MEET THE JURORS PORTLAND AND SOUTH PORTLAND
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Final Review Session II
Julia Czerniak (reviewing from 3 to 5 p.m.)
Dean and Professor, School of Architecture and Planning, University of Buffalo
Julia Czerniak is Dean and Professor of the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo. Educated as both an architect and landscape architect, her research and practice draws on the intersection of these disciplines.
Although the techniques, scales and products of her research vary, Czerniak’s work focuses on the potentials of urban landscapes. Recent design research explores the relationship of design to biodiversity, advancing landscape as a protagonist in remaking and envisioning the complex relationship amongst animal species.
Czerniak’s work as a designer is complemented by her work as educator and writer, which in all cases advances design as a way to enable new ways of seeing, imagining, valuing and acting within our challenged anthropocentric environment. Large Parks (Princeton Architectural Press) and Case: Downsview Park Toronto (Prestel) focus on contemporary design approaches to public parks. Formerly Urban: Projecting Rust Belt Futures (Princeton Architectural Press) examines potential futures for shrinking cities. Other writings include essays in Third Coast Atlas (Actar); Wiley-Blackwell Companion to the History of Architecture (Wiley & Sons); Landscape Infrastructure (Birkhauser); Landscape Alchemy: The Work of Hargreaves Associates (ORO Editions); Fertilizers: Olin Eisenman (Institute for Contemporary Art,); Landscape Urbanism (Princeton Architectural Press); Assemblage 34 (MIT Press) and Harvard Design Magazine. Czerniak lectures and teaches internationally, most recently as keynote in the Large Parks in Large Cities conference in Stockholm and the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects annual meeting in Melbourne, as well as lectures at KU Leuven in Belgium, Peking University and Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Macedonia.
Matthew Cunningham
Principal, Matthew Cunningham Landscape Architecture
Matthew Cunningham has quickly established himself in New England's design community as an award-winning landscape architect who derives immeasurable passion from the landscapes of the region and from his rural roots in the verdant, rocky coast of Maine. He combines 25 years of plant expertise with a deep appreciation for local history and traditional Yankee building techniques. Matthew has committed his career to projects that merge excellence in design with ecologically sustainable principles. With each landscape, he seeks to bridge his clients’ indoor and outdoor lifestyles. He is a hands-on professional and works closely with only the finest craftspeople to ensure beautiful and robust landscapes that feel almost instantly contextual, established, and mature.
Matthew holds degrees in landscape architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (MLA II) and from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (BSLA). His distinguished academic record includes Certificates of Honor from the American Society of Landscape Architects at both institutions. Prior to starting his practice in 2004, he worked for the renowned firm Reed Hilderbrand Associates where he contributed to dozens of institutional and residential design projects that have been celebrated nationally.
Matthew's gardens have been widely published in New England Home, Design New England, Architectural Digest, The Designer, Design Bureau, and Garden Design Magazine. His firm was named “Best of Boston Home 2013” by Boston Home Magazine and “Best of Houzz” by Houzz.com for 2013 and 2014. In April of 2013, Matthew was also named a 2013 “Five Under Forty” award winner by New England Home Magazine, the first landscape architect to receive the honor.
Geoff Fritz
Associate Principal, Reed Hilderbrand
Geoff brings over a decade of experience designing landscapes with clients and institutions to solve complex site and operational challenges in simple and elegant ways. An instinctive designer with a keen sensibility for the inherent qualities of place, Geoff designs and represents landscapes to imbue wonderment and appreciation for simple pleasures. He is committed to curating and expanding the firm’s graphic communication and to supporting the prevailing mentorship culture of the practice.
Geoff carefully manages the University of Pennsylvania’s Master Plan for Morris Arboretum, a new science plaza at the University of Delaware, and the decades-long stewardship of a 90-acre farm and summer retreat in Northeast Harbor, Maine. In addition to professional pursuits, Geoff serves as a guest critic at numerous universities including LSU, Oregon, and Penn State, where he earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and an ASLA Certificate of Honor. He is based in Portland, Maine and fills his spare time traveling, enjoying great food experiences, and feeding his mild shoe obsession.
Niema Jafari
Job Captain at Backen & Backen
Niema is a dedicated architect with a strong passion for sustainable design and regenerative architecture. As a recent alumnus of the Envision Resilience Challenge for Nantucket, he was an integral member of the Yale team during the 2021 competition. This experience further cemented his commitment to creating environmentally responsible built environments.
Currently, Niema works at Backen & Backen, where he is actively involved in regenerative practices, focusing on measuring building performance and emphasizing the importance of the land beyond the building enclosure. His work aims to integrate sustainability into every phase of design and construction, primarily in residential typologies.
Niema earned his Master of Architecture degree from Yale School of Architecture, following his undergraduate studies at The Bartlett, UCL in London. His professional journey includes valuable experience at prestigious firms, such as Gensler, and the opportunity to collaborate with renowned architect Sir Richard Rogers at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Niema is passionate about advancing the conversation around sustainable design and continues to push for innovative solutions within the architecture industry.
Matt Littel
Founding Principal, Utile
Matthew Littell is one of the founding principals of Utile. Through his work in the firm’s architecture, planning, and early phase development projects, he has gained an expertise in building and zoning codes and the regulatory process specifically as they relate to urban design and housing. Matthew has directed many of the firm’s early phase planning and urban design projects, including the Downtown Boston Waterfront Municipal Harbor Plan, as well as the design guidelines and zoning for the Rose Kennedy Greenway District. He served as Utile’s principal-in-charge for Imagine Boston 2030, the city’s first comprehensive plan in 50 years. In addition, he leads the firm’s international urban design practice, with projects in the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and Jordan. Matthew has taught in the graduate architecture program at Northeastern University, and currently teaches a course in Urban Design and sustainable practices at Boston College. He earned his M.Arch. from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design in 1997, where he received the Boston Society of Architects’ James Templeton Kelly award for the best final design project, as well as the Clifford Wong prize for outstanding design in housing.
Gretchen Schneider Rabinkin
Executive Director, Boston Society of Landscape Architects
Gretchen Rabinkin, AIA, Affiliate ASLA is executive director of the Boston Society of Landscape Architects (BSLA) – the Massachusetts and Maine chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. The BSLA serves to connect, convene, and support landscape architects throughout the arc of their careers, and advance the creation of extraordinary – resilient, equitable, beautiful – environments throughout the region and the world.
A licensed architect and longtime educator, Gretchen works at the intersection of individuals, organizations, and community groups to improve the spaces of everyday experience. With BSLA, Gretchen collaborates with chapter leaders to guide strategic direction and oversees all operations, including organizing landscape architects and students in engagement initiatives, such as with Boston Green Academy, Chelsea GreenRoots, and the Friends of the East Boston Greenway. Prior to BSLA, Gretchen led the civic and community initiatives of Boston’s AIA chapter, where she initiated and helped coordinate community resiliency preparedness activities with multiple neighborhood and academic partners, led the BSA Urban Design Workshops, and served on the steering committee for the Boston Living with Water International Design Competition.
For nearly three decades, Gretchen has taught introductory design to professional, pre-professional, and youth audiences. Currently, she is visiting faculty in architectural studies at Amherst College and co-directs “The Complete City” summer design program at the University of Southern Maine. She is managing editor of BSLA’s annual Fieldbook – the most recent theme, “CLIMATE” -- and former deputy editor of ArchitectureBoston. Gretchen received a BA from Smith College and a MArch from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Lauren Stimson, ASLA
Partner, Stimson Studio
Lauren holds a Master of Landscape Architecture and a Master of Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She received her B.A. from Bates College in Maine where she studied Theater and Geology and was a Benjamin E. Mays Scholar. She studied Classical Theater in Athens, Greece. She is a licensed Landscape Architect in the states of Maine, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island.
Her work is deeply informed by Charbrook, the farm studio that has become the landscape laboratory for STIMSON. Rural life and related interests in art, craft, foraging and gardening have shaped the way she thinks about design. Much of her work explores forgotten histories, wildness by intent, spontaneity and ultimately emotional response. She was raised by a Peace Corps father and Filipina mother that has given her a third space way of seeing and experiencing the world and is committed to an inclusive and progressive culture at STIMSON that supports a work | life balance. She has given talks at UMass Amherst, Smith College, the Conway School of Design, the Ecological Alliance, the ABX Symposium, the Cultural Landscape Foundation and the ASLA National Convention.
In 2023, she was honored to receive the Gilmore D. Clarke and Michael Rapuano/Kate Lancaster Brewster Rome Prize Fellowship from the American Academy in Rome.
Monday, December 9, 2024
Final Review Session I
Lesley Braxton, AIA, NCIDQ, LEED AP
Principal, Perkins & Will
Lesley believes design should start by investing time in people and their communities to develop a dialogue, shared vocabulary, and trust. She is driven by collaboration, curiosity, and the unexpected; challenges empower her, opportunities for co-creating inspire her.
Bringing a poetic approach to her work, Lesley conceives each project as part of a unique ecosystem. She uses the tools of artistic expression, technical innovation, and the mindful selection of materials—in her search for design excellence that is impactful, sustainable, and aesthetically sublime. This process enables her to shape our communal environments in new and meaningful ways.
Lesley believes design should start by investing time in people and their communities to develop a dialogue of understanding and truth-sharing. When we start by sitting at the same table, we can arrive at programming and architecture rooted in justice, empathy, and our shared humanity.
Jeff Carney
Associate Professor, University of Florida School of Architecture + Director, FIBER
Jeff Carney is associate professor in the School of Architecture and director of the Florida Institute for Built Environment Resilience (FIBER). He is a registered architect and certified urban planner working at the interface of housing, neighborhoods and ecosystems, with a focus on climate change adaptation. Jeff’s work in Florida is focused on the resilience of communities achieved through transdisciplinary and community engaged design processes. Current projects include a HUD funded effort to design post-disaster modular housing, and projects to assist the Cities of Port St. Joe and Jacksonville reduce flood risk and balance health, environment, and housing needs.
Previously, Jeff was the director of the LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio where he led the development of the Louisiana Resiliency Assistance Program (LRAP) that continues to assist communities throughout Louisiana; additionally, he led the design and fabrication of the 10,000sf permanent exhibition for the LSU Center for River Studies called “shifting Foundations” which told the story of coastal Louisiana’s changing landscape. He co-directed his team’s award-winning submission for the Changing Course competition entitled “The Giving Delta”. Shortly before moving to UF, Jeff initiated the project “Inland from the Coast,” supported by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Jeff’s projects have been recognized through awards including the 2018 AIABR Rose Award winner for the Shifting Foundations exhibit; the 2016 New York Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects Merit Award, for “The Giving Delta”; the 2014 APA Planning Excellence Award for Education, for the Louisiana Resilience Assistance Program; the 2012 ACSA Collaborative Practice Award, for the Coastal Sustainability Studio; and the 2011 EDRA Great Places Awards in Design Research for “Measured Change: Tracking Transformations on Bayou Lafourche.
Kathryn Duff
Founder & Director, studio2sustain inc
2023 Envision Resilience Community Advisor
Kathryn Duff is a registered architect (RA) in Massachusetts, a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC), a Passive House Institute – United States (PHIUS) certified consultant and an Ambassador with the International Living Future Institute. Prior to s2s, Kathryn was founder of STUDIO of Architecture & Art. Kathryn is a member of the City of New Bedford Planning Board (Chair, 2018-2022), a past board member of WHALE (Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE), a past board member of the Lloyd Center for the Environment, and a founding board member of the REACH Foundation and the New Bedford Education Foundation. Kathryn lives and works in the port city of New Bedford. Kathryn earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University, a Masters of Architecture from Harvard University and attended the Cleveland Institute of Art.
Shauna Gillies-Smith FASLA, MAUD, BARCH
Founder and Principal, GROUND
Shauna Gillies-Smith, founding principal of GROUND, brings deep experience creating artful urban landscapes that balance innovative design, elegant detailing, and clever problem solving. Trained initially as an architect and urban designer, Shauna’s shift to landscape architecture was driven by the desire to bring joy and surprise to the everyday.
Shauna holds professional degrees from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design and the University of British Columbia. She is an active voice in academia, having taught design studios at institutions such as Harvard’s GSD, Tulane University, the University of British Columbia and the Rhode Island School of Design. She regularly engages in conversations at the intersection of design, urbanism, and resilience, sharing insights from her professional practice. A passionate design advocate, Shauna is a frequent speaker at conferences and has served on numerous design juries. She has been on the Board of Directors of the Boston Society of Architects, was a Trustee of the Boston Architectural College, has been awarded grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and recognized with both Honorary Membership (2021) and the Women of Design Award (2023) from the Boston Society of Architects.
GROUND is currently engaged in the Landscape Master Plan for Cathleen Stone Island, a 170-acre island off the shore of Boston for the Outward Bound Foundation. In addition to focusing on the critical risks of sea level rise and climate change, the masterplan strives to achieve equitable and inclusive experiences for the inner-city kids who participate in the program, involving them directly in the dialogue about climate change, as well as considering the practices of the native people who first frequented the island. The multi-disciplinary master plan team includes architects, landscape architects, engineers, climate scientists and communication experts.
Lisa Gray
Founding Partner and Principal, Gray Organschi Architecture
Elizabeth Gray is the founding partner and principal at Gray Organschi Architecture in New Haven, Connecticut, a firm recognized internationally for its innovative conception and careful crafting of architectural projects ranging from the adaptive re-use of damaged buildings and neighborhoods to the development and implementation of low-impact component assembly systems for ecologically delicate sites. Ms. Gray believes that Gray Organschi’s wide range of project types – from single family homes to institutional projects and bridges, all based in principles of regenerative building – is the foundation for the creative and productive cross-pollination of design and construction knowledge within the practice.
As founder of an architectural practice in a vibrant downtown, Ms. Gray has demonstrated her commitment to fusing design excellence with community engagement, providing volunteer and pro-bono services to programs in need, and working with organizations and institutions to delineate clear and achievable project goals. Her management of the design and construction administration process focuses on the timely delivery of buildings of the highest quality. Careful project research, frank and open conversation, and the clear presentation of options and opportunities have been a defining ambition and hallmark of her professional work.
Most recently, Lisa was honored by Architectural Record's 2020 Women in Architecture Awards. She has served as the Louis I. Kahn Visiting Assistant Professor of Architecture at Yale, conducting graduate studios and seminars in timber technologies, and has also served as a visiting instructor at Yale teaching an advanced studio about the ways in which circular economic principles can influence design.
Kaki Martin FASLA, PLA
Partner, Klopfer Martin Design Group
Kaki Martin is a landscape architect with over twenty-five years of practice experience focused on urban mixed-use, plazas and streetscapes, institutional and open space master planning, park design, and experiential learning landscapes. She is keenly interested and knowledgeable in the design and construction of public urban landscapes. With extensive public design process experience, Kaki has led numerous multi-disciplinary projects in the public sector, all of which included a wide range of stakeholder groups. She is passionate about the process of finding solidarity with stakeholders and expressing a co-created vision using artful and contemporary solutions which deliver landscapes that engage and build community.
Kaki is the former President of the Boston Society of Landscape Architects (BSLA). She is a former adjunct professor at the Rhode Island School of Design and taught in a similar capacity at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. Additionally, she has been a member of thesis advisory teams at the Boston Architectural College and continues to be a visiting design juror at many institutions, including the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Rhode Island School of Design, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. Kaki served on the Cambridge Conservation Commission for twenty years and in that capacity also served as a committee member for the City’s Community Preservation Act.
Kaki is a Trustee for the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine and is also a founding board member of Good Sports, a Boston based non-profit devoted to ensuring that disadvantaged youth have the equipment they need to participate in organized athletic programs.
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Midterm Session II
Curtis Bohlen
Executive Director, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership
Curtis Bohlen is an aquatic and wetland biologist with an interdisciplinary background in ecology, economics, and public policy. Bohlen currently leads the work of CBEP: to seek creative solutions to environmental challenges, support local communities, and improve management of Casco Bay.
In recent years, the organization has expanded efforts to assist communities to understand and to prepare for impacts of climate change. Bohlen has worked as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill, for environmental advocacy organizations, as an environmental consultant, and on the faculty of Bates and Colby Colleges. He holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from Stanford and a PhD from Cornell.
Sara Carr, PHD, ASLA
Professor, Northeastern University’s College of Art, Media and Design
Sara Jensen Carr, PhD, ASLA is an Associate Professor of Architecture, Urbanism, and Landscape at the School of Architecture at Northeastern University, where she holds affiliate appointments at the Global Resilience Institute and Institute for Health Equity and Social Justice Research. She is a nationally-recognized scholar and practitioner working at the intersection of health, built environment, and the climate crisis.
Her book, The Topography of Wellness, was the recipient of multiple awards and received national coverage in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Curbed, and The New Republic, among others. She has also published in a number of outlets including Preventive Medicine, LA+ Journal, Journal of Architectural Education, Places Journal, and Landscape Architecture Magazine. At Northeastern, she leads undergraduate curricular initiatives at the School of Architecture as well as engages with nonprofits, practitioners, and community-based organizations to address complex socio-environmental problems.
Dr. Carr is a licensed architect and holds an M. Arch. from Tulane University and an MLA and PhD from University of California Berkeley. She is a former Mellon Fellow in Urban Landscape Studies at Dumbarton Oaks, and has been awarded grants from the Graham Foundation, the NEH, and the J.M. Kaplan Fund. She also previously held teaching appointments at University of Hawaiʻʻ i at Mānoa, University of California Berkeley, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Sara led studio teams in each of the first three Envision Resilience Challenges from 2021-2023.
Ryan Kanteres
Partner and Principal, Simons Architects
Ryan Kanteres is a dedicated architect and passionate educator, whose work is deeply rooted in sustainability and community engagement. His practice is informed by an interdisciplinary background, which includes a Masters in architecture from the University of Oregon, over twenty years of architectural experience across Northern New England, a degree in philosophy, and hands-on experience in construction. Ryan’s holistic approach to design is further enriched by his appreciation for ecological systems, developed during his Appalachian Trail thru-hike and his work as a Historic Architect in Alaska’s remote Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
Currently leading an award-winning design studio, Ryan integrates sustainable design practices with a thoughtful approach to community-centric projects. As both an educator and mentor, he emphasizes the importance of curiosity and innovation in the design process, inspiring young designers to explore their potential to contribute meaningfully and sustainably to the built environment.
Amy Magida
Yard South Property Manager, PK Realty Management
Amy Magida is the project manager for Yard South, a 30-acre mixed-use neighborhood in South Portland, Maine. Amy’s experience in architecture and landscape architecture brings site planning knowledge and a curiosity for the natural and built world to her role as project manager, as well as a focus on sustainability and equity.
She’s an active board member of the Portland Parks Conservancy and enjoys biking to work from her home in Ferry Village and walks on Willard Beach with her dog Vivian.
Milan Nevajda
Director, South Portland Planning
Milan Nevajda joined the South Portland Planning and Development Department as Planning Director in April, 2020. Milan's experience includes development review, long-range and master planning, economic development strategic planning, and environmental protection.
Prior to joining South Portland, Nevajda led the Sonoma County Planning Division, covering a 1,770 square mile region, a 76-mile coastal zone, 500,000 residents, and over 50 staff.
Milan previously worked for the Town of New Gloucester as in 2013 before moving to planning consulting; first in Maine then in the Bay Area, California. As a consultant, Milan worked on South Portland's Mill Creek master plan.
Julia Tate
Partner and Principal, Simons Architects
Julia is a Partner and Principal at Simons Architects in Portland, ME. Having spent much of her career focusing on sustainability in the built environment, she has worked on projects of various scales ranging from residential to institutional in nature. Increasing awareness of how the built environment can impact quality of life across a range of sectors on both an individual and civic scale is integral to each project. Julia is the Vice President of the Portland Society for Architecture Board, and is a collaborative leader with the AIA Maine Chapter of the Committee on the Environment (COTE). Julia is a licensed architect in New York and Maine.
Heather Walters, LEED AP BD+C, Fitwel Amb., WELL AP, LFA
Vice President in Sustainability and Resilience, Thornton Tomasetti
Heather Walters joined Thornton Tomasetti in 2015, bringing to the firm 15 prior years of experience in sustainable design. She has specialized expertise in Green Building Certifications, Embodied Carbon, and Sustainable Design. Heather leverages a unique and diverse background which includes degrees in architecture and anthropology, running a 200 member CSA farm, and architectural design to assist clients as a sustainability consultant. Bringing knowledge gained through projects ranging from small office renovations to skyscrapers and from dormitories to airports she generates solutions that consider resilience, occupant health & wellness, energy & environmental impact, and biophilic design.
Monday, October 21, 2024
Midterm Session I
Jamie Hark
Senior Landscape Designer & Project Manager, VIEWSHED
Jamie has a background in private and public sector landscape design, planning, environmental science and cartography. Living in Harpswell, he is committed to serving Maine communities of all shapes and sizes. As a landscape designer he has played a vital role in all aspects of project design and management, from comprehensive planning and schematic design through construction administration. He is committed to creating landscapes that build on historic and cultural legacies, support healthy biodiversity, and work for the communities of the future. Jamie is specifically passionate about supporting coastal adaptation and resilience efforts as we grapple with the effects of climate change. In his spare time, Jamie is a hand drawn map-maker, aerial photographer, and active participant in Harpswell’s Land Trust and Conservation Commission. You’ll find him exploring the diverse landscapes of Maine by foot, ski, bike or kayak.
Jason J. Jewhurst, FAIA
Partner + Principal, Bruner/Cott
Inspired by architectural challenges that demand innovation and adaptable solutions, Jason thrives on leading teams to realize them. A specialist in high-performance buildings, he has directed several transformative projects since joining the firm in 2004.
His work has received awards at the national, regional, and local levels that include the AIA COTE Top Ten, the Boston Society of Architects, the Society for College and University Planning, Preservation Massachusetts, and the Cambridge Historic Commission. His work has been published by Architectural Record, ARCHITECT, Building, Design + Construction, and Preservation. The recipient of a Living Hero Award from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), Jason is enthusiastic about sharing knowledge with the professional community as well as inspiring tomorrow’s practitioners. He speaks widely at industry organizations including the AIA National Conference on Architecture, the ILFI, NESEA’s Building Energy Conference, and the Boston Society of Architects on topics including high-performance and net positive design, sustainable materials, and campus transformations. In 2024, Jason was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows, the Institute’s highest honor, for his exceptional work and contributions to the advancement of the profession of architecture.
Jason’s award-winning work has included the Smith Campus Center at Harvard University; the Swift Factory in Hartford, CT; the Charles River Speedway in Boston; Harvard Hall at Harvard University; the Rivermark Towers in Cambridge, Building 12 at Portland Foreside in Maine; and the Living Building-certified R. W. Kern Center at Hampshire College.
Eli Rubin
Community Planner, City of South Portland
Eli joined the South Portland Planning & Development Department in August 2022. Prior to that, he worked as a Community Planner in Kennebunkport, a Finance Director in Bowdoinham, and has been working in municipal government since 2019. His experience includes climate action planning, coastal flooding mitigation and resilience, affordable housing policy, and public finance. His favorite activities range from creative community outreach programs to one-on-one conversations with residents and builders. Before receiving his master's degree from the Ed Muskie School of Public Service at USM, Eli worked as a house carpenter, building science enthusiast, timber-framer, organic farmer, and as a horse trainer.
Eli brings a passion for people-based planning and development, economic and environmental resilience, and inclusive community engagement. Outside of the office, you can find him biking to work year-round or paddling the great waterways of Maine.
Bob Rulli
Community Economic Development Director, Town of Bridgewater, MA
Before his current role, Bob was responsible for all planning, land use and development activities for the Town of Warren. He served as the Town's lead on the Market to Metacom Climate Resilience and Economic Development Plan. He secured a $2 MM Congressional Directed Appropriation (Sen. Reed) for the new Fire/EMS Station.
He has active interaction with state and federal elected officials, business community, business organizations and the public. Bob was an advisor to the 2022 Envision Resilience Narragansett Bay Challenge.
Addy Smith-Reiman
Planner, North Star Planning and former Executive Director, Portland Society for Architecture
For over 20 years, Addy Smith-Reiman has successfully engaged people with projects that celebrate local identity, shared histories and future use. She integrates research, design, civic engagement and long-term stewardship planning for successful projects that activate PLACE: from forming a non-profit to transform an abandoned 1860’s opera house into a vibrant cultural center in northern Vermont; securing a $15.5 Million TIGER V discretionary grant to link transit hubs to historic sites with improved pedestrian and bicycling corridors throughout downtown Boston; managing complex trail and infrastructure projects connecting neighborhoods to the parks and open spaces along the three rivers in Pittsburgh, PA; and as Executive Director of the Portland Society for Architecture, a non-profit organization that promotes innovation and vision in design and planning. Until recently, she managed research-led public-private sector partnerships with the Norman B. Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism at MIT, and has joined the team as a planner with North Star Planning, where she will work on master planning, ordinance development and zoning, community revitalization, land use analysis, natural resource planning, and development review.
She holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, and Master’s Degrees in Regional Planning and Landscape Architecture from Cornell University, where she was awarded the ASLA Certificate of Honor and was named the University Olmsted Scholar. She is a certified planner, accredited organic land care professional, and Master Gardener.
She lives in Portland, ME with her husband, Josh, a faculty member of the Maine College of Art and Design, their son, Ole, and their dog, Otto.
Curt Spalding
Principal, Spalding Environment/Climate Strategies
Curt Spalding is the Principal Consultant for Spalding Environment/Climate Strategies. He recently served as the Professor of the Practice for the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society. Previously, Curt served the Obama Administration as USEPA New England Region 1 Administrator and from 1990 to 2008 was Save The Bay’s Executive Director.
He has extensive experience in the environmental protection field as an advocate, policy analyst and administrator. Some of his accomplishments include the development of the EPA Phoenix Award winning Save The Bay Center in Providence Rhode Island and advancing work to restore and protect New England’s iconic inland and coastal waters, most especially Narragansett Bay. Research on urban resilience was Curt’s primary area of focus at the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society.
Most recently he facilitated the development of the Providence Resilience Partnership (PRP) — A non-governmental organization, the PRP convenes, collaborates and communicates regarding the impact of climate change and promotes social and infrastructure investments that build resilience and address risks and vulnerabilities associated with climate change.
Curt was an advisor to the 2022 Envision Resilience Narragansett Bay Challenge.
Jesse Thompson
Principal, Kaplan Thompson Architects
Jesse Thompson is an award-winning architect who has become a national leader in green design, building science, and affordable housing. Jesse started his career working construction in high school in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. Since then, he’s been through every stage of design and building. Jesse is relentlessly practical, but he sees possibility for greatness in every project. He is a sucker for a good challenge.
Jesse’s always working on balancing elements - art and design with engineering, beauty with affordability, function with potential. Jesse is Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a graduate of the University of Oregon, was there at the beginning of Passivhaus Maine, and has served as past President of AIA Maine.