Each year we have hosted the LEA competition, the judging event has grown.. from one landscape architect sitting in our boardroom over a glass of wine, to our 3 judges at the long table dinner event last year, to this year where we have 5 incredible judges. Not only are these judges going to be listening to the presentations on May 3rd and choosing the winning team, but they are also providing mentorship for the participants.
Susan Ockwell | Associate AIBC, LEED AP | HCMA
Susan is passionate about creating sustainable learning institutions that foster personal and professional growth for generations to come. She takes inspiration from the details and diversities in our region to find new and better design solutions that push the traditional boundaries of architecture.
Practicing for over twenty years, Susan has extensive experience designing educational facilities at all levels from elementary to post-secondary. As an Associate, she enjoys working collaboratively with clients to realize their vision for dynamic spaces that connect and inspire the community.
As a native British Columbian, Susan is curious by nature and is never quite finished exploring our region and beyond – preferably on two wheels.
Payam Ashjae | Senior Designer | Henriquez Partners Architects
Payam Ashjae’s excellent design and visualization skills have contributed to both TELUS Garden and Granville at 70th. Payam is from Iran, and he holds a Master in Architecture from Azad University in Tehran. He is currently an Intern Architect with the Architectural Institute of British Columbia.
Payam is driven by poetry: “During the design procedure, a piece of the human spirit is progressively woven into the substance of a project. It’s as if this humane secret is relocated into another corporal body.”
Hanako Amaya | Associate BCSLA CSLA | HAPA
With a unique background that combines excellent technical rigor and design sophistication, Hanako injects the Hapa studio with a strong engineering competency and modern design aesthetic.
Hanako brings nearly ten years of local, regional, and international field and design experience and a background in eco-environmental civil engineering and landscape architecture to the Hapa Collaborative team.
Michael Graham | Associate Partner/Senior Project Manager, P.Eng., MIES | WSP
Michael has extensive design and construction experience in a wide range of projects, including airports, educational facilities, healthcare facilities, laboratories, libraries, commercial and office buildings, fire halls, theatres, parks, and light industrial facilities. He is skilled in the provision of project management, coordination, and contract administration services for medium- to large-scale projects. Michael is a specialist in lighting design, theatrical lighting systems, and lighting control systems, and has received lighting design awards at local, regional, and international levels.
Katie McPherson | Chief Resilience Officer | City of Vancouver
Katie has been with the Office of Emergency Management for five years. She recently led the implementation of a new community resilience portfolio with a mandate to work collaboratively with government and community stakeholders to promote resilience to all hazards. Katie has a wealth of unique experience in the private and non-profit sectors. She led an award-winning, multi-disciplinary climate adaptation project. She volunteered in emergency social services volunteer for the Red Cross and the City of Vancouver. She’s planted over one million trees across Canada.
