154th Edition – Zak World of Façades USA

This will be the 154th edition globally and the 1st edition in Austin which will showcase sustainable innovations and challenges in the construction industry pertaining to the building envelope and will also display latest technological solutions.

Official Page

Speakers & Panelists

Miguel Elizardo

Design Technologist, Lake|Flato

Miguel Elizardo is the Design Performance Technologist in Lake Flato’s Design Performance team, where he promotes technology and sustainable best practices. With a strong passion for sustainability and high-performance building design, Miguel believes that implementing best practices in these areas...

Karen Zabarsky Blashek

Editor-in-Chief, Austin Home & Founder, Ground Up

Karen Zabarsky Blashek is the Founder of Ground Up, a multi-disciplinary creative studio for the built environment, and the Editor-in-Chief of Austin Home Magazine, the city’s pre-eminent design publication of 20 years. Through Ground Up, Blashek executes the strategy, design,...

Sean Clifton

Senior Principal, Magnusson Klemencic Associates

Sean Clifton, PE, SE, is a Senior Principal at Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA), an award-winning structural/civil engineering firm founded in 1920 with offices in Seattle and Chicago. He specializes in high-rise projects and has led the design of more than...

Cynthia H. Bowden

Senior Director, Tishman Speyer

Cynthia Bowden is responsible for managing Tishman Speyer’s design and construction activities in Texas. Cynthia joined Tishman Speyer in 2006 and during her tenure has worked on signature development projects in Washington, DC and Austin, Texas. She recently completed the...

Tamara Higgins

Regional Managing Director, Lerch Bates

Tamara Higgins began working for Lerch Bates in October 2020 in the Dallas, Texas office. She has over 30 years of experience in the construction industry, spanning from manufacturing, subcontracting, entrepreneurship, and consulting. Tamara has been on the forefront of...

Michael Salinas

Project Director, Lake|Flato

Michael Salinas is a registered Architect in Lake Flato’s Urban Environments Studio, helping lead civic, hospitality, residential, and other development efforts. Based in the Austin office, his efforts span from conceptual design across to construction documents. Michael is committed to...

Melodie Yashar

VP of Building Performance and Design, ICON

Melodie Yashar is the VP of Building Design & Performance at ICON, a construction technologies company focused on large scale additive manufacturing for Earth and in space. Melodie oversees the architectural direction of ICON’s built work as well as the...

Cory Boden

Associate Principal, Page

With nearly 20 years of professional experience, Cory Boden has built a diverse portfolio that includes hospitality, institutional, and healthcare projects, with a specialization in urban, high-end, large-scale mixed-use residential and office developments. He has extensive experience in all phases...

James Hakes

Principal, Handel Architects

Jim Hakes is a Principal at Handel Architects with over 25 years of experience in the design and management of a variety of project types including mixed-use, hospitality, high-end residential, office, retail, museum, and university buildings. Jim is currently Principal-in-Charge...

Thomas Shaw

Business Development & Marketing Director, Stainless Structurals

Thomas has been in the metals industry for over 20 years and is experienced in a variety of different industrial and architectural metals and their applications. He has been with Stainless Structurals for 8 years and has led the business...

Wyatt Frantom

Principal | Director of Design, Perkins & Will

Wyatt Frantom, FAIA is an experienced cross-disciplinary collaborator and award-winning designer. An Architect licensed in Texas and California, and a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, Wyatt serves as Principal and the Design Director with Perkins&Will Austin. With over...

Dickson Fogelman

Senior Building Envelope Consultant, Curtain Wall Design & Consulting

Dickson Fogleman is an Associate and a Senior Building Enclosure Consultant for CDC. Dickson has provided building enclosure consulting services to architects, owners, contractors and attorneys for over a fifteen years. He provides design consulting services for a wide variety...

Billy Jones

Associate/Senior Consultant, Curtain Wall Design & Consulting

Billy Jones is a Vice President and the Director of Roofing and Waterproofing Consulting services for the Central US and Latin American Region for CDC. Billy has provided roofing, waterproofing and building enclosure consulting services to architects, owners, contractors and...

Salvador Garcia

Sr. Associate | Director of Student Housing, Perkins & Will

Salvador Garcia is a valued Project Architect boasting twenty-two years of industry experience. Raised amidst the evolving skylines of Chicago, IL, and Houston, TX, Salvador’s formative years were imbued with a profound appreciation for architecture’s transformative influence on surroundings. As...

David Nicastro

CEO, Alanna Buick & Bers Building Diagnostics

David Nicastro founded Engineering Diagnostics, Inc. in 1994, which grew to be an Inc. 500 firm by 2000. He also founded Building Diagnostics, Inc., which was the parent company until merging in 2022 with Allana Buick & Bers, Inc. Before...

Felipe Flores

Associate | Façade and Building Physics Leader - South, Arup

Felipe Flores joined Arup’s façade engineering group in 2008. His experience includes the development of building envelope components on various building types located in the US, Australia, Asia, and the Middle East. Before joining the Buildings Group in Los Angeles...

Edward Muth

Principal, Gensler

Edward Muth has more than 19 years of architectural experience successfully leading corporate campus, commercial office building, retail, financial services, and workplace projects. Ed has managed a team of more than 30 architects and designers who delivered one of the...

Martin Voelkle

Partner, Bjarke Ingels Group

Martin Voelkle is a Partner at BIG and focuses on architecture, sustainable construction, and technology. Martin has been leading BIG’s collaboration with ICON Build, a developer of advanced construction technologies, including 3D printed buildings that are produced with less waste...

Franz Prinsloo

Senior Associate Principal, KPF

A Senior Associate Principal with over 16 years of experience, Franz Prinsloo has contributed to KPF’s portfolio of iconic projects, from Austin’s first supertall tower to the final plot at New York’s World Trade Center. He has been central to...

Conference Agenda