Sarah Warto is a landscape architect and founder of Boxleaf Design.  Influenced by her mother and grandmother, fellow landscape designers and passionate botanical enthusiasts, Sarah was exposed at a young age to many aspects of the field; igniting her passion for design and its intersection with the natural world. Sarah is a proud New York native who earned her landscape architecture degree from Cornell University, where she learned how to apply rigorous technical skill to a growing appreciation for innovative and humanistic landscapes.  

Her career began at HOK, working on large-scale and highly-complex international and national planning and landscape projects.  Later moving to the private sector, Sarah, was able to apply her appreciation for historical gardens to creating highly personalized, timeless and contextual spaces.   

In 2012, she started her own practice, Boxleaf Design, a full service landscape architectural firm, focusing on high end residential and commercial work in the Bay Area. Sarah is continually seeking insight and creative rejuvenation from the Bay Area's native and diverse environment, in its purest and most rugged form. 

 

In this episode, Sarah talks about how her interest in landscape architecture developed, what landscape architecture school was like, and her first job experiences out of school. Sarah also shares what made her decide to start her own studio, her experience growing and managing a practice, her design process, how landscapes are always evolving and never finite, and advice for those who want to start their own businesses.

Madelynn Ringo is an architectural designer specializing in experiential spaces that resound with purposeful beauty. With an insatiable passion for problem-solving and high regard for heartbeat moments, Ringo creates storied environments expressed within a formidable architectural framework. Simply, Ringo scales brand identities to life with a commitment to feel-good originality.

Ringo received her Architecture Master’s degree from Yale University and employs her classical training through an intuitive lens that celebrates beauty and architecture as an experiential artform. Her sculptural approach to space powers Ringo’s adventurous use of texture, form, materials and color, pushing functionality into a realm of convention-breaking appeal.

Previously, Ringo served as the creative lead on retail experiences for Glossier, designing locations in Miami, Boston, Austin and Atlanta.  Immersive experiences for iconic brands such as Studs, Bala, Funny Face Bakery and the Museum of Ice Cream are among her portfolio of designs for beauty, wellness and culturally inclusive lifestyle brands with a focus on collaborative exploration, collective solutions and a strong belief in spaces that resonate.  Madelynn is also the Head of Studio Design for aging wellness brand Modern Age, bringing the customer experience to life through careful consideration for every customer touchpoint. 

Ringo founded Brooklyn-based Ringo Studio in 2020 with a focus on collaborative exploration, collective solutions and a strong belief in spaces that resonate. 

In this episode, Madelynn shares her experience moving to New York City, navigating the early years of her career and curating her professional experiences before starting her own studio. Madeleynn talks about her design process, why she loves the discovery phase of projects, and how she balances inspiration versus invention in the visually saturated world that we all live in now. We also talk about designing for Gen Z and Millennial audiences, and the desire to create emotional reactions in people when they enter a space. You can also find Madelynn on Instagram @madelynnringo.

Deryl McKissack is the founder, chairwoman and chief executive officer of McKissack & McKissack, a national architecture, engineering, program- and construction-management firm currently working on over $15 billion in projects nationwide. Under her leadership, McKissack has worked for public and private clients in the civic, culture, energy, education, entertainment, healthcare, hospitality, housing, infrastructure, mixed-use and office sectors and grown to over 150 employees with offices in Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington, D.C.

Deryl is a licensed engineer and the fifth generation of her family to work in design and construction. Her firm is an extension of the nation’s oldest African American design and construction firm, and traces its origin to Moses McKissack, a master builder who was also a slave. Before founding her firm in 1990, Deryl earned a B.S. in civil engineering at Howard University and worked at Turner Construction and Dames & Moore to hone her experience in field work, business development and construction management.

Among the many nationally significant projects in McKissack’s portfolio of work today are Museum of African American History and Culture, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the Obama Presidential Center and the Navy Pier Centennial Projects in Chicago.

In this episode, Deryl talks about how she first got her start in the industry by drafting at her father’s architecture firm at the age of 12, her experience managing a large university facilities team by the age of 27, and what ultimately made her want to start her own business. Deryl shares the challenges she’s faced throughout her career as a black woman, how she’s persevered to become the successful business woman she is today, and gives some great advice for those who want to start their own businesses. Deryl also talks about her 7 point plan to combat racism in the AEC industry.

 

Liz Leber is the Managing Partner at Beyer Blinder Belle in New York City.  Liz is dedicated to advancing mission-based institutions through forward-looking architecture and planning projects. Guided by her astute and inquisitive nature, Liz excels at extracting the core objectives of her clients and their stakeholders and translating the collective needs and mission of institutions into creative architectural solutions. Both within and outside the firm, she is recognized for her ability to approach every challenge with a balance of creativity, pragmatism, and unfailing optimism. In this episode, Liz talks about her experience spending much of career at the same firm, and how she advanced to become Managing Partner. She shares what made her gravitate toward leadership and management roles, how one can learn or hone their leadership skills, and the importance of vulnerability as a leader. Liz also talks about what drew her to adaptive reuse projects, her approach to these projects, and what impact she hopes to leave on the world.

Latoya Nelson Kamdang is the Director of New York Operations for Moody Nolan. She is also a U.S. Fulbright Senior Scholar, Registered Architect, Certified Interior Designer, and LEED AP BD+C. Her experience spans architecture, planning, exhibit design, industrial and interior design. She has experience in hospitality, retail, museums, workplace, education, and institutional. Latoya was on the design team for the Smithsonian Institute National Museum of African American History and Culture. While practicing, Latoya has been simultaneously working as a Visiting Associate Professor at Pratt Institute. She educates students on interdisciplinary design and material theory. She has a research focus on expanding urban areas, neighborhood gentrification, sustainable technologies, and indigenous architecture. Latoya earned a Master of Architecture from University of Pennsylvania School of Design as well as a Certificate in Real Estate Design & Development from the Wharton School of Business. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing from Georgetown University. She currently sits on the board for Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation, The New York State Board of Architecture, The First 500, and the Van Alen Institute VanGuard.

In this episode, Latoya shares how she went from being a Fulbright Senior Scholar in Taiwan, to becoming Director of Operations at Moody Nolan in New York.  She shares her experience as a professor at Pratt, how she developed her skillset as a professor, her approach to teaching and meeting students where they are. We also discuss the challenges of becoming a working mother, and figuring out how to carve out space for yourself.

Anamika Goyal is a biologist-turned-architect solving for scale in a complex industry with high human impact.  She is Head of Design at Cottage, a San Francisco based start-up that helps homeowners build Accessory Dwelling Units. Anamika is committed to bringing fresh ideas, pace, and processes to the AEC industry, and made the leap into residential architecture from her former experience in commercial design & construction at WeWork. She has devoted her career to experiments on smarter ways of working within the AEC industry. In this episode, Anamika talks about her journey from being a pre-med student, to working at more traditional architecture firms, to jumping into the start-up world.. She talks about how the design process works at Cottage, what makes them different from a traditional design firm, and other innovations she’d like to see in the building industry We also talk about the difference between professional services and consumer services, how Anamika prepared for leadership roles, and advice for people who want to shift career paths.

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Books Anamika mentions in the episode:

• Radical Candor
• The Goal

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Wendy Rogers is CEO and Chief Talent Officer of LPA Design Studios, an integrated design firm dedicated to creating projects that innovate, inspire and improve people’s lives. Wendy leads a team of more than 400 architects, engineers, landscape architects and interior designers in California and Texas.  As CEO, she handles the day-to-day operations of the firm, with a special focus on increasing the role of LPA's proprietary research unit, LPAred, and expanding LPA's unique informed design approach. As Chief Talent Officer, she is also responsible for developing the culture and lifestyle at the firm to retain and attract people who want to grow and make a difference in the built environment.

Wendy is a vocal advocate for sustainable design and the importance of using research to support design strategies. LPA has made energy performance a core value of the firm. For two years in a row, LPA was largest firm in the country to surpass the AIA 2030 Commitment, which establishes annual targets for reducing energy in projects. She is a regular speaker at events advocating for designs that respond to the environment and the needs of the people who use the spaces.

A graduate of California Polytechnic State University in Pomona, California, Wendy is a LEED Accredited Professional and a Fellow of the AIA.

In this episode Wendy talks about her career journey from starting as an intern at LPA to being named CEO in 2017. Wendy shares her advice for those who want to become leaders in their organizations, how to foster a culture where people can bring their authentic selves to work, and raising your hand for something when you don’t think you’re ready yet. Wendy also talks about being CEO during the pandemic, how she thinks architecture firms will need to evolve in the future, and gives some great advice for working parents.

Marilyn Moedinger is the founding principal of Runcible Studios. Like the runcible spoon she is happiest operating at the seams between practicality and whimsy, utility and beauty, the esoteric and the mundane. Deeply passionate about the capacity for design to affect positive change in the world, Marilyn’s interest in all aspects of housing, the connections between urban and rural life, the construction process, justice in the built environment, and the overlaps among disciplines, methodologies, and practices fuels Runcible Studios’ mission to be nimble, rigorous, curious, fun, and meaningful.

An adjunct professor for over 10 years, she has taught design studios, construction detailing, building science, theory, and design-build and community engagement courses at Boston Architectural College, Wentworth Institute of Technology, and Northeastern University. In addition to her teaching, Marilyn has lectured on her research and served as a guest critic at architecture schools across the country. 

In this episode, Marilyn talks about all the ins and outs of running your own architecture practice! We cover so many interesting topics in our conversation, from how Marilyn accidentally ended up starting her own business, to how she experiments with her business and is now getting into development, to finding the right clients and not undervaluing your work. We also talk about setting boundaries as a business owner and if you really have to be on all the time.

Kavitha Mathew is the Global Diversity Officer at KPF, and leads the firm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, as well as the development and implementation of the firm’s global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitment. Mathew oversees KPF’s many internal Communities such as KPF Public, KPF Pride, and KPF+, helps guide KPF’s recruitment and resourcing, as well as its philanthropic and volunteer efforts. Leveraging her experience as an architect, Mathew’s work at KPF has a project-focused component, advising on engagement and communication with the community. Kavitha is also the Founder and President of Equity Co:LAB, and the Special Projects Director of the American Institute of the AIANY. Previously Director of Corporate Architectural Services for Ralph Lauren, she has also worked in various architectural roles at firms including KPF, Spacesmith, and Ted Moudis Associates, as well as her own practice.

In this episode, Kavitha talks about her career journey, from practicing as an architect, to working on the client side, to now becoming the Global Diversity Officer at KPF. Kavitha shares how her passion for equity and social justice work developed, what she thinks is needed at an organization to make equity and inclusion efforts successful, and her advice for companies who are just beginning equity work. We also talk about Corporate Social Responsibility, and the movement toward transparency.

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We want to hear from you! Please send your feedback to [email protected] and follow the show on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/designvoicepodcast.

Kat Dovjenko is the Senior Creative Director at Muse & Company.  Inspired by the dynamic energy around architecture and urban planning, Kat believes that the more complex, ambitious, and unsolvable the problem, the better. She drives talented teams to unite and achieve outcomes they would not be able to do individually—at multiple scales and in multiple stages of the design process. She most recently worked at Google's R&D for the Built Environment where she oversaw workplace innovation projects. 

Kat loves navigating speculative pockets of the future and weaving together how they might impact our built spaces. She never shies away from ambiguity, and is skilled at using foresight and storytelling to propel leading edge technologies into real products for the built world and beyond. She studied Finance in Vancouver, Canada, before earning her Masters in Architecture from the University of Toronto.

In this episode we talk about:

• Kat’s role as Senior Creative Director at Muse & Company
• Her career journey and pivoting from architecture to tech
• Advice and resources for people who want to work in tech
• Kat’s experience working at Google
• How switching careers can often feel like burning off a piece of your identity
• Why architecture as a profession has such a grip on people’s identities
• On not tying your identity and self worth to your job
• The biggest challenges facing the world, and how the architecture profession needs to evolve in order to address them
• Kat’s predictions for where the future of the architecture profession should head
• Why we need to make the built world more like manufacturing
• How architecture tools need a revamp

Resources Kat mentions:

• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
• Architechie Slack channel
• On Deck Fellowship
• Teal HQ
• Lambda School
• Turning School
• Google UX Design Professional Certificate

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We want to hear from you! Please send your feedback to [email protected] and follow the show on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/designvoicepodcast.

Stacie Wong is a Principal at GLUCK+. Named by Fast Company as a top 10 most innovative companies in architecture, the firm is recognized for Architect Led Design Build. Stacie’s considerable design and construction experience began 26 years ago with the Yale Building Project's design-build of a single-family residence in New Haven. Ever since, she has been involved in educational, commercial and residential work across the United States. Stacie brings expertise in leading strategic planning, research, programming, and community stakeholder engagement with private and public institutional clients, as well as stewarding the design and construction for the successful completion of many technically complex projects. She has been an advocate for architects’ involvement in construction to increase their agency in the building process and impact on the design of the physical environment, including features in Metropolis Magazine, Wallpaper* and Architectural Design (UK). Notable award-winning projects include ONStage at Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York City, Pilkey Lab, a LEED Gold science research building for Duke University Marine Laboratory on their coastal campus; Artist Retreat in Upstate New York; and The East Harlem School in New York City. Current projects in progress include Van Sinderen Plaza, affordable housing in East New York and City Seminary of New York's campus in Harlem. Stacie received her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master of Architecture from Yale University.  

In this episode we talk about:

• Stacie’s desire to become a complete architect, and know how a building actually gets put together, led to her interest in design-build projects
• How GLUCK+ scaled up its design-build work to include both single-family residences and public institutional work
• Stacie’s experience working as a Superintendent on a construction site
• Advice for emerging professionals on navigating construction sites and Construction Administration 
• Why there’s no shame in not knowing everything, and the best way to learn
• How GLUCK+ is set up so everyone works on both the design and construction side
• Why there is less liability in design-build than people may think

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We want to hear from you! Please send your feedback to [email protected] and follow the show on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/designvoicepodcast.