Cindy is Co-Regional Managing Principal of Gensler’s South Central Region and Co-Managing Director of Gensler’s Dallas office, and a member of Gensler’s Board of Directors. Since joining Gensler in 2002, she has emerged as a visionary leader, inspiring confidence in her clients, respect among her peers and loyalty from her staff. In 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021, Cindy was named one of the Dallas 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders in Dallas and Ft. Worth by D CEO Magazine.

A dedicated client advocate, Cindy serves on the Firmwide Client Relationships Management Committee, working across the firm to strengthen client partnerships. As both an accomplished project leader and designer, she offers her clients and project teams strategic solutions that also respect and advance design excellence. Cindy’s leadership style, breadth of experience, knowledge of the market, effective communication skills and intense focus on her clients’ business drivers have merited her a reputation as a strategic partner and trusted advisor. In 2019, Cindy was elevated to the International Interior Design Association College of Fellows (IIDA). The IIDA College of Fellows is the highest honor bestowed by the organization on members whose work has a significant influence on the profession of interior design.

Cindy graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Interior Design from Mississippi State University’s College of Architecture, Art and Design, and was named Alumnus of the Year by the College in 2010. In 2019, she was recognized as an Alumni Fellow, a lifetime honor, for her achievements in the design industry. Her professional certifications include membership in the International Interior Design Association; she’s also a LEED accredited professional committed to implementing sustainable design strategies.

Evan joined GFF as an architect in 2005 and became Chairman and CEO in 2020. With over 20 years of experience in architecture and planning, he was named one of the Dallas Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2013 and one of the “Top 20 Under 40 in Architecture, Engineering and Construction” by ENR Texas & Louisiana in 2011. He has managed complex residential, retail, and mixed-use projects, focusing on sustainable design, density, smart growth, and New Urbanist principles. Evan takes a collaborative approach to design, prioritizing project goals and client expectations. He frequently speaks at ULI, AIA, TREC, and other events on these topics.

Evan is an active member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), The Real Estate Council (TREC), and the North Texas Chapter of Urban Land Institute (ULI). He chaired the 2017 Associate Leadership Council leadership development program and serves on the Board of Governors for Downtown Dallas, Inc. Evan is also a City of Dallas Development Advisory Committee Member and was the founding member and former President of the Henderson Neighborhood Association. His community engagement has contributed to zoning change efforts and promoting best practices in walkable urban design and quality placemaking in Dallas.

Jo Staffelbach Heinz is a recognized leader in the design industry. As past CEO of Staffelbach and now Vice President of DLR Group she is passionately working to expand DLR Group’s presence in Texas. Jo has been named by D CEO Magazine to the DALLAS 500, Dallas’ most powerful Business Leaders for the past 2 years. Her focus is enhancing the client experience and delivering design excellence. She is a Fellow of IIDA, North Texas Better Business Bureau Chairman of the Board, a member of the Dallas Regional Chamber Board and is Prosci Certified as a Change Management specialist.

DLR Group is an international global integrated design firm with 30 offices, their brand promise is to “Elevate the Human Experience through Design“. DLR Group’s Texas offices include Dallas, Houston and Austin. With architectural Core & Shell expertise as well as Workplace Design, Change Management and Workplace Strategy, DLR Group is proud to include Fortune 100 and 500 firms and national and international companies as their clients.

Brian Ward is a Structural Steel Specialist serving the Dallas/Fort Worth market for the American Institute of Steel Construction. His primary role at AISC is to serve as a resource to the AEC community in the DFW area on the latest innovations and information on all facets related to the design and construction of structural steel. Before joining AISC, Brian worked for a steel fabricator as a design engineer and regional sales manager in the DFW area for 16 years. Additionally, he served as a senior project engineer for a local general contractor for two years. Brian earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University in College Station.

Siobhan has nearly two decades of experience creating a diversity of environments ranging

from commercial office buildings, student housing, K-12, to senior living. Her approach at D2

Architecture, working in close collaboration with multiple teams, is an integrated process that

weaves together the disciplines of planning, architecture, interior design and landscape

architecture for projects across the United States. From conceptual design development,

Siobhan satisfies complex project requirements and maximizes design opportunities as seen as

such projects as Ventana by Buckner, The Legacy at Midtown Park and The Stayton in Fort

Worth. Siobhan remains involved in every phase of the design process and is committed to

realizing project goals while working closely alongside the project team. Siobhan holds a

Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Florida and provides leadership at D2

as an Associate Principal. She is passionate about providing better environments for living and

is an active participant in D2’s Sleepover Project where she has spent 24 hours in a senior living

community as a resident. She speaks regularly at industry conferences including Environments

for Aging, CREW, and InterFace about the importance of integrating senior housing into mixed-

use environments.

Scott Lowe drives 5G’s award-winning success as an innovative, client-centric group of architects,

project managers, designers and planners. He launched the firm in 2005 with partners Hoang Dang and

Yen Ong, later joined by Jacob Tindall and Mike Voegtle. Scott is responsible for 5G’s overall business

vision, design and development, including growth tactics and financials.

Today, 5G has offices and clients worldwide, with assignments from the most acclaimed global brands.

With continually award-winning achievement, 5G’s honors with Scott’s leadership include ranking on

the Architect 50 Firms in both Business and Design among international firms with operations in the

United States.

With expert professionalism and acumen, Scott directs landmark, high-impact assignments across all

business sectors, notably hospitality, retail, office and residential. He also is a Partner and Co-Founder in

TLK Hospitality, a Development/Project Management Company managing such high-profile assignments

as the Virgin Hotel in Dallas, Texas. Further, Scott is a Co-founding partner in the award-winning Ink +

Oro ID group. One of his most notable involvements was in the highly acclaimed and world-renowned

FORTY FIVE TEN store at Hudson Yards in New York.

Scott is a champion for cultivating and motivating top design talent. He and his partners have built a

firm that consistently brings a high degree of economic success for clients in the global marketplace.

5G’s growth and expansion from Dallas headquarters continues, with thriving offices in Atlanta, Miami,

and Asia.

A native of the Texas Panhandle, Scott holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from the

University of Oklahoma. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and a member of the Sustainable

Committee of the Urban Land Institute of North Texas. Scott is involved in several charitable

organizations, local architectural/construction community education programs and the arts.  He is a

sought after panelist for commentary and insights on the marketplace’s leading business topics.

In 2019, Scott continued to be ranked among the Top CEOs in the North Texas region by D Magazine in

the DCEO 500. Scott and 5G Studio also have been named DCEO’s 2020 honoree for Excellence in

Architecture & Design in Dallas’ prestigious annual Commercial Real Estate Awards.

A graduate of Columbia University with a Master of Science in Architecture and Building Design, John Orfield is both product and proponent of the collaborative style that BOKA Powell exemplifies. John enjoys exploring the kinship between architecture, film, and dance – art forms he sees as related in their portrayal of human experience moving through space and time. He has sought out collaborative environments or created them on the spot in design firms and universities from New York to Indianapolis to Mexico City. John considers every project a partnership, not only between the architect and the client, but also with the site itself. He sees this contextual approach as one reason why there is no recognizable BOKA Powell “style” — only spaces that benefit their surroundings as the result of a very intentional design process.

Ron Stelmarski, FAIA, is the Design Director for Perkins&Will's Dallas studio and the Project Design Director for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas project. Since moving to Dallas in 2011, Ron has become a key figure in shaping Dallas’ built environment, with notable projects including The Pittman Hotel, The Epic Buildings, Singing Hills Recreation and Senior Center, and the Fair Park Master Plan Update. His work emphasizes the enhancement of public spaces and community engagement, particularly in historically overlooked neighborhoods. Architecture critic Mark Lamster of The Dallas Morning News notes, "nobody has done more to shape the city’s built environment this century."

Ron’s impact extends globally, as seen in his participation in the Watershed Urbanism Exhibit at the Venice Architecture Biennale. His ability to deliver award-winning designs on complex projects has made him a leading force in reshaping cities and enhancing the public realm.

"Harold Thompson, AIA, LEED AP, is the new managing principal of HDR’s Dallas architecture studio. Responsible for working with the Dallas leadership team to create, execute and deliver great work, Thompson said he is most looking forward to developing relationships with HDR’s clients and his new colleagues. He hopes to foster an environment in which “every employee in the Dallas studio feels respected, invested, rewarded and inspired.”

Prior to joining HDR, Thompson was a senior vice president and managing director for CallisonRTKL in the Middle East. An architect with 20 years of experience, Thompson has done project work in more than 25 countries, including a five-year stint in Dubai in his most recent role.

Before beginning his architectural career, Thompson spent the first 13 years of his professional life in banking and corporate investments. He later returned to graduate school to study architecture and follow his passion for design. He considers his strengths to be creativity, attention to detail and collaboration, and his most treasured professional achievements include the relationships he has made throughout his career.

“Harold brings a unique perspective and diverse background to our Dallas studio," said Rick Harris, AIA, ACHA, LEED AP, East region director of architecture. “He is a true leader and a perfect fit with our culture. We welcome this Texan back to his roots.”"

John P. Allender, AIA LEED AP is an architect and principal of Architexas, a collaborative architecture and planning firm whose mission is to serve clients and community by creating and conserving meaningful, lasting and well-crafted built environments. From historic courthouses to luxury boutique hotels to city park pavilions, the results are contextually sensitive design responses and faithful restorations of our cities historic fabric.

As principal, John has focused on sustainability and design innovation guided by a commitment to the preservation of our architectural heritage. He is an active member of the design community, with his work having been recognized by local and state design and preservation communities, including multiple Preservation Dallas Achievement Awards, Preservation Texas Historic Rehabilitation Awards and AIA Dallas Honor Awards. John lives in East Dallas with his wife and two daughters.

Executive Senior Principal, President and CFO of Lifescapes International, Inc., Julie Brinkerhoff-Jacobs

has been active in the real estate industry her entire career. For the last nearly 4 decades she has focused

on guiding the growth of the international, award-winning landscape architectural firm, Lifescapes

International. Julie is a frequent guest speaker, lecturer and author on design and marketing-related issues

for the industry as well as a member of a variety of professional and charitable organizations.

The firm’s extensive portfolio includes firm’s projects include Fort Worth Stockyards (Majestic Realty),

Sapphire Bay in Rowlett (Donahue Development), The Plaza at Coral Gables (Agave Holdings), The Grove

(Caruso Affiliated), Rockefeller Center’s Channel Gardens (Tishman Speyer), The Village at Meridian in

Idaho (CenterCal Properties); The Point in El Segundo, CA (Federal Realty Investment Trust); Pacific City

(DJM Capital Partners); Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, SC; and Flatiron Crossing in Colorado, as

well as many other projects for clients Hines, Trumark Urban and Macerich Development. Lifescapes also

has an impressive hospitality portfolio from boutique hotels to fully-integrated entertainment resorts, with 17

on the Las Vegas Strip, as well as projects in China, Korea, The Philippines Thailand, Indonesia and

Australia.

Dan Noble was born in Chicago but grew up in Aberdeen, South Dakota. After graduating from North

Dakota State University in 1982 with a dual Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in

Architecture, he moved to Texas. Prior to his appointment as CEO in January 2014, Dan’s leadership as

Global Director of Design significantly elevated the quality of the firm’s work and the reach of its influence.

A Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and American College of Healthcare Architects, Dan

is LEED certified and registered to practice in Texas, Florida, North Dakota, New Jersey, Alabama and

South Dakota, as well as Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta. His projects have been

honored by the Texas Society of Architects, Progressive Architecture, Architectural Record, Texas

Architect and the Dallas Business Journal.

A board member and former National President of the Academy on Architecture for Health (AAH), Dan is

also a trustee for the Foundation for the AAH and national chairman of the AIA/AAH regional initiatives.

He is a member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Healthcare Architects, Dallas

Regional Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Dallas Inc. and Y Dallas. He is a past president of the Dallas

Architecture Foundation and has served as design commissioner, editor and awards program chairman of

AIA Dallas.

Major Achievements

Under Dan’s guidance, HKS has expanded its global reach; developed state-of-the-art research around

the neuroscience of design’s impact on health and productivity; demonstrated profound impact in

environmental conservation and sustainable design; worked in cities across the globe to improve urban

design and resilience; donated design services and financial support to major charitable initiatives; and

worked with other members of the design community to elevate the profession.

HKS is ranked as one of the leading design firms in the world by BD World Architecture, Architectural

Record, Architect, Building Design+Construction and Interior Design. Over its 80-year history, HKS has

won hundreds of awards for design excellence.

The firm has enjoyed record revenue years under Dan’s leadership and 2019 is on track to be the firm’s

best year ever.