Jorge Garcia

Partner / CEO

garciastromberg

An honors graduate of the University of Miami, Jorge has been the driving force behind the firm’s growth and development since 1987. Prior experience includes earning a reputation with highly acclaimed architectural as well as land development firms, where he grew to understand the importance of leadership within an organization, the community and the unique ability of integrating innovative architecture with rational business criteria in a balanced format.

Jorge’s primary focuses are corporate leadership, design vision, collaboration and growth development for the firm’s philosophical ideals. Jorge is a licensed architect in 13 states with expertise in the design of national and international facilities including hotel & resorts, commercial, institutional, mixed-use developments and residential projects.

He is a sought after authority on the realities and challenges clients face in the planning, approval and entitlement processes found in today’s challenging development environment.

Roger Grave de Peralta

Vice President

garciastromberg

Since arriving in 2004, Roger Grave de Peralta has continued to grow within the firm culture and currently serves as vice president of architecture at garciastromberg. Roger is a licensed architect in the state of Florida and holds a master in architecture with distinction from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University and a bachelor of design in architecture with highest honors from the University of Florida. Roger’s experience in the architectural field includes a wide range of projects from low income public housing to high end residential condominiums and private homes. He has extensive experience in resort and hospitality projects including both new construction and renovation.

Roger is a LEED accredited professional with a specialization in building & construction. He served as the LEED project coordinator for the first LEED certified furniture showroom in Florida.

Roger strives to continue learning about design and architecture and has served as an adjunct professor at the Florida Atlantic University School of Architecture, teaching courses in architectural theory and design to undergraduate students. In his current role at garciastromberg, he heads up various teams that explore the integration of technology in architectural design including studies in 3d computer modeling/visualization, virtual and augmented reality (ar/vr), and 3d printing.

Jacqueline Gonzalez Touzet

Founding Principal

Touzet Studio

Jacqueline has a reputation for strong design and professional leadership in architecture, master planning and interior design. Her approach to each design is based on a rigorous understanding of the people, the climate, the culture, and the history of a place. She has been recognized for her design leadership throughout her career – as Miami AIA’s Young Architect of the Year and Architect of the Year. A champion for preparing the community for coastal resilience and designing a livable and sustainable future, she is the Chair of the Resiliency Committee for the Board of MRED (University of Miami School of Real Estate, Development and Urbanism), a Trustee for History Miami Museum, an AIA advisor to the Sea Level Rise committee, and a frequent guest critic at University of Miami. She has designed award-winning mixed use projects in Asia, Europe and in the USA.

Heather Anesta

Founder

Anesta Consulting

Heather Anesta, PE, SE, MS, StS2 is a South Florida Native with structural experience in New Design, Repair, Renovation, Condition Assessment, and Failure Analysis for Single-Family Homes, Residential & Commercial Buildings, and Essential Facilities. She also serves as a Subject Matter Expert and Consultant in Demolition Consultation, Damage Assessments, and Disaster Response, Mitigation, and Preparation. She works with FEMA/DHS US&R as an Advanced Structures Specialist for FL-TF1 and the FEMA Incident Support Team. She serves as Chair on the ASCE 11 Standard for Structural Condition Assessment of Existing Buildings, a Voting Member of the ASCE 7-28 Wind-load Subcommittee, Chairs the ASCE 7-28 Components & Cladding Chapter 30, is an Associate Member of the ASCE 7-28 Main Committee, and a Voting Member of the Florida Building Commission Existing Building Inspection Working Group.

Dr. Jon Galsworthy

Managing Director

CPP Wind

Dr. Jon Galsworthy is a world-leading wind engineer and recognized expert in wind effects on tall buildings. With more than 25 years of experience in all technical aspects of wind tunnel modelling studies, Jon leads highly technical teams toward client-centered goals and objectives. He has directed the wind engineering studies of several of the most complex and ambitious designs over the last 10 years. Internationally these include the Jeddah Tower, Merdeka PNB 118, and Ping An International Finance Center. In North America, notable projects include the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco, Vista Tower in Chicago, and in New York, the Steinway Building, and all the buildings at Hudson Yards.

Jon has been involved in the development of building codes in North America, has been a member of the ASCE 7 wind loading subcommittee, and is the current chair of the National Building Code of Canada Task Group on Climatic Loads. In 2015, Jon was a keynote speaker at the International Conference for Wind Engineering in Brazil, and the President of the American Association for Wind Engineering (AAWE) from 2016-2018. He has also authored technical articles for several publications including Structures Magazine and CTBUH. Dr. Galsworthy holds a BESc in civil & structural engineering, a PhD in wind engineering, both from The University of Western Ontario, and is a registered professional engineer in several Canadian provinces and many states across the US.

Mason Millner

Project Designer

Brooks + Scarpa

Mason Millner has been a Project Designer with Brooks + Scarpa Architects in the Florida studio for the past three years. Mason carries a wide range of experiences and expertises. Mason has been heavily involved in the Hollywood CRA Signage and Mobility Hub projects at Brooks + Scarpa acting as Co-Project Manger and Project Designer. He is versed in construction administration, as he currently leads efforts on the Art and Culture Center in Hollywood, FL and a new 124 Unit senior affordable housing project in Miami Beach. Mason earned his Bachelor of Architecture with a minor in History from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT). He was President of The Digital Mentorship Collaborative, a founding member of the Architecture Student Forum at VT, and an Instructor for the Materials and Design (MAD) Lab. Mason brings research experience from the realm of new and sustainable materials into the office. He previously worked for the BioDesign Research Group developing processes and tools to design generatively and sustainably with bamboo.

Falk Amelung

Professor

University of Miami

Professor Falk Amelung got his MSc and PhD in geophysics at the University of Muenster, Germany and University of Strasbourg, France, respectively. After a few years at Stanford University and at the University of Hawai’i he moved to the University of Miami in 2002. For his research he uses satellite-based Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) to study land subsidence, active tectonics and active volcanoes. Notable works include the discovery and documentation of land subsidence in Las Vegas and New Orleans, studies of the tectonics of the Chaman fault system in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and contributions to the understanding of the Hawaiian and the Galapagos volcanoes.

Dionne Darling

VP of Brand Partnerships

The Architect’s Newspaper

Dionne Darling has been with The A|N Media Group for over six years. As VP of Brand Partnerships and Associate Publisher, she manages A|N’s Texas headquarters and handles accounts in the West, Southwest and Europe territories. Dionne has over 28 years of direct B2B sales, management and business development experience.

Alejandro Daras

Global Projects Director

Neolith

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.

Mike Augustine

Director of Architectural Promotion

SAFTI First

Mike Augustine has over 20 years of experience in the architectural glazing industry. As the Director of Architectural Promotion at SAFTI FIRST®, he brings his extensive knowledge and expertise of fire rated glazing systems and fenestration in general when working closely with architects, specifiers, glazing contractors and code officials. Mike is a dynamic presenter and speaker who has been delivering the company’s AIA-registered presentation to various architecture firms, AIA local chapters, CSI local chapters, and at other architectural and glazing industry events.

Brian R. White, Ph.D.

Technical Manger North America Glass

H.B. Fuller

Brian White is the Technical Manager for the Americas Insulating Glass team at H.B. Fuller Company, where he manages research and development and technical service for North America. Brian has been with H.B. Fuller for 10 years, starting as a scientist developing insulating glass sealants and gaining experience and familiarity within the fenestration industry. Currently, he is active in the Insulating Glass Manufacturer’s Alliance (IGMA), Insulating Glass Certification Council (IGCC), American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), and supports activities in ASTM and the National Glass Association (NGA). He earned his B.A. in Biochemistry from St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota.