2022 Staff Promotions

Lee Devore is promoted to Principal.
In only a few short years, Lee has stepped quietly into the role of finding and transitioning new leadership for our sustainability practice, as well as adding new talent to our awesome NEXT Team. He brings a very thoughtful mindset to tackling difficult situations and problems. In the last year, he has gotten more engaged in developing new business opportunities, an important component of becoming a principal.

Ed Stand is promoted to Principal.
Since joining HLW in 2013, Ed’s passion for architecture and tremendous commitment to HLW have been obvious for all to see. He has managed some of the most prestigious base building projects during his tenure. Additionally, he has taken on the development of HLW’s quality assurance and quality control program.

Melissa Strickland is promoted to Principal.
From senior associate to principal in just five years, this accomplishment is a testament to what Melissa consistently brings to the table. Melissa checks all the boxes of an excellent HLW employee: Best-in-class design sensibility, strong leadership skills, and a personality that endears colleagues and charms clients. Always taking on big challenges with grace, positivity, and a dash of good humor, we are proud to promote Melissa to principal.

Johanna Devia is promoted to Associate Principal.
Johanna’s background with the technical side of our work, along with her organizational and project management skills, makes her a valuable studio director. Her strong will to get the work done, exceed client expectations, speak up, and always try to do things better will take her far. She has been a mentor to several staff members who are flourishing at HLW; we expect to see more strong team members emerge under her watch.

Currie Gardner is promoted to Associate Principal.
Currie’s innate ability to engage clients, encourage business development, and be a fixture in the larger design industry (evidenced by his longstanding participation on the IIDA Leader’s Breakfast committee) are only a few of the reasons for his promotion. He consistently makes informed decisions that contribute to the longevity of our business and are in the best interest of his clients and coworkers.

Jeremiah Hancock is promoted to Associate Principal.
Since joining HLW seven years ago, Jeremiah has been an integral part of the firm’s leadership. He manages some of the largest and most complex projects, all while helping to run the Connecticut studio. Additionally, he is heavily involved in the broadcast and media sector, working closely with Keith Hanadel.

Abigail Le Marchand is promoted to Associate Principal. Abby is a thoughtful designer, a careful listener, an impactful storyteller, and a master delegator. She’s able to effortlessly balance many complex projects while always finding the time to listen, learn, mentor, and empower everyone she works with. Judging by her work, it’s obvious Abby is committed to contributing everything she can to the success of HLW.

Brian Pera is promoted to Associate Principal.
Over the past year, Brian has acted as the studio director of HLW’s L.A. office. Under his leadership, the studio’s finances and morale have flourished; he is equally adored by his colleagues and clients. Brian’s incredible ability to stay calm under pressure and his positive attitude has been a boon to office operations.

Ikue Sone is promoted to Associate Principal.
Since joining HLW almost seven years ago, Ikue has managed dozens of projects and consistently delivered exceptional value to our clients while protecting the best interests of HLW. As the director of our New York office’s Wall Studio, Ikue’s clear and rigorous approach make her one of the highest performing project managers at HLW. While tactfully navigating difficult situations and sustaining an intense workload, she sets a high bar for herself and her exemplary professionalism sets an example for us all.

Christopher Townsend is promoted to Associate Principal.
Chris is an exemplary senior project manager who is calm, cool, and collected at all times. He excels at mentoring staff internally and inspiring his clients’ confidence in HLW. Always willing to lend a hand where needed, Chris’s expertise in both base building and interiors has made him a versatile and valuable team member.

Joshua Vizzi is promoted to Associate Principal.
Josh has gone above and beyond since joining HLW, demonstrating his skills at critical thinking and his loyalty to our firm on a regular basis. He is a strong leader, earning the respect of those around him and the broader team quickly. Over the years, Josh has leaned on his network to bring promising new staff and important new clients to HLW.

Jonce Walker is promoted to Associate Principal.
In his role as the director of BEYOND, Jonce has elevated our firm’s sustainability practice and profile. He has enhanced our service offerings and created an awareness within the firm of what it means to be climate-responsible designers. Jonce is a champion of going beyond the status quo, which can be seen in his passion for using design to create a better world.

Paul Wang is promoted to Associate Principal.
Paul has carried a heavy load since joining the firm, as a project manager for a large account with several projects, projects within those projects, challenging stakeholder personalities, many HLW team members, and a myriad of tense issues on a regular basis. Paul’s contribution goes further now as a Studio Director with a bigger responsibility to the firm and to his team. Paul’s technical knowledge as an architect enables him to look deeper at the work and communicate challenging issues to the project stakeholders.

Additional Promotions

Senior Associate

Alison Grant, Amanda Cole, Erin Vasold, Heiman Zhu, Joseph Stampfl, Kate Caruso, Kelsey Ranson, Lorene Frankel, Nicole Grant, Omar Cevallos, Sarah Batchelor, Stephanie Kotowski, Thomas Turner, Wilson Rivas.

Associate

Angel Castillo, Anna Inman, Annie Block, Anthony Frisenda, Arris Finkbeiner, Carolina Madrigal, Catherine Eble, Diana Fu, Evan Rusinowitz, Guido Tenaglia, Hau Hsu, Il-Sang Yoon, Jacquelyn Hass, James Petras, Justin Jickess, Kim Sass, Lisa Stock, Lucy Wood, Michael Blewitt, Michael Grundleger, Mitchell Parkinson, Mohamed Hanafy, Robert Coligandro, Sam Edmonds, Samantha Kane, Won Pyung Keem, Yuan Diao Elmowitz.