Agenda

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.

John oversees business development and project execution for YKK AP’s larger, more complex façade projects throughout the United States. A structural engineer and forty-year veteran of the façade industry, John is experienced in engineering, estimating, project management and product development. He has partnered with architects across the country and is diligently supporting business expansion in California. He has also worked on notable projects such as the 9/11 Memorial with our unitized division partner Erie AP.

AIA, RIBA, LEED AP BD+C

Alex Korter is a principal at CO Architects and leads the firm’s Building Facades Group. With over 25 years of international experience, he specializes in strategic planning, design, technical coordination, and management on diverse projects. With a focus on place, craft and performance-driven solutions, Alex has led the design and delivery processes for academic, healthcare, commercial and civic projects. Notable work includes the award-winning Health Sciences Innovation Building at the University of Arizona and the Student Services Building at Cal Poly Pomona. He is committed to developing innovative exterior envelope systems and making environmental, economic, social and functional sustainable design a fundamental part of every projects. Alex holds a Bachelor in Architecture from the University of Manchester and a Diploma in Architecture from the Glasgow School of Art. 

Esther Chao is a senior associate at CO Architects with over nine years of experience on higher education, science & technology, and healthcare projects. Esther has worked on advanced facilities for clients such as the University of Texas at Austin, Northern Kentucky University, Arizona State University, University of California, Caltech, and the Terasaki Institute. She holds a special interest in facades, and recently worked on the facade development for the Engineering Discovery Building at UT Austin. The design uses terracotta, glass, limestone, and metal in unique and cohesive ways. Esther received her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture Studies from UCLA and a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan.

AIA

Benjamin Bye is a skilled project designer with extensive experience in designing new buildings and renovations that foster collaboration, innovation, and discovery. He employs a thoughtful and engaging approach to design, ensuring that the client’s vision and goals are realized. His portfolio includes advanced science and technology, academic medical and health sciences, and healthcare facilities across the country for clients such as UCLA, UC San Diego, Kansas City University, and Wexford Science & Technology. One of his notable projects is the UC San Diego Tata Hall for the Sciences for which he led the design and detailing of the facade that consists of a light-weight filigree of layered aluminum fins, concrete and glass. Ben holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon.

AIA

Chris Kaiser has over 10 years of experience working on a variety of projects, including health sciences and schools of medicine, healthcare facilities, and higher education buildings. He served as a designer on the 245,000-square-foot University of Arizona Biomedical Sciences Partnership Building. This 10-story building features a striking copper facade inspired by the deep recesses of desert cliff dwellings. Additionally, Chris has worked on a new school of medicine for the University of Nevada and a new medical center for UCI Health. He brings expertise in designing and technically executing complex forms and programs using 3D BIM modeling and detailing. Chris earned his Master of Architecture from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of New Mexico.

Emilio Todescato’s designs integrate the built environment with nature, context, and technology to create beautiful buildings that inspire, connect and encourage exploration. Emilio’s diverse experience spans higher education facilities, leading-edge research laboratories, workplace, and developer-led tech campuses. He is skilled at translating complex program requirements into responsive design solutions that are sustainable and stand the test of time. Emilio’s work includes the Wichita Biomedical Campus, a 350,000-sf new building that will transform downtown Wichita Kansas with an interdisciplinary biomedical research and health sciences education facility. The 8-story building features a unique stepped design inspired by the geological process that created the nearby Flint Hills. Emilio holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon.

AIA, RIBA, LEED AP BD+C

Alex Korter is a principal at CO Architects and leads the firm’s Building Facades Group. With over 25 years of international experience, he specializes in strategic planning, design, technical coordination, and management on diverse projects. With a focus on place, craft and performance-driven solutions, Alex has led the design and delivery processes for academic, healthcare, commercial and civic projects. Notable work includes the award-winning Health Sciences Innovation Building at the University of Arizona and the Student Services Building at Cal Poly Pomona. He is committed to developing innovative exterior envelope systems and making environmental, economic, social and functional sustainable design a fundamental part of every projects. Alex holds a Bachelor in Architecture from the University of Manchester and a Diploma in Architecture from the Glasgow School of Art. 

Stephen Maher has nine years of experience in healthcare, mixed-use, commercial, residential, and transit projects. Since joining CO Architects in 2020, Stephen’s focus has been on the UCI Health – Irvine’s exterior envelope design, development and structural coordination. The façade utilizes a unified curtainwall system and plays a key role in contributing to the energy performance on this all-electric hospital. Stephen received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon. Additionally, he has served as a studio instructor and a guest critic at the University of Oregon School of Architecture & Environment and the Ohio State University Knowlton School of Architecture.

Matt Barnard, SE, is a Senior Principal with Degenkolb Engineers and leads both the firm’s SoCal Healthcare and Education Practice Areas. He is the Office Director for the Orange County Office. Matt also serves as the Principal-In-Charge and SEOR on various projects from new design-build hospitals to renovation, retrofit, evaluation, and review projects for various healthcare providers and for various educational systems. For the UCI Medical Center project, Matt is the Structural Principal-In-Charge and project SEOR.

Joseph Schettino is a highly experienced building enclosure professional with over 14 years in architecture, engineering, and building enclosure design and consulting. He specializes in technical building design, analytics, and construction, focusing on solutions that enhance building performance. Joseph’s profound understanding of the architectural intent allows for the intimate examination of proposed designs and creative alternatives for seamless integration within the built environment.

As the head of WSP’s Building Enclosures Department in Los Angeles, Joseph leads a team of bright and talented enclosure consultants who share a passion for high-performance and sustainable buildings.

Joseph’s experience spans a wide range of building types, including healthcare, science and technology, government, higher education, residential, commercial, mixed-use, entertainment, studio, and sports facilities. He is particularly focused on high-performance and sustainable building projects, ensuring that each design meets the highest standards of efficiency and environmental responsibility.

Viktor Paulius has ten years of experience with Hensel Phelps in Southern California working on projects in the aviation, higher education & healthcare markets. Viktor was a member of the design-build team behind the exterior facade of the recently opened UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care building in Irvine, collaborating with CO Architects, WSP USA, Degenkolb & Enclos.

AIA Principal

Sanjeev brings 28 years of experience in design integration of innovative and advanced building technology with a focus in Facades and specialty structures.

Sanjeev has led the design and construction of the facades and specialty systems for several large aviation, sports, and commercial projects in the US and around the world. Sanjeev is recognized as a Subject matter expert and has lectured in national and international conferences about building technology and facades. Sanjeev is also a guest lecturer at Sci Arch and USC on building technology and facades.

Sanjeev has a Masters degree in Building Science from the University of Southern California’s School of Architecture, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture in New Delhi, India in 1990.

He is a licensed architect in the state of California.

Esther Chao is a senior associate at CO Architects with over nine years of experience on higher education, science & technology, and healthcare projects. Esther has worked on advanced facilities for clients such as the University of Texas at Austin, Northern Kentucky University, Arizona State University, University of California, Caltech, and the Terasaki Institute. She holds a special interest in facades, and recently worked on the facade development for the Engineering Discovery Building at UT Austin. The design uses terracotta, glass, limestone, and metal in unique and cohesive ways. Esther received her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture Studies from UCLA and a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan.

Global Projects Director at NEOLITH, Alejandro has an extensive expertise on Rainscreen systems and solutions. Leading NEOLITH’s international expansion since 2021, he played a key role in the company’s growth. With dual master’s degrees in architecture from Valencia and the Illinois Institute of Technology, Alejandro transitioned from independent architect roles to the Construction Materials industry in 2016. His career spans Valencia, Munich, Chicago, New York, and Dallas, understanding of architectural intricacies on a global scale.

Chris Gall is Business Development Manager at Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope (OBE), North America’s leading vertically integrated manufacturer, fabricator and distributor of architectural hardware, glass and glazing systems. He is a technical product professional dedicated to working directly with architects from ideation to completion of projects using traditional and design / assist project delivery.

Chris has over 35 years of experience in the design, testing and product development for exterior facades. This includes product development in the General Services Administration (GSA) and Department of Defense (DoD) with a focus on new product and field testing, and product cross-over to meet many different applications. Chris also has extensive experience in Hurricane Impact Products, Security Glazing, ASTM/FPA & TAS, Building Forensics, and LEED Compliance and Documentation.

Prior to OBE, Chris spent decades in the building products industry, and began his career at U.S. Aluminum, an OBE subsidiary business brand, where he spent nearly 15 years.

Michael is a Business Development Manager for Windowmaster’s west coast territories, HE has been a part of the glazing industry for over 17 years while in Minnesota. Recently moved to Los Angeles to join the Windowmaster north America team, bringing his expertise in project management, façade design, and glazing knowledge.

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.

John oversees business development and project execution for YKK AP’s larger, more complex façade projects throughout the United States. A structural engineer and forty-year veteran of the façade industry, John is experienced in engineering, estimating, project management and product development. He has partnered with architects across the country and is diligently supporting business expansion in California. He has also worked on notable projects such as the 9/11 Memorial with our unitized division partner Erie AP.

Lyndon Neri co-founded Neri&Hu Design and Research Office with Rossana Hu in 2006, an inter-disciplinary architectural design practice based in Shanghai. Neri received his Master of Architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design and his Bachelor of Arts in Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley. Alongside his design practice, Neri has been deeply committed to architectural education and has taught and lectured in numerous universities. He was recently appointed as Visiting Faculty at Princeton University School of Architecture, starting spring semester 2024. Neri was appointed the Howard Friedman Visiting Professor of Practice at the University of California, Berkeley in 2023, the Design Critic in 2023 and the John C. Portman Design Critic in Architecture in 2019 and 2021 at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the Eero Saarinen Visiting Professor in 2022 and Norman R. Foster Visiting Professor Chair in 2018 at the Yale School of Architecture. Neri co-authored and edited Persistence of Vision: Shanghai Architects in Dialogue published by MCCM Creations in 2007. In 2017, his first monograph Neri&Hu Design and Research Office was published by Park Books. In 2021, the second monograph Thresholds: Space, Time and Practice was published by Thames&Hudson and the Chinese edition was translated and published in 2023 by Guangxi Normal University Press.

Jack Murphy is the Executive Editor of The Architect’s Newspaper. Previously, he was Editor of Cite: The Architecture and Design Review of Houston and Adjunct Professor at the Gerald D. Hines University of Houston College of Architecture and Design. He earned an undergraduate degree in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a graduate degree in architecture from Rice University. He has worked for award-winning architects in New York City, Houston, Austin, and Boston. His writing has appeared in Places Journal, Dwell, Architectural Record, The Architect’s Newspaper, Texas Architect, Cite, PLAT, Paprika!, New York Review of Architecture, The Houston Chronicle, and SF Gate, among other publications. He was Co-Editor-in-Chief for PLAT 7.5 Oversharing and PLAT 8.0 Simplicity and Assistant Editor of Totalization, edited by Troy Schaum and published by Park Books. He lives in Brooklyn.

Bob is the Sales Director of Tianjin Northglass for North America, the leading fabricator of specialty and oversized architectural glass for the global construction industry.

Bob has many years of experience working with Quality Control department. Bob was the project manager for Apple Park project in Cupertino, supporting the design team on the glass selection for Apple’s new headquarters. In 2015, Bob came to the US to make more connections with architects and support their designs of future projects with the innovation and capabilities that Northglass has to offer.

Michael has over 20 years of real-world experience on many of largest, high profile projects throughout the Western United States. Through his knowledge and expertise, Michael developed a solid reputation working closely with inspectors, glazing contractors, and curtain wall consultants as a trusted resource on a wide range of curtain wall projects.
Michael is committed to ensure your project stays on budget and gets done right the first time from conception to close out. Prior to his role as Façade and Curtain Wall Specialist for the Western US and Canada, Michael was the Western United States and Hawaii Regional Manager.

Hugh Lowry, Strategic Account Manager – Solar Facades, has a passion for BIPV. After his undergraduate at Queen’s, Hugh worked in the solar industry, specifically ground-mount utility projects. Taking a year to pursue an M.Eng at Western University was followed by Hugh’s current role, where he has applied his solar knowledge to facades.

Stephen Maher has nine years of experience in healthcare, mixed-use, commercial, residential, and transit projects. Since joining CO Architects in 2020, Stephen’s focus has been on the UCI Health – Irvine’s exterior envelope design, development and structural coordination. The façade utilizes a unified curtainwall system and plays a key role in contributing to the energy performance on this all-electric hospital. Stephen received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon. Additionally, he has served as a studio instructor and a guest critic at the University of Oregon School of Architecture & Environment and the Ohio State University Knowlton School of Architecture.

Ross Wimer, FAIA, leads AECOM’s national architectural design practice. His award-winning projects range from industrial design to city planning and super-tall buildings and have been built in 20 cities on five continents. He is known for exploring the link between architecture and engineering, and for an emphasis on the environmental performance of design. This broad perspective corresponds well with the new demands of Social Infrastructure which must address the needs of the local ecology and surrounding community as well as the building occupants and ownership. Ross’s projects have been published widely and shown at distinguished art exhibitions and institutions such as the Venice Biennale, the Los Angeles County Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His projects have also received numerous prestigious international awards, including three Progressive Architecture awards. Mr. Wimer continues an active relationship with academia as a visiting design critic at Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, Southern California Institute of Architecture, UCLA, USC, Illinois Institute of Technology, and the University of Illinois – Chicago.

Nancy Jones is a senior project architect based in Los Angeles, California in the United States. She leads the design and sustainability efforts for Intuit Dome, integrating eco-friendly solutions. Boasting over 30 years’ expertise, her passion transforms the vision of clients like the LA Clippers into reality, shaping the company’s legacy.

Watson is an experienced people manager, technical lead and project manager working on High Performance Building projects. Her specialties include advanced energy simulation, code compliance, ZNE design, facade optimization, LEED.

Stephen Maher has nine years of experience in healthcare, mixed-use, commercial, residential, and transit projects. Since joining CO Architects in 2020, Stephen’s focus has been on the UCI Health – Irvine’s exterior envelope design, development and structural coordination. The façade utilizes a unified curtainwall system and plays a key role in contributing to the energy performance on this all-electric hospital. Stephen received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon. Additionally, he has served as a studio instructor and a guest critic at the University of Oregon School of Architecture & Environment and the Ohio State University Knowlton School of Architecture.

With deep roots in Southern California, founder Robin Donaldson studied painting, printmaking, and architectural theory at UCSB, earned his Master’s degree in Architecture from SCI-Arc, and spent his early career working at Morphosis. Since founding Donaldson + Partners, he has developed a trans-disciplinary design team working with a diverse range of clients to realize extraordinary ground-up residential projects and create homes for creative enterprises ranging from company headquarters to a home for quantum computers; and—on the home front—founded an R+D lab dedicated to formulating and articulating new materials, methods, design strategies,
and architectural applications.

Donaldson has been widely recognized for his interdisciplinary creativity, collaboration-intensive teamwork and creative cultural awareness. His architectural work has been published locally, nationally, and internationally in Elle Decor, GA Houses, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, and more. With offices in Los Angeles and Orange County, he lives in Santa Barbara, above
the store.

Jack Murphy is the Executive Editor of The Architect’s Newspaper. Previously, he was Editor of Cite: The Architecture and Design Review of Houston and Adjunct Professor at the Gerald D. Hines University of Houston College of Architecture and Design. He earned an undergraduate degree in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a graduate degree in architecture from Rice University. He has worked for award-winning architects in New York City, Houston, Austin, and Boston. His writing has appeared in Places Journal, Dwell, Architectural Record, The Architect’s Newspaper, Texas Architect, Cite, PLAT, Paprika!, New York Review of Architecture, The Houston Chronicle, and SF Gate, among other publications. He was Co-Editor-in-Chief for PLAT 7.5 Oversharing and PLAT 8.0 Simplicity and Assistant Editor of Totalization, edited by Troy Schaum and published by Park Books. He lives in Brooklyn.

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.