Staff Promotions
Atelier Ten is pleased to announce the promotion of Bret Mantyk, Brian Meinrath, Leanora Paniccia, Jessica Zofchak, Jagan Pillai, Kristen DiStefano, Caitlin Toczko and Catherine Leskowat.
Bret Mantyk, LEED AP BD+C has been appointed Associate of the New York office. As an experienced sustainable design consultant and LEED expert, Bret has managed many different types of projects through the LEED process. These projects include the LEED Platinum Kohler Environmental Center at Choate Rosemary Hall, the LEED Platinum Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and the LEED Gold Weill Cornell Medical Center Belfer Research Building. Bret served as a GBCI LEED Reviewer for two years and understands the nuances and details of complex projects pursuing LEED certification. With a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Detroit Mercy, Bret worked as a mechanical engineer before joining Atelier Ten’s team. He is one of the founding members of the Urban Green Council’s Programs Committee and achieved a 2015 Service Award.
Brian Meinrath, LEED AP BD+C has been appointed Associate of the San Francisco office. As a leader of the Environmental Design practice group, with a focus in water efficiency, and a member of the Benchmarking practice group, Brian is an expert in comprehensive water management systems and façade optimization. He has managed some of the San Francisco office’s most complex projects including the San Francisco Transbay Transit Center, a 1.4 million sq. ft. transportation station in which Brian was instrumental in defining the sustainability goals and water conservation scheme. Brian specializes in complex LEED campus certifications and has worked on over 50 LEED projects including the LEED Platinum UCSD Charles David Keeling Apartments and the LEED Gold University of Utah L.S. Skaggs Pharmacy Research Building. Brian holds a B.Arch. and a B.A.in Architecture from Rice University.
Leanora Paniccia, LEED AP BD+C has been appointed Associate of the New York office. As the Masterplanning practice leader, Leanora has expertise in sustainable frameworks, campus portfolio energy assessments, and comprehensive water management. This expertise, coupled with an engineering and architecture background, shapes her analytical and creative approach to design and project management. She has successfully managed many complex, large scale masterplanning and building projects, which include over 10 million square feet of new construction in the sectors of healthcare, laboratories, and commercial high-rise. Her notable projects include the Comcast Innovation and Technology Center, NYU Langone Kimmel Pavilion, NYU Langone Science Building, all of which target LEED Platinum certification, and the LEED for Healthcare Gold targeted Memorial Sloan Kettering Ambulatory Care Center. Leanora holds an M.Arch from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Engineering from Lafayette College.
Jessica Zofchak, LEED AP BD+C has been appointed Associate of the New York office. As the Daylight practice leader, Jessica incorporates her experience in integrated and computational methods for building performance optimization to develop Atelier Ten’s in-house daylight and façade optimization tool set which informs daylighting, visual comfort, thermal comfort, and energy performance of building facades for projects. Jessica has contributed to over 50 ambitious projects in the field of high performance building design and has managed some of the New York office’s most complex projects from universities and lab buildings to commercial developments and cultural institutions. She holds a B.S. in Building Technology, a B.S. in Marketing Science and M.Eng. in High Performance Structures from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Jagan Pillai, PE, LEED AP BD+C, ASHRAE BEMP has been promoted to Senior Environmental Designer in the New York office. As a member of Atelier Ten’s Environmental Design and Energy Analysis practices, Jagan has expertise in building systems optimization, HVAC controls, systems selection, energy audtis, and retro-commissioning. His wide range of project experience includes universities and corporate campuses, healthcare and commercial high-rise buildings. Jagan’s energy expertise has contributed to the LEED Platinum targeted UCLA Teaching and Learning Center for Health Services and the LEED Gold targeted NYU 360 Jay Street. He holds a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Colorado, Boulder and a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Mumbai, India. Jagan is a registered Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of Colorado and is an ASHRAE certified Building Energy Modeling Professional (BEMP).
Kristen DiStefano, LEED AP BD+C has been promoted to Senior Environmental Designer in the San Francisco office. She joined Atelier Ten in 2011 and is an expert in the firm’s Daylight and Masterplanning practice groups, with expertise in daylight optimization, visual comfort, and innovative materials. She has managed some of the San Francisco office’s largest projects ranging from work on regional university and technology campuses to international reuse projects and master plans. Kristen is managing the 500,000 sq. ft. Nvidia Corporate Headquarters and the LEED Gold targeted University of California, Berkeley Lower Sproul Redevelopment. She has experience as an architectural designer and was a researcher for the USGBC-funded Case Study Lab. Kristen holds a B.A. from Bucknell University and an M.Arch. from Cornell University.
Caitlin Toczko has been promoted to Lighting Designer in the New Haven office. In her past year working with the Lighting Design team, Caitlin has contributed her knowledge in LED technology along with her aptitude for sustainable design. Her work includes LEED Platinum and Gold targeted projects including Tufts University’s Science and Engineering Center, the New Westchester Square Branch of the New York Public Library, and the Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYULMC’s Kimmel Pavilion. Caitlin holds an M.S. in Architectural Sciences with a Concentration in Lighting from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She is a member of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), and the Architectural League of New York City.
Catherine Leskowat has been promoted to Lighting Designer in the New Haven office. With a background in interior design, Catherine’s work focuses on creating pleasing visual environments that maximize energy savings and are sensitive to the human experience. She has particular expertise in sustainable lighting design that integrates daylight with electrical light to reduce energy demands and consumption. Her recent work includes a daylight-incorporated art gallery in Brooklyn, New York; the offices of the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University; and a museum in the middle east. Catherine is an active member of the New England Chapter of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) and serves on the Board of the IALD Education Trust Foundation. Catherine holds a Bachelor of Interior Design from the University of Oklahoma.