POWERFUL XII BIOS
Rossana Hu – Founding Partner, Neri&Hu Design and Research Office
Chair and Miller Professor of the Department of Architecture, University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design
Rossana Hu co-founded Neri&Hu Design and Research Office with Lyndon Neri in 2006, an inter-disciplinary architectural design practice based in Shanghai. Hu received her Master of Architecture and Urban Planning at Princeton University and her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley with a minor in music.
Alongside her design practice, Hu has been deeply committed to architectural education and has taught and lectured in numerous universities. Hu 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. Hu was appointed as Chair of the Department of Architecture at Tongji University in 2021 and Chair of the Department of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design, effective spring semester 2024.
Diana Greshtchuk – CEO of Fan Your Flame LLC
Diana (She/Her) is the CEO of Fan Your Flame LLC, a financial literacy coach, and your best financial friend. She is passionately committed to guiding entrepreneurs, businesses and individuals to achieve a wide variety of financial goals. Diana utilizes pioneering methods rooted in practical financial concepts, business acumen, and mindset work to educate and empower her clients to achieve goals of financial independence, transformation, and abundance.
Diana is a Certified Neuro-Identity Evolution Practitioner™ and is a Certified Emotional Intelligence Practitioner. By day, she is a Principal of Fund Accounting & Finance at a private equity/venture capital firm based in Los Angeles, and holds an active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation in the State of California. She’s a seasoned investor, venture capitalist, and angel investor for aspiring female entrepreneurs with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry.
Diana gives back to the community by volunteering as a Board Member for the Point Foundation, a non-profit organization that empowers promising lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential –despite the obstacles often put before them – to make a significant impact on society. She also serves on the board of Every Day Action, which safely and swiftly redistributes leftover gourmet food from corporate events, tv/film sets, grocery stores and more to local unhoused and food insecure communities in Los Angeles.
Winka Dubbeldam – Founder, Archi-Tectonics
Archi-Tectonics, founded in 1998 by Winka Dubbeldam, and now co-led with Justin Korhammer (2016), Archi-Tectonics is a global design studio headquartered in New York City, with offices in Los Angeles, Amsterdam and Hangzhou. The firm is engaged in over 250,000 sqm of new developments across North America and Europe, including an urban superblock of 31-story residential towers and urban forest in Albania.
Innovation through Collaboration / Non-Standard – We foster creative synergies to generate highly efficient, adaptable buildings and environments by fully integrating a team of creative collaborators, engineers, and fabricators into the design process. Working closely with manufacturers through continuous prototyping and pre-fabrication, enables us to disrupt the standards and limitations of conventional building production, and to generate highly customized but economic structures and materialities.
Designs through Research, Prototyping, and Testing – We value performance over form and design intelligence over style and use 3D digital generative design processes that create new building forms that deliver optimized for performance and identity. Archi-Tectonics continuously refine these forms through extensive testing and prototyping to deliver purpose-driven, efficient, sustainable, and imaginative solutions for 21st-century challenges.
Adaptive Hybrids and Organic Systems – We think of buildings as active systems rather than inert objects. Like organisms, our buildings dynamically adapt to their environments, and are designed to be energy efficient, and react to changing functional demands, thus expanding the traditional boundaries of program and typology. By treating buildings, landscape, and environments as a continuum, and by understanding architecture as a way of shaping processes and flows, we create buildings that have agency in their environments and ecospheres and promote the well-being of both the inhabitants and their habitat.
Archi-Tectonics’ work has been exhibited and presented internationally, with exhibits the Venice Biennale [2025, 2023], the AIANY, AEDES Berlin, the Bunker Munich, and MoMa and MoCa among others. Winka spoke at global forums and climate conferences such as COP Dubai [2023], AIA New York [2024], UIA Copenhagen [2023], CTBUH Singapore, and gave a TED talk in Edinburgh Scotland.
Archi-Tectonics’ work has been widely recognized with awards including the CTBUH Award of Excellence, the Luban Prize, the Architizer A+ Award, The PLAN Award, and multiple honors from AIANY.
The firm’s research and projects have been published in five monographs: Monsters and Mutants: Explorations in the Architecture–Nature Continuum (Park Books, 2025); Strange Objects, New Solids And Massive Things (Actar, 2021); Archi-Tectonics: Winka Dubbeldam (DAAB, 2011); AT-INdex (Princeton Architectural Press, 2007); and Winka Dubbeldam, Architect (010 Publishers, 1996).
Archi-Tectonics is a certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE) in New York State.
Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, ACSA, LSSYB, NOMA, SHRM-SCP – 2026 AIA President-Elect / 2027 President / Alma Mater – Howard University
Yiselle Santos Rivera is a visionary architect, educator, and organizational leader who has dedicated her career to creating a more inclusive and resilient future for the profession of architecture. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Yiselle blends her cultural heritage, global design expertise, and advocacy for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (J.E.D.I.) to inspire transformative change in the built environment.
With over 15 years of experience in healthcare architecture and organizational strategy, Yiselle is the Founder and CEO of YSR, LLC, a consultancy that merges architecture, leadership psychology, and intercultural design. She is also a full-time lecturer at Howard University, where she is leading the development of the nation’s first HBCU-based healthcare architecture program.
Previously, Yiselle served as the Global Director of J.E.D.I. at HKS, Inc., where she created a groundbreaking equity framework, launched the LIMITLESS panel series, and spearheaded initiatives that positioned design as a force for belonging and cultural transformation. She also co-founded WIELD (Women Inspiring Emerging Leaders in Design) and LA.IDEA (Latin American Interior Designers, Engineers, and Architects), two influential platforms that amplify underrepresented voices in the industry.
Her leadership within AIA spans from serving on the National Associates Committee to the Strategic Council, where she championed equity, professional development, and mentorship. As AIA 2026 President-Elect / 2027 President, Yiselle’s vision—Adaptive by Design—focuses on people-first leadership, climate resilience, and economic empowerment for architects and communities alike.
Yiselle’s work and voice continue to shape the future of architecture, proving that design is not just about what we build, but about how we create spaces that uplift and connect all people.”
Lindsay Sheron – Architect, Bestor Architecture
Lindsay Sheron is an architect based in Los Angeles who has designed award-winning projects at some of the leading firms in LA, including Bestor Architecture & ZGF. Throughout her career, she developed an aesthetic voice that reflects her values – playfulness, intimacy, love of natural forms, and an emphasis on communal spaces. During the pandemic, she embarked on a project that would serve as a workshop for these ideas – the design and construction of a case study called “Slopehouse,” in Northeast Los Angeles. Completed in 2024, the home is a laboratory for these ideas, and an example of how a two-story single-family house can fit seamlessly into the urban hillside landscape. Her house was featured in LA Times summer 2025 which tells the story of how Lindsay and her husband built the house for themselves.
Sara spent most of her childhood growing up in the Chicagoland area. She completed her Bachelors of Science in Architectural Studies at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, in 2005. While attending U of I, Sara had the opportunity to spend an academic year in Versailles, France, where she was able to study and experience European architecture, lifestyle, and travel. Sara Pijuan ventured to the West Coast to complete her Master of Architecture at University of Southern California in 2007. She was drawn to the indoor-outdoor lifestyle that affords a wide range of architectural styles and opportunities.
Sara Pijuan joined KAA Design in 2007. She is a licensed architect in the state of California and certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), practicing as a Project Architect at KAA. While she has designed and managed a variety of projects, from modern to traditional, Sara Pijuan has expanded her knowledge in classical architecture during her contributions on projects at Evens Architects. In 2017, Sara broadened her understanding of Classical architecture by completing the ICAA’s Regional Intensive at Greystone Mansion, Beverly Hills. Sara is a Senior Associate at KAA Design, contributing to the leadership and evolution of the firm.
Being USC Alumni has enabled Sara to mentor future architects, from events with the USC Architectural Guild, USC Firm Fairs, and being involved in intern programs at KAA with USC students.
Sara is the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Co-Chair for the Women in Architecture in Los Angeles, helping to promote awareness and positive change for women in the profession.
Kristi Paulson, AIA – PAULSON POEI PROJECTS
Kristi Paulson is an impactful leader, Principal, and founder of the Los Angeles studio of PAULSON POEI PROJECTS. She designs buildings that deal with today’s most urgent challenges: addressing climate change, fostering human connection, promoting wellness, and championing equity.
Her expertise is honed by two decades of experience delivering exceptional structures that maximize their impact by seamlessly integrating visionary design and advanced sustainability strategies. She balances building performance, ecological responsibility, and design excellence to create enduring spaces that are inviting and accessible for everyone.
Kristi’s design leadership coupled with her imaginative and insightful ideas have led to a variety of award-winning projects at the forefront of design and innovation including SC Workplace, Google Spruce Goose in Playa Vista, Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center which will proudly exhibit a vertically stacked Space Shuttle Endeavour, UC Berkeley’s Maximino Martinez Commons and Santa Monica’s Parking Structure 6, among others.
Melodie Yashar – Founder, AENARA
Melodie Yashar is a space architect, technologist, and researcher. She is the founder of AENARA, a practice focused on the development of construction technologies to build off-world habitats and ensure a permanent human presence on the Moon and eventually Mars. In prior roles Melodie was the VP of Building Design and Performance at ICON, a construction technologies company focused on large-scale additive manufacturing for Earth and in space. At ICON Melodie oversaw the design and construction of resilient terrestrial housing solutions in addition to supporting the development of ICON’s off-world construction systems.
Prior to ICON Melodie was a Senior Research Associate with the Human Systems Integration Division at NASA Ames via San Jose State University Research Foundation (SJSURF), as well as a co-founder of Space Exploration Architecture (SEArch+), a research group developing human supporting designs for space exploration.
Melodie teaches undergraduate and graduate design studios at Art Center College of Design. Melodie obtained a Master of Architecture from Columbia University and a Master of Human-Computer Interaction with an emphasis in Robotics from the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon. She is the Vice Chair of AIAA’s Space Architecture Technical Committee and a member of ASCE’S Aerospace Division Executive Committee.
Toni Lewis, AIA – AIA-LA VP, President-Elect, Lewis/Schoeplein architects
A third generation Los Angeles native, Toni is founding principal of Lewis/Schoeplein architects, a multi-disciplinary practice focused on sustainable community-based projects for institutions, government, non-profits and private developers. She is the current VP/President-elect of AIA/Los Angeles and a board member at AIA/California, and previously served as AIA/LA Treasurer, as CFO of the Association for Women in Architecture + Design, and on the Mulholland Scenic Corridor Design Review Board. Toni has a BA in Architecture from UC Berkeley and an M.Arch from UCLA.
Carina Mills, AIA – RDC-S111, Inc.
Carina Mills, AIA serves as Senior Director of Talent Managment and Senior Associate for RDC-S111, Inc., a group of design firms including: RDC, DyeLot Interiors, PDO, and Studio One Eleven. Carina is the President of AIA California, currently serving her term as of 2025. She is a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona’s BArch program and began her service to AIA as soon as she moved to Long Beach and joined the local chapter. Carina began her career dedicated to developing her skills as a technical architect, and as her career path has evolved, she has taken on leadership roles to support practice improvements. Carina has great love for the architecture profession coupled with a tenacious commitment to continuously evolving aspects of it, such as her passion for making the profession more inclusive and equitable.
Susan Nwankpa Gillespie, AIA – Nwankpa Design
Susan Nwankpa Gillespie, Founder of Nwankpa Design, is a Nigerian-American architect and interior designer based in Southern California. Her firm specializes in the holistic design of residences, aviation and cultural projects, as well commercial spaces for retail and office. Over the course of her career, her bold, contemporary designs have been published in some of the industry’s most-read publications including Dwell, The New York Times, and The Architect’s Newspaper, and have been recognized by the American Institute of Architects.
Susan’s eclectic background informs her layered approach which blends functional details with ideas that surprise and delight. Born to a Nigerian father and mother with French-Canadian roots, Susan grew up in the midwest and moved to New York to study Political Science at Columbia University and began her design career studying Interior Architecture at Pratt Institute. She completed her Masters of Architecture at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and has been working in Los Angeles ever since. Her time as an artist, activist, materials librarian, and qualitative researcher – often in parallel with her design work – continues to enrich her process, allowing her to better guide her clients and elevate their collective effort.
Magdalena Glen-Schieneman, AIA, LEED AP – MGS architecture
Magdalena Glen-Schieneman, AIA, LEED AP, AWA+D, is an architect, artist, founder, and principal of MGS Architecture. She established her firm in 2003 in Los Angeles, California. Hers is a diverse practice focusing on design, art, and sustainability. The firm is known for developing a contemporary style with warmth on the human scale.
MGS Architecture’s projects encompass commercial, hospitality and modern residential architecture and design, branding and design where innovation, collaboration, technical expertise, and creative design are equally important. She is developing a Biome Integration Scale- a tool for architects, designers, planners and policy makers to assess the integration of natural elements into the human environments.
Magdalena has varied professional experiences from small scale residential projects to large scale resorts; she is an accomplished artist in collage and acrylics incorporating her art into many of firm’s projects.
She earned her masters degree in Poland and has practiced architecture in Poland, France, and the United States. Through the AIA, she is an active member of the Committee on Design and a participant in domestic and international conferences focused on design. At AWA+D she served as a board member and a Co-Director of Programs. At present she is a Design Isegoria Chair focusing on professional advancement of women and interdisciplinary collaboration. In her spare time…oops-she has almost no spare time! She lives in Los Angeles with a husband and their three children.
Ghazal Khezri, AIA – Director, LOHA
Ghazal Khezri, AIA, is a director at LOHA. She has been practicing for 15 years and led the design team on projects such as Sandi Simon Center for Dance, Esri Campus Center, La Cienega, and 3434 Wesley. She has contributed to a diverse project typology, from cultural institutions, housing, and mixed-use to installations and objects. Ghazal’s design approach leans heavily on finding adventurous solutions responsive to the context, culture, and ecology of the place to bring joy and welcome transformation. Her ongoing interest includes unlocking new possibilities by questioning when to use an existing building instead of building a new one.
Carmen Suero, Assoc. AIA – Good Project Company
Carmen Suero is a Principal at Good Project Company (GPCO), where she focuses on developing projects that are not only clever and conceptually clear but also highly specific to the opportunities of each project. The firm’s work has been recognized and awarded for its focus on developing projects that are clever, conceptually clear, and tailored to the specific opportunities of each project.
With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Carmen has collaborated with numerous award-winning architecture firms, local and national construction companies, and interior design offices. Her expertise spans different sectors, including rail, aviation, civic, education, and residential. Carmen has been involved in many notable projects throughout her career, including MTA’s Gold, Expo, and Crenshaw transit lines, LAWA’s Landside Modernization Program, the City of Long Beach Civic Center, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. She has made significant contributions to these projects, bringing innovative design ideas and creative problem-solving skills.
Aside from her professional accomplishments, Carmen is pursuing a Doctor of Education degree at the University of Southern California. Her research focuses on architectural practice and the relationship between career development, learning, and representation in the industry. Carmen believes that education is a lifelong journey and is committed to continuously expanding her knowledge and expertise in her field.
Dr. Elizabeth Scott – Productivity & Wellness Coach
Dr. Elizabeth Scott is a Productivity and Wellness Coach, Author, and Expert in Positive Psychology and Stress Management. After two decades of work in the fields of psychology, counseling, and coaching, she now helps high-achieving professionals overcome overwhelm, build sustainable resilience, and design lives they truly enjoy. She holds a PhD in psychology and is the author of 8 Keys to Stress Management, as well as hundreds of articles on stress, well-being, and resilience. Her approach blends research-based tools with personalized coaching to support lasting growth.
Alejandra Guerrero – Office Of: Office
Alejandra was born and raised in northern Mexico. She currently advises international agencies, local governments, and community-led organizations in urban policy matters. She previously worked as the Deputy Director at UCLA’s cityLAB, assistant national manager of urban regeneration at Mexico’s leading housing authority, INFONAVIT, as a community engagement and design fellow in LA-Más, and as a lecturer of sociology, urban planning, and architecture at the University of Monterrey and Carolina University.
Alejandra holds a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Monterrey, a master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles, a master’s in Architecture of Urban Design from University College London, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Sustainable Urban Development from the University of Oxford researching the institutionalization of self-help housing policies in Mexico.
Alicia Morales, Assoc. AIA – AM DESIGN STUDIO, Powerful XII – Entrepreneurship Panel
Alicia M. Morales is the founder and lead designer of AM Design Studio. She earned her Bachelor of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and, in 2015, launched her practice, beginning with residential projects and meaningful contributions to religious architecture. As a planning commissioner and current Co-Chair of the 2×8 AIA ACLA, she has developed a deep commitment to listening and integrating the voices, concerns, and aspirations of communities into the heart of her design process. She also serves as an adjunct professor at East Los Angeles College and teaches at a high school in Los Angeles, inspiring students to discover their passion for architecture and envision their place in the profession.
As a designer, Alicia believes restoration is not simply about repairing what is broken—it is about listening to the craftsmanship of the past. Every cornice, every molding, every faded tile carries a voice, and through careful conservation, she seeks to let them speak again. For her, preserving architectural details honors the hands that came before us and reminds us that beauty does not always need to be reinvented but needs to be remembered.
Jennifer Wu, LEED AP – Registered Architect & Partner, BA – Powerful XII – Adversity Workshop Panel
Jen has been with BA since 2014. She views Interior Design as the crossroads of aesthetics, psychology and problem solving. From the outset of each project, she rigorously works with the client to identify clear goals and preferences resulting in a strong foundation from which the aesthetic articulation can emerge. With the artful eye of a designer and the critical-thinking background of a licensed architect, she seamlessly integrates the interior design into the overall project. Her experience with hospitality and high-end residential projects enriches her commercial and institutional work by allowing her to bring ease and comfort to every built environment in unexpected ways.
Born in Taipei but raised in NYC and Chicago, and having lived in Providence, Austin, Taipei and Dallas, Jen finally settled down in L.A. in 2005.
Shannon Fish – Business Development Specialist, OFFICEUNTITLED – Powerful XII – Adversity Workshop Panel
Shannon Fish is a Business Development Specialist at OFFICEUNTITLED, where she contributes to the development of market strategies, leads marketing pursuits, and supports the creation of new business opportunities through strategic research, proposal development, and client engagement. With a decade of experience in project management and business development, Shannon previously worked at MASS Design Group, where she supported the strategic growth of the U.S. studios. A Los Angeles native, Shannon brings a passion for design, the environment, and social justice to her work. Outside the office, she is an active member of VOX Femina and Tonality, two social justice choirs which use music to advocate for justice for all.
Annija Gaskell, AIA, LEED GA – Associate Architect, Stantec – Powerful XII – Adversity Workshop Panel
As a project architect and project manager with Stantec she has worked on a variety of transit-related projects throughout California. Annija earned her Bachelor of Design-Architecture from the University of Florida and Master of Architecture from Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc).
Annija’s philanthropic values to give back to the community have led her to become an ACE mentor for the past 5 years and volunteer for AAaE events and NOMAS summer camp. Annija is an active member of the DTLA Stantec employee resource groups who help to cultivate the Stantec employee experience. She created the DTLA chapter of Women@Stantec and has been chair of this group since inception.
Charite Carballo is a designer at SOM focusing on interior architecture and hospitality. She earned her M.Arch 1 at SCI Arc where her graduate thesis was awarded the Gehry Prize for Best Thesis. Her research explores the relationship between weaving and computation to develop an encrypted material system that could translate into resilient architectural design. By bridging craft with emerging technologies, her work examines how these practices function as an elevated art and architecture while engaging with the unseen aspects of information and labor. At SOM, Charite continues to push architectural design through material exploration and technological imagination.
Blaze Gonzalez is a director and creative director working across film, music, fashion, and tech. Her background in classical ballet, graphic design and emerging technology form the foundation of her creative practice. Using digital media as a tool for new means of representation, her work spans partnering with global brands like Nike and Autodesk, to presenting films and artworks in international festivals and museums. Her latest short, “Collapse | Body | Form”, premiered on Nowness where it was selected as one of the year’s top films. Blaze holds a Masters from SCI-Arc with a focus on worldbuilding and a Bachelors from SFAI. She is also the co-founder of Technobodies, an experimental research-based media studio in Los Angeles.
Summer Vaughn, Assoc. AIA, NCARB, PCC – Scattered Creatives
Summer is a certified Life and ADHD Coach and founder of Scattered Creatives, where she helps creative professionals understand their unique minds and thrive in demanding design careers. A former architect with more than two decades of experience, Summer threw herself into achievement early, earning awards and scholarships including the Alpha Rho Chi Medal and a prestigious travel fellowship. She began her post-graduate career at Marmol Radziner & Associates, later working as a marketing professional and project manager for a design-minded builder, running her own practice—earning a historic preservation award for the renovation of a 1918 beach house—and serving as senior architect for a boutique firm.
She knows firsthand how creative work can be both deeply fulfilling and deeply draining—leading to perfectionism, burnout, and what she calls “designaholism.” After a late ADHD diagnosis and years of therapy, coaching, and self-development, she turned her hard-won lessons into a mission: helping creative minds, and the workplaces they inhabit, become healthier, more inclusive, and sustainable.
Summer’s coaching and speaking blends neuroscience, behavioral science, and positive psychology with the curiosity and imagination of an architect. A marketing professional, connector, and lifelong design nerd, she thrives on bringing people and ideas together and draws inspiration from her interest in art, cities, environmentalism, and human behavior. She is passionate about creating workplaces where neurodiverse talent thrives and sparking conversations that help creative communities flourish.
Ani Manuk – Columbia University – Powerful XII – Neurodivergence Panel
Ani Manuk is an interior designer with a Bachelor in Architecture, working at the intersection of design, health research, psychology, and special education. Her son, who has autism, is the driving force behind her work, and witnessing how hard he works to navigate the neurotypical world motivated her to pursue a master’s in Developmental Disabilities at Columbia University to gain both academic and clinical understanding of disability. Her transdisciplinary approach aims to transform spaces into environments that empower learning, independence, and inclusion for all individuals with developmental disabilities.
Tatiana Vardanyan – California State University, Northridge – Powerful XII – Neurodivergence Panel
Tatiana Vardanyan is a healthcare leader specializing in training and education to improve patient outcomes. She holds an MPH from California State University, Northridge, and a BA in Psychology from UCLA. As the mother of a 6-year-old son with autism, Tatiana brings both professional expertise and lived experience to healthcare advocacy, offering valuable insights into creating more inclusive and effective care for individuals with autism and their families.
Cynthia Sigler, AIA – The Foothill Catalog Foundation
Cynthia Sigler, AIA is a licensed architect based in Pasadena. Originally from Honolulu, she earned her Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame and is currently an Associate at HKS Architects in Los Angeles.
Passionate about regionally sensitive and sustainable design, Cynthia is motivated by the impact of the built environment at every scale. Her experience spans a wide range of project types, with a focus on commercial and public-facing spaces. She also serves as Associate Director of the AIA Los Angeles Emerging Professionals Committee, where she works to expand licensure resources, networking, and professional development opportunities for the newest members of the profession.
In January 2025, Cynthia co-founded The Foothill Catalog Foundation. Personally impacted by the Eaton Fire as a Pasadena–Altadena community member, she has dedicated the past eight months to developing the framework for pre-approved plans that make the path to rebuilding more accessible to all wildfire survivors.
Gabbi Sun, AIA is a licensed Architect and founder of Venn Studio, an Architecture and Interior Design practice based in Los Angeles. She earned her Bachelor of Architecture degree from the nationally recognized program at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Gabbi founded Venn Studio in 2017 with the vision of bringing design, community, and technology together in built form. Under her leadership, the studio has grown into an emerging practice recognized for its design-immersive and thoughtful approach to finely crafted architecture. The firm’s portfolio spans custom residences, ADUs, multi-family housing, and commercial developments across the United States, with a reputation for guiding projects seamlessly from concept through construction.
Before establishing her own practice, Gabbi was a lead designer at the award-winning firms Michael Folonis Architects and Isaman Design. These experiences deepened her appreciation for California Modernist traditions and helped shape her vision for a contemporary design studio rooted in innovation and collaboration.
Venn Studio’s notable projects include the Keogh Residence and Ramos Residence in Manhattan Beach, the Cliff May Residence Restoration in Long Beach, the Ojai Residence in Ojai, and The Revery, a commercial adaptive reuse project in Chinatown, Los Angeles.
Through Venn Studio, Gabbi continues to advance architecture that is refined, contextually attuned, and deeply connected to the way people live. In addition to her design work, she is committed to championing minority women in architecture, creating opportunities and visibility for the next generation of designers.
Lisa Copeland – KAA Design Group
Lisa is the Chief Financial Officer at KAA Design Group, a luxury residential architecture and landscape design firm. She brings over 25 years of experience as a Chief Financial Officer providing strategy, leadership and financial risk management. Prior to joining KAA, Lisa worked in the banking, construction and real estate industries. She served as a former bank examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and a Business Integration Consultant for Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting). She has traveled extensively throughout her career and spent a year working abroad in Zurich, Switzerland.
Lisa oversees the firm’s operational and financial reporting and processes, provides long and short term financial planning and budgeting, develops the firm’s financial strategies, and provides risk management for all of the KAA Design Group’s entities. Her passion for finance and accounting has led her to participate and assist in forming a CFO Roundtable group which is comprised of other local design firms within the Los Angeles area with the united goal to create Best Practices within our industry.
Emine Buran is a designer and creative based in Los Angeles, where she works on high-end residential projects at KAA Design Group. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Yasar University and a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture and Urbanism from the University of Southern California. She bridges disciplines to create spaces that are both aspirational and rooted in craft. Beyond her professional role, she is deeply engaged in academia; mentoring students, participating in USC Firm Fairs, studio reviews, and speaking on panels. She also leads KAA Design’s intern and mentorship programs, fostering the next generation of designers.
Emine’s design philosophy is rooted in storytelling, seeing both projects and careers as layered narratives shaped by place, people, and defining moments. This perspective informs her work and her approach to career development, where she champions authenticity, reflection, and purposeful growth.
At Powerful XI, she will be one of the discussion leaders for Design Your Narrative: Shaping Careers with Purpose, a reflective workshop that invites architects to pause, reconnect with their aspirations, and articulate their unique journeys while embracing both career-defining successes and pivotal setbacks.
Palav Patel – Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Palav Patel is an emerging professional at Lamar Johnson Collaborative with over five years of experience in architecture and design. Growing up in Malawi, she witnessed firsthand how the built environment shapes communities, inspiring her to pursue a career focused on creating resilient, equitable, and connected places. At LJC, Palav works on entertainment and residential projects, contributing as both a junior project manager and technical staff to ensure projects are grounded in creativity and technical excellence. Prior to joining LJC, she worked at Gensler on workplace, media, and technology projects. Beyond her practice, Palav serves on the AIA Technology in Architectural Practice (TAP) Committee, where she champions innovation, design technology, and the advancement of AI in the AEC industry.
Mary Lee – Senior Director – Community Outreach, Advocacy, & Engagement, Special Needs Network, Inc.
Ms. Lee’s transformative relationship with the Special Needs Network has brought her from being an inaugural Parent Advocate trainee to her current role as Senior Director at the non-profit. In this role she serves as a Mentor Liaison to new and existing Parent Leaders by assisting the Programs team in developing workshops for the signature Parent Advocacy Mentor (PAM) Program of Special Needs Network. The resultant covid-19 virtual training platform, which she and the Programs team created, has expanded the SNN reach to families and advocates across the country. After 27 years of corporate work in the fields of Sales and Marketing, Credit Management, and Retail Credit Management, Mary Lee shifted her focus to a lifelong passion of teaching, especially disadvantaged children in underserved areas. She became a Contracted Substitute as a Licensed Early Childhood Educator/Paraprofessional and provided after-school tutoring for LAUSD students through Beyond the Bell. All the while, Ms. Lee was on a learning curve herself because of her son’s educational impact due to his autism/adhd diagnosis in elementary school. Facing systemic and racial biases and barriers to service and supports needed caused her to seek out community resources. With the empowerment and knowledge trajectory she gained from the Special Needs Network training mode (PAM)l, Ms. Lee is paying it forward by leading the organization’s advocacy and community outreach to strengthen parent/caregiver engagement and to raise community awareness. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California, and her son is now a self-sufficient, fully employed young man who also serves as an Ambassador of the Special Needs Network.
Abby Katcher, AIA – Berliner Architects
Abby is a California-licensed architect with a passion for the arts and community building. She has experience in several innovative Los Angeles firms, including Berliner Architects, where she is currently a Project Architect with a focus on K-12 schools and entertainment facilities. Previously, she worked at Frederick Fisher and Partners, where she was the Project Architect on the renovation of warehouse storage and conservation facilities for a major museum. Abby worked for most of her career at Sander Architects on residential projects, including the development of a 10-lot subdivision in Sun Valley, Idaho, and a new guest residence for a high-
profile client in Malibu.
After receiving her BA in Art from Yale University, Abby moved to New York City, where she worked as a fund-raiser for international museums. She was dedicated to creating her own artwork at this time and exhibited projects at Socrates Sculpture Park and the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Seeking to combine her diverse interests into her career, Abby returned to school for architecture at UCLA, where she received her M.Arch I degree. She loves that her profession has opened her eyes to new areas of interest, including sustainability, accessibility, and mentorship. Abby has always been a champion of women in art, architecture, and design and is also an active member of AWA+D.
Lynnelle Bryant, CID ASID Allied – Masbuild Design Solutions
Lynnelle Bryant is a Certified Interior Designer and the President and CEO of Masbuild Design Solutions, a full-service architecture and interior design firm based in Los Angeles. With more than 35 years of experience, she has led commercial, multifamily residential, educational, and public sector projects with a strong focus on community impact and mission-driven design.
Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Lynnelle knew from grade school that she wanted to be an interior designer. She earned her B.A. in Interior Design from Drake University’s College of Fine Arts, including a semester abroad at the University of Seville and the School of Applied Arts in Seville, Spain. A past president of the Pasadena Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers and current Executive Board Member of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, she has been recognized for her leadership and advocacy in the profession.
In response to the devastating Eaton Fire, Lynnelle and her team at Masbuild are designing and rebuilding 20 single-family homes in Altadena—including her own. Her personal experience as both a survivor and a design leader drives her commitment to helping families navigate the rebuilding process and restore a sense of home.
Alongside her husband and business partner, architect Charles T. Bryant, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, (Past President AIA Foothill Chapter) Lynnelle is also deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of design professionals. Through internships, mentorships, and student engagement, she creates pathways for emerging talent to enter the field.
She has been married for 34 years, is the proud mother of four, and grandmother of two.
Brittany Moffett is a Senior Resilience Engineer with Arup, known for connecting the dots between multi-hazard resilience, reducing risks for tomorrow, and unlocking co-benefits today. Her work spans scales and sectors, exploring how individual buildings can support grid resilience and how trusted community assets can be activated as safe havens during escalating climate hazards. Brittany was a lead author of the USGBC-CA’s California Wildfire Rebuilding Guide, published in April, which helps communities think beyond wildfire recovery to rebuild with resilience against the full spectrum of hazards facing Los Angeles. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Master’s in Building Science from USC’s School of Architecture.
Emily Dinnerman – Founder, Substrata
Emily Dinnerman is an interdisciplinary designer and Founder of Substrata, a Los Angeles–based studio shaping resilient, human-centered architecture. From ADUs to commercial storefronts, she blends emerging technologies with grounded, thoughtful principles to create spaces that honor both people and place. Every project is a chance to push boundaries, whether that’s experimenting with process, elevating sustainable materials, and designing for well-being.
Emily has shaped ideas at Woods Bagot, Tesla, and WET Design, and now leads Substrata with the belief that high-end architecture should be both sustainable and attainable, reflecting the diverse communities that define Los Angeles. As a moderator and advocate for emerging voices in design, Emily brings energy, curiosity, and clarity to the table, championing architecture as a force for connection, innovation, and community empowerment.
