Agenda

Aaron Seward is Editor-in-Chief of The Architect’s Newspaper. Seward is an award-winning editor whose career has centered on interpreting architecture for the profession and the general public. He was editor of Texas Architect magazine for six years and prior to that held several positions at AN, including executive editor. In addition to those publications, Seward’s writing on architecture, culture, and the built environment has appeared in Architect, Curbed, Domus, Metropolis, and other publications. He has a BA in Literature, Writing and the Arts from The New School for Social Research.

Walcott oversees marketing, communications, branding, and product management, for YKK AP America’s commercial facades and residential businesses; she also supports communications for Erie Architectural Products group. Walcott brings nearly 20 years of B2B marketing experience with manufacturing companies over a variety of industries. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Syracuse University and earned her M.B.A. at Wichita State University; she also served in the armed forces as a U.S. Air Force officer.

Silverio Patrizi joined Thornton Tomasetti in 2011 and is experienced in the structural analysis and design of different façade systems. He manages design consultation, detail development, specifications, shop drawings review and site inspections. Silverio has performed extensive research on the New York City Energy Conservation Code [NYCECC] and is considered Thornton Tomasetti in-office expert in providing analysis to prove project compliance with the NYCECC. He collaborates with multiple practices across the firm, providing expertise in thermal performance analysis, structural glass analysis, cladding and glazing material selection, and detailing of custom façade systems.

Russell Crader is Associate Principal and co-heads the New York studio overseeing projects in North & South America and the Caribbean. Since joining the studio in 2007, he has played an instrumental role in many of the firm’s most significant projects with a particular focus and commitment to civic and cultural buildings for life-long learning. He was responsible for the completion of two award-winning neighborhood libraries in Washington DC — the Francis Gregory Library and the William O. Lockridge/Bellevue library and most recently, the Winter Park Library & Events Center in Winter Park Florida. Russell also played a key role in the realization of the Smithsonian National Museum for African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).

Currently Russell’s projects include The Studio Museum in Harlem on 125th Street, and the New Moody Center for Student Life and Opportunity for Rice University in Houston, Texas.

Prior to his career at Adjaye Associates, Russell received a Master’s degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Kansas State University’s College of Architecture, Planning and Design. He currently serves as a Fellow for the Urban Design Forum in New York.

Dr. Patricia A. Layton is the Director of the Wood Utilization + Design Institute and a professor Forestry. She arrived at Clemson University in 1999 as the Chair of Forest Resources and remained in academic leadership roles until 2014 when she joined the Institute which she helped found.
Pat has forestry degrees from Clemson University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Florida.

Matt Kikosicki is an architectural designer with more than 12 years of experience working on projects that span the globe. He is especially passionate about sustainable architecture and infrastructure, and has worked on a wide range of sustainability-focused projects, including the renovations for both Miller Hull’s Seattle and San Diego studios (Living Building Challenge Petal certified) and the Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design at Georgia Tech (Living Building Challenge certified). Matt has ​also served as an adjunct instructor in ​the design studios at his alma mater, the University of Washington.

Mark Motonaga joined RIOS in 2009. His extensive experience architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design enable him to manage complex projects and has made him a leading voice in the design community for creating memorable experiences. His grasp of creative culture and placemaking has led him to speak at such events as the Fast Company Innovation Festival to share his insights into the qualities that make great spaces succeed. His interest is in understanding the underlying cultural currents of a site to create bold, distinct designs that reveal the story that defines a place. His trans-disciplinary approach allows him to integrate both architecture and landscape architecture in design, as well as understand the complexity and inter-related nature of both practices.

With over 30 years of Architectural experience, I partner with clients during programming to define the project goals in terms of use, budget, and quality. I lead Clients in exploration of various options to best achieve the stated goals and set the direction to ensure the successful completion of their projects to obtain those goals. I have a Bachelor of Architecture from New York Institute of Technology. I am involved with the Architectural Quality Improvement Committee that researches the latest trends in building science and how they are applied in practice. I am constantly reviewing the latest legal issues that affect the building industry and working with in the firm to develop strategies to allow project teams to navigate those issues. As the studio leader, I work with the project teams to create a consist repeatable project format to achieve success in design, efficiency in project execution, and quality control. It is my goal to create long term partnerships with our Clients and provide a consistently high level of service.

Dr. Patricia A. Layton is the Director of the Wood Utilization + Design Institute and a professor Forestry. She arrived at Clemson University in 1999 as the Chair of Forest Resources and remained in academic leadership roles until 2014 when she joined the Institute which she helped found.
Pat has forestry degrees from Clemson University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Florida.

Mr. Heagy is a senior managing director and is responsible for the leasing and marketing of the office projects and for securing corporate services and mixed-use development assignments in the Southeast Region of the United States. Mr. Heagy joined the firm in 1996 and has been active in Atlanta’s commercial real estate market since 1977.

Heagy received his BA in Political Science from the University of Georgia. Mr. Heagy serves on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors, Central Atlanta Progress (CAP); Metro Atlanta Chamber; and the Perimeter Community Improvement District (PCID).

Tarek Rakha joined Georgia Tech as Assistant Professor of Architecture in 2019 and was appointed Director of the High Performance Building Lab (HPBL) in 2021. His research and teaching aims to transform climate-responsive and sustainable architectural design decisions to advance racially and socially just solutions using robotics, sensing, modeling, machine learning, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). He is an expert in building and urban performance simulation, vulnerability diagnostics using computer vision drones, and outdoor comfort for walkable and bikeable cities. He previously taught at Syracuse University (SU), RISD, and MIT. Rakha’s research is transdisciplinary, and he has led and collaborated on major built environment research projects. He is currently the Principal Investigator (PI) of a $1.8M U.S. DOE award called “Aerial Intelligence for Retrofit Building Energy Modeling (AirBEM).” His research received funding from the NSF, ARPA-E, NYSERDA, NYSDOT, and GDOT, among others.

Norhan is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative and Research Assistant in the Urban Metabolism group. She received her BSc. In Architecture from Cairo University, MSc in Building Technology from MIT in 2017 and Ph.D. from the same program in 2021. Norhan‘s research is focused on Climate change science and possible impacts in developing regions and what role can the built environment play in this dilemma. Her research is focusing on exploring potential human health risks associated with increased temperature in cities and how using aerial technology and A.I can assist in better understanding building and urban design while defining suitable adaptation strategies.

Samantha Morton is an Atlanta native and passionate about making the city a more resilient place. She received her Bachelor’s in Environmental Economics from the University of Georgia and spent 7 years working in the field. Most recently, Samantha was the Single Family Program Manager at a consulting firm where she managed a portfolio of 60+ single family homes in addition to a number of light commercial projects. She specialized in ventilation strategies and big-building performance testing. Now she is pursuing a Master’s in Industrial Engineering and excited to be part Georgia Tech’s High Performance Building Lab.

Yasser is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Architecture with a focus on High Performance Buildings at Georgia Tech and serving as a GRA on a US Department of Energy Funded Project called AirBEM. Holds an MS in Architecture from Georgia Tech and an MS in ”Sustainable Design” and certification in “Energy Studies” from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as a BS in Architecture From Beirut Arab University. His interests include Building Science and Architectural Engineering with a main focus on energy simulation and validation of various performative aspects of buildings.