CUNNIFFE - Key Persons
Alyssa grew up in the beach town of Goleta, CA. Even before she knew what architecture was, it became apparent later in life that she was always destined for that path. As a child she transformed cardboard boxes into playhouses and spent countless hours dreaming up designs on the Lego table her parents built her. Alyssa's interest in Architecture continued to grow at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where she received her Bachelor of Architecture degree.
Her professional career began in Santa Barbara, CA where she worked for a high end custom residential firm specializing in traditional California vernacular. With a curiosity to see what city life was all about, Alyssa moved to San Francisco in 2015. She worked for a firm where she diversified her career in residential restaurant, retail and commercial tenant improvement projects. With new adventures on the horizon, Alyssa relocated to Denver in 2018, where she worked for a high-density multifamily firm for four years before making the switch to Charles Cunniffe Architects in 2022. Throughout her career Alyssa has explored a variety of architectural disciplines and it has solidified that her passion lies in high end custom residential architecture. Alyssa appreciates finding opportunities in projects of all scopes and budgets to create dynamic, life-enhancing relationships between natural, built, and social environments.
Aside from architecture, Alyssa's interests extend to graphic design, space organization and tackling renovation projects with her Husband on the weekends. She loves playing soccer, Lagree Pilates, Latin dancing, live music and exploring what Colorado has to offer.
Ashley Satterfield was born and raised in Midland, Michigan - a small Midwestern town with a surprisingly rich history of midcentury modern architecture. Though her interest in architecture began at an early age, Ashley earned a degree in Economics before enrolling in architecture school at the University of Michigan. With her Masters of Architecture in hand, she moved to Chicago where she contributed to a variety of projects ranging in scale from high rise office and residential buildings to commercial interiors. After working on numerous international projects, Ashley discovered her true passion lies in working and designing to meet the needs of the community she is a part of. She is delighted to now call the Roaring Fork Valley home.
Outside of the studio, Ashley maintains and active lifestyle with her husband and kids; she is passionate about yoga, sailing in the summer, skiing in the winter, and traveling to see family and friends. She is a licensed architect in the state of Illinois.
Chad was born and raised in Denver, graduated from CU-Boulder's Environmental Design School, and then quickly moved to the mountains. For seven years in Breckenridge, Colorado, he honed his craft working on all phases of design and construction administration for custom residences, multi-family developments, and light commercial projects throughout Summit County. Chad relocated to Aspen and joined CCA in 2015 to work with a progressive and innovative design team in one of the most competitive markets in the country.
His favorite part of the architectural process is discovering and solving the unique design challenges that each project presents and providing clients with the building of their dreams. In his spare time, Chad enjoys spending the summer months hiking, backpacking, and camping across the Colorado wilderness. In the colder seasons he will likely be found indoors watching sports and hanging out with his dog and cat. Excursions to see his favorite improvisational-based music keep Chad inspired.
Charles Cunniffe, FAIA, is a leader in the architectural profession in quality design; championing and reinforcing community goals of thoughtful community growth, educational opportunities, the arts and human welfare.
Charles arrived in Aspen in 1979 when he was enlisted by Thomas Wells, Architect, to be the Project Architect for the Master Planning, design and approvals for the renovation and addition to the historic Hotel Jerome. Followed by a year with Robin Molney (who studied with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesen West), Charles subsequently established the firm of Charles Cunniffe Architects (CCA) in 1981, in order to pursue his design philosophy within the studio environment of a progressive architectural, interiors and planning firm.
Charles's educational background includes Bachelor Degrees in Architecture, Fine Arts and Sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design, followed by studies at Harvard Graduate School of Design, MIT, and Brown University. He is registered in Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York, is certified with NCARB, and is a member of the American Institute of Architects.
Charles has served as President Elect and President of AIA Colorado West from 2013 through 2016. He is actively involved in community affairs acting as Founding Board Member and Chairman of Governance of Jazz Aspen/Snowmass, and was a Founding Board Member of Telluride's Sheridan Arts Foundation. Charles is the elected Pitkin County Representative on the Board of Trustees of Colorado Mountain College and its Foundation Board. He was a long-time Board member of the Aspen Art Museum. He served six years as the Aspen Historic Preservation Chair, and is responsible for countless historic renovations throughout the region. Charles is a Founding Board Member of the River Bridge Center. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute, Rocky Mountain Institute's National Solutions Council, Aspen Institute's Society of Fellows, Aspen Science Center, the Aspen Rotary, and the Aspen Elks Lodge #224. In addition, he has served on AIA committees on design, urban planning and historic preservation and the AIA International Committee. Charles was appointed to the US/UK Fulbright Commission in 1999.
World travels inform Charles's work with an insatiable curiosity of history, culture and rich artistic applications in architecture of all genres. Charles is a father of two children, pilots his own plane, is an avid skier, enjoys sailing, playing drums and playing golf.
In February 2017, for recognition of his notable contributions to the advancement of the profession of architecture, Charles was elected to The College of Fellows of The American Institute of Architects.
Charles Cunniffe Architects offers comprehensive, integrated design services that honor the needs, vision and context of each client. Headquartered in Aspen, Colorado, CCA has over 43 years of experience in over 17 countries. Named on OUTSIDE Magazine Best Places to Work for 8 years running, the American Institute of Architects Colorado West Firm of the Year, AIA Colorado West Mentor of the Year, and ACRA Business of the Year, Charles Cunniffe
Architects staff of professionals combines the required expertise and experience to complete
projects of all types.
The goal of Charles Cunniffe Architects is to not only design the appropriate solution for each project, but to see that the spirit and inspiration behind the solution continues to shine after code, design review, and budget have exerted their influence. The result is a thoughtful and unique building that exudes the personality and needs of the client, the site and program. Our firm's structure is geared to be competitive and effective for any size and scope of project with an emphasis on quality service and design excellence. From major golf and resort planning, hotels and commercial projects, to single family residences and compounds, and historic renovation, our commitment to excellence remains the underlying principle of our practice.
Charles Cunniffe Architects is dedicated to a humanistic, socially responsible and technologically sophisticated vision of design. Our team of energetic and innovative design professionals welcomes the opportunity to help you realize the potential of your total environment.
Raised in Colorado, Courtney showed an interest in design and the arts at an early age. After a short time at University of Colorado Denver studying Art History, Courtney changed her major to Interior Design and graduated from The Art Institute of Colorado. She has been involved in designing award-winning homes and high-end golf country clubs across the United States. Courtney pursues innovative design throughout all disciplines and enjoys the opportunity to create environments which are authentic to the end user. When not in the office, Courtney enjoys traveling globally to learn about other cultures, and has spent a considerable amount of time in Scandinavia and Europe. New to the Roaring Fork Valley Courtney enjoys being outdoors, skiing, camping, and hiking with her dog (aptly named, Aspen).
Daniele was born and raised in a small town in California's Central Valley, where there are more cows than people. During her undergraduate studies in University of California Santa Barbara's Environmental Science program, she had the opportunity to participate in a field research program in Chile to study vernacular architecture in local communities. Backpacking throughout South America for three months cemented her decision to pursue architecture as a career, with a goal to contribute to creating spaces that hold the intersection of community, sustainability, and the environment as paramount. When she returned to Santa Barbara, she got her start in the field working on custom luxury homes.
Daniele earned her Master of Architecture at the University of Southern California, while working for a general contractor to better understand constructability. She has had the opportunity to work on a wide array of projects, ranging from commercial architecture and interiors, multi-family developments, to retail and residential projects. When she's not focused on a Revit model, she enjoys backpacking, reading, and throwing a ball around for her dog June. She looks forward to learning how to ski, and hopefully also learning how to ward off the moose. Cross your fingers for her.
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance
- Charles Cunniffe Architects in 2010 As Director of Finance
Dave joined Charles Cunniffe Architects in 2010 as Director of Finance. After receiving his BA in accounting from Michigan State University in 1990, Dave started his career with an Aspen CPA firm where he gained exposure to tax compliance and provided accounting services to many small businesses, non-profits and homeowners associations.
Dave gained unique accounting experience while working for a local private equity firm with exposure to gold mining operations; a Sharia law investment fund start-up; and a charter aircraft company. Dave helped facilitate an IRS Section 363 Asset sale for a Debtor in Possession undergoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. Additionally, Dave oversaw the accounting functions for a Roaring Fork Valley landscape installer, an area landscape architectural firm, and provided investor accounting for a 15,000 square foot speculative home. Dave has long had an interest in development, construction and architecture, so his position with CCA has been very rewarding for him.
Although he has worked in private industry for several years, Dave continues to maintain his license as a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Colorado necessitating ongoing professional education. He also continues his membership with the Colorado Society of CPAs. Dave prides himself on professionalism, integrity and ethics.
A 21-year resident of Aspen, formerly of Traverse City, Michigan, Dave lives in Woody Creek with his wife and two children. When not spending time at work or with his family, he can be found several hours into a mountain bike ride in the surrounding mountains, and participating in endurance mountain bike and running events.
A Minnesota native, Erica longed for milder winters after receiving her Bachelor of Science Environmental Design and Bachelor of Architecture degrees from North Dakota State University. Thirteen years later, she is still living and practicing her dream in Aspen.
Erica has had the opportunity to work on many award-winning projects throughout her career, which includes custom residential, resort and commercial projects. She enjoys overseeing projects from design through the construction phase, reminiscent of her college days spent in the design studio and working on a construction crew. Erica's hard hat has been replaced with several others: wife, doting mother of two, volunteer with state and local environmentally-based organizations, and defense player for the Aspen Mother Puckers.
Grant graduated at the top of his class from the University of Oklahoma in 2015 with a Bachelor of Architecture and a Minor of Art History. As an Oklahoma native, he developed an interest in how buildings respond to their environment. Moving from the Great Plains to the Roaring Fork Valley, he looks forward to refining and redefining that interest in the relationship between the natural and built environment. After work, Grant likes to explore the valley and draw inspiration from it while hiking, biking, snowboarding or fishing.
Joe was born and raised on the Kansas side of the geographically confusing town of Kansas City, Missouri. After graduating with a Masters of Architecture from Kansas State University in the spring of 2017, he decided to follow a dreams and move to his favorite state, Colorado. Aspen proved to be a good fit for his interests in hiking and skiing. Despite Joe's new surroundings, he will remain an avid Kansas City Chiefs and Royals fan.
Joe loves to travel, having spent five months roaming around Europe, including a study abroad adventure in the small Italian village of Orvieto. Experiences like this have exposed him to many architectural wonders, cultures, and amazing people. Joe was excited to begin his professional career with CCA, and looks forward to bringing new ideas and assets to the table.
Karen knew she wanted to be an architect since 7th grade, when she spent a day in an architect's office in Boulder Colorado, as part of a career orientation program. With her family on the move for much of her childhood, Karen had lived in Texas, Michigan, California, New Jersey, and New Hampshire before returning to Boulder, Colorado to attend college. After earning a Bachelor of Environmental Design at CU Boulder, Karen attended SUNY Buffalo where she earned her Masters in Architecture. During her schooling, Karen studied abroad in Italy during undergrad and focused on 3-D design and Universal Design in her graduate program. Karen has been involved in several of CCA's top projects. She loves that every day in the world of design and architecture is different. Karen is married and has two beautiful children, and a sweet dog named Fenway.
Born and raised in the Midwest, Kelly found herself in the mountains of Colorado right after college, not only learning to ski and enjoying the more temperate winters, but also appreciating the opportunity to work on high end custom homes. Since then, she has also worked on resort and multifamily / mixed use projects and enjoys the attention to detail that makes projects unique and memorable. Outside of work, Kelly is exploring the great outdoors with her family whenever possible, watching her kids play soccer, or squeezing in a few minutes to practice yoga.
Coming from a family with a history of wood workers, painters and engineers, Kris was committed to finding a profession that fostered creativity, critical thinking, and tangible problem solving. Soon after graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture from Southern Polytechnic State University (presently Kennesaw State University), Kris joined a nonprofit to help foster critical thinking, resource management, and design build processes within learning environments across the nation. Through her travels, she fell in love with mountain biking in the Rocky Mountains and when it was time, moved to the Mountain West to start working toward her professional architecture career.
Kris continues to enjoy imaginative problem solving and the exploration of design possibilities alongside impassioned colleagues and discerning clients. Her professional dedication is centered on creating thoughtful designs and solutions that harmonize with the environment, while simultaneously adhering to the energy efficiency goals for each project and catering to the unique needs of each client. Kris served on the AIA Idaho Board in 2021 and is a licensed Architect in Colorado.
Nick was born in Bangkok, Thailand and raised in California. During his study at the University of Southern California, Nick had an opportunity to participate in a design charrette for a new conference center for the Aspen Institute. After receiving his architectural degree, he moved to the Roaring Fork Valley to participate in the construction of the new structure and fell in love with the mountain lifestyle.
Nick is committed to consistently redefining and expanding the perception of what is possible for people and our communities through architecture and design. He enjoys exploring the potential of each design utilizing innovative techniques and thoughtful use of materials in order to translate it into practical, responsible and buildable projects. With over thirteen years of architectural experience, he has a large repertoire of award-winning commercial and residential projects.
Outside the office, Nick enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, skiing, snowboarding in the winter and mountain biking and hiking during the summers and fall.
Noah is from a small lake town in Wisconsin, where at the age of 10, his father started taking him on architectural road trips across the Midwest. He earned his Bachelor's degree in architecture (with a minor in physics) from the University of Colorado in Boulder. Noah went on to earn his Masters degree from the Architectural Association in London. He is a licensed architect in the State of Colorado.
Noah believes that client service is paramount to the success of a project, and that the design of a project should first and foremost meet the needs of the people and their surroundings. After working with many international clients and art collectors, Noah has seen the value of innovative design when working with new building programs, challenging sites or budget constraints.
Noah spends his free time patiently raising three wild children, while also attempting to keep up with his wife, who's always looking for a new adventure. After practicing and studying architecture for 18 years in London, Aspen and Boulder, Noah is excited to bring his technical and creative design approach to CCA.
Job Titles:
- Director of Business Development
Rebecca began her career in Aspen, Colorado. One week after graduating with honors from California Polytechnic State University, she moved to Aspen and took a position as Assistant Conference Director at the Gant Resort. After two years she got the city bug and moved her life to San Francisco where she worked and traveled for eight years in private equity relations. In 2006 Rebecca signed on with Charles Cunniffe Architects as Director of Business Development and Marketing. With her leadership, CCA has widely increased its market reach while decreasing overall marketing expenditures. Her keen eye for design has led to the complete re-design of the company's marketing collateral, website, and the addition of social media outlets. Her appreciation for design and sustainable business practices has become instrumental in the operations of CCA. Rebecca is involved with the overall management of the firm overseeing hiring, team scheduling, and improving general business practices.
International travel has been Rebecca's lifelong passion, which has led her to Cuba, Europe, the Caribbean, South East Asia as well as living in Australia and Central America. Rebecca adores the outdoors, and spends evenings and weekends outside with her husband, daughter and new puppy.
Reed Langhofer joined CCA in the fall of 2016. After 12 years in New York City, he brings over a decade of design experience primarily in the healthcare, hospitality, and educational sectors. Reed's past projects include an array of both international and domestic work, at a range of scale, from interiors, to individual buildings to campus master plans. With this experience, Reed's focus lies in both sustainability and context. He aspires to create spaces that exists cohesively in their surroundings and reflects the personality of its specific location and community.
Now residing in Aspen, Reed looks forward to spending more time outdoors skiing, hiking, and camping, while being closer to family and friends. Reed is a graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, where he earned both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Architecture degree. He is registered architect in the state of New York.
Rich Pavcek moved to the Aspen from Ohio in 1996 after receiving his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Kent State University. He came to Aspen to pursue his passion for architecture and skiing. He has remained in the Roaring Fork Valley after discovering that the area offers so much more.
Having worked extensively in the field of architecture for 16 years, Rich has come to appreciate working closely with clients and the diversity that every owner brings to their project. Rich finds that the completion of each project is especially satisfying; when the owner realizes their dream, and the end result is more than they could have imagined.
Currently living in Basalt, Rich has found an avenue to further help his passion for all activities to others, as a Board of Director for the Crown Mountain Park and Recreation District. The District is currently involved in expanding activity opportunities and plans to bring a recreation center to the Basalt area. Rich has helped lead this charge over the last 4 years.
Rich is married and spends his free time traveling throughout the country, the Carribean, and Europe. He is a licensed architect in the state of Colorado and is NCARB certified.
A Colorado native, Sara values the interaction between nature and the built environment. At a young age, Sara could feel the power that spaces had to communicate, energize, evoke emotion & curiosity, and create comfort. By middle school Sara knew that interior design was her path, and attended summer programs focused on interior design. While earning her Bachelors in Interior Design at Colorado State University, she studied and applied furniture design in Copenhagen under local professionals.
Sara has developed and refined her design sensibilities in well-recognized firms through award-winning projects, and across a breadth of scales and sectors. Sara's body of work ranges from individual furniture pieces, to boutique interior renovations, to new construction and historic renovation projects spanning 100,000sf. While working full time, Sara also completed her MBA and Masters in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. Over the last 5 years, Sara has geared her career and design pursuits to make greater sustainability, public health, and social impacts.
Having been born and raised in the Roaring Fork Valley, Toni was ready to bust out of the Aspen bubble and explore the world. She made it as far as Boulder, Colorado, to study Fine Arts and French before finally traveling abroad. Toni joined SIT (School for International Training), a study abroad Intensive Language & Culture Program where she studied French and the History of Architecture of the Renaissance in Toulouse, France. After graduating from the University of Colorado in 2001 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, Toni traveled back to France, this time to Grenoble, the "Heart of the Alps", to teach English in two primary schools. Toni returned to the beautiful bubble of the Roaring Fork Valley in 2004 to be closer to family, friends and the mountains she loves to call home. She worked with Chaffin Light Real Estate for five years before moving to Charles Cunniffe Architects where she is happy to be surrounded by a team of creative and professional individuals.