Adaptive Reuse of the Annapolis Post Office

Christopher Brown, Ziger | Snead Architects, and Michael Zajac, SGH

Christopher Brown, RA, is a senior associate with Ziger | Snead Architects in Baltimore, MD. Chris brings a leadership approach grounded in technical expertise, research, and cross-disciplinary thinking. With a strong background in academia and fabrication, he guides projects from concept through construction with precision and clarity. His experience spans residential, institutional, commercial, and recreational facilities, where he leads teams through complex problem-solving and technical execution. Chris manages projects with a focus on process, communication, and innovation, bridging theory and practice to deliver thoughtful, well-crafted architecture.

Michael D. Zajac, PE, LEED AP, is a senior project manager in the Washington, DC, office of Simpson Gumpertz & Heger. He has over 23 years of professional experience working in the greater Washington, DC, region. Michael has experience aiding with structural modeling, performing field surveys, preparing structural construction documents, providing structural construction administration services, and evaluating multiple building structures. Although his structural design and consulting experience ranges from renovation and new construction to restoration, including small to large-scale residential renovations, his passion has always led to historic buildings. He currently serves as an at-large member of the APT-DC Board of Directors.

Raising the Roof, Carefully: Rooftop Additions and the Standards in Washington

Emily Eig, EHT Traceries

Emily Eig is an architectural historian and historic preservation specialist with more than 40 years of experience. Ms. Eig established EHT Traceries in 1989. Her technical knowledge is focused on the integration of new buildings into historic settings, including historic sites, campuses, and districts. She is a recognized expert on the interpretation of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and Rehabilitation, as well as preservation laws. Emily advises clients on compatible new design related to historic buildings, sites, and districts, and regularly assists owners, developers, architects, and preservation technicians with the interpretation and analysis of historic resources nationwide.

Gilded Age Mansions for the 21st Century

Mary Kay Lanzillotta, Hartman-Cox Architects

Mary Kay Lanzillotta is a Partner at Hartman-Cox Architects with almost four decades of experience in nationally significant historic settings. She currently serves as the Executive Architect to the American Battle Monuments Commission and the Chair of the Old Georgetown Board of the Commission of Fine Arts . She has played a pivotal role in team coordination and the design of sensitive building system insertions. Her work includes numerous civic and institutional projects on the NRHP, bringing unmatched insight into preservation policy and agency approvals processes. MaryKay’s projects have received over 20 design awards at the local, regional and national levels.

Built for Industry, Rebuilt for Opportunity: Sustainable Adaptive Reuse of The Packing House

Ethan Marchant, Quinn Evans

Ethan Marchant, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is a principal and Chief Design Officer at Quinn Evans. He excels in opportunistic adaptive reuse, leveraging existing structures and architectural elements to create memorable, functional spaces that honor heritage and strengthen community identity. His work spans educational, cultural, and commercial projects and reflects a deep understanding of technical preservation strategies, material conservation, and context-driven design. Known for inventive problem-solving, minimalist elegance, and thoughtful interventions, Ethan demonstrates how careful and creative approaches to historic architecture can produce vibrant, enduring environments that engage people and enrich communities.

Adaptive Use Strategies for Large-Scale Historic Industrial Campuses

Tom Liebel, Moseley

Tom Liebel, FAIA, LEED Fellow is a Managing Principal with Moseley Inc, where he leads their Multifamily Housing Studio. Tom has been involved in integrating sustainable design principles into a variety of ground-breaking adaptive use and historic preservation projects over the past three decades, with these projects recognized with multiple awards for design, smart growth, sustainable design and historic preservation. Tom is involved in ongoing research exploring the relationship between sustainability, preservation and urban design, with a particular emphasis in the use of urban adaptive use projects to promote neighborhood revitalization and civic engagement.

Preserving a Collective Memory: The Rehabilitation of Woodstock High School

Neal Wright, Glavé & Holmes Architecture

Neal Wright is a licensed Architect & certified Interior Designer with a passion for historic rehabilitation, adaptive reuse projects, and storytelling design. Neal proudly serves as a Project Manager at Glavé & Holmes Architecture in Richmond, Virginia. Over the course of his career, Neal has had the honor of serving on the Architect of the Capitol’s team for the landmark Cannon House Office Building renewal and has led adaptive reuse and renovation projects for historic hospitality spaces across North America. Neal proudly crafts spaces that reflect their local communities, creates experience-driven designs, and utilizes the historic rehabilitation tax credits to allow historic buildings to thrive.

Smithsonian Castle Basement - from Utility to Community

Andrea Righi, Stantec

Andrea Righi is a Senior Architect and Senior Associate at Stantec with 23 years of experience working on large scale Modernization and Historic Preservation projects. Andrea holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan. She is especially interested in the complexity of modern systems integration and life safety compliance in existing buildings. Since 2019, Andrea has been the Senior Project Architect on the Revitalization of the Smithsonian Castle.