and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. He is a registered architect in Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Montana. Krager is a native of Omaha, Nebraska and currently resides in Chandler, Arizona.

Arnold Levin

Arnold Levin leverages 45 years of strategy and research experience to his role as a corporate strategist for the firm’s growing Workplace Practice. His expansive career of teaching, consultation and design expertise has established Levin as a recognized authority in workplace strategy, change management and organizational design. Current clients include Microsoft Corporation and Republic Services. Levin received dual Masters degrees in Philosophy in Organizational Design and Business Administration from the University of Westminster in London, preceded by a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Environmental Design from Pratt Institute. Levin serves on the leadership committee of Workplace Evolutionaries, a community of practice within the International Facility Management Association, and is a member of the WCO, a body of professionals aimed at raising the profile of workplace change.

Tony LoBello, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

LoBello joined SmithGroup in August 2014 as studio leader for the office’s Learning Practice and possesses over 20 years of experience in designing for clients in the higher education arena. Notable recent projects include a new STEM Science Building at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse; and the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University (2018) in Detroit, Michigan. LoBello is active within the local design community and supports the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Chicago chapter, where he served as president in 2015 and remains a member of its board of directors. He has also held the role of sponsorship chairman for the Society for College and University Planning’s (SCUP) North Central Region. LoBello graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and continues to serve the institution as an adjunct professor. LoBello is a native of Chicago and currently resides in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Petra Lowe, CPSM

Petra Lowe is the director of business development at SmithGroup’s San Francisco office and has been instrumental in growing the firm’s Health Practice within the California market. Recent project wins have included a new 340 bed inpatient tower and 180,000-square-foot Specialty Medical Office Building for Community Regional Medical Center, Fresno, California; and Kaiser Permanente’s 220,000-square-foot Specialty Medical Office Building and Radiation/Oncology Center, to be constructed in the Tri-Valley area of Alameda County, California. Lowe is a Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) through the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from The George Washington University, Washington, DC. Originally from the Czech Republic, Lowe now resides in the San Francisco Bay area.

Andrew Mannion, OAA, LEED AP BD+C

Andrew Mannion joined SmithGroup in 2009 and has over 17 years of experience as a designer and project architect. A senior team member within the firm’s Detroit office, Mannion is leading design efforts for a new corporate headquarters and research and equipment testing center for the Dürr Group in Southfield, Michigan. Also included in his portfolio is the $63.5 million University of Michigan South Quadrangle renovation project in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Mannion obtained professional licensure from the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) and is a LEED Accredited Professional. He is a graduate of the University of Waterloo, where he earned a Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Environmental Studies. He currently resides in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Christopher Mayor, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Chris Mayor is a registered architect whose expertise spans the public and private sectors. Project work ranges in scope from small-scale workplace renovations to high-rise condominiums. Mayor served as project architect on the recently completed U.S. Embassy in Rabat, Morocco for the U.S. Department of State; and is currently serving as project manager on The Wharf – Parcel 5 Hotels, a 300,000-square-foot, dual-flag hotel by Hilton Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels Corporation located in Washington, DC (2017). Mayor received a Master of Architecture from Arizona State University, preceded by a Bachelor of Music (Performance) from the University of Arizona. He currently resides in Washington, DC.

Clint Menefee, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Clint Menefee joined SmithGroup in 2006 with a focus in the planning and design of a diverse range of higher education building typologies including health sciences; science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); and student life facilities. Menefee was elevated to principal in recognition for his years of exceptional project performance and contributions as a leader within the firm. Menefee is currently serving as project manager and wellness planner for a new $42.4 million, 85,000-square-foot Wellness Center at University of Colorado, Denver; and project manager for the Texas A&M University-Commerce Nursing & Health Sciences building. He is a member of the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Dallas chapter, and the Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects. Menefee earned a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University, followed by a Master of Architecture from Clemson University. A native of Lorena, Texas, Menefee now resides in Dallas.

Francie Moore, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Francie Moore has established herself as a technical resource and design expert within SmithGroup’s Los Angeles office. Moore is involved with the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, currently under construction on a 12-acre site in Downey, California; the new seven-story, nearly $240 million, inpatient tower addition at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center in Chula Vista, California, slated for completion in 2019; and three clinics for Cedars-Sinai Medical Delivery Network in Los Angeles County. Moore graduated from Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Architecture degree, followed by a Master of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. Originally from Washington, DC, Moore now lives in Los Angeles.

Drew Padilla, Associate AIA

Drew Padilla is an architect and interior designer recognized for delivering award-winning projects. He contributes to the firm’s business development initiatives and promotes cross-studio collaboration between several of SmithGroup’s offices. Padilla served as project manager on the American Red Cross Bay Area Headquarters; and the Microsoft Technology Center in Mountain View, California. Padilla graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Architecture, followed by a Master of Architecture II from Syracuse University. He is a member of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) and resides in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Nick Salowich, AIA

Nick Salowich serves as leader of the Science & Technology Studio in SmithGroup’s Detroit office. He is an architect and senior project manager with over 30 years of experience developing and managing complex projects. Salowich is currently serving as principal-in-charge on Wayne State University’s new $40 million Mike Ilitch School of Business Administration, targeted for completion in 2018; and project manager for Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine Grand Rapids Research Center, estimated to cost $61 million and currently under construction. He is a registered architect in Michigan and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, Bachelor of Architecture, and Master of Architecture from Lawrence Technological University. Salowich is a resident of Royal Oak, Michigan.

Lori Singleton, ASLA

Lori Singleton works in SmithGroup’s Ann Arbor office as a senior landscape architect with over 17 years of experience. She has extensive expertise designing and implementing transformative downtown and higher education environments, public open spaces, and natural system corridors. Current projects include Wayne State University’s new $40 million Mike Ilitch School of Business Administration (2018); the highly-anticipated $257 million Detroit Events Center, and its surrounding 50-block area known as The District Detroit (2017), for which Singleton is serving as project manager and lead designer for landscape architecture. She graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture and currently resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Chris Smialek, IIDA, LEED AP

Chris Smialek has 20 years of experience as an interior designer and project manager specializing in corporate, federal and local build-to-suit projects. Current work includes Exelon Corporation’s new 443,820-square-foot headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland (2016); the 70,000-square-foot Blackboard Headquarters, Washington, DC, recently completed in December of 2015; and the relocation of the Graham Holdings Company headquarters from Washington, DC to Arlington, Virginia. Smialek graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Architectural Design from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is registered with the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) and International Interior Design Association (IIDA). She currently resides in Owings, Maryland.

Steven Spaid, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Steven Spaid has over 25 years of experience as an architectural designer, project manager and construction administrator for a vast array of large-scale multifaceted projects. Spaid’s focus for the last 10 years has been on healthcare facilities, completing the design of two acute-care hospitals currently under construction for Sutter Health California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco: the 12-story, 274-bed, 740,000-square-foot Van Ness and Geary Campus; and the new 120-bed, 215,000-square-foot replacement hospital at the health system’s St. Luke’s Campus. He is a registered architect in Texas and received a Bachelor of Environmental Design and Bachelor of Science in Building Construction from Texas A&M University. Originally from Plano, Texas, Spaid now resides in San Francisco.

Diane Syer

Diane Syer serves as corporate director of talent development for SmithGroup and is at point for developing new, comprehensive programs to benefit employees nationwide. Key accomplishments since joining the firm’s Detroit office in 2012 have included the launch of a new development and training program entitled inKNOWvations, and creation of an emerging leaders initiative, a three-year series of courses that dives deeply into emotional intelligence, business acumen, client engagement, strategy and leadership skills. Syer is a member of the Association for Talent Development, an organization dedicated to those who cultivate talent within establishments. She attended Eastern Michigan University and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and a Master of Science in Human Resources & Organizational Development. Syer resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Wen Wang, AIA, LEED AP

Wen Wang is a lead architectural designer in the Washington, DC office’s Workplace Studio with over 17 years of experience on workplace and interior design projects. Notable projects include a new residential complex composed of two 160-foot towers for Quadrangle Development Corporation, Bethesda, Maryland; and the award-winning Advisory Board Company headquarters expansion, Washington, DC. Wang earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Zhejiang University, China, a Master of Architecture degree from Tongji University, Shanghai, and a Master of Science in Architecture with a concentration in historic preservation from the University of Florida. A native of Nantong, China, Wang now resides in Rockville, Maryland.

Alek Zarifian, FAIA, LEED AP

Alek Zarifian is a lead architectural designer in SmithGroup’s Los Angeles office and is skilled at designing and managing a broad range of complex healthcare and science and technology project types. Zarifian’s recent project work includes the 44,000-square-foot Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles (2018). Zarifian’s contributions to advancing the team’s design objectives earned the project a Citation Award in the Unbuilt category in the American Institute of Architects Pasadena and Foothill chapter’s 2015 Design Awards program. Zarifian received Bachelor and Masters of Architecture degrees from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. A native of Tehran, Iran, Zarifian is a registered architect in California and resides in Glendale.

For more information about SmithGroup, please visit our Company Fact Sheet.