Seattle Design Commission -- Commissioners

Who We Are: Commissioners

Composition and Terms The Design Commission consists of ten citizens, each of whom has a background in the design professions, as follows: 2 architects 1 landscape architect 1 engineer 1 urban planner 2 urban designers 1 artist 1 at-large representative 1 Get Engaged member Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council. Terms are two years, begin in October, and may be renewed once. To apply to serve, send a letter and resume to Guillermo Romano (guillermo.romano@seattle.gov). See a list of former commissioners. Commissioners Mary Johnston Chair Position: Architect Term: Second Term expires: October 1, 2010
		Mary Johnston is a registered architect and is a founding partner of Johnston Architects PLLC. In the past 15 years, her firm has designed numerous public places, single and multi-family homes and private buildings. Mary believes good public architecture has great power to invigorate communities and has worked with numerous agencies and community groups in cooperative efforts to improve the civic environment. In addition to being a practicing architect, Mary teaches graduate and undergraduate design studios at the University of Washington College of Architecture and Urban Planning.
Brendan Connolly Vice Chair Position: Architect Term: Second Term expires: October 1, 2010
		Brendan Connolly is a Senior Associate and Design Architect at Mithun and Licensed Architect in WA State. He is responsible for design of the recent Zoomazium project at Woodland Park Zoo. Other projects he has worked on are: The Teton Science Schools Jackson Campus, Jackson Hole, Wyoming; The Gore Range Natural Science School, Avon, Colorado; Riverwoods Environmental Learning Center, Corbin, Kentucky; and Tulalip Tribal Government Administration Building Tulalip, Washington. He is a top graduate of both Yale University and the University of Washington's Master of Architecture programs. He was a member of the design team that was awarded First Place in the Professional Category for the 2005 C2C International Design Competition. He was awarded the Henry Adams Medal (AIA award to top-ranked graduate in the class of 2001), and the University of Washington Faculty Medal.
Lauren Hauck Position: Get Engaged Member Term: One-year Term expires: September 1, 2010
		Lauren Hauck has been a Landscape/Urban Designer at EDAW\|AECOM for the past four years. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Masters of Landscape Architecture program and the University of Delaware’s Landscape Horticulture program. As a LEED Accredited Professional and Chair of the Cascadia Chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism, she believes in conservation, preservation, sustainable development and redevelopment actions throughout the region such that they support neighborhoods and communities to be diverse, pedestrian oriented, accessible, vibrant, and environmentally responsible.
John Hoffman Position: Urban Designer Term: Second Term expires: October 1, 2009
		John Hoffman, AIA, AICP, is the Director of Urban Design with Perteet Inc, specializing in transit and community development projects. A graduate of Washington State and Rice Universities, John has been an urban designer at Wallace, Roberts & Todd in Philadelphia and Skidmore Owings and Merrill in Chicago. John has taught at Miami and Drexel Universities and has been a studio critic in many others. Since returning to Seattle in 1986, John worked at Callison Architecture and Hewitt Isley before joining Perteet. He looks at the design process as a means to achieve thoughtful solutions that are sensitive to the ecological context, responsive to the cultural setting and specific to the physical surrounding.
Andrew Barash Position: Engineer Term: First Term expires: October 1, 2010
		Andrew Barash is a Project Engineer at CH2M Hill, and a Licensed Professional Engineer in WA State. He contributes his skills towards the planning and design of transportation-related projects. Projects he has worked on cover a wide range, and include: local and regional arterials, freeways, pedestrian/bike trails, ferry terminals, light rail, and airport access improvements. A common thread linking these projects is his focus on working with stakeholders to successfully reach consensus and utilizing a context sensitive approach to design. Andrew is a graduate of the University of Washington, with a degree in Civil Engineering, and a Masters degree in Transportation Planning.
Julie Parrett Position: Landscape Architect Term: First Term expires: October 1, 2010
		Julie Parrett is a registered Landscape Architect with nearly 15 years of experience designing, planning and developing urban parks and open spaces. Currently, as Design Director for the People's Waterfront Coalition, an organization she helped co-found, Julie works re-envisioning Seattle's downtown waterfront without the Viaduct. Julie has worked on both regionally significant and local neighborhood projects within Seattle including the Olympic Sculpture Park and Mineral Springs Park, while employed as a Principal with Charles Anderson Landscape Architecture. In addition to professional practice, Julie has taught design studios within the landscape architecture departments at the University of Washington in Seattle and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Julie graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Architecture and earned a Masters degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dennis Ryan Position: Urban Designer Term: Second Term expires: October 1, 2009
		Dennis Ryan, AICP, Associate Professor of Urban Design, Planning and Architecture at the University of Washington, has a Ph.D. and Master of City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Architecture from Clemson University. An educator for 30 years, he was the founding director of the UW's Urban Design Program, chaired the Department of Urban Design and Planning, 1986-1996, and currently directs the interdisciplinary Community, Planning and Environment program. A former member of the Seattle Planning Commission, he has been on the Editorial Committee of ARCADE Magazine since the early 1990's and served as Architecture and Urban Design Critic for the Seattle Times in the early 1980's.
Graham Black Position: At-large Representative Term: First Term expires: October 1, 2010
		Graham Black is a third generation builder and the owner of gProjects LLC, a development and building company in the central neighborhoods of Seattle. Growing steadily since 2003, gProjects builds pedestrian oriented, über sustainable, contemporary townhouse clusters. Material reuse, parking decentralization and design to promote spontaneous community interaction are examples of the company philosophy built into every project. In a prior life, Graham worked as a land use and municipal lawyer at a firm downtown. He is a graduate of Macalester College and Seattle University School of Law (cum laude). Graham is a CASA Latina board member chairing its building committee, youth soccer coach and enjoys working in his garden with wife Jen and three kids.
Norie Sato Position: Fine Artist Term: First Term expires: October 1, 2009
		Norie Sato is an artist who has worked in public art for over 30 years, as an artist, an arts planner, arts commissioner, and teacher. She has experience in transit, educational facilities, civic structures, libraries, convention centers, laboratories, streetscapes, parks and infrastructure projects. She is a member of the national Public Art Network Council, a part of Americans for the Arts. She was a member of the Seattle Planning Commission and the Seattle Arts Commission, and is currently a Board member of Seattle's premier avant-garde performing arts presenter, On the Boards. She has worked on projects throughout the US including projects in Miami, Scottsdale, Salt Lake City, Ames (IA), Madison (WI), Dallas, as well as Federal Way, Seattle, Bothell and Bellevue in our area.
Julie Bassuk Position: Urban Planner Term: First Term expires: October 1, 2009
		Julie Bassuk, AICP is a partner at MAKERS architecture & urban design. She specializes in land use, neighborhood and facility planning for Port Districts, Cities and Federal Agencies. Julie enjoys helping organizations and communities envision and realize their goals. Whether it's accommodating growth, transforming neighborhoods or getting the most out of our waterfronts, she believes in creating quality environments that enhance communities. Julie is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and University of Washington's Real Estate Certificate program.

Last Updated: September 16, 2009