Provide a brief summary of your practice experience.

I received my architectural degree from U of T in 2000 and commenced work with Dunlop Farrow that same year, working on Acute Health Care and Long Term Care facilities. I completed my OAA Licensing in 2007 and in 2008 started a partnership with Jaegap Chung Architects to continue work on health care renovation projects and seniors living. In 2010, I continued as a sole practitioner under Richard H Shaw Architect up until 2014 when I joined Strasman Architects Inc as a partner. I continue to operate as a Principal within Strasman, having led numerous public projects including Healthcare renovation work as well as Transit and Municipal operations facilities. In 2019 I became a member of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia and the Architectural Association of Alberta. As a designer delivering projects in Canada and in Ontario specifically, I have come to recognize the importance of collaborative processes in achieving lasting design solutions. Rather than designing by consensus, this approach demands a rigorous program of listening and decision making by the design lead that weighs a wide range of inputs against the project aspirations and constraints. I have been fortunate in my practice to align with partners who share this understanding and to be engaged by clients with the courage to commit to this process.

Provide a brief summary of your previous governance experience (boards, councils, committees, advisory groups, etc.).

I have served on numerous committees related to the management and development of properties under the Anglican Church of Canada. These were volunteer roles that were either as independent committees providing input and judgements on development options and property management decisions in conjunction with the Church's broader mission mandate. Committees and leadership experience includes:

Little Trinity Church - Property Development Committee.
Church of the Resurrection - Property Management Leadership Team
St John the Baptist Church - Property Development Committee
Additionally, I also served on the disciplinary Committee for the Ashbridge's Bay Yacht Club entailing review and judgements on disciplinary hearings.

Why are you interested in serving on Council at this time?

Over the span of my time gaining licensure and in practice, I have enjoyed the support and guidance from the OAA leadership. I have reached a point in my own career that requires giving back to the profession in whatever capacity I am able. If I can employ the perspective garnered over the course of 25 years in practice in assisting governance under the mandate of the OAA, I believe it is worth pursuing.

What do you believe are the key challenges or priorities for Council over the next one to three years?

I do not pretend to understand the full range of issues facing the Council in the coming years, however I do see that the profession has changed significantly since my first days in practice. Specifically, I have seen widespread changes in the nature of the contract formats now required by architects as responsibility and liabilities shift under alternate owner, builder, consultant structures. Advocating for fair and balanced roles around the nature of architectural services seems to be an ongoing issue that I envision will continue in the coming years. Furthermore, I also see that the current culture of acquisition within larger consulting firms will further impact the boundaries between architects and engineers and the role that architects have in representing the public's interest through design leadership. Advocating for this authority does seem to be an issue that will become more relevant as large multi-disciplinary firms gather larger market share in Ontario.

Lastly, as most of the world is aware, understanding the effects of AI on the delivery of services and the broader implications to intellectual property will require participation from the governing bodies, especially those that represent designers.

 

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