STR Principals, senior staff and staff design professionals share an enthusiasm and passion for quality design and client service. We enjoy what we are doing and it shows in our architecture and our relationships with our clients.
Our people possess a variety of skills, experience and expertise bringing depth to the practice. Each person is valued for their unique contribution to our projects and firm. We are committed to a culture of diversity, as demonstrated in the rich composition of our organization.
Colby Lewis Management Partner AIA, NCARB, LEED® AP colby@strpartners.com • 312.242.4158
Colby is our design principal for K-8 schools. He is an attentive and responsive project leader, working with clients and community members to design buildings that support 21st century education and meet community needs. As a project manager, Colby is direct and focused on the big picture. As a designer, he is strategically innovative, creating multiple design options for a client to make sure they receive the best product for their educational and financial needs. As an early proponent of LEED®, Colby makes it a priority to create sustainable architecture for our clients.
Colby’s strengths include:
- Creating 21st century learning spaces from existing, 20th century buildings
- Defining what 21st century learning means to your school
- Overseeing entire projects for technical completeness, quality, and accuracy
- Seamlessly integrating the design and construction process
- Expertise in construction drawings and specifications
- Additional design experience in office and administrative buildings, higher education facilities, mixed-use developments, and municipal facilities
Colby lives in Evanston with his wife, Lori, who is a health policy consultant, and their children.
- Education
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- Illinois Institute of Technology
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- Master of Architectural Science
- Bachelor of Architecture
- Northwestern University
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- Kellogg Management Institute
- Professional Affiliations
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- American Institute of Architects
- National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
- Society for College and University Planning
- Council of Educational Facility Planners International
- U.S. Green Building Council LEED® 2.0 AP
- Illinois Capital Development Board Project Manager Training
- Registrations
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- Illinois, Indiana
Mike Henderson Financial Partner AIA, NCARB, REFP, LEED AP mike@strpartners.com • 312.242.4157
Mike is our design principal for K-12 schools with a focus on high schools, middle schools, and junior high schools. Able to envision the many possibilities of a space, Mike is skilled at creating design solutions that complement an existing building’s aesthetic. He is actively present during all phases of a project, working closely with clients and community members to define their needs and transform them into architecture.
Mike’s strengths include:
- Design solutions for complex field conditions
- IHSA-qualified natatoriums, competition gyms, synthetic turf fields, stadiums, and other athletic facilities
- Creating 21st century learning environments that meet complex, departmental curriculums at the high school and junior high school levels
- Enhancing and expanding existing, 20th century buildings to provide 21st century education
- Additional design experience in religious and municipal facilities
Originally from Ohio, Mike lives in La Grange, IL, with his wife, Lisa, and five children.
- Education
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- University of Cincinnati
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- Bachelor of Architecture
- Professional Affiliations
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- American Institute of Architects
- National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
- Council of Educational Facility Planners International
- Registrations
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- Illinois, Wisconsin, North Carolina,
- Indiana, Ohio
- Lecture/Seminar Speaker
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- Illinois Association of School Business Officials:
- Environmental Health and Safety Seminar, Life Safety Code
- Middle School Planning and Design
- Aurora University: Architects in Education
Jennifer Costanzo Operations Partner AIA, NCARB, LEED® AP jennifer@strpartners.com • 312.242.4163
Jennifer is our technical principal, ensuring that clients’ needs are fulfilled during all phases of a project. Detail-oriented and highly organized, Jennifer facilitates a smooth working relationship between the client and the principal designer. She carefully listens to all parties involved in a project and quickly disseminates information to the right people so a project continues on time and within budget. Jennifer specializes in the design of K-12 schools and other school district support buildings and oversees the production and construction of these facilities.
Jennifer’s strengths include:
- Pragmatic problem-solver and detail-oriented thinker
- Strong coordination and communication skills, facilitating a smooth relationship between the client, principal designer, and project team
- Additional experience in municipal and community facilities
A West Virginia native, Jennifer now lives in Oak Park, IL, with her husband, Jeffrey Roberts, who is also an architect, and their two children.
- Education
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- Miami University, Ohio
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- Master of Architecture
- Miami University, Ohio
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- Bachelor of Environmental Design
- Professional Affiliations
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- American Institute of Architects
- Illinois Capital Development Board Project Manager Training
- National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
- U.S. Green Building Council LEED® 2.0 AP
- Registrations
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- Ohio
- Illinois
- Lecture/Seminar Speaker
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- IASBO: 3rd Annual School Leaders Conference for Women
Jan Taniguchi Principal Emeritus AIA, NCARB, REFP, LEED® AP
Jan has served as an STR principal for more than three decades. During his tenure, he designed and managed hundreds of K-12 and higher education projects, including new construction, additions, and renovations. Much of his work has received awards and special recognition for design excellence by industry publications and organizations. Now retired, Jan serves in an advisory role for STR staff. He is invaluable resource for our team.
A native of Hawaii, Jan lives in St. Charles, IL, with his wife, Rebecca, who is a writer and editor.
- Education
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- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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- Master of Architecture
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering (Structural)
- Bachelor of Science in Art and Design
- Professional Affiliations
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- American Institute of Architects
- National Council of Architectural Registration Boards
- Society for College and University Planning
- American Arbitration Association
- Illinois Association of School Business Officials
- International Facility Management Association
- Council of Educational Facility Planners International
- U.S. Green Building Council LEED® 2.0 AP
- Illinois Capital Development Board Project Manager Training
- Registrations
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- Illinois, Wisconsin, New York,
- Hawaii, Guam
- Lecture/Seminar Speaker
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- Illinois Association of School Business Officials:
- Forum on Construction Delivery Methods (Moderator)
- Construction Delivery Methods (Speaker)
- Aurora University: Architects in Education
Alan Armbrust Executive Manager AIA alan@strpartners.com • 312.242.4172
Alan is our grants, referendum, and communications specialist. His 25 years of experience includes all levels of education, from preschool to higher education. Alan’s involvement in early project phases, which involve funding, conceptual design, permitting, and scheduling, is critical to a project’s success. He is skilled at gaining consensus among diverse groups of faculty members, board members, administrators, and the general public, creating a sense of shared authorship of a project. At the university level, Alan leads interior renovations of offices, departmental spaces, research areas, highly specialized laboratories, student spaces, and classrooms. Often working within extremely tight university schedules, Alan is highly skilled at maximizing programming space and creating custom designs to meet individual researchers’ needs.
Alan’s strengths include:
- Grants and fundraising
- Referendums and community engagement
- Higher education interior renovations and project management
An Illinois native, Alan lives in Mount Prospect, IL.
- Education
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- Illinois Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Science in Architecture
- American Academy in Rome, Post-Graduate Studies
- Professional Affiliations
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- American Institute of Architects
- Chicago Architectural Club, Board of Directors
- Art Institute of Chicago, Architecture Society, Board of Directors
- Triton College, Adjunct Faculty Member
- American Library Association
- Registrations
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- Illinois
Ken Shiokawa Senior Project Manager AIA ken@strpartners.com • 312.242.4170
Ken is a senior project manager for primarily K-8 school design. He works closely with our design principals, designing schools to meet 21st century education and community needs. Ken’s background in carpentry, woodcrafts, and intricate furniture design gives him a unique design perspective, much to the benefit of the STR team and our clients.
Ken’s strengths include:
- Detail-oriented approach to design
- Thorough knowledge of 21st century education requirements
- Experience leading community engagement activities
- Background in woodcrafts, carpentry, construction, and intricate furniture design
- Experience with complex urban planning
A native of Japan, Ken lives in Chicago with his wife, Sayaka.
- Education
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- University of Illinois at Chicago, Master of Architecture
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Bachelor of Architecture
- Professional Affiliations
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- Associate, American Institute of Architects
- Registrations
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- Illinois
Sandra Moon Senior Project Manager AIA, LEED AP sandra@strpartners.com • 312.242.4167
One of our most experienced project managers, Sandra specializes in the design of K-12 schools. She is a strong communicator with a close attention to detail, keeping design standards high and making sure client needs are met. Sandra often serves as a quality reviewer for many of our projects.
Sandra's strengths include:
- High standards for design and quality of work
- Strong communicator who is responsive to client requests and needs
- Thorough knowledge of K-12 schools design, including 21st century learning environments, athletic facilities, and athletic fields
- Serving as quality reviewer for many projects
Sandra lives in Chicago with her husband, who is also an architect, and their two children.
- Education
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- University of Texas, Austin, Master of Architecture
- Rice University, Bachelor of Arts, Managerial Studies & Psychology
- Professional Affiliations
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- American Institute of Architects
- U.S. Green Building Council, LEED® 2.0 Accredited Professional
- Illinois Capital Development Board, Project Manager Training
- Registrations
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- Illinois
Paul Brock Senior Project Manager LEED AP pbrock@strpartners.com • 312.242.4165
Paul is a senior project manager who leads many of our K-12 schools and higher education projects. With a background in construction and custom-build projects, Paul brings a unique understanding of the building process. He often works closely with our design principals with a focus on high schools.
Paul's strengths include:
- Firsthand knowledge of the building process from his years of work in construction
- Ability to work within tight schedules and design highly specialized spaces for higher education clients
- Experience designing 21st century learning spaces to meet departmental needs in high schools and junior high schools
Originally from Michigan, Paul lives in Chicago with his wife and two sons.
- Education
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- University of Michigan, Master of Architecture
- University of Michigan, Bachelor of Science in Architecture
- Connecticut College, Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy of Politics and Economics
- Professional Affiliations
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- Illinois Capital Development Board, Project Manager Training
- U.S. Green Building Council, LEED® 2.0 Accredited Professional
Louis Ng Senior Project Manager AIA, LEED AP BD+C louis@strpartners.com • 312.242.4169
Louis is a senior project manager with experience leading many of our K-12 school projects. He is skilled at designing additions and renovations to existing buildings and has particular expertise in Americans with Disability Act (ADA) design requirements. Possessing a keen attention to detail, Louis works well with contractors and clients to achieve project goals, often within a tight schedule. He also spearheads our firm-wide LEED initiative and encourages all STR team members to prioritize sustainable and green design in our projects.
Louis's strengths include:
- Designing additions and renovations to existing buildings
- Creating design solutions to challenging interior conditions
- Thorough knowledge of ADA compliance
- Leading our firm-wide LEED initiative
- Detail-oriented thinker and works well within tight schedules
Originally from Hongkong, Louis lives in Naperville, IL, with his wife and child.
- Education
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- University of Manitoba, Bachelor of Environmenal Studies
- Professional Affiliations
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- American Institute of Architects
- U.S. Green Building Council, LEED® 2.2 Accredited Professional, Building Design + Construction
- Green Building Certification Institute
- Capital Development Board, Project Manager Training
- Registrations
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- Illinois
Scott Kuehn Senior Project Manager scott@strpartners.com • 312.242.4160
Scott is a senior project manager leading many of our K-8 school projects. He is highly skilled at organizing drawings and projects and often serves as a quality reviewer for our projects. Scott is experienced designing additions and renovations to older existing buildings, creating 21st century learning spaces out of 20th century facilities. He also serves as a co-chairperson for STR’s project management program and organizes weekly meetings to maintain firm standards and goals.
Scott's strengths include:
- Strong organizational and coordination skills
- Detail-oriented thinker and quality reviewer
- Skilled at working with older, 20th century buildings, designing 21st century additions and renovations
- Helps maintain and manage our firm-wide project management initiative
Scott lives in Chicago with his wife and two children.
- Education
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- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Bachelor of Science in Architecture
- Community Involvement
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- Chicago Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Principal Trumpet
- Lakeview Orchestra, Principal Trumpet
Don Hansen Senior Project Manager AIA, LEED AP don@strpartners.com • 312.242.4168
Don is a senior project manager leading many of our K-12 school and higher education projects. He has particular expertise working with municipalities to expedite the permitting and zoning process. Don successfully manages many of our district-wide improvement projects, often working on dozens of schools within a single district to complete projects over summer vacation. He has a thorough knowledge of life safety codes and requirements, and also keeps STR staff up-to-date on the application and performance of current building products.
Don's strengths include:
- Designing additions and renovations to existing buildings
- Working with municipalities to expedite the zoning and permitting process
- Detailed knowledge of life safety codes and requirements
- Completing large-scale improvement projects during tight summer schedules
- Knowledgeable of current building products
Don lives in Chicago with his partner, Ronnie.
- Education
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- Iowa State University, Bachelor of Architecture
- Professional Affiliations
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- American Institute of Architects
- U.S. Green Building Council, LEED® 2.0 Accredited Professional
- Illinois Capital Development Board, Project Manager Training
- Registrations
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- Illinois
Alyssa Stowe Senior Project Manager LEED AP BD+C alyssa@strpartners.com • 312.242.4184
Alyssa is a senior project manager who leads many of our K-8 school projects. She is skilled at designing replacement schools, which are often built within 15 feet of an existing school. Possessing exceptional organizational skills, Alyssa is a detail-oriented designer and project manager who works closely with contractors to make sure a building meets her high standards. She is co-chairperson for STR’s project management program and initiates weekly meetings to maintain firm-wide standards and goals.
Alyssa's strengths include:
- Extremely organized and detail-oriented
- Works well with contractors to complete high-quality projects that stay on time and in budget
- Experienced at designing replacement schools on tight sites
- Helps maintain and manage our firm-wide project management initiative
Alyssa lives in Chicago with her husband and son.
- Education
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- University of Pennsylvania, Masters of Architecture
- Washington University in St. Louis, Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
- Professional Affiliations
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- American Institute of Architects
- U.S. Green Building Council, LEED® Accredited Professional, Building Design + Construction
- Registrations
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- Illinois
