163rd Edition – Zak World of Façades USA

This will be the 163rd edition globally and the 6th edition in New York which will showcase sustainable innovations and challenges in the construction industry pertaining to the building envelope and will also display latest technological solutions.

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Speakers & Panelists

Sherry Xuan Yang

Associate Principal, SOM

Sherry Xuan Yang is an Associate Principal with over 10 years of design and technical experience at SOM’s New York office. She is an NCARB and LEED certified licensed project architect with an affinity for contextual design solutions, and a...

Michael Bollan

Global Product Director, Axalta

Michael Bollan is the Global Product Director for powder coatings at Axalta Coating Systems, a global paints and coatings company. He has a bachelor’s degree in applied engineering and a master degree in industrial technology from Eastern Illinois University. Michael...

Tigrin Kostandyan

Intermediate Architect, DXA Studio

Tigran Kostandyan is an Armenian architect registered in New York. His design research examines supply chains through the intersections of architecture and the environment, utilizing cinematography, model-making, algorithms, and storytelling. He has worked on architectural and exhibition design projects in...

Darijo Babic

Director Architectural Sales, Guardian Glass

Darijo Babic is the Director of Architectural Sales and is responsible for increasing Guardian Glass specifications and sales for commercial projects by leading and directing sales marketing teams. He is involved with the new product strategies and development, capital expenditure...

John Matzelle

Executive Vice President, Sales, Consolidated Brick

As the Executive Vice President of Sales for Consolidated Brick, a company with a proud 55-year history, John Matzelle leads a dynamic team of professional sales representatives with offices spanning the New England & Mid-Atlantic regions. Based in New York...

Andrea Hatzinikolas

Principal, FERO

Andrea Hatzinikolas is a Principal of FERO and provides her team with strong leadership to execute on FERO’s strategic goals. She has degrees in Business and Law and over 19 years of experience building and operating businesses across a variety...

Brian Loughlin

Principal, Magnusson Architecture

Brian Loughlin is a Principal at Magnusson Architecture and Planning where he brings expertise in public housing, master planning, community engagement, special needs housing, trauma informed design, and sustainability, building on the firm’s long history of community-based planning and human-centered...

Sarah Palmer

Deputy Program Director, JFK T4, Delta Air Lines

Sarah Palmer is a Deputy Program Director for Delta Air Lines with 15+ years of experience working on complex construction projects throughout New York City in the Aviation, Waterfront, Higher Education, Healthcare, Private and Landmarked sectors. She is currently part...

Jordi Marasse

Technical Project Consultant, Reynaers Aluminium

Jordi Marasse is Project Consultant Manager North America at Reynaers Aluminum. For the last 3 years Jordi has been coordinating the North American projects. Jordi consistently goes above and beyond to foster enduring partnerships with our esteemed architects, real estate...

Peter Hutley

Principal | VP, Curtain Wall Design & Consulting

Renowned for his wealth of knowledge and strategic insights, Peter Hutley has played a key role in CDC’s growth. With more than 14 years providing structural engineering and thermal analysis services, Peter has led many significant engineering projects across the...

Kasia Burzynska

Building Envelope Consultant, Walker Consultants

Katarzyna (Kasia) Burzynska, AIA is a Building Envelope Consultant at Walker Consultants in New York City. Her professional interests encompass the investigation and repair of the building envelope and historic preservation. Kasia is a SPRAT Level 1 Technician and an...

Jeremiah Watson

CEO, Infinite Recycled Technology

Jeremiah Watson is a fifth-generation family member in the recycling business. He is president and CEO of Watson Recycling and Infinite Recycled Technologies, as well as their affiliated companies. Under his leadership, the companies have grown from a single warehouse...

Sydney Mainster

VP of Sustainability & Design Management, The Durst Organization

Sydney Mainster serves as VP of Sustainability and Design Management at the Durst Organization, one of the oldest family-run commercial and residential real estate companies in New York City. She brings over 17 years of professional and academic sustainability, architecture,...

Skyler Will

Associate Technical Service and Development Scientist, Dow

Skyler Will is an Associate Technical Service and Development Scientist in Dow Consumer Solutions Building and Infrastructure. He provides technical support to the Northeast regions and contributes to the innovation and development of new products for the building and infrastructure...

Jennifer Cass

Senior VP of Sustainability and Resilience, NYC Economic Development Corporation

Jennifer Cass is the Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Resilience of the Capital Program of the New York City Economic Development Corporation where she leads a diverse portfolio of projects that enhance NYC communities. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree...

Matthias Hollwich

Principal, HWKN

Matthias Hollwich is the founder of HWKN, a NY-based collective of architects, sculptors, socialstrategists and innovators dedicated to using architecture to shape a better world. Matthias wasborn and raised in Germany where he studied architecture and brings a dual perspective...

Ryan Hansen

Facade Designer, Heintges

Ryan Hansen, AIA, is an architect and envelope consultant at Heintges, based in New York City. Since joining the firm, he has consulted on large-scale projects in all phases of design and construction, with an emphasis on unitized curtain wall...

Jamison Guest

Principal, Heintges

Jamison Guest, AIA, joined Heintges in 2007. He leads the technical design and construction administration of complex enclosure consulting projects in North America, Asia, and the Middle East. In collaboration with renowned architecture firms worldwide, his project portfolio includes a...

Jordan Rogove

Partner & Co-Founder, DXA Studio

Jordan Rogove is an architect who approaches his work with a belief in the power of architecture to positively influence the lives of all who engage it. He co-founded DXA Studio with his partner Wayne Norbeck in 2011. Over the...

Dylan Baker‑Rice

Deputy Chief Asset & Capital Management Officer, NYCHA

Dylan Baker-Rice is serving as the Deputy Chief Asset & Capital Management Officer at the New York City Housing Authority. He has oversight over capital planning, design, and construction for capital improvements with an annual capital budget of more than...

Karilyn Johanesen

Senior Associate, SO - IL

Karilyn Johanesen is a Senior Associate at SO – IL (Solid Objectives – Idenburg Liu), where she drives the design of innovative multi-family residential projects in Brooklyn. In collaboration with Tankhouse Development, 450 Warren, 9 Chapel, and 144 Vanderbilt explore...

Michael Syracuse

Partner, FXCollaborative

Michael Syracuse, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is a Partner at FXCollaborative. His work on programmatically driven higher education, performing arts, medical education, workplace, and commercial projects—both new construction and adaptive reuse—starts at a project’s inception and carries through construction and...

Daniel Sundlin

Partner, Bjarke Ingels Group

Daniel Sundlin is a partner at BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping some of the firm’s most iconic projects. After studying architecture at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the Royal Danish...

Nikolas Dando-Haenisch

Principal, Grimshaw

Nikolas Dando-Haenisch has played an instrumental role in Grimshaw’s large-scale North American projects, delivering complex works across a range of sectors. He has extensive experience not only in designing transformational civic spaces, but also in managing them to realization through...

Suzanne Castellano

VP & Construction Executive, Turner Construction

Suzanne Castellano, a 26-year veteran at Turner Construction, serves as Vice President and Construction Executive in the New York Business Unit. She ensures seamless execution from preconstruction to turnover and closeout for each of her clients. Suzanne works collaboratively with...

Rachel Ehrlich

Associate Principal, Dattner Architects

Rachel Ehrlich’s focus is the architecture of affordable housing, with a specialty in the design of supportive and senior housing. Her passion lies in contributing to vibrant, livable neighborhoods, which form the cornerstone of social equity by offering well-designed, sustainable...

Jason Long

Partner/Director OMA New York, OMA

Jason Long is a Partner at OMA and leads its New York office. Since joining the firm in 2003, Jason has brought a research-driven, interdisciplinary approach to OMA’s projects internationally. A number of projects under Jason’s direction take a creative...

Vishaan Chakrabarti

Founder & Creative Director, Practice for Architecture and Urbanism | PAU

With over thirty years of proven experience authoring and implementing visionary urban architecture, Vishaan Chakrabarti is the Founder and Creative Director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism | PAU, where he leads the firm’s growing global portfolio of cultural, institutional,...

Emily Losego

Director of Commercial Innovation, Vitro Architectural Glass

As Vitro’s Director of Commercial Innovation, Ms. Losego works with Vitro’s Marketing & Innovation Team to bring new glass product ideas from the drawing board to the production line. A former practicing architect, National Architectural Manager and magnetron sputter vacuum deposition (MSVD) product manager for Vitro, Losego is responsible...

Joshua Voice

Project Management Officer, Josef Gartner USA

Josh Voice is the Brand and Projects Executive for Josef Gartner, an industry leader in curtainwall and advanced façade technologies since 1952. Having joined in 2007, he is currently responsible for all of Gartner’s North American operations and has been...

James Seger

Partner, PBDW

As an architect practicing in NYC for over 30 years, Jim Seger sees the city as an ever-evolving organism, full of opportunity but also in need of caretaking. He focuses on helping cultural, educational and religious organizations further their missions...

Philip Schmerbeck

Studio Director USA, Herzog & de Meuron

Philip Schmerbeck began his collaboration with Herzog & de Meuron in Basel in 2007 and became an Associate in 2011. He was project manager of 56 Leonard Street, a high-rise residential development. After relocating to the New York office in...

Kevin Hoey

Executive Vice President, L&L Holding Company

Starting his career forty (40) years ago in 1984 as a plumber then moving on to the electrical industry as a member of the IBEW Local #3, where he still holds an “A” Journeyman’s card, Kevin Hoey has a diverse...

Ted Carpinelli

Director, KPF

Theodore Carpinelli is an architectural designer and technical coordinator with more than 20 years of experience at KPF. Since joining in 2000, he has brought valuable technical knowledge and problem-solving skills to several of the firm’s most notable projects, spanning...

Stephen Varone

President, RAND Engineering & Architecture

Stephen A. Varone, AIA, is the President and Founder of RAND Engineering & Architecture, DPC, a New York City firm established in 1987 that specializes in surveying building systems and providing design, specification, and administration for repair, upgrade, restoration, adaptive...

Aleksandr Barmas

Principal, Socotec

Alex Barmas brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and perspective to his projects. His unique qualifications and experience as design architect, professional engineer and sustainability consultant for the façade industry serve SOCOTEC’s clients well. Alex has served as a façade...

Yegal Shamash

Chief Structural Engineer, NYC Dept. of Buildings

Yegal Shamash, Professional Engineer, serves as Deputy Commissioner of Enforcement at the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) where he oversees construction safety, construction complaints, accident response and investigation, continuity of operations, major disaster assessment, and day-to-day enforcement operations. Yegal’s career...

Gus Sirakis

Deputy Commissioner, NYC Dept. of Buildings

Constadino ‘Gus’ Sirakis, Professional Engineer, serves as Deputy Commissioner for Development & Technical Affairs at the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB). His work spans several decades of improving construction standards and ensuring compliance to the Building Code. Gus...

David Hewitt

Director of Business Development, ES Windows

David is an industry veteran that is engaged in business development for Tecnoglass/ES. He has a wide range of experience in Sales, Marketing, Product Development, Contract Glazing and Operations in the architectural glazing space. David has experience with multiple industry...

Bersu Serin

Assistant Project Manager, Bisam Facades

Bersu Serin, a Mechanical Engineer graduated from New York Institute of Technology, is the Assistant Project Manager at Bisam Facade. Specializing in building envelope and facade systems, Bersu manages mid to high-rise residential and commercial building construction from start to...

Hisham Mujib

International Specifications Manager, Saint-Gobain

Hisham Mujib brings over 15 years of experience in the construction industry, having worked extensively in India and the Middle East for nearly a decade before relocating to the USA. For the past 10 years, he has specialized in creating,...

Gary P. Mancini

Managing Principal, Thornton Tomasetti

Gary Mancini joined the firm in 1995 and heads our Renewal practice, which encompasses the repair, rehabilitation and alteration of a building structure, envelope or mechanical system. During his extensive career, Gary has worked on a variety of building types...

Sara Tsiropinas

Senior Director of Building Envelopes, L+M Development

Sara Tsiropinas oversees L+M’s entire project portfolio working with development and management to address building envelope compliance, preservation designs, repairs and preventive maintenance. She is committed to advancing preservation practices that harmonize community needs with future growth and contemporary sustainability...

Carla Swickerath

Partner, Studio Libeskind

Since joining Studio Libeskind in 1999, Carla Swickerath has gained diverse experience in cultural, civic, retail, commercial, residential, and planning projects worldwide. She has led many of the Studio’s successful project teams from concept design through to completion— including the...

Andrew Pries

Technical Sales Director, Boston Valley Terra Cotta

Andrew Pries, Technical Sales Director at Boston Valley Terra Cotta, holds a BS in Architecture from the University at Buffalo and a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan. With a focus on design development and leveraging diverse fabrication...

Bob Zhang

Sales Director - North America, North Glass

Bob joined Northglass in 2012. For the first two years He worked on the technical side, then moved to project management and worked on the Apple Park project. In 2015, He came to the US and started the Northglass US...

Cheryl Saldanha

Sr. Project Manager, Building Science Practice Leader, SGH

Cheryl Saldanha leads SGH’s Building Science and Passive House Practices and specializes in designing and evaluating building enclosures for new construction projects and existing building enclosure renovations. Her experience includes curtain wall, rainscreen facade, roofing, and waterproofing systems on a...

Matt Capone

Principal, FacadesX

Matt Capone is a design and construction professional driven to create projects which leave lasting positive impacts for our communities and environment. As the founder of facades X Inc. in 2015, Matt has worked on many prominent and complex projects...

Dean White

Regional Façade Sales Manager, Cosentino

Dean has a 30-year history in the building materials and construction industry ranging from quality management to senior sales management focused on the building envelope. His approach is solution based and consultative. Dean provides practical knowledge to help with design...

Kimberly Garcia

Senior Director - Design and Construction, Tishman Speyer

Currently a Senior director in the Design and Construction group at Tishman Speyer, Kimberly Garcia manages the design and execution of several projects in pre-development through design and construction in Manhattan. As a licensed Architect in New York State, Ms....

Alberto Alarcon

Marketing Manager, Kuraray America

Alberto is the Global MC leader in the Advanced Interlayer Solutions Division of Kuraray; he is located in New York City and is responsible of the Global Marketing Communications and Americas Downstream Marketing . Alberto, through the Trosifol® and Sentryglas®...

Christoph Timm

Principal, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Christoph Timm leads SOM’s Enclosure Group, a practice embedded among the design and engineering studios in the firm’s New York office that focuses on the design of building enclosures and facades. With more than two decades of experience in the...

Gustav Fagerström

Principal, Walter P Moore

Gustav Fagerström is Principal and co-founder with the Walter P Moore New York office, where as Digital Practice Leader he oversees design technology for Façade Engineering. Specializing in design computation he operates at the intersection of architecture, engineering and computer...

Tali Mejicovsky

Associate Principal, Arup

Tali Mejicovsky is an Associate Principal at Arup in New York and Façade Skills Leader across four façade groups in the Americas (Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Toronto). She has more than 20 years of façade experience around...

James O’Callaghan

Co-Founder, Eckersley O'Callaghan

James O’Callaghan is a world leading Structural and Facade Engineer who is widely acknowledged as an authority in application and engineering of structural glass. His innovative and practical approach has made him an integral part of the design team for...

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