Webinar | Design Award: Merit Award Project Spotlight
Tuesday, June 17, 2025 | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
About the Webinar
This webinar, sponsored by the Architectural Practice COI, spotlights the Merit winners in the SAME Design Awards Program for 2025. This program aims to celebrate the technical design accomplishments of SAME members on Federal projects and for Federal clients while creating opportunities for firms across the A/E/C industry engaged with SAME. It seeks to strengthen connections between Federal clients, agencies, and design professionals, fostering collaboration to improve the quality of Federal facilities and infrastructure. Through recognition of outstanding designs, the program highlights projects that enhance mission and program objectives, effectively meet user requirements, deliver life-cycle cost-effective solutions, and promote sustainable and energy-efficient practices, contributing to a more resilient and impactful built environment.
Presenters
Gayle Kirchmar, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, KCCT
Gayle Kirchmar manages large, complex projects with multiple stakeholders which is integral to the success of KCCT’s domestic studio. She provides high-level direction for KCCT and foster collaboration between all project team members, resulting in a process that exceeds stakeholder expectation. Also she plans, monitors, and supervises all design activities, and ensures project administration compliance with company and client requirements. A thought leader in mission-critical projects with high-stakes global impacts, she tackles the unique challenge of reconciling rigorous security requirements in top-secret environments with the creation of innovative, high-performance workspaces.
She is an enthusiastic proponent of career development for aspiring architects and an active participant in Commercial Real Estate Women’s (CREW) Careers Lunch Club at Phelps High School. Prior to joining KCCT, Gayle specialized in community development and stabilization projects to faciliate Washington, DC’s ongoing renaissance. She liaised with local developers to deliver community enhancement buildings that included the University of the District of Columbia Community College renovations, the Mary Church Terrell House for Howard University, the Ellen Wilson Community Center, and the Phillips School Condominiums, a high-rise luxury building with several affordable housing units. A native of Maryland, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from the University of Maryland and a Master of Architecture from Virginia Tech.
Todd Higginbotham, AIA, LEED AP, Bailey Edward
Todd is an experienced architect with a demonstrated history of working in the architecture & planning industry. Skilled in AutoCAD, Revit, Construction, Sustainable Design, and Design Research, he is a strong arts and design professional with a Bachelor’s Degree focused in Architecture from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Col. Paula Loomis, Ph.D., F.SAME, FAIA, AICP, LEED AP, USAFR (Ret.), The Urban Collaborative
Dr. Loomis’ work can be found at more than 70 federal installations and campuses worldwide and has resulted in 52 design awards. She served in senior leadership positions with several federal agencies, culminating as the Executive Director for the Coast Guard’s Shore Infrastructure Logistics Center. Paula currently leads the SAME Industry-Government-Engagement initiative Planning for Future Federal Facility Innovation.
Jerry Perry, AIA Design Principal, Jacobs
Jerry Perry, AIA is a Design Principal at Jacobs and has a practicing in architecture since 1995 (registered architect since 1999). He focuses intently on maximizing the design potential for each project, whether it be a planning study, a small renovation or building addition, or a large new construction project. Jerry believes that building design should meet the functional needs of the client but also inspire them in their work and/or in their daily workplace interactions. He guides project teams (all disciplines) towards the project vision that is developed in conjunction with the user stakeholders. Jerry actively collaborates with all project team members for the optimization of each of their building systems and the integration of each to the greater whole of the project. He drives project teams to develop a complete design integration of the site development, building configuration, exterior design language and interior design.
Moderator
Jose G. Matute, LEED AP, Certified General Contractor, Registered Architect, Registered Interior Designer
Jose is an architect and Principal and Co-owner of Gurri Matute PA located in Miami, Florida.
Register for the webinarHosted by the SAME Architectural Practice COI.
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For registration questions or issues, contact registration@same.org.
