ASSOCIATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Who We Are

AMELIA MURPHY, AIA

PRESIDENT

a young designer with an attention to detail that is highly valued by her colleagues and clients. She sees her projects as, not only building structures, but also as works of art. This allows for her skills, talents, and passions to excel beyond the paper. Amelia's keen observations and artistic nature are the basis for her creative input and innovative solutions to inevitable design challenges that occur along the way.

KAREN STASKIN, AIA, LEED GA

PRESIDENT ELECT

is committed to the goal of finding economical, environmentally friendly solutions to improve the quality of life in underprivileged communities. She is currently focusing on designs for higher education clients; her previous professional experience also includes healthcare and retail spaces.

Actively involved in professional and community engagement, Karen serves on the Associate’s Board of the ACE Mentor program and is active in AIA Triangle’s Women in Architecture group. She also pursues creative outlets from pottery to photography.

Nate Bouquin, PE, PTOE

EVENTS CHAIR

Experienced Traffic Engineering Lead with a demonstrated history of going the extra mile to meet public and private sector clients needs and gaining approval on significant development projects. Skilled in Synchro, Sidra, HCS 2010, Microsoft Office, and public speaking. Hard working professional with a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University.

Dustin Brugmann, AIA, LEED GA

PROGRAM CHAIR

Architect with demonstrated experience in design, detailing and documentation across all scales within the architecture & planning industry. Skilled in a variety of digital technology tools such as complex 3D modeling, 2D drawing, digital fabrication processes and BIM project coordination. I'm a professional practitioner and occasional educator.

ERIC DEAN, PMP

SECRETARY/OUTREACH CHAIR

I am a PMP certified Project Manager, currently part of DPR Construction who is a forward-thinking national general contractor and construction manager specializing in technically complex and sustainable projects.

Founded in 1990 DPR is a privately-held, employee-owned company that has grown to a multi billion-dollar
organization with offices around the world, making it one of the largest general contractors in the nation and a great story of entrepreneurial success.

LAUREN EATON, AIA

MARKETING CHAIR

is a designer who began her career focused on custom, high-end homes, with an emphasis on classicism. Transitioning into lab space planning and design, she held close those roots, introducing concepts such as proportion and natural light. As private and institutional sectors deal with an inventory of dark, outdated windowless labs, she focuses on how to make labs beautiful and inspirational places for scientists to work. Her solutions involve opening up visibility and natural light, materiality changes, sustainable strategies and flexible designs to change over time. She thinks it is important—where possible and safe—to engage passers-by in the lab’s work with a goal of inspiring young people to explore STEM fields. She understands the value of pleasant working environments to attract and retain potential researchers, as well as donors. She likes to introduce color on everything from walls to fume hoods to casework and give users choices they never had before. Her parents taught her the importance of getting involved. “...to be part of something bigger is what brings me to work every day.”

BRAD SMITH

SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR

I am a general contractor currently in a project engineering role with a back ground in construction management and architecture.

My primary focus at the moment is MEP and Pharmaceutical work.

Felipe Lopera
AIA, NCARB, LEED Green Associate

Young architect originally from Medellin, Colombia, and graduated from University of Florida with both a Bachelors of Design in Architecture and a Masters in Architecture; with previous experience throughout the Southeast in various sectors including retail/commercial, hospitality, K-12 and higher education, federal, civic, healthcare, and sustainable design. Currently focused on the intersection of sciences and design, Felipe implements his skillset into design-oriented solutions within the life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors, where evolving technologies and processes constantly create novel design challenges that require innovative input and new human to building interactions.