September 2025

LJC Office: Chicago
Title/Role: Design Staff II
Focus: Interior Architecture/Life Science
School: Master's in Architecture from The Art Institute of Chicago

If you could speak another language, what would it be? Why? 
I would love to be fluent in French. My mom speaks fluently, and it would be fun to converse with her.

What does a perfect weekend look like to you? 
A perfect weekend to me is spending time with my family and husband, doing lots of cooking and baking, and taking our dog Archie for a bike ride.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up and why? 
I wanted to be a Marine Biologist; I loved the idea of playing in the ocean as a full-time job!

LJC Office: Chicago 
Title/Role: Associate Principal
Focus: Architecture
School: Bachelor and Master of Arts, Architecture, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 
Professional affiliations: AIA

What’s the most fun you’ve had on a trip or vacation? 
Our extended family took a sailing trip to Croatia for two weeks. We chartered a 50’ catamaran with a skipper, woke up each morning and picked a new island to sail to. We had an amazing time using the freedom of boat life to relax and explore new places

What’s a book you’d recommend to just about anyone? Why? 
So many. I’m a big believer in reading to escape the reality of day to day-Fantasy/Sci-Fi and stuff like that. I tend to listen to audiobooks while commuting. I’m a huge fan of the Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin. It’s a great science-fantasy novel in exploring some complex social themes in a world with amazing magic and recurring apocalyptic events. All 3 books in the series won the Hugo award (best sci-fi book). I’ve got a million more recs if you like that one.

What does a perfect weekend look like to you?
Friday happy hour before picking up the kids, backyard hangs and grilling for dinner. A nice family breakfast followed by a few kids’ sport events and an evening with friends. Maybe a little Sunday golf?

What are you most proud of accomplishing in your life, NOT professionally, so far?
Renovating our home. My wife is also an Architect, and we took on the task of de-converting an outdated 2-flat in Chicago’s Roscoe Village neighborhood into our “forever home”. It’s for sure the most challenging thing we have done, and the architecture project I have learned the most from completing (amazing how different the residential world is from the type of architecture we practice).

LJC Office: St. Louis 
Title/Role: Design Staff I
Focus: Architecture
School: Bachelor of Architectural Technologies, Ranken Technical College, in the process of finishing a Dual Master's program in Architecture and Construction Management at Washington University in St. Louis

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up and why?
Growing up, I never thought about a specific job title, but I always knew what I wanted to do: build my own family home. Whether through construction, design, or both, I dreamed of creating something lasting that carried my mark.

What does a perfect weekend look like to you?
A perfect weekend starts with a cold shower and a good morning workout, followed by time outdoors with my family and partner. Whether it’s a fishing trip or simply exploring new places together, the best weekends are spent staying active, sharing delicious meals that my mom cooks, and making memories with family.

What is something about you that would surprise your co-workers?
Many of my co-workers know me well since I’ve been with the company since high school, but something that might surprise them is my love for dancing. My mom taught me traditional Mexican dances when I was a kid, and it’s something I still enjoy but don’t get to practice as much anymore — same with wrestling.

What are you most proud of accomplishing in your life professionally, so far?
I’m proud not just of what I’ve accomplished, but of where I am today. By pushing myself beyond limits I didn’t think I could reach, I’ve continued moving forward in my educational goals while building a better version of myself. That perseverance and determination are what I’m most proud of.

LJC Office: Chicago, IL
Title/Role: Associate
Focus: Architecture
School: Illinois Institute of Technology
Professional affiliations: NOMA, AIA, CWA

What’s the most fun you’ve had on a trip or vacation?
I went to Türkiye for my cousin’s wedding, and between the celebrations, we crammed in as much exploring as we could. It was a fun twist attending an Indian wedding in another super culturally rich place. The wedding stretched over a week, with each event bigger than the last! Since most of the wedding events were in the evenings, our days became a race to see as much of Istanbul as possible. Some of the sights we visited even doubled as the venues for the events. We also made a quick trip to Cappadocia, where we caught sunrise from a hot air balloon and went horseback riding through historical rock formations. That last part was a bit of a surprise; I definitely went into it a little blind and quickly realized I’m more of a flat-terrain kind of rider! (The photo is right before I knew what I was in for).

What’s your most niche, non-work-related interest? 
One of my favorite niche hobbies is going to estate sales. It’s something I started doing with my dad when I was growing up. We'd spot estate sale signs on the weekends and end up walking through some cool houses. It’s both a bit unsettling and fun, poking through trinkets and soaking in that strange feeling of spaces frozen in time. Wandering through wallpapered hallways or shag-carpeted basements, you start piecing together stories from the smallest details. There’s some history, some curiosity, and a lot of fun in it + I’ve walked away with some awesome vintage lamps.

What’s the last TV show you binged and enjoyed? What was so good about it? 
I know I’m late to it, but I finally binged both seasons of Severance. The mix of eerie vibes and slow mystery really kept me watching. I also loved the cinematography and all the little design details, from the furniture to the outfits, that gave the show such a specific mood.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up and why?
I was sure I’d either become a doctor or a photographer. Then I took AP Biology and Chemistry and realized a career in medicine wasn’t something I could see myself enjoying long-term. Photography stuck around though. I’m not a professional, but I love shooting on film cameras and learning as I go.

LJC Office: Chicago, IL
Title/Role: Principal/ Higher Education/Institutional Practice Group Leader
Focus: Architecture
School: Purdue University and The University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Professional affiliations: American Institute of Architects, AICP, American Institute of Certified Planners, LEED AP BD+C, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional, RLA, Registered Landscape Architect, CLARB, Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, ASLA, American Society of Landscape Architects, 41st Ward - Zoning Advisory Board Chairman, Boy Scouts of America, Assistant Scout Master & Advancement Chairman, Purdue Triangle House Board Member, Norwood Park Advisory Council - President, Norwood Park Historical Society - Board Member, APT, Association of Preservation Technologists, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana

What is something about you that you think would surprise your co-workers? 
I have been in King Tut's Tomb and lived to tell the story. My wife, Genny, and I spent our Honeymoon touring Upper, Middle and Lower Egypt. While each part of the trip and everything that we saw was remarkable, the Valley of the Kings was on a whole different level. Having the opportunity to explore the vast tombs of Seti, Ramses, and Amenhotep put the significance of Tutankhamun's into perspective. Because Tutankhamun's reign was relatively short, his tomb was small and much more difficult for thieves to find and plunder. Because of this Howard Carter was able to discover the undisturbed tomb of a Pharaoh.

What’s a book you’d recommend to just about anyone? Why? 
I consider “The Guns of August” by Barbara Tuchman to be one of the greatest books of the 20th Century. Her meticulous and painstaking research assembled in chronological order the events that led to the beginning of World War I. Her account of the Funeral of Edward IIV creates a marvelous illustration of words describing in detail the last major global event at which not only the crowned heads of Europe assembled, but also the Last Emperor of China. Barbara Tuchman also documents an event that led to the destabilization of the Middle East and pulled the Ottoman Empire into World War I in telling the story of the German ships, SMS Goeben and SMS Breslau, taking refuge in the straits leading to Istanbul Harbor.

What are you most proud of accomplishing in your life, professionally, so far? 
While working on Navy Pier, we secured the assignment to restore Louis Sullivan's Land and Loan Office in Algona, Iowa. Even the experienced Louis Sullivan experts like John Vinci and Tim Samuelson told us not to bother because the building was too far gone, and its precious pieces, such as the twelve Louis Millet Art Glass windows and the Christian Schneider Terra Cotta urns, had been removed and were in collections elsewhere. Over a period approaching twenty years of countless weekend work sessions, removing subsequent layers one at a time, the original floor plan revealed itself, and the as-built conditions became apparent. Through countless grants from the Iowa State Historic Preservation Office, the Algona Land and Loan Office, also known as the Henry C. Adams Building, was restored, its vault reconstructed, the terra cotta urns recreated, and the art glass windows returned from the art collection of JPMorgan/Chase.

https://www.facebook.com/AlgonaSullivanBuildingFoundation/videos/10201264862297332/?idorvanity=455620884533077

https://www.facebook.com/AlgonaSullivanBuildingFoundation

What are you most proud of accomplishing in your life, NOT professionally, so far? 
Somehow, my wife and I have managed to raise four marvelous and very interesting and engaged children. Andrew (22) recently received degrees in both Economics and International Relations from Syracuse University. William (20) is a junior at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, majoring in political Science and playing both club rugby and basketball. Nora (18) is a freshman at DePauw University, majoring in business and is a member of the Women's basketball team. Mary (16) is a Junior at Loyola Academy, is a member of the swim Team and water polo team. While I've only raised four children, my wife claims to have raised five.