KNIGHTON ARCHITECTURE - Key Persons
Ali has had a passion for design and functionality since an early age. After years in the arts, she decided to pursue a career in Architectural Preservation. After completing a bachelor's degree in Art History from Brigham Young University, Ali has spent her time becoming a proficient drafter. With a background in historical research, she loves projects that require historical authenticity, be that a commercial building downtown, or a residential remodel in the suburbs. In her spare time, Ali enjoys cycling, cooking, and going on walks with her cat, Roonie.
At the age of 16, most teenagers are out hanging with friends and spending long hours at the movies… But not Angela. She was out in her front yard, voluntarily hand-digging through a root-infested yard to build a flagstone entryway for her parents' home. Why? Simply because she loves to beautify the spaces around her.
This launched Angela's interests in college, where she studied Landscape Design. She has since expanded her design knowledge into the field of Architecture. She feels that both your indoor and outdoor spaces should not only help you feel happy and rejuvenated, but they should also be aligned and expressive of who you are as an individual or a company.
Angela also enjoys spending time with her two spunky kids, working in her garden, playing the cello, and caring for her plethora of houseplants!
Job Titles:
- Office Administrator
- Office Adminstrator
Bailey is from the eastern Utah town of Elmo, and was the runner-up valedictorian and a star athlete of Emery High School. She graduated from Utah Valley University with a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science, and received the salutatorian award from the college of science.
Bailey has experience in the healthcare industry through working as a physical/occupational therapy aide at a skilled nursing facility. As the office manager, she helps make sure our clients, consultants, and team members are taken care of, and keeps order for our busy team. She is also the mother of a bouncy small child and caretaker of another large child, her husband and fellow Knighton team-mate, Wesley.
Caroline's love for design and spacial layouts was seen early on as she used all of her effort to inch her childhood furniture across her room once a month in efforts to rearrange it at the age of 10. High school was spent in interior design and art classes which eventually led to her majoring in Interior Design in college. Her love for the outdoors led her to attending Appalachian State University for her schooling, located in a small college town of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Boone, North Carolina. In her free time she enjoys hiking with her Golden Retriever, Zion and rock climbing outdoors.
Job Titles:
- Senior Project Manager & Quality Control
After becoming mesmerized by his grandfather's architectural drawings at young age, Derek has been inspired by the natural and built environment around him. Growing up in sunny southern California, and having since moved to snowy Utah, Derek has discovered the importance that architecture plays in creating comfortable places for people to live. Primarily, how passive design can promote comfortable, sustainable, and healthy living for any project. With that he has become a certified passive house consultant. Derek also shares a deep appreciation for design that adds to the character of a community and promotes a broader sense of place. Derek is always eager to help those in need and to solve problems through his designs.
He is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in architecture at Utah Valley University and hopes to get a master's degree in sustainable design.
Derek enjoys exploring the city and finding new places to hang out with his friends. He adores film. In his more recent spare time, he has taken up guitar.
I was born in Ecuador, and I've been living in Utah since 2006 and I love it. One of my deepest dreams since I was a little girl was to become an Architect. I haven't fulfilled my dream just yet, but I am working hard to get there. Currently, I am a full-time student at the Architecture program at UVU. I am also a full-time mom of two kids. They are my motivation and inspiration to be what I am today. Having a good organization plan and balancing things are particularly important to me. I am very passionate about my family. I enjoy listening to music while driving, and spending time with my kids.
Job Titles:
- FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
Knighton Architecture was founded in Utah by Jeff Knighton when he decided to chart his own course as an architect and urban designer and create something that focused on forward-thinking and meaningful design. The goal was not to build a large architectural practice, but rather to create something intimate and personable for both the clients and the design team, where relationships would matter most.
Having grown up in Utah at the feet of the Wasatch Mountains, Jeff studied architecture, ecological design, and urban design at the University of Oregon, where he fostered his passion for context-driven design. He saw an opportunity in the beautiful and growing mountain west region, and in Utah in particular, to create something that was different from what was being offered by the existing architectural community.
We believe we are building something special in both our relationships with our clients and with each other as a team. We would love to be a part of your story and your next project. We listen to every opportunity and every prospective client who believes our services would be a good fit.
Born at the feet of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, Jeff had the desire to draw and create at a young age, and decided as a kid that he wanted to become an architect. In high school he took an advanced architectural drafting course, where he designed his first project - a new custom home for his parents - and then helped to build it the following summer. The experience of taking something imagined in the mind and turning it into a built reality that enhanced someone else's life was life-changing and set the hook for Jeff. He went on to study Urban Planning at Brigham Young University, and then pursued a master's degree in Architecture at the University of Oregon, also earning a graduate certificate in Ecological Design. After studying and working in the Northwest for several years, he moved back to Utah to live closer to family and set out to create his own architectural practice that focused on creative and meaningful projects, strong client relationships, and a collaborative family-like environment. He is a father of five busy kids, and a colon cancer survivor (diagnosed the same year he started his own business). He serves as a planning commissioner for Vineyard City. He is passionate about getting outside and exploring the natural world with his family. He also loves to play his guitar and dreams of writing and recording his own music.
Job Titles:
- Architectural & Landscape Designer
Melvin comes from a line of architects. His mom was an architect in Mexico City, same as her father. His passion for design and functionality runs deep, and he's always looking for new challenges in all aspects of design, with a dual background in both architecture and landscape design. Along with design, Melvin is passionate about technology, entrepreneurship, and community service through non-profit organizations. Melvin currently resides in Provo with his wife and 4 kids, and is a hot sauce collector and connoisseur.
Growing up in the heart of Utah, Nathan Preator attended Timpview High School. It was in his Freshman year where he was enrolled in Dave Creer's beginning drafting course that sparked a passion for design. Combined with his creativity and love of art, it brought to life beautiful renderings and a love of home design. Enrolled with many of his friends, including Jeff Knighton, CEO and Founder of Knighton Architecture, he progressed from hand drafting through AutoCAD. In college Nate worked at a design firm in Utah on many custom residential design projects. He has a Bachelor's degree in Business Management, with an emphasis in Marketing. Currently Nathan resides in the beautiful Gallatin Valley in Bozeman, MT with his wife of 17 years and his three boys. Nathan has an immeasurable passion for the outdoors. In his spare time, he works as a professional Fly-Fishing guide to take locals and tourists fishing from a drift boat. Currently he's working towards his Commercial Pilot rating to fly for the major airlines. He loves spending time with his wife and children, fishing, hiking, four-wheeling, snowmobiling, skiing, hunting, playing sports and just trying to live our best life.
Stacey was born in Miami, Florida, but grew up in Texas just North of Dallas. From a young age, she has had a love for design and was always finding a way to beautify her surroundings. She even created her first landscape design for a middle school project in which she drew out what her dream backyard would look like one day. Later in life, she got to live in the flower capital of the Philippines and her decision to pursue landscape design was solidified.
She graduated from BYU with a bachelor's in Landscape Management in 2017 and has since had the opportunity to work with plants in different areas such as Texas, Utah, and New York City as both a landscape supervisor and designer. Her experience in both the field and with using digital rendering programs has enabled her to design both beautiful and functional landscapes.
She currently resides in New York City with her growing family and enjoys spending time with her loved ones and exploring all that the city has to offer.
Wesley was born in Logan. UT, but grew up in Alberta, Canada the son of school teachers. Wesley grew up in a small rural town in the rocky mountains on his family's 3rd generation cattle ranch. Wesley's father was an experienced carpenter with drafting experience in university, and introduced Wesley to architectural design, and . Wesley moved to Utah in 2013, and worked on various construction crews, and companies for 6 years. Wesley has been attending Utah Valley University as an Architecture student since 2019. Wesley has been working in Architectural offices since 2019, and joined Knighton Architecture in 2022.
Wesley's passion for Architecture stems from his love of building, and love of history. Wesley has a love for historic American Architecture, and Architectural craft and ornament. His goal in Architecture is to help design buildings, neighborhoods, and communities that improve peoples way of life.
Wesley is a husband, and father of one. In his limited free time he enjoys the outdoors, sports, carpentry, and spending time with his family.