Lake|Flato Announces Staff Promotions

Brandi Rickels, AIA has been promoted to Partner. Brandi is an accomplished designer and co-leader of the firm’s Learning Studio. With a focus on educational projects, her 20 year history at the firm has elevated Lake|Flato’s design profile and has been instrumental in the firm’s growth. Brandi’s steady leadership has helped to evolve and hone a unique design approach for clients centered around People, Place, Program and Performance. This approach has resulted in award-winning and thoughtful school designs across the nation that are inspirational, adaptable and connected to the landscapes and climates of their surroundings. Some of her notable projects include Indian Springs School, Francis Parker School and the New Mexico School for the Arts.

Ryan Jones, AIA, LEED AP BD+C has been promoted to Partner. During his 15 years with Lake|Flato, Ryan has played an integral role in the design of some of the firm’s most complex, award-winning projects. His commitment to an integrated design process combined with his technical aptitude have resulted in projects that successfully celebrate the synergies between building and landscape, passive and active systems, materiality and craft, and budget and performance. Bringing this philosophy into his focus on higher education and science facilities, Ryan championed the design of the award-winning Georgia Tech Krone Engineered Biosystems building and the Biomedical Sciences & Engineering Education Building for the Universities at Shady Grove.

Steve Raike, AIA, LEED AP BD+C has been promoted to Partner. Steve is a leader, architect and educator with over 25 years of experience working on a broad range of project types ranging from institutional and civic architecture to single family residences. Throughout his career, he has focused on the fusion of beautifully crafted architecture with the science of sustainability, resulting in numerous national design and sustainability awards. Steve has taught and lectured throughout the U.S. and Canada to a wide range of audiences on the topics of tectonics, craft and building performance, and he leads Lake|Flato’s in-house educational programs. Some of Steve’s notable projects include the Austin Central Library, the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, Mill Springs Ranch and Ishawooa Mesa Ranch.

Tenna Florian, AIA, LEED AP BD+C has been promoted to Partner. As a co-leader of the firm’s Eco-Conservation Studio, Tenna finds purpose in creating architecture that promotes environmental stewardship through high performance design that strengthens the essential bond between humans and nature. With over 20 years of experience, Tenna has proved to be a skilled listener and collaborator. She is committed to an integrated design process that seeks to fully realize the client’s aspirations and goals. Tenna has been integral in developing green initiatives for Lake|Flato and the City of San Antonio, and her passion for innovative sustainable design has led to several award winning projects including Naples Botanical Garden, the AIA Honor Award winning Confluence Park and the Dixon Water Foundation Josey Pavilion—the first certified Living Building Challenge project in Texas.

Heather Holdridge, EIT, Assoc. AIA, LEED Fellow has been promoted to Associate Partner. As the Sustainability Director at the firm, Heather leverages her background in mechanical engineering to lead and direct all Lake|Flato project teams in establishing achievable sustainability goals. She is integral in devising strategies and establishing methods and systems to realize those goals under programs including LEED, the 2030 Challenge and the Living Building Challenge. Her technical proficiency in sustainable design and construction has been an invaluable asset to our firm and to the building industry. Under Heather’s leadership, the firm has been awarded 11 AIA COTE Top Ten Awards, the highest recognition for sustainable design in our industry.