Miller Hull

The Seattle Architecture Firm Highlights Their Newest Principals, Senior Associates, and Associates

(Seattle, WA) March 2022 —Miller Hull is excited to celebrate the growth of their firm by announcing the promotion of 22 staff in its Seattle and San Diego studios.

Elizabeth Moggio, Mathew Albores, and Steve Doub promoted to Principal.

Elizabeth Moggio’s role at Miller Hull is to translate and synthesize, gathering information from a variety of sources — visual, contextual, social, cultural —  to create a cohesive and beautiful design. As a project manager, she has over 20 years of experience in the design and project management of public and academic spaces and has always aimed to be a good listener, guide, friendly face, staunch advocate, and ally to those she meets. Her leadership and management skills were instrumental in leading Miller Hull’s most recent Progressive-design build delivery projects, University of Washington’s Hans Rosling Center for Population Health and University of Washington’s Health Education Science Building. Elizabeth is active within the firm’s Culture-ops group, focusing on the professional development and support of all Miller Hull’s colleagues and a longtime member of Society of College and University Planning (SCUP).

“As architects, we are natural dreamers, helping people look to the future and create a new space that has never existed.” – Elizabeth Moggio

Coming from a long line of family members who worked in the U.S Foreign Service, Mathew Albores is always surprised yet pleased that he has been able to work on so many Embassy and consulate projects. A project manager leading large consultant teams, he’s coordinated with high-level stakeholders within the U.S. Department of State and local municipalities, and always enjoys asking the question of how to represent the U.S. in another country’s context. Most recently, Mathew leads Miller Hull’s work for completion of the $195 million Deschutes County library bond measure, delivering new central, regional, and branch libraries for the county. He is a founding member of Miller Hull’s Equity-ops group, an initiative responsible for encouraging justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion for the firm.

“The more experience I have in this profession, the clearer it becomes that architecture is really a team sport all about building relationships.” – Mathew Albores

As the firm’s specifications writer and QC lead, Steve Doub has essentially been exposed to every project in the office, always offering input and sharing lessons learned. A leader of Miller Hull’s delivery process, he educates colleagues on risk evaluation, building science, materials, and construction techniques. As a specifier, he is an active member of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and is currently on the review committee for the second edition of CSI’s Construction Specifications Practice Guide. While he enjoys and appreciates architecture at a conceptual level, his love and focus have always been for the built work, something Steve says is not always the highest currency in design-forward firms.

“I see this promotion as confirmation of the value that Miller Hull places on excellence in design at all stages and in all roles, from concept to execution.” – Steve Doub

Amber Mauer, Cory Mattheis, Eric Nothdurft, Jennifer Stormont, John MacKay, Nicole Verkist, and Whitney Pearce promoted to Senior Associate. 

Amber Mauer directs business development for Miller Hull, cultivating new client relationships for the firm and nurturing existing ones. She also encourages staff members to have their own sphere of influence and facilitates connections where she can. Amber is active with Urban Land Institute and the Downtown San Diego Partnership.

“It’s wonderful to see women advancing in the industry. Women in leadership positions are absolutely crucial in the formation of an equitable workforce.” – Amber Mauer

A design leader within the firm, Cory Mattheis’ role is centered around establishing design direction and ensuring that the main idea is reinforced as the project progresses. His work explores the role of physical and digital representation as an iterative design tool to enable boldness on all of his projects.

“Miller Hull’s DNA is the perfect blend of ambitious design and environmental responsibility. Our work is more relevant than ever in the context of the global challenges we currently face.” – Cory Mattheis

As a project manager, Eric Nothdurft loves being involved in all aspects of a project, from its origins to its finale. He sees himself as a bridge between Miller Hull’s clients and the project team and relishes creating order out of complexity, which he does often given his involvement on the firm’s U.S. State Department projects.

“As much as architecture is about buildings, it’s even more about people — the people our buildings serve, and the people we work with every day.” – Eric Nothdurft

Jennifer Stormont is a creative and detail-oriented designer with more than 20 years of experience in designing for office, mixed-use, hospitality, and academic projects. A registered architect with a focus on interior design, Jennifer leads the firm’s Interiors Lab.

“To me, the interior is the heart of the project. You can affect so much change in people’s daily lives by working on the inside.” – Jennifer Stormont

John MacKay’s technical knowledge of the construction process, diverse building techniques, and systems coordination plays a critical role in his projects across LEARN, GATHER and LIVE sectors. Within LIVE, John believes in equitable housing for everyone and the importance of the urban community.

“Miller Hull encourages exploration — with the client, with consultants, with each other — which often focuses on what can be removed and refined in design rather than what can simply be added.” – John MacKay

A trained architect, Nicole Verkist manages Miller Hull’s visual communications, including project graphics, award submittals, and presentation materials. For the last ten years, Nicole has been at the seam of architecture and marketing, delicately straddling both disciplines to devise the best and boldest ways to promote Miller Hull and its work.

“There is such opportunity in bridging the gap between communications and built projects — it all comes down to identifying the essence that honors the design and resonates with everyone.” – Nicole Verkist

Whitney Pearce is both a project architect and project manager who works on projects of all scales across a variety of typologies. Her experience working on urban projects has instilled a passion for design that speaks to the human scale and provides a deep connection to place.

“I am so grateful to have a seat at the leadership table for a firm whose values align so closely with my own.” – Whitney Pearce

Alexa Burke, April Ng, Chris Grammens, Chris Hellstern, Claire Rennhack, Cristine Traber, Eugene Lau, Heather Ruszczyk, Jeff Troutman, Malika Kirkling, Michelle Petersen and Zubin Rao promoted to Associate. 

Alexa Burke’s role as human resource manager is predicated on balance — consistently walking the line between what’s best for employees and what’s best for the company. She led the firm through the pandemic, ensuring Miller Hull’s compliance with federal, state, and local requirements, and was there to support colleagues in whatever way she could.

“After fifteen years and hiring a whopping 289 people, I continue to be surrounded by sincere, wonderful, intelligent, and caring people.” – Alexa Burke

Since joining Miller Hull, April Ng has worked on high-performance buildings with aggressive sustainability goals. She is particularly focused on single-family home design and is involved in the Equity Ops group which is helping the firm address diversity and inclusion both internally and in its work.

“Seeing something through to construction allows me to understand how details come together — I really enjoy exterior detailing and understanding the science behind all the layers.” – April Ng

Chris Grammens is a member of Delivery Ops and contributes heavily to leading the firm’s technology and software. He actively mentors team members and new colleagues on Miller Hull’s technology standards.

“I love to push the boundaries of Design Technology while balancing the cutting edge with user accessibility.” – Chris Grammens

Chris Hellstern serves as Miller Hull’s Living Building Services Director, ensuring the highest levels of sustainability and performance. Chris consistently speaks on the Living Building Challenge as well as advocacy at the national level.

“My work at Miller Hull allows me to practice my sustainability values in architecture but also to go beyond mere buildings — true sustainability requires multiple approaches.” – Chris Hellstern

As a former engineer, Claire Rennhack is an expert in both architecture and structural engineering and has worked on many different projects from large-scale infrastructure to private developer-driven to public sector work. Her involvement in Equity Lab has led to more transparency and openness within Miller Hull.

“Success is not dependent on an individual but rather a team, be it coworkers, consultants, clients, or the greater communities for which we work.” – Claire Rennhack

For Cristine Traber, architecture is an amalgamation of her passion for art history, mathematics, and the natural world. She enjoys working in the public sphere, designing buildings that inspire dialogue and mirth. Cristine has managed large public projects including the pivotal San Ysidro Land Port of Entry project for GSA and currently the Newhouse Building Replacement Project on the Washington Capitol campus.

“Being a project manager often feels like being a conductor for a large symphony orchestra — I hope to help my teams become more finely tuned and master more complex and refined design.” – Cristine Traber

Eugene Lau’s role on projects is a balance of designing and managing, which enables him to have a deep understanding of various design constraints. He loves analyzing the parameters of a problem, recognizing stakeholder positions, and making recommendations for the best outcome.

“As an architect, I look for as many opportunities as possible to create honest designs that are both simple and efficient.” – Eugene Lau

In her role as project architect, Heather Ruszczyk relentlessly explores design solutions to ensure no stone is unturned. She recently completed the Center for Coastal Studies on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus and is currently leading the City of San Diego Torrey Pines Fire Station on the UCSD campus.

“I love thinking on both the macro and micro scales when it comes to design, and seamlessly weaving sustainability into a project’s DNA.” – ​​Heather Ruszczyk

Jeff Troutman leads the San Diego studio’s implementation of technology and software, and is also a member of  Delivery Ops, striving to improve Miller Hull’s process and quality control. Jeff recently completed Parco, a mixed-use project in National City designed to support a diverse community and demographic of tenants.

“Good architecture envisions and allows the experiences in the building to occur. People and their passions bring the real architecture.” – Jeff Troutman

Malika Kirkling’s role as project architect and manager requires a penchant for design technology, process and production, and big-picture design thinking paired with small-picture articulation. She is most excited about fairness, integrity, and space exploration, and habitually gets lost in the making of a drawing, a model, a meal, or even a spreadsheet.

“I try to be fair to the design intent of my projects, the desire of the owners, and the growth and development of my team, the profession, and myself.” – ​​Malika Kirkling

Most recently, Michelle Petersen has supported Miller Hull’s U.S. Embassy projects throughout the world, ensuring that the core ideas percolate through all aspects of the project, and working to reduce the carbon footprint wherever there is an opportunity.

“Embassies are such an exciting design challenge — how to create a campus that is simultaneously high performance, contextual, and represents the diplomacy goals of the U.S. while also meeting security requirements.” – Michelle Petersen

Zubin’s career has been devoted to working with public sector and nonprofit clients who share his values of creating long-term positive impact in communities. He especially enjoys thinking broadly about how people use spaces and how a building comes together technically, while also considering how projects can contribute to the public realm and what they signify as artifacts of the current cultural moment.

“There is a true spirit of deep collaboration in Miller Hull’s work. We discover at unexpectedly humble and elegant solutions by using simple kits of parts and listening carefully to all project stakeholders.” – Zubin Rao

About The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP
The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP is an internationally recognized architecture, planning, urban and interior design firm that works to create a regenerative and inclusive future through the built environment. Since its founding in 1977, Miller Hull has been designing dynamic and environmentally responsible buildings that provide enduring value for their communities. The firm has studios in Seattle and San Diego with work extending across multiple typologies for a range of public and private clients where people Live, Work, Learn, Gather and Serve. Widely recognized for innovative, timeless designs and a partnership-driven practice, Miller Hull has received over 350 local, regional, national, and international awards for design excellence, including the American Institute of Architects Firm Award and Architect 50’s Top Firm for Sustainability. For more information, please visit www.millerhull.com.

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