Graham Banks

Partner

Pelli Clarke & Partners

Graham Banks, AIA was originally drawn to architecture because it is a practice simultaneously rooted in artistic and scientific disciplines. Graham’s recent work includes South Station multi-phase air rights development in Boston, ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, FMC Tower in Philadelphia, and One West End in New York. He is currently working on Texas Tower, which will redefine the concept of live, work, play in Houston. Graham holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from University of Illinois and a Master of Architecture from Yale University.

Chris Heider

Business Development Manager

Longboard Arch Prod

Chris Heider specializes in exterior cladding and architectural design solutions across the Northeastern U.S. With a strong background in architecture and technical sales with a passion for elevating façade aesthetics, Chris partners with architects and builders to deliver sustainable aluminum systems that meet modern design and performance standards. He brings a hands-on approach to design-assist and project collaboration, helping clients navigate specifications and execution with confidence.

Chris Giovannielli

Global Director of Product Management

Kawneer

Chris Giovannielli is Director of Global Product Management for Kawneer, where he has been a leading contributor for more than 25 years. Chris directs product development, positioning and launch strategies across global markets with an emphasis on education and sustainability. His deep expertise on the benefit of Kawneer’s products in the educational setting and how they tie to sustainability in people’s daily lives is highly valued in the industry. He has been featured in Metropolis and Green Building and Design, and recently was the member spotlight for the Air Barrier Association of America. Chris earned his Executive MBA from University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business in 2021. (13) Christopher Giovannielli | LinkedIn

Sergiy Kholodov

Technical Sales Representative (Timber Curtain Wall)

Unicel Architectural

Based in Montreal and a graduate of the National Technical University in Kharkiv, Ukraine (robotic systems/B.A.) and École Centrale de Lyon in France (master’s degree in industrial systems engineering), Sergiy has held several senior roles at construction firms. Sergiy has more than 20yrs. experience in the construction industry, including eight years in glazing project management and 14 years in sales.

Aaron Alterman

Consultant Support Specialist – US & Canada

STI Specified Technologies

Aaron joined STI in 2015 as a Territory Manager in the Gulf South.  In 2018, he was promoted to the Curtain and Facades Specialist role, working with glaziers, fabricators, curtain wall consultants and perimeter fire containments contractors in the Midwest, Gulf Coast, Texas and Central Canada.   In 2024, Aaron became the Curtain Wall and Facades Consultant Support Specialist for North America, working with curtain wall consultants, architects, engineers and code officials.   

With over 30 years in a variety of fields in construction, Aaron has become a critical partner for many of the top CW Consultants in North America.  With his knowledge and expertise of perimeter fire containment systems for all types of construction including Mass Timber, backpan or non-backpan glazing systems, precast, GFRC, and Steel Stud/EIFS assemblies, Aaron can assist from design conception to project close out while meeting critical life safety requirements for a better project outcome.

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Aaron is now a proud resident of the great city of New Orleans.

Cory Fry

Sales Director

Mitrex

Cory Fry is the Sales Director at Mitrex, a leading manufacturer of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV). With a background in sustainable construction, Cory and his team work closely with developers, architects, and contractors to integrate solar technology into building façades. Passionate about innovation and decarbonization, he helps clients unlock the aesthetic and energy-generating potential of solar cladding systems, contributing to a more sustainable built environment.

Jim Hammond

Architectural Sales Representative

YKK AP

Jim has worked within the Building Products Industry his entire career since graduating from Merrimack College in 1985. He has been with YKK AP since 2019 working as the New England Architectural Sales Representative. He finds this part of his career to be the most challenging and interesting. Helping today’s Architectural Professionals to solve complex Façade problems and design issues to be very satisfying work.

Diana Darling

CEO & Creative Director

The Architect’s Newspaper

Darling is CEO, creative director, and co-founder of The Architect’s Newspaper, celebrating its 20th year. The A|N media company consists of print and digital publications covering architecture and design news, as well as the Facades+ and TECH+ conferences. As A|N’s publisher, Darling won the AIA National Collaboration Award, Grassroots Preservation Award, and ASLA NY’s President’s Award. She began her publishing career as director of print production for The Gap’s European markets. She holds a BS from The University of Texas at Austin.

Alejandra Menchaca

Founding Principal

AIRLIT studio

Alejandra Menchaca, PhD, LEED AP, WELL AP

Alejandra is a Principal at AIRLIT studio, an environmental consultancy with a design-centric approach rooted in technical excellence. Alejandra combines expertise in mechanical engineering and building science to give clients a clear understanding of the impact design strategies and innovative solutions have on long-term building performance. Alejandra’s expertise includes passive design, visual and thermal comfort assessment, and indoor air quality. She also has extensive experience in policy development, having contributed in updating ASHRAE standards, developing zero net carbon policies with the city of Boston, and developing compliance workflows for the MA stretch code. She holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, and has lectured at MIT and the Harvard GSD.