SGA Promotes Six to Associates

BOSTON— SGA, the Boston and New York-based national award-winning architecture, interior design and planning firm, announced that it has promoted six employees to associates within the firm. The new associates are Marc Gabriel, Jen Gregoire, Kristen O’Gorman, Brian Slozak, Eric Svahn and Amanda Vicari.

“We are proud to promote these six people in recognition of their hard work and dedication to excellence at SGA over all these years,” said Al Spagnolo, AIA, NCARB, and President and Founding Partner of SGA. “On behalf of our growing team, I would like to congratulate them.”

Marc Gabriel, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C
Senior Project Architect, Associate

Marc is widely recognized for his expertise in large, complex projects and his ability to guide stakeholders through any challenges that arise. His colleagues appreciate his mentorship and view him as an invaluable resource on quality assurance and quality control.

A registered architect in Massachusetts and New York, Marc has been in the building industry for 31 years. SGA’s entrepreneurial culture and prospects for growth prompted him to join the firm nearly eight years ago. Since then, he has specialized in high-rise, life sciences, and multifamily structures. He welcomes opportunities to take a preliminary design and refine it to ensure a project’s success, applying effective new technologies whenever possible. For example, he champions SGA’s virtual design and construction (VDC) tools.

Previously, Marc worked as a project architect and associate at KlingStubbins, where he honed his skills in managing large-scale projects from design through construction administration.

Marc’s experience in the building industry dates to his teenage years, when he worked for his father, a general contractor. He subsequently received his Master of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Outside of the office, Marc enjoys spending time with his wife, traveling, viewing architecture, collecting art, working on his house and making/fabricating items that he has designed.

Jen Gregoire, NCIDQ, IIDA
Senior Interior Designer, Associate

Jen joined SGA in 2015 because the firm’s work displayed variety and innovation – no two projects resembled one another. Today, Jen upholds the tradition of the individualized approach by delving into the culture and specific needs of each client. She likens this process to a quote by designer Andrew Alford: “We don’t start with pretty. We start with a story. Like an author writes a book, we always try to write the space first.” The results are influential, tailored designs with imaginative detailing that reflect successful problem-solving.

Previously, Jen lived in California, where she held interior design roles at LPA in Irvine, Remedios Studio in Long Beach, and Douglas Stanton Architects in West Hollywood. In these positions, she created progressive learning environments, designed five-star hotels and casinos that personalized the visitor experience, and customized high-end homes for celebrities.

Jen received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in interior design from Parsons School of Design in New York City. She puts her degree to good use both inside and outside the office: Her hobbies include painting, renovating, and creative décor projects. She also is active on IIDA New England’s awards committee.

Although the California lifestyle isn’t as viable in Boston’s climate, Jen nonetheless enjoys the outdoors. She runs and hikes and has recently taken up skiing.

Kristen O’Gorman, NCARB, LEED GA
Senior Designer/Architect, Associate

Kristen leads some of SGA’s most influential and transformative projects. She plays a significant role in every stage of a commission, from site planning to entitlements and from conceptual design to construction. She thrives on the different challenges projects bring, and strives to exceed client expectations.

Since joining SGA in 2011, Kristen has contributed substantially to the firm’s rapid growth by developing designs for prominent commissions in the commercial, life sciences and higher education markets. She particularly enjoys rehabilitating old or under-utilized buildings through adaptive reuse. She also welcomes opportunities to apply new technologies to her work, and accordingly has supported the use of innovative project delivery methods, such as Virtual Design and Construction.

Dedicated to environmentally responsible design, Kristen implements progressive strategies, such as passive house standards, to promote energy conservation. She feels

strongly that the public realm and the way people move should directly (and positively) affect the way buildings are shaped, particularly in an urban or campus environment.

Kristen received her Bachelor and Master of Architecture from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island. Outside of the office, she hikes, skis, plays soccer, and travels. After fostering dogs for several years, she now has one of her own – a mutt named Willard.

Brian Slozak, RA
Senior Designer, Associate

Brian, who has been at SGA for nearly 10 years, is a creative and talented professional who balances multiple commissions, including complex urban core and shell projects and large-scale master planning. Although he is most active in conceptual stages, he has strong technical knowledge that allows him to follow the design through to the construction detail level. He also has a strong command of local zoning ordinances that allows him to effectively navigate the public approval process.

Several factors have influenced Brain’s substantial tenure. Among them are colleagues who share his commitment to design quality at both the macro and micro levels, and SGA’s ongoing exploration of new technologies and trends, which keep his day-to-day responsibilities fresh.

Brian received his Master of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. Outside of the office, he enjoys running half marathons, listening to any live music, traveling, taking cooking classes, and trying new restaurants around the city.

Eric Svahn, AIA, NCARB
Senior Project Architect, Associate

Eric, who concentrates on the commercial and life sciences markets, plays a critical role in the success of SGA’s most complex projects. Although he is involved in every project phase, his specialty is construction documentation and construction administration. He is committed to maintaining design excellence through the construction process to reality, working with owners and consultants to solve the most challenging problems, and fostering close-knit relationships with all project team members. Each effort is focused on adding value to the completed project.

Before joining SGA three years ago, Eric worked for more than two decades as a senior associate at GUND Partnership in Cambridge, Massachusetts. During his tenure there, he led the firm’s sustainable design group and completed a range of projects in the realms of education, multifamily housing, residential housing, hospitality, and tourism.

Eric received his Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University. A resident of Newbury, Massachusetts, he is active in the local community, appointed to a variety of civic committees and speaking frequently at town meetings. His outdoor hobbies reflect

the setting where he lives: He gardens and grows giant pumpkins. The largest pumpkin he’s grown to date weighed 410 pounds! As for indoor hobbies, he enjoys collecting and reading old architectural books.

Project partners and SGA colleagues are familiar with Eric’s sartorial style. He has worn bowties since college and owns more than 40. As he explains, he started wearing them to work many years ago, when architects drafted by hand with ink. Regular neckties got in the way. Among his favorite bowties, which he still sports, are ones his grandmother created from her old colorful silk blouses.

Amanda Vicari, NCIDQ
Interior Designer, Associate

Amanda approaches design through deep exploration of client culture. During the programming phase of the projects she leads, she emphasizes discovery, which enables her to develop environments that are extensions of brand personalities. In subsequent stages, she serves as the primary point of contact for clients, and she collaborates closely with consultants and construction partners, ensuring that the design visions are fully realized.

The types of commissions Amanda oversees vary widely: Her portfolio includes corporate interiors, lobbies and common areas, industrial maker spaces, higher education, and new mixed-use facilities. But the projects all share an emphasis on technology: She applies the latest advances to create efficiencies in delivery methods.

When Amanda interned at SGA in 2012, the firm’s leaders noted her creativity, enthusiasm, and congenial personality, and eagerly hired her on a full-time basis in 2013. Today, she strives to help others find rewarding positions in the design industry. She launched these efforts when serving on the board of directors for the IIDA NE as the vice president of student affairs. In the nine years in which she has been a member of the organization, she has guided many students and recent graduates in carving out promising career paths.

Amanda received her Bachelor of Science in interior design from Wentworth Institute of Technology. Outside of the office, she enjoys visiting craft breweries with her two dogs: a Havanese named Pedey and an Australian German Shepherd named Winnie. On these excursions, she experiments with different beer styles and takes in the atmosphere, but she can’t turn off her professional perspective. She analyzes the environment and can’t help but think about the style and scheme of the brewery she might design for herself someday.