Hans E. Butzer is an award-winning architect and educator and co-founder of Butzer Architects and Urbanism (BAU), together with his wife Torrey A. Butzer, Assoc. AIA. Butzer is best known for his role in the design of key public sites in Oklahoma City, his civic engagement and advocacy, and his role as an educator and leader at the University of Oklahoma. His work has been awarded fifteen awards from the AIA and ASLA. His work has been celebrated among the 10 best designs of 2000 by Time Magazine and listed among the “Top 50 Best Public Art Projects” by Public Art Network Year in Review by Americans for the Arts. The Dallas Morning News twice listed the Oklahoma City National Memorial among the “Ten Best Designs”—once in 1997 and again after completion in 2000.

Butzer was raised in Wisconsin and Chicago but always had a foothold in Germany, where his parents were born and where he spent summers as a child. This early international experience helped Butzer develop an appreciation for the subtle ways in which different cultures shape their environments. Butzer’s attention to place was also framed by seeing the world through the lens of his parents, one a physical geographer and the other an anthropologist. Family field trips took Butzer through the glacially formed landscapes of the upper Midwest while nearly a third of his childhood was spent in Europe. There, he experienced a range of cultures and their built expressions across varied landscapes. “Place” could be defined with topographies of landscape, materially built form and cultural identities over time. Butzer’s understanding of service, community and ethics grew out of his family’s broader history. While his father’s family fled Nazi Germany via England to Montreal Canada in the 1930’s, Butzer’s mother survived nightly bombing raids over Bonn. His parents would emphasize the importance of civic duty, maintaining a clear sense of right and wrong, and the power of diversity. One’s work should contribute to a greater sense of understanding, Butzer concluded, and thereby to a community’s sense of unity, shared values and common ground over time.

Lisa M. Chronister, FAIA, AICP, LEED AP is the Assistant Director of the Oklahoma City Planning Department where she leverages her architectural expertise to influence public decision making, improving public and private development to ensure a vibrant, attractive environment for the entire community.  Before joining the Planning Department in 2014, Lisa worked for over two decades in traditional architectural practice.  Throughout her career, Lisa has devoted her time and talent to developing emerging professionals, engaging communities, and advancing diversity within the profession at both the local and national levels.  Lisa earned a Master of Architecture from Pratt Institute and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oklahoma.  She also holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. 

Sean Reque was born and raised in Queens, NY and has over 15 years’ experience in delivering projects and programs with a focus on successful completion in terms of quality, budget, and schedule. He has worked extensively in aviation and transportation and a part of the TEXRail team for commuter rail from downtown Fort Worth to DFW Airport. At KAI Enterprises he is committed to transforming communities through integrated design and construction excellence.

Mauro Dallabattista, AIA, is an award-winning designer and Guernsey’s Vice President and Director of Design. He brings over 32 years of experience in architecture, engineering, and construction. Known for his seamless artistic vision, Mauro collaborates closely with teams to deliver visually dimensional, unique, functional, and technically responsive designs.

His portfolio reflects a commitment to sustainable and innovative design, most recently demonstrated in his leadership on Guernsey’s new headquarters -the first mass timber multi-story office building in Oklahoma. Mauro expertly navigates the complexities of mass timber construction, including prefabrication, structural coordination, and evolving code requirements. His work balances architectural expression with performance and resilience.

With extensive experience in mission-critical facilities such as headquarters, data centers, and laboratories, Mauro designs high-performance environments that integrate system reliability, occupant wellness, and long-term success

Bob serves as HFG’s Director of Business Development for Oklahoma. He is an influential team member who excels at acting as a liaison between stakeholders and the HFG team. Through nearly a decade at HFG, Bob has learned the nuances of the healthcare industry and is prepared to act as a client advocate throughout the process.

Kasha Egan, PE, SE, CWI, PTI, ICCMSI, is a structural engineer with over thirteen years of experience delivering high-performance buildings across healthcare, education, commercial, residential, and corporate sectors. As the lead structural engineer for Guernsey’s new headquarters, she guides one of the state’s most ambitious mass timber projects. Her role involves integrating timber and steel systems to achieve architectural intent, code compliance, and constructability. Kasha excels in collaborative environments and delivers creative, technically sound solutions that balance innovation with real-world constraints. Her eight construction inspection certifications, including ICC Master Inspector and AWS Certified Welding Inspector, bring a practical lens to design. Mass timber has sharpened her expertise, requiring early coordination to resolve fire resistance, lateral stability, and hybrid system challenges. Her precision ensures elegant and resilient structural solutions.

Dr. Lee A. Fithian is an accomplished architect, educator, and researcher dedicated to advancing sustainable design and building performance. With a career spanning over three decades, she has played a pivotal role in integrating sustainability principles into architectural curricula currently serving as the Director of the OU Online Master of Science in Sustainable Architecture, developing and administering an innovative program that equips students with the necessary skills to address climate change challenges in design and construction. Beyond academia and professional practice, Dr. Fithian has held leadership roles within the AIA, including serving as a technical jury reviewer for the AIA National COTE Top Ten Awards and the AIA BPKC Leadership Group. She has also been an active member of the IECC Envelope Embodied Carbon Subcommittee and the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission.

Frantz is a graduate of the Tulane School of Architecture in New Orleans.  His work focused on historic preservation, Main Street restoration, and neighborhood revitalization.  For 43 years, Frantz worked in many small Oklahoma towns.  Much of his work was with the Oklahoma Main Street Center and the OU College of Architecture.  Recently, Frantz retired to focus on his small Oklahoma City-based consulting firm, co-founded with his wife, Mary.

Following initial studies at Tulane University, Brian L. Freese continued his education at the University of Oklahoma, receiving a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1984.  Freese established Freese Architecture in 1994, following 10 years with firms around the state.  As principal, Freese has guided Freese Architecture to become an award-winning and internationally published firm specializing in custom single-family homes, commercial buildings, and interior architecture.

Freese has served in many capacities with the AIA Eastern Oklahoma Chapter including President (two years), Chair of the Marketing/Communications Committee, Founder and Editor of Design Perspectives, as well as on many boards and committees at the University of Oklahoma College of Architecture. Freese is a member of the American Institute of Architects and is licensed in the State of Oklahoma.

Donnie Gillespie, AIA has built his career by crafting meaningful and impactful designs for a diverse group of clienteles across the nation, with a heavy emphasis on healthcare architecture. He is a relentless creative who delights in the details, lives for the challenge, and dwells in dreams. For over two decades, Donnie has brought an undeniable passion and exuberance towards finding the solution in each project.

Julie Gordon brings twenty years of experience in non-profit and government project, program, and grant management to her role as an assistant professor at the OU College of Nursing. Her expertise additionally includes regulatory enforcement, budgeting, policy advisement, and strategic planning. Leveraging her experience, Dr. Gordon focuses her research on discovering system-level interventions and policies that address population health issues to improve the quality of care in acute, post-acute, and long-term care settings.

Nicole Harris, a dedicated architect specializing in healthcare design, committed to crafting spaces that enhance both physical and mental wellbeing. With extensive experience working across a range of project scales- from intimate rural healthcare facilities to large-scale government initiatives, Nicole brings a thoughtful, human centered approach to every design.

Chase Henninger has worked on both the architecture and construction sides of the industry and works to drive innovation through creative problem solving and collaboration at JE Dunn Construction. He currently chairs the OKC chapter of DBIA and sits on the Central Edmond Urban District Board.

Adam Lanman, AIA, is the founder and principal of Atelier aL, a small architecture and design practice based in Oklahoma City. His work focuses on affordable, resilient, and contextually sensitive design across a range of scales, from rural prototypes to urban infill projects. A graduate of Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, Adam combines a background in academia, public art, and building craft to create thoughtful architecture that enhances the health, safety, and welfare of communities. His work has been featured in regional and national publications, and he is a past collaborator on award-winning public art and sustainable building initiatives. Adam is passionate about helping small practices lead innovation and impact through design.

Sarah Lembke is the Design Coordinator for Main Street Iowa and the Iowa Downtown Resource Center, where she supports downtown revitalization through architectural design assistance and training. A licensed architect in Iowa, she meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for both Architectural History and Historic Architecture and is certified as a Historic Real Estate Finance Professional by the National Development Council. Sarah brings a passion for integrating economic development with high-quality design and has extensive experience working with communities to balance preservation goals with creative, context-sensitive development. Before joining the public sector, she was in private practice in Minnesota.

Jon Mindrup is a licensed architect and serves JE Dunn as a Design Management Director. He has spent his career facilitating design build projects and creating collaborative solutions. His experience in mixed use development and aviation will help pave the way for growth in Oklahoma. Jon sits on the National Board for DBIA.

Dr. Hongwan Li is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health at the University of Oklahoma Health. She leads interdisciplinary, community-driven research on air quality, environmental health disparities, and climate resilience.

Shakil Ahmad Shimul serves as an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma. His research centers on responsive architecture, building systems, and the promotion of human comfort and well-being. Additionally, he actively participates in interdisciplinary research and community engagement projects within the context of Oklahoma.

Eric Taylor, PE, LEED AP, is Guernsey’s Vice President, Director of Engineering, and a senior mechanical engineer known for leading multidisciplinary teams on complex building and infrastructure projects. He serves as the mechanical lead for Guernsey’s new 63,000-square-foot headquarters, where he designed wellness-focused systems, including underfloor air distribution and high-performance HVAC strategies that improve air quality, comfort, and energy efficiency. His expertise spans mechanical, plumbing, and fuel system design, life cycle cost analysis, and quality control. With a focus on early coordination and client communication, Eric delivers resilient solutions that enhance occupant health, safety, and welfare. His leadership supports Guernsey’s mission to create high-performing, human-centered environments through innovative engineering.

Justin Watson is a 2005 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point.  Joining the lighting industry in 2015 following his military service, Justin has helped Architects, Engineers and Lighting Designers design and specify lighting and lighting controls for several hundred commercial, higher education, hospitality, and medical projects globally.  He currently holds the position of South Central Commercial Area Leader for Lutron Electronics, Inc.

Jared Zurn, Chief Programs Officer, serves as a member of the senior leadership team at the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. Zurn has responsibility for the strategic direction of examination related initiatives, professional ethics initiatives, as well as oversight of and participation in research regarding the current and future states of the architectural profession. Zurn is a licensed architect and Certified Association Executive.

Before joining NCARB, Zurn operated a sole proprietorship architectural design firm in northern Minnesota.  He also served as faculty of the Architectural Technology program at Minnesota State Community and Technical College where he served as a Division Chair and led the Architectural Technology program in the areas of curriculum development, course assessment, and program outcome assessment.