Class Notes
Michael L. Perry, B.S. Arch ’80, M.Arch ’82, Daimian Hines, B.S. Arch ’99, M.Arch ’01, and Efrie Escott, M.Arch ’14
1980s
Alan Gregerman published The Wisdom of Ignorance
Jay C. Juergensen, B.S. Arch ’85, was interviewed about emergency and disaster management in the December issue of Public Management Magazine.
Regina Myer received the George A. Fox Public Service Award from the New York Building Congress
Michael L. Perry, FAIA, B.S. Arch ’80, M.Arch ’82, was elevated to the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows (FAIA).
Mark Yagerlener, M.U.P. ’80, retired following a 25-year career in health care real estate with Ascension Health and Farbman Group.
1990s
INFORM Studio, co-founded by Michael Guthrie, FAIA, M.Arch ’98, was named 2025 AIA Michigan Firm of the Year.
Conrad Heiderer, M.Arch. ’90, released Great Coffee Moments – From the Creator Café, part of a growing series that blends creativity, architecture, and dialogue. He has also launched MARA: Make America Read Again, a national literacy and dialogue movement.
Amy C. Hetletvedt, B.S. Arch ’96, published Preserving with Purpose: Reimagining Buildings for Community Benefit, 2025, Island Press (an imprint of Princeton University Press).
Daimian Hines, FAIA, B.S. Arch ’99, M.Arch ’01, was elevated to the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows (FAIA).
Taiji Miyasaka, M.Arch ’91, and colleagues won the 2025 AZ Award for Environmental Leadership (Jury Award) for The Drywall Waste Technology (DWT) Tiny House, highlighting its innovative use of upcycled drywall waste to build affordable, sustainable housing in Seattle. The project also secured the People’s Choice Award in Environmental Leadership and an Award of Merit.
Jim Nicolow, FAIA, B.S. Arch ’91, M.Arch ’95, retired from Lord Aeck Sargent Planning and Design (LAS) after nearly 30 years. He started as an intern in the firm’s Atlanta headquarters in 1997 and was ultimately promoted to principal and served as the firm’s first director of sustainability. Nicolow was elevated to LEED Fellow in 2012 and AIA Fellow in 2018 and is a past-president of both the AIA Southwest Michigan and AIA Honolulu chapters. He looks forward to an active retirement, traveling and outrigger canoe paddling with his wife, Amy.
Arlova Vonhm, M.U.P. ’98, received the AICP President’s Award at the 2026 National Planning Conference.
2000s
Kendal Bowman, B.S. Arch ’07, M.Arch ’09, was promoted to partner, architecture project lead at Lott3Metz Crutcher.
Donald Buaku, M.U.D. ’08, started a new position as director of design at Monarch Design Group.
Erica Dunlap, B.S. Arch ’09, was named to Crain’s Business Detroit’s 2025 Class of 40 under 40.
Ryan Faist, M.Arch ’05, was promoted to executive director, real estate design, at JPMorgan Chase.
Luke Forrest, M.U.P. ’07, started a new role as director of the Community and Worker Economic Transition Office at the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
Elizabeth Godbold, B.S. Arch ’04, M.Arch ’08, was promoted to partner at WJW Architects.
Lakisha Hull, B.S. Arch ’00, reflected on her career in planning and shaping resilient cities across the country in Urban Land
Joel Howrani Heeres, M.U.P. ’09, launched Resilient Communities Consulting
Michael Johnson, M.U.D. ’08, was promoted to director of cities at SmithGroup.
Bankim Kalra, M.U.P. ’05, was selected for City Forum’s International Mentoring Program for Urban Planners.
Stephanie Leedom, M.U.D. ’04, joined CannonDesign as executive director of the Great Lakes region.
Parini Mehta, B.S. Arch ’01, was recognized by LA Times Studios as a finalist in the Real Estate & Construction category of their 2025 Inspirational Women Forum & Leadership Awards.
W. Jacarl Melton, M.U.P. ’04, started a new position as transit programs manager (Northern Virginia) at the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
Jason Rostar, B.S. Arch ’05, was promoted to principal, corporate practice technology leader, at HED.
Michelle Sablack, B.S. Arch ’05, M.Arch ’10, was promoted to partner at WJW Architects.
Sarah Traxler, M.U.R.P. ’05, was promoted to director of the executive office at the Kresge Foundation.
Melissa Pesci, M.Arch ’06, started a new position as CEO of Boulder Associates.
Anthony Valerio, M.Arch ’03, started a new position as senior associate at OTJ Architects.
Nolan Zaroff, M.U.R.P. ’09, was promoted to assistant commissioner at the City of Chicago.
2010s
Bryan Alcorn, M.Arch ’11, and Carley Leckie, M.Arch ’21, were the primary team members on a winning entry in The National Single Stair Architectural Design Competition. Their project “Steplight” was the San Francisco Award First Place Winner.
Lindsey Brusoe, B.S. Arch ’11, M.Arch ’14, received the 2025 AIA Toledo Emerging Professional of the Year Award.
Joey Chemello, B.S. Arch ’12, M.Arch ’14, was promoted to principal at Ingui Architecture.
Efrie Escott, FAIA, M.Arch ’14, was elevated to the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows (FAIA).
John D. Ewanowski, M.Arch ’13, started a new position as Principal at KEE Architecture, Inc., following the retirement of his father and KEE co-founder, David Ewanowski.
Angela Fortino, M.U.P. ’11, started a new role as a planning lead at Spalding DeDecker.
Yiwei Huang, M.U.D. ’15, was granted tenure and promoted to associate professor at Purdue University. She also won the 2025 national USDA Early Career Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Sophie Jantz, M.U.R.P. ’17, started a new position with the Autonomy Policy + Strategy team at DoorDash Labs.
Joseph Jones, M.U.P. ’12, started a new role as director of special projects at Catholic Charities Community Services Inc.
Steven Scharrer, M.Arch ’16, started a new role as design manager at Gensler.
Sara Timberlake, M.Arch ’18, started a new position as project designer at FanningHowey.
Tyler Whitney, M.Arch ’17, started a new position as a senior architect at Dekker.
2020s
Sibora Berisha, B.S. Urban Tech ’25, is joining DataArt as an associate solution consultant.
Isabelle Borie, M.Arch ’22, started a new role as an architect at HKS.
Caitlyn Brunner, M.Arch ’21, was featured in BOS Profiles in Design Chicago 2025.
Anthony Bui, M.U.R.P. ’23, received the Metro Service Excellence award from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
Maya Fraser, M.Arch ’23, won a Booth Fellowship from Taubman College for her proposal, “Common Ground: Addressing the Housing Crisis through Shared Space.”
Eilís Finnegan, M.Arch ’23, received the 2025 Architizer Vision Awards Editor’s Choice award in the Architectural Visionary of the Year category.
J. Collin Garnett, M.Arch ’23, joined Auburn University’s College of Architecture, Design, and Construction as a visiting assistant professor.
Shraven S. Iyer, M.Arch ’24, joined CannonDesign as an Architectural Designer.
Genevieve LaMarr LeMee, M.U.R.P. ’22, was featured in the Fall issue of Stewards, the alumni magazine of The U-M School for Environment and Sustainability.
Asher Lin, M.U.R.P. ’24, launched AutoSitu, an AI-powered platform designed to speed up the review of real estate development plans, site plans, and building permits, which was included in tech accelerator Y Combinator’s winter batch for 2026.
Rosa A. Manzo, M.Arch ’22, was selected as part of the AIA 2025 Next to Lead cohort.
Srilaxmi Melkundi, M.U.D. ’24, started a new role as an urban planner with Steinberg Hart.
Anne Redmond, M.Arch ’22, was promoted to senior strategic product consultant, enterprise owners, at Procore Technologies
Simon Rivers, M.U.R.P. ’22, was promoted to supervisor of planning at Oakland County Parks
Srinjayee Saha, M.Arch ’25, was promoted to design professional II at HKS.
Alexander Sulek, M.Arch ’21, started a new position as design project manager at Related Companies.
Lauren Week, M.U.R.P. ’23, co-authored the article “Zoning Alternatives to Penalizing Homelessness” for the January 2026 issue of the American Planning Association’s Zoning Practice.
