Description

Link to Presentation: Town Of Chapel Hill Presentation

AIA CES approved 4 LU

Conference Speakers

Aaron Lubeck

Aaron Lubeck is a designer, builder + developer with The Rocket Shop in Durham. He is the author of Green Restorations: Sustainable Building and Historic Homes, and a former adjunct at Duke University’s Nicholas School, where he lectured on sustainable home building. In 2012, Aaron developed Durham’s first net-zero-energy home, an infill project designed to fit seamlessly in its historic neighborhood.

Aaron’s more recent work focuses on zoning changes to facilitate the reconstruction of affordable housing markets, including local efforts to create Missing Middle codes. He recently served as faculty with Incremental Development Alliance in West Atlanta training fledgling developers, and is host of The Townbuilder’s Podcast, a curated conversation with top new urbanist developers. He is the founder of Southern Urbanism, a non-profit dedicated to better city-building in the South. @aaron_lubeck

Aletha Watson

Founder and CEO Aletha Watson, a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in real estate development, property management, and sales, is a driving force behind Watson 3D Communities LLC.

Anya Grahn-Federmack

Anya Grahn-Federmack, AICP, CNU-A, serves as the Principal Planner for the Town of Chapel Hill, backed by over 12 years of experience in municipal planning. She held the position of historic preservation planner in Park City, Utah, before joining Chapel Hill in 2019. She earned her Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Ball State University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A Wisconsin native, Anya dedicates her free time to volunteering with preservation-minded organizations.

Brian Peterson

Brian Peterson, AIA, has many years of experience serving as a consulting firm principal, project manager, and senior designer for planning, urban redevelopment, infrastructure renewal, and architectural design projects. He currently serves as the Urban Designer for the Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Much of Mr. Peterson's work occurs at the interface between architecture, planning and landscape architecture, spanning all aspects of project conceptualization and implementation including public presentations and workshops. Mr. Peterson's work has won numerous local, state, and national awards. In addition to serving as an Adjunct Professor of Architecture for urban design and building design studios at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Mr. Peterson has taught urban and open space design in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and at Duke University’s Osher Institute for Lifelong Learning.

Bronwyn Charlton, AIA

Born and raised in the United States to non-American parents, Bronwyn has spent most of her life as an itinerant adventurer. Curiosity about the world has led her to live and work in numerous countries and states and pursue several degrees along the way. She is passionate, creative, detail-oriented, and broad-minded, and brings these various attributes together in her architectural practice.

Bronwyn has over 14 years of experience in the field of architecture. She has worked on a wide range of project typologies, from higher education life sciences buildings, to restaurants, to multifamily and single family. By far her favorite design pursuit is housing, because housing is the heart of people’s lived experience. She finds great meaning in designing spaces that give people comfort and joy.

Through Charlton Architecture, founded in 2019, Bronwyn has built an approach to design that is collaborative, sustainable, and focused on quality. She guides her residential clients through a process that respects the home as a space full of meaning in which the day-to-day experience of living is a priority. She is a careful steward of budget, time, and resources, working closely with her clients to deliver a meaningful and manageable project. In her spare time, Bronwyn loves to walk in urban and rural places, play silly games with her three children, read any book she can get her hands on, and dig in the garden.

Chris Blue

Christopher (Chris) C. Blue, the Town Manager of Chapel Hill, began his career with the town's police department in 1997, serving in various roles before being appointed Police Chief in 2010. In 2017, he became the Executive Director for Community Safety, overseeing additional departments, and was named Town Manager in 2023. Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts in Radio, Television, and Motion Pictures from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s in Public Administration from NC State University. He is actively involved in professional organizations, including the NCCCMA and ICMA, and serves on the boards of Coastal Horizons and the NC Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission. Chris is married with two daughters and enjoys collecting stringed instruments.

Delores Bailey, EMPOWERment Inc. 

EMPOWERment Inc. is a non-profit in Orange County, NC, whose mission has been to “empower individuals and communities to determine their destiny through affordable housing, community engagement, and grassroots economic development” since 1996. Delores joined the staff as a Community Organizer in 2002. She soon became Associate Director of Community Engagement, rental properties, and marketing. In May 2005, she became Executive Director. Ms. Bailey worked diligently with the Northside neighborhood of Chapel Hill, NC, to create an overlay zoning tool that addressed gentrification concerns in traditional African-American, low-wealth neighborhoods. A Conservation District was established that has been the model for several other older neighborhoods in the Chapel Hill area. Ms. Bailey was an active participant in that process. EMPOWERment Inc. owns and operates a small business incubator catering to minority and women-owned businesses. Created in 2001, The Midway Business Center was the first small business incubator established in Orange County, NC. It has been responsible for the creation of over 400 start-up businesses. In 2022, BrightPath Solutions, a brainchild of Ms. Bailey, began intense training seminars for minority businesses. She has raised over $200,000 for the operation of this initiative.

Under her oversight of EMPOWERment Inc, has become one of the largest non-profit property owners of affordable rental units in Orange County, NC. Rental inventory in 2005 was 12 units, and now there are 62 rental properties. EMPOWERment Inc. was named “Landlord of the Year” and voted “Non-Profit of the Year” by the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Chamber of Commerce. In two years, Ms. Bailey and staff have raised $3.5M to build an apartment building in downtown Chapel Hill, The P.E.A.C.H. Apartments, for families earning low low incomes. Construction will begin in 2024.

Ms. Bailey has helped develop other community-focused groups, such as Orange County’s Justice United, The Family Success Alliance, and the Third Sector Alliance. She is a board member of The Martin Luther King Jr. University/ Community Planning Corporation, Carol Woods Retirement Center, Triangle United Way, and The Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP.

Ms. Bailey holds a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral and Social Science from North Carolina Central University.

Eric Chupp

Eric Chupp has been developing communities in Orange County North Carolina for the last 34 years. As Director of Development for Capkov Ventures Inc. Eric has sought out unique properties that have specific elements that will enhance the quality of life for future homeowners. Focusing on Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and more recently Hillsborough, Capkov Ventures under the direction of Eric Chupp has built some of the most highly sought after communities in Orange County. Mr. Chupp has served as the Chair of the Land Use and Regulatory Affairs committee for the Home Builders Association Durham, Orange and Chatham Counties for more than a decade, is a past President, and a Board Member, and Executive Board member for numerous terms. Mr. Chupp received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Arizona and a Law Degree from North Carolina Central University. Eric has five children and six grandchildren. The two youngest children Isabella 14, and Davis 10 keep Eric and his wife Cilenia busy with traveling baseball and softball teams, Little League All-Stars teams, and tennis and basketball to round things out. Communities developed in Orange County by Capkov include:

Bolin Forest

WeatherHill Point

The Cedars at Bolin Forest

Columbia Place

Pickard Oaks

Franklin Grove

Knollwood

Erwin Village

Winmore

Chancellors View

Chandler

Burch Kove

Bridgepoint

Stanat’s Place

Goddard School Chapel Hill

Waterstone South

Heather Ferrell, AIA, NOMA, SEED

Heather is a native of Durham, NC and has lived most of her life in the Triangle area. She focuses her work within the arena of Public Interest Design and prioritizes working with non-profit organizations and clients who have a positive impact on their community. She is the architect of record for multiple affordable housing developments in the Triangle area.

She is a member of the SEED Network, the Association for Community Design, the National Organization of Minority Architects, and is the Executive Director of Prism Design Lab, an arts education non-profit that exposes young people to architecture and design.

Heather holds a BS of Anthropology from NC State University and a Masters of Architecture from the University of Oregon. She is a registered architect in the states of North Carolina and Massachusetts.

Heather Washburn

Heather Washburn is the President of Calico Studio, a boutique multidisciplinary design firm with clients on both the East and West Coasts of the US. She is also the owner of Calico Creates, the artistic arm of Calico where Heather creates fine art and upcycled accessories such as bags and wallets. She is the mastermind behind the Calico Makers Market which brings together locals to engage in art and community twice a year. She is a native of NC, local architect, an artist member of the Orange County Artists Guild, and active member in the community. She is a member of the Town of Chapel Hill Community Design Commission and board member for the Orange County Arts Commission.

She holds professional degrees in both Architecture and Industrial Design from NC State, College of Design. She holds architecture licenses in NC, MA, CA, and WA. At 26, she became a bi-coastal architect, with her first company Tonic Design. Where she was based in Boston, MA; her partners in Raleigh, NC; and their first architecture project in California. They figured out how to work remotely before it was even a thing. In 2004, she moved her arm of the practice to San Diego and then up to Seattle where she learned all she could about designing holistically with the environment and her clients needs in mind. In 2010, she sold her share of Tonic Design so that she could create Calico Studio and Calico Creates, where she could follow her passions of architecture and art. In 2015, it was time to come home to NC and she brought with her all the lessons learned from the west coast and continued to build her practice here in Chapel Hill.

Heather has built her career on listening to her clients, looking for patterns and thinking outside the box. She looks for not only the "big puzzle" but also how the pieces have notches defined by their components and rules. These connections could be the understanding of subtle differences of a new culture, the reasoning behind a sculpture or painting, the relationship between two people, or simply how to make an aspect better. Heather searches for the exhilaration of the "ah ha" moment. The one you get right after finding a solution, and especially when someone is along with you for that discovery. It's lasting, and it's what she loves about architecture and art.

Jason Klaitman

Ludlow South Design + Build was founded in 2016 by Jason Klaitman.  Jason graduated in 2006 from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School with a concentration in Real Estate and has spent his entire career working in real estate.  With over 25 years of commercial, corporate and entrepreneurial real estate experience in the multifamily, retail, self storage, office, manufacturing/industrial and senior housing sectors, Jason now focuses entirely on residential real estate.  Ludlow South entitles and develops raw land in Orange and Durham Counties, builds high performance homes that exceed current efficiency standards, builds and manages high quality rental properties and endeavors to build quality and affordable homes to meet the middle housing needs of growing communities in the Triangle.  Jason, his wife and two daughters live in rural Orange County and are longtime supporters of Triangle Land Conservancy.

Jenn Truman

Jenn Truman is Principal Designer at The Rocket Shop, a local residential infill design firm focused on building place through community design. With experience in architecture, civil engineering, and interior design, Jenn has a breadth and depth of knowledge that she puts to work in her advocacy. She has been a leader and advocate in local conversations on housing, transportation, transit and walkability in Raleigh and the Triangle region.

Jenn has serves on the board of the Raleigh Transit Authority, CityBuilder NC, Yes! in the Triangle the Raleigh-Durham YIMBY Action chapter, and Fertile Ground Food Cooperative. Jenn was a 2022 winner of the AIA National Associate Award to recognize her leadership and significant contributions to the community and the architecture profession.

Matthew Petty

Matthew Petty is the creator of a novel technique cities can use to guide development called pattern zones that pre-approves high-quality infill buildings for local use. The program lowers barriers to small parcel development to make sprawl repair, appropriate infill, and main street commerce accessible to residents and builders.

Matthew has facilitated or consulted for municipalities or civic organizations in more than a dozen communities, including Overland Park, Memphis, South Bend, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Houston, and others. He was elected four times and served for almost 13 years as a Councilmember in Fayetteville, Arkansas where he sponsored new data-based processes within a placemaking framework in transportation and tourism budgets.

Matthew’s planning and design proposals have won grants from the National Endowment for the Arts four times, the Knight Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and others. Congress for the New Urbanism awarded his work national honors.

Michael Ambrose

Michael Ambrose is an architect and capital project manager at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He oversees a diverse portfolio of academic, research and infrastructure projects at UNC.

He earned a MArch in History, Theory and Criticism of Architecture and Urban Design from the Syracuse University School of Architecture and a BArch from Temple University. Michael has been a member of the faculty at several schools of architecture across more than 25 years as an educator, including the University of Maryland, Syracuse University and Drexel University. Michael is currently an Associate Professor of Practice in the School of Architecture at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville.

Michael also serves on the American Institute of Architects - AIA Triangle Board of Directors. He is an At-Large Director for The Society of College and University Planning – SCUP Southern Regional Council. He is a passionate advocate for the profound impact architecture and design can have on individuals and communities. He strongly believes in fostering a more diverse and inclusive architectural profession, recognizing the positive roles architects can play on campuses and in society. His contributions through professional, educational, and volunteer efforts reflect his commitment to excellence, diversity, and the transformative power of architecture and design.

Nora El-Khouri Spencer

Nora El-Khouri Spencer is the Founder and CEO of Hope Renovations. After a 15-year career in corporate HR, Nora, a self-taught remodeler, decided to switch directions to pursue a Master of Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill with a focus on social justice through entrepreneurship. In Summer 2020, Nora combined her passion for women’s workforce development, her interest in preserving housing for older adults, and her love for construction to launch Hope Renovations.

Nora is an NC Licensed Building Contractor and maintains a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) designation. She has received multiple honors for her work, including being named the 2023 National Association of Home Builders’ “Woman of the Year” and a 2022 Top Ten CNN Hero. She speaks about gender equity in the trades throughout the country, and has been a recurring guest on The Drew Barrymore Show as “Nora the Tradeswoman”.

In March, Nora became a new mom. Besides being completely obsessed with her son (a future feminist tradesman) she is also an avid UNC Tar Heels and LA Dodgers fan, a Master Gardener, and a beach addict. She lives in Chapel Hill with her husband Brian and her little Isaac James.

Phil Szostack

Philip Szostak, FAIA, is a well known architect whose career spans over fifty years, marked by a legacy of award-winning design and influential projects. As the founder of Szostak Design, Inc., based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, he has earned a reputation for creating thoughtful, innovative, and contextually sensitive architecture across diverse project types, from cultural institutions and educational facilities to commercial spaces and custom residences. His work consistently reflects a commitment to design excellence, sustainability, and community impact.

Educated at North Carolina State University’s College of Design, Philip has maintained close ties with the academic community, actively mentoring young architects and contributing to the advancement of architectural education. Since founding Szostak Design in 1980, he has led the firm in shaping a wide variety of architectural projects throughout North Carolina. Currently, the firm is involved in several high-profile projects, including major expansions to the North Carolina Aquariums at Fort Fisher, a new performing arts center and School of Fine Arts at Winston-Salem State University, and a renovation and enhancement of the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art as part of the transformation of the North Carolina Museum of Art in Winston-Salem.

A Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, Philip's contributions to the field have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the AIA North Carolina F. Carter Williams Gold Medal—the highest honor awarded by the chapter. His career reflects a dedication to advancing the craft of architecture and a lifelong passion for enriching North Carolina's built environment.

Randy Cox

Randy Cox, a University of North Carolina alumnus (Class of '84) and two-time National Lacrosse Champion, is a devoted family man, married to Tanya Cox for 26 years, with whom he shares three children: Kennedy (21), Sydney (20), and Grayson (16). Professionally, Randy is a licensed general contractor at Horizon Custom Builders LLC, and serves as Vice President and Broker-in-Charge for Coldwell Banker Howard Perry and Walston, with nearly three decades in the Triangle real estate industry. In his free time, he enjoys Lake Gaston with family and friends, and he continues his lacrosse legacy as a staff member at the UNC Lacrosse Program and Head Coach at Northwood High School.

Richard Turlington

Richard Turlington grew up in Bynum, North Carolina and has lived in the Chapel Hill/Durham area his entire life. He has a BS of Physics from the University of North Carolina. Richard started his career in residential home construction as an AmeriCorps Member working with Habitat in 2001.  Since then, he has worked with Habitat for Humanity of Orange County for more than 12 years, 7 years building homes in the field, and 5 years as the VP of Construction. In that role, Richard holds oversight responsibility for the land purchase, project design, infrastructure, preparation of the site, as well as Habitat's growing repair program. He has been heavily involved in the design and construction of the Weavers Grove Neighborhood in North Chapel Hill that will be adding 102 affordable homes for purchase to Chapel Hill in the next 4 years.

Ron Staley

Ron Staley is an accomplished business developer and real estate expert with 25 years of tenure across the fields of finance, real estate and construction management. Ron recently joined True Homes Foundation as Senior Manager of Affordable Housing Initiatives. Over the last 15 years, Ron founded, owned and operated one of the most prominent African American led residential construction firms in the Carolina’s. He specialized in affordable housing initiatives with a focus on in-fill sites within the inner city of Charlott, North Carolina.

In recent years, Ron co-led joint venture developments with a variety of community stakeholders. His experience in working with local governments, not for profit and private sector stakeholders reflects his collaborative and impact focused approach to affordable housing.

Ron is a licensed Real Estate Broker in both North and South Carolina. He holds a General Contractor Commercial License in North and South Carolina. He is a Six Sigma, Green Belt, OSHA certified and LEED GA accredited. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Winthrop University.

Tas Lagoo

Tas Lagoo is a Principal Planner for the Town of Chapel Hill and joined the staff in 2022. He is currently managing the project to rewrite the Town’s Land Use Management Ordinance. Tas previously worked at an environmental law firm in Washington D.C., and served on the staff of the late Senator Kay Hagan. A devout Tar Heel, Tas earned degrees in Public Policy, Law, and City & Regional Planning from UNC – Chapel Hill.

Tiffany Elder

Tiffany Elder is a Durham-based Realtor, licensed general contractor, and incremental real estate developer.

Tiffany understands the challenges of creating inclusive spaces and affordable housing in growing urban markets.  She developed NC’s first “triple benefit” project that was green-certified, received historic preservation tax credits, and was priced affordably for buyers below 80%AMI.

Today, Tiffany enjoys renovating historic structures, and building new residential and commercial spaces in the Raleigh-Durham area.  She currently facilitates multiple real estate cohorts, with the goal of empowering residents to participate in the growth in their local real estate markets.

Tiffany’s community activities have included serving as Co-Chair of Durham’s 95MM Affordable Housing Bond Implementation Committee; Also as Past Chair of the Steering Committee for Durham’s inaugural 2MM Participatory Budgeting Process. Also as Co-Chair of The Collective, a Durham-based consortium of minority real estate professionals.