HITCHCOCK DESIGN GROUP - Key Persons
Aaron is Urban and Landscape Architectural Designer who at the age of 28 was identified by the Landscape Architecture Foundation as an under 35-year-old emerging leader within the profession. A Kentucky native, he brings a core appreciation for mid-American style and culture, combining this with his passion for connecting the diverse but related fields of science, art, and design. He has a natural sense of how all aspects of a site can work together, and believes every public space, whether dense and urban, or vast and natural, should be filled with life. He works with clients to create outdoor programming, distinct visual places with a cultural vibe, with high integration into sustainable green infrastructure systems.
Outside of the studio, Aaron has served as a guest critique and professional studio advisor for both graduate and undergraduate architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design studios at the Savannah College of Design, University of Kentucky, School of the Art Institute Chicago, and the Illinois Institute of Technology. His nationally accredited (LA CES/HSW) drawing lectures and workshops have been hosted across the nation by multiple universities, ASLA and AIA state chapters, and at the ASLA national convention. His passion for art and inspiring others led him to join Urban Sketchers Chicago where he annually teaches hundreds of students at local sketching events and serves as a member of the internationally curated uskChicago Urban Sketching Seminar faculty.
During her time at the University of Colorado Boulder, Abby studied Environmental Design with a specialization in Landscape Architecture. With over 3 years of experience, Abby has worked on a variety of commercial, transportation, and planning projects. Her previous experience helps her to understand and strengthen the relationship between nature and the built environment. Abby's time with Hitchcock Design Group has advanced her knowledge in recreational design and interactive play. When Abby is not in the office, you can find her spending time with friends, traveling, or exploring Chicago.
Alex has had a wide variety of exposure to a diverse portfolio of projects since entering the landscape architecture profession in 2011. His range of scope covers a breadth of projects from community master planning work in the municipal setting to a variety of private sector engagements including opportunities with the Walt Disney World Resort, EDSA and Hitchcock Design Group. Project types have included domestic and international hospitality, mixed-use development, government, recreation, and urban infill projects throughout the Caribbean and United States. In his former position, Alex led efforts for the new Swan Reserve Hotel at the Walt Disney World Resort, the recreational facilities rebuild at Tyndall Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle, DRV Pink Stadium (MLS - Inter Miami CF) in Fort Lauderdale and the Shepherd's Hollow Banquet and Event Facility in Clarkston, Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Planning and Projects Manager, Park District of Highland Park
Anaís Plácido is a transplanted S. California native who has adapted to the Midwest. She comes to Hitchcock Design with previous experience in residential and commercial design, construction estimating, and project management. She has been involved in projects all throughout Chicagoland. Some of her favorite past projects include memorial gardens, nature playgrounds, and projects that engage the public. Anaís is also interested in current climate change concerns within the Latino community. She has been involved in addressing food insecurity in Waukegan via GreenTown Grows. She became passionate about tackling food insecurity and promoting healthy eating after realizing that food insecurity is a serious issue in low income communities throughout the country.
Throughout his career with Hitchcock Design Group, Andy's creative vision and construction knowledge have played instrumental roles in a variety of projects ranging from early education outdoor classrooms to community parks and large-scale master plans. As co-chair of the Leave No Child Inside - Chicago Region initiative, he has presented sessions at regional and national conferences on the importance of educating children about nature. A graduate of Purdue University, Andy's passion for connecting children with the natural environment has resulted in some of the Midwest's most innovative nature-based play environments.
Job Titles:
- President
- Senior Principal
- Recreation Practice Leader
As a Senior Principal and the Recreation Practice Leader, Bill Inman has been instrumental in positioning Hitchcock Design Group as one of the leading recreational planning and design firms. His extensive portfolio of planning and built work includes more than 100 relationships with recreation clients, including some that have been loyal clients since he joined the firm in 1989. A graduate of Iowa State University, Bill is a regular speaker at local and national conferences on topics ranging from comprehensive master planning, community engagement, sports, creative play and construction technology.
Holding a Master of Arts in Environmental Design and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, both from Michigan State University, Bridget consistently strives to help clients solve their most complex design problems while functioning as a key resource for the team and consultants. Her experience in the park and recreation market includes park design, community input facilitation, the assembly of grant applications, and the creation of many comprehensive master plan.
Bryan's diverse background includes working in a city planning department, a boutique design firm, and multiple years with a nationwide contractor. Prior to joining HDG, Bryan was founder and principal of his own firm for several years before joining a multi-discipline design firm that specialized in senior living and wellness as the Director of Landscape Architecture and Planning.
Bryan is a big picture thinker with 19 years of experience developing creative and pragmatic solutions to design challenges for clients nationwide. Bryan's years of experience give him the ability to understand a project's intricate and varied effects on the community, its stakeholders, and its end users. To do this, Bryan pays attention to critical details relevant to a project's success that others may overlook.
Caitlin is a recent graduate from Ball State University, where she majored in Landscape Architecture and minored in Biology with an emphasis on wildlife biology and botany. Caitlin has a passion for native plants and has been a member of the Indiana Native Plant Society for three years, serving as the Student Council Member for two. She is also a current member of the Landscaping with Natives Committee. She is interested in creating designs that enhance biodiversity at all scales and enjoys creating whimsical spaces for users to learn and play.
Christian joins us as a recent graduate from Purdue University. Christian completed his 2021 internship with Hitchcock Design Group and was a great asset to the team. His hard work and dedication to creating better park and recreation spaces are unmatched. At Purdue, Christian was the Treasurer of his ASLA student chapter and a radio host for the Purdue Wiley Radio Club. He also previously interned with James Martin Associates in Vernon Hills, where he was able to work with commercial maintenance, landscape enhancement, and design-build teams. This experience and his time with Hitchcock in 2021 gave Christian a strong understanding of the Midwest plant palette.
Dave excels in creative, yet pragmatic planning and design solutions that seek to add measurable value to all phases of a client's project. With degrees in both Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois, he is able to combine his knowledge of plant materials with over 28 years of design experience to arrive at options that capture his clients' project goals. A presenter at both regional and national conferences, Dave enjoys sharing his knowledge of landscape architecture and plants with a wide variety of audiences. Although his practice has focused more recently on education (both higher education and early education environments), he has also been involved in real estate development, civic and religious projects for the firm.
A graduate of North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, Deidre's experience in graphic design and marketing bring an innovative perspective to the work she creates. She is able to see a design from concept to implementation using new and creative methods of marketing such as digital media marketing, buzz marketing, and real-time marketing. Her previous experience working with a variety of clients has given her an exceptional understanding of how different industries need different marketing strategies. Deidre's design process begins with the research of the company she is working for and the target market that company hopes to influence, and her knowledge of market research has assisted her in segmenting a company's target markets to best fulfill a business's communications objectives.
Dheya is a recent BLA graduate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her studies abroad in Sweden and a previous summer internship in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida has provided her a wide range of experience in landscape design in public art, playgrounds, large scale leisure/amusement spaces, and streetscape design. Transportation and streetscape design is something that Dheya has a lot of interest in and has enjoyed working on projects involving small- and large-scale road design and planning. In any new place or country, she loves to explore and use the public transit systems to go everywhere a bus, tram, or train line might take her.
As a Senior Associate, Doug has been involved in a wide variety of project types before ultimately realizing that his true passion was for the recreation market. Doug, a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, can take his client's passion and vision and design projects that fully capture their goals.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Principal in the Recreation Studio
Eric is a Principal in the Recreation Studio at Hitchcock Design Group and is a Licensed Landscape Architect. He has served the recreation industry for over 18 years since graduating with a Bachelors of Landscape Architecture from Kansas State University in 1993. His work includes a variety of projects but his passion for creating outdoor learning environments has produced several award-winning projects such as The Morton Arboretum Children's Garden, Bison's Bluff and Bowen Park. Eric specializes in understanding how families and children interact in outdoor environments and seeks to promote the concept of "learning through play" in all of his projects.
Over the past 20 years, Erik has worked for several landscape architectural firms in South Florida. He has an extensive background in high-rise and mid-rise multifamily residential projects, master-planned communities, and smaller scale mixed-use and commercial developments, as well as some experience working for a boutique high-end residential design-build firm in Houston, Texas.
Job Titles:
- Senior Principal
- Senior Principal and Leader of Multiple Markets
Geoff Roehll, a Senior Principal and leader of multiple markets at Hitchcock Design Group, has demonstrated his management, planning and design skills on prominent projects throughout the country. Since joining the firm in 1990, Geoff has directed many landmark projects in the healthcare, real estate and senior living markets. In addition to his leadership role with Hitchcock Design Group, Geoff's diverse background includes an annual engagement with the Chicago Botanic Garden as an instructor for the Therapeutic Garden Certification program. A graduate of Purdue University, Geoff has been a guest lecturer at regional and national healthcare conferences and enjoys sharing his ideas on site planning and landscape elements that promote patient healing.
A deep appreciation for the natural world and the way we interact with it led Jackson to study landscape architecture at Purdue University, where he developed, led, and facilitated recreational activities at Purdue's Recreation and Wellness Center. Jackson also participated in non-profit fundraising initiatives to benefit child life playroom facility construction and management at Riley Hospital for Children. Additionally, during a year-long internship in Nashville, Tennessee, Jackson worked professionally on retail, residential, and recreational design. Jackson's background in recreation, play, and the natural environment drive him to design interactive landscapes that promote community cohesion, active learning, and environmental stewardship.
Jason is a graduate of the University of Georgia whose consensus-building skills have proven invaluable on the residential, medical, and retail projects has been involved with. His focus carefully balancing the needs of the community while also factoring in holistic sustainability, responsible design and practical construction have made him a sought-after partner for many projects.
Jenna began her career at Hitchcock Design Group as an intern and it quickly became apparent that her attention to detail and use of innovative technologies to accomplish our client's goals would make her a valued permanent member of the team. A graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Landscape Architecture, Jenna uses her clear, concise, and practical manner to create designs that are not only visionary, but constructible.
As an established leader in the park and recreation industry, Joe has over 33 years of experience in planning and designing projects throughout the region. This has made him a valuable member of each project team that he has been involved with. His passion for taking a client's vision for a project and implementing it in ways that are innovative yet sensitive to costs, have garnered him the respect of those within the industry. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Joe's diverse park and recreation experience includes the design and development of more than 400 parks, playgrounds, recreation facilities and landscapes.
An award-winning landscape architect since 1993, Joel Baldin uses his extensive planning, design, and project management skills to guide many projects from vision to implementation. A graduate of Purdue University, his experience includes complex urban design projects, historic landscape rehabilitation, parks and recreation, streetscape and plaza design, college and university campuses, commercial real estate and multi-family housing. Joel is a regular speaker at national and regional conferences, focusing on topics such as economic redevelopment, restoration of natural and historic landscapes and best design practices.
Joemy is a multidisciplinary designer focused on the integration of ecological systems within the urban fabric. Her work is deeply invested in crafting meaningful outdoor spaces and communities for people that also enhance local ecology. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and Savannah College of Art & Design, she brings a holistic and creative approach to problem solving with an eye for practicality that adds measurable value. Joemy is an avid traveler both in the United States and abroad with a special interest in hospitality design, and she draws inspiration from a wide range of personal experience to craft each project's unique sense of place.
In her time at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), Kate studied in their Landscape Architecture program, completed a summer internship, and spent a term abroad. She started her college career as a civil engineering major and found her passion for landscape architecture, with a concentration in horticulture, to follow her interest in native plant use and the geometric form. Kate's portfolio demonstrates how people can use a space, while also taking into consideration how it will evolve over time. From creating implicit movement to spaces for continuous use, her work is for those (humans and wildlife) who will use the sites most.
Kendra Teune is a recent graduate of Purdue University. During her five years at Purdue, she studied landscape architecture, was president of the club volleyball team, and completed a year-long internship in Charlotte, North Carolina. At her internship, she gained experience working on rezoning, mixed-use, commercial, and civic projects. She is looking forward to bringing her knowledge in these areas to the Naperville team while also learning about new project types. Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, she is excited to work on projects in her community and to create more outdoor spaces like the ones that inspired her to work in this field.
Job Titles:
- Landscape Architect
- Senior Associate
As an Environmental Scientist and Landscape Architect, Lacey's career began with her work for the State of Michigan where she designed and oversaw the creation of wetland mitigation bank sites across the state. As a graduate of Michigan State University, Lacey has focused on the planning, design, and construction of public outdoor spaces while weaving her passion into the environment into every project that she is involved with.
Laura's passion for landscape architecture began at a young age with her involvement in outdoor activities, environmental sustainability, recycling, and wildlife. Upon graduating from Purdue University in 2010, the landscape architecture profession was far from flourishing, so Laura pursued other passions before returning to the field in 2016. It was at this time that she obtained her Masters degree from Ball State University, focusing on wildlife habitats, sustainability, and restoration. Now Laura helps Hitchcock Design Group create places that are not only interesting and beautiful but are also environmentally and fiscally responsible - places where people, animals, and nature can thrive.
M.J. is an avid sketcher and enjoys taking projects from concept through construction and seeing them evolve over time. His experience includes a concentration on the real estate development, higher education and healthcare markets. M.J. also has a broad range of additional experience in community site planning, urban design and estate design. A graduate of Ball State University and a Principal in our Indianapolis office, M.J. serves on the Ball State University Alumni Council, the BSU College of Architecture and Planning Alumni Board, the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors and is past president of the Lake Maxinhall Association Board.
Maya Puller is a graduate from the University of Missouri (Mizzou), where she majored in plant science (as an SEC Honor Roll student) and ran track for the Tigers. Prior to her move to Austin, she called San Antonio home and worked for a boutique high end residential LA firm. She's eager to explore new project types and challenge herself professionally.
Mike is a graduate of the University of Illinois and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Landscape Architecture. His grasp of Lumion and Sketch-Up have been invaluable in giving form to a project well before it is built. Mike's attention to detail and his dedication to seeing a project through from initial concept to construction administration have been integral to his team's success.
Michelle Taggart brings nearly 20 years of experience and an international background to Hitchcock Design Group. Growing up in Australia, a country with a diverse yet fragile eco-system, Michelle naturally incorporates sustainability practices and encourages the protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of the native environment. This can range from simple plant selection and water management practices to materials used in construction and end product maintenance methods. Her experience covers a wide range of project scales and types, from specialized therapy and sacred gardens to residential subdivisions and park master plans. Michelle is very client-focused and, through a collaborative approach with fellow industry professionals, enjoys crafting detailed design packages that successfully address the client's needs, project function and construction budget.
Mike is a graduate of Iowa State University, obtaining his degree in landscape architecture. He has a passion for the built environment where he has worn many hats: owning a landscape design/build firm, project manager for a development company, Director of Parks and Facilities at a park district, as well as working for other landscape architecture firms. He is a lifelong resident of Illinois (aside from a short stint in Florida), an avid cyclist who competes in triathlons, married with two boys, a daughter, and two dogs.
Mike joins our NaperSouth workgroup as a Senior Associate bringing much-needed design and management skills to this growing group. Having spent 10 years as a stay-at-home parent to his 2 daughters, Mike recently re-entered the work force. His past experience includes several high profile public and private projects throughout the Chicago region such as the City of Chicago's Pedestrian Plan and the Lakeshore Drive Median Planting Design. In his free time, Mike enjoys biking, hiking, camping, and anything else outdoors!
Job Titles:
- Architect
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate at HDG
Monica is a licensed landscape architect with 10 years of experience in the profession. She is an experienced project manager and designer with a focus on community master planning, parks and recreation, community branding, civic spaces, streetscapes, and native landscapes. Her passion for outdoor environments and natural landscapes, married with her interests in inclusive play, childhood development and health infiltrates all her design work, adding depth to her projects.
Since graduating from Ball State in 2013, Monica has had the opportunity to work on a variety projects from concept through construction. Some of these include the Janes Avenue Streetscape in Woodridge, Illinois, community branding and signage in Elk Grove Village and Westmont, Illinois, Naperville's Riverwalk 2031 Master Plan, the Lincoln Valley community and clubhouse in North Aurora, Illinois, The Continental community in Saint John, Indiana and Coach's Park inclusive playground in Huntley, Illinois as well as many other master planned communities and parks throughout the Chicagoland area.
Monica is a Senior Associate at HDG working with the Parks and Recreation team in the Naperville office. She assists the team in project management and design taking the lead on concept designs and developing and delivering construction documents.
Myles graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture in 2015. Over the past 5 years, he has been working in Texas on a variety of master planning projects. More recently, Myles has moved back to the Indianapolis area from Dallas-Fort Worth. In his free time, Myles loves spending time with his dog (Mila) and his wife (Molly), brewing kombucha, and being active through crossfit and nature. Myles works out of our Indianapolis office and serves both the Austin and Indianapolis studios.
Nicholas studied landscape architecture and city and regional planning at The Ohio State University before embarking on his career. With 6 years of experience in the industry he has worked on a wide range of projects from park and recreation facilities, single and multi family developments, amenity design as well as community master planning. Nicholas joined the Hitchcock team ready to take the next step in his career and is constantly learning from coworkers, mentors and those who came before him. When not at his desk you can find Nick exploring the many parks, trails and hidden gems around Austin and Central Texas.
Since joining Hitchcock Design Group, Nick has immersed himself in projects focused in the real estate development, senior living and healthcare markets which has allowed him to have an invaluable understanding of each market. A graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Nick has also obtained his certification as a healthcare designer from the Chicago Botanic Garden. His commitment to producing quality designs while utilizing strong technical skills continues to exceed the expectations of colleagues and clients, alike.
Randy Royer's broad range of experience covers an over 20-year career and includes designing museum grounds in Japan, estates in South Florida and streetscapes, parks and corporate campuses in Indiana. As the leader of Hitchcock Design Group's Indiana office, he seeks to combine aesthetics, functionality and maintainability in all of his projects. He calls Columbus, Indiana home and is very active in the community, serving on the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives Board, the Purdue Agriculture Alumni Association Board and as past president of the Columbus Area Visitor's Center Board. A graduate of Purdue University, Randy maintains a passion for collaboration between the community, clients and the design profession.
Ruoran Shi Project Designer Ruoran graduated in May 2019 from Texas A&M University with a Masters of Landscape Architecture. She holds a Bachelor of Agriculture from Shanxi Agricultural University in Jinzhong, China. 512.770.4503 rshi@hitchcockdesigngroup.com
An avid hiker and camper, Shannon was drawn to the profession of landscape architecture through her love of the outdoors. Her educational background in landscape architecture and sustainability with a focus on ecological design has led to a strong passion for exploring the relationship between people and nature. Her varied experiences while working in the field have been directly applicable to her every day project responsibilities at Hitchcock Design Group. Her work spans a variety of scales and project types - from parks and playgrounds to community garden spaces and amenity centers. Shannon is particularly skilled at guiding projects from inception through construction, ensuring that the built project is true to the original design intent. Her experience, along with her attention to client satisfaction have led to Shannon's continued growth and success - making her a sought after addition to every project team.
Job Titles:
- Senior Principal
- Senior Principal Chief Financial Officer & Business Manager
Senior Principal | Chief Financial Officer & Business Manager
Sheila joined Hitchcock Design Group in 2004 as the firm's Business Manager and continues in that role today. In addition to single-handedly managing and streamlining all aspects of project and company finance, human resources and facilities resources, Sheila also co-manages the company's IT resources, and has helped launch offices in Austin, Chicago and Indianapolis. Her strategic and operational business perspective have proven invaluable to leadership and she is regarded as a key resource for all levels of staff.
During her time at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Sofia studied Landscape Architecture with a concentration in Urban Planning. A summer internship in Holland, Michigan and a semester-long project researching the Calumet Region, with a focus on increasing the tree canopy percentage in Northwest Indiana, has given Sofia the chance to expand on her knowledge of the Midwest plant palette. These opportunities have also enhanced Sofia's desire to pursue landscape architecture and advocate to younger generations about the profession. Outside of the office, she enjoys spending time with her dog, puzzle making, and recreating dishes she finds on Instagram.
With over 20 years of experience serving the recreation industry, Steve Konters' passion for achieving a balance between community and the environment has made him a valuable member of every project team he has been involved with. A graduate of the University of Illinois, he is committed to protecting open spaces and restoring the habitat to reconnect people with natural environments. Steve's ability to build successful relationships with all members of a project team while also factoring in community input has proven invaluable in helping park and recreation providers create and implement master plans and projects. He is a speaker at regional and national conferences and enjoys sharing practical information on planning, implementation, construction, and preservation with audiences.
After receiving her Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Washington State University in 2015, Susie enrolled in the Master of Landscape Architecture program at Utah State University in 2017 with award-winning published research and was the 2017 Graduate Olmsted Scholar for Utah State University. Prior to joining Hitchcock Design Group, Susie worked for several years in the AEC industry and developed a portfolio comprised of high-end residential design, senior living, and wellness projects nationwide. Susie has served on several multi-disciplinary teams that deliver successful projects addressing the client's needs, project function, and construction budget. Susie is very client-focused, and her knowledge of local ordinances and permitting processes, attention to detail, and collaborative approach with fellow industry professionals makes her an invaluable asset.
Sydney joins our Naperville recreation team out of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio after receiving her degree in Architecture with a minor in Urban and Regional Analysis. Sydney most recently interned at the Ridges Sanctuary in Door County, Wisconsin as a Naturalist and participated in the Sanctuary's master planning process with the Madison office of Smith Group JJR.
A graduate of Michigan State University and with over 25 years of experience, Tim King brings a disciplined management approach and commitment to excellence during the planning, design and construction phases which has positioned Hitchcock Design Group as one of the leading planning and urban design firms in the region. Focused mainly on civic projects, Tim has managed some of Hitchcock Design Group's most complex projects including multi-phased redevelopment plans, waterfronts, streetscapes, public plazas and transportation corridors.
With over 20 years of professional experience, Trent Rush employs a collaborative design approach to provide clients with exceptional service and uniquely responsive design. A graduate of Purdue University, Trent has compiled a diverse portfolio of work which showcases his true passion, giving form to his clients' visions for their projects. As leader of Hitchcock Design Group's Austin office, he is an established presence in the market and blends his expertise of the area with an eye for design aesthetics. Trent's team achieves a successful integration of their experience by emphasizing the pertinent role the environment plays in the use and enjoyment of a space.