Spotlight On: William Scott

Spotlight On is our tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate and get to know them better. Our latest Spotlight On feature is William Scott. William joined the Liollio team in 2024 and is a graduate of Clemson University, where he earned his Master of Architecture. His passion for architecture began in high school through the Carolina Alliance for Technology program, where he was first introduced to the practice of architecture, engineering, and sustainable principles. While attending Clemson, he joined a design-build program that gave him the chance to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders, disciplines, and community members to bring a project to life - an experience that solidified his commitment to community-focused design. This path led him to Liollio, whose dedication to meaningful community engagement and thoughtful, inclusive design continues to inspire William’s work. We sat down for a Q+A session with our newest Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up?
Clinton, SC

Are you married?
In the works! Currently engaged and have been together for almost 7 years now.

Do you have children?
No, but we’d like to adopt eventually!

What do you like to do for fun?
I love to run, listen to podcasts, beach, xbox, and binge movies.

Favorite place(s) to go locally?
James Island County Park, Sullivans Island, Colonial Lake, Hampton Park

Favorite restaurant?
Xio Bao Biscuit

Favorite food?
JAPANESE!

Least favorite food?
Cucumbers. Ruins everything.

Do you play any instruments?
Sadly, no. One day I’ll learn how to play the violin though. It’s my favorite instrument to hear in songs.

What song is at the top of your most-played list?
Ribs by Lorde

Favorite musical artist or genre?
Indie/Alternative & Pop/House

Favorite visual artist?
My dear friend, Janie Holsten

Favorite television show?
RuPaul’s Drag Race or Survivor or Game of thrones

Last book you read?
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Favorite podcast or blog?
Emergency Intercom

Favorite movie or genre?
Anything Sci-Fi/Fantasy – The Substance

Last movie you watched?
Sinners (10/10)

Favorite place you have traveled to and why?
Interlaken, Switzerland! Lake Thun & Lake Brienz are absolutely gorgeous and the mountains are breathtaking. The natural beauty of this region is unmatched and there are so many outdoor activities to choose from.

Favorite style of architecture?
Gothic Revival, Art Nouveau, Contemporary - hard to pinpoint!!

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you?
National Museum of African American History and Culture in DC

Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to and why?
Amsterdam. I have an intrinsic connection to city parks. They arguably have the best in the world. A perfect blend of people, nature, and urbanity.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?
Hopefully, Timothee Chalamet

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
Kiwi Bird. First off, I can fly. Secondly, I’d be native to New Zealand which is pretty cool. 

Are you messy or organized?
Organized

What’s your pet peeve?
Slow drivers

Guilty pleasure?
Dunkin’ Donuts

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
Barack Obama

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?
RuPaul’s Drag Race Finale, Season 9, Alex Theater Glendale, CA

If your house was burning down, what is the one non-living thing you would save?
My Xbox 360. Although it has sat in my closet for years, it has over a dozen of my Minecraft cities that I need to preserve.

What three traits characterize you?
Empathetic, driven, playful

What’s your astrological sign?
Capricorn

What is your personal philosophy?
Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
My mom

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far?
Both accepting and embracing my identity.

What is your greatest fear?
Tsunamis

What is your superpower?
My humor. I’d say I can turn difficult situations into something lighthearted or comforting.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Receiving the Harlan McClure Award from Clemson University for my final graduate project!

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
The people! I feel embraced and am constantly learning.

What does true leadership mean to you?
True leadership is the ability to accept feedback and listen with an open mind to empower others.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
Music Producer

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
To get off Minecraft and go outside.

How do you define success?
Constantly growing and evolving

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
I am the middle child of 5.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
”If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell can you love anybody else?”

Spotlight On: Nate Stoltenberg

Spotlight On is our tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our first Spotlight On feature of 2025 is Nate Stoltenberg. A valuable asset to the team, Nate joined Liollio in January 2024 and is a graduate of the Iowa State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree. Nate has a passion for architectural design and sustainability. Representation of unique designs have been at the forefront of Nate’s education and interest. Nate values the process of physical model making as well as mixed media visual representation. We sat down for a Q+A session with our newest Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up?
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Are you married?
Soon to be!

Do you have children?
Nope just my dog.

What do you like to do for fun?
I love the beach, whether its surfing, playing spike ball, or just hanging out with a cold one!

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
I have a dog named Bean that was a failed foster because as soon as we held him at the shelter we knew he was coming home with us!

Favorite place(s) to go locally?
Brown Fox Coffee is my favorite coffee on a Saturday morning, but Shem Creek is also a blast for food and drinks. My favorite meal I’ve had in Charleston though is for sure Hall’s Chophouse.

Favorite restaurant?
Lewis BBQ is my go-to. Their brisket and banana pudding are amazing.

Favorite food?
Popcorn is my favorite snack by far.

Favorite book?
Im not a big reader but I prefer non-fiction. My favorite book is Side Country by John Branch

Do you play any instruments?
I played piano for a couple of years in elementary school but nothing since then.

Favorite musical artist or genre?
Its tough to pick one but I really like Drake and AC/DC (what a combo).

Favorite television show?
Dexter for sure because it kept me entertained through covid.

Favorite podcast or blog?
Kill Tony (not true crime its comedy)

Favorite movie or genre?
The Dark Knight

Last movie you watched?
I watched the new Joker movie without realizing it was a musical so that was a shock.

Favorite place you have traveled to and why?
I really love Hawaii because the islands have so much to offer from culture, cuisine, hikes, beaches. It is a slower lifestyle that is very welcoming and fun.

Are you messy or organized?
I am an organized person.

Guilty pleasure?
Lewis BBQ

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
Anthony Bourdain

What’s your astrological sign?
Sagittarius

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
I really enjoy when the studio comes together for a pin up or think and drink to hangout and bounce ideas off one another.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
Slow down

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Comparison is the thief of joy.

Spotlight On: Michelle Lanker

Spotlight On is a Liollio tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our February Spotlight On feature is Michelle Lanker. Michelle joined the Liollio team in January 2023, relocating from Seattle. An Ohio native and graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michelle is a versatile architect with more than 20 years of experience. She is known for building trust with clients and teams through clear communication and by bringing a strategic and focused approach to each project. We sat down for a Q+A session with our latest Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up?
Loveland, Ohio

Do you have children?
My dog Arnie is definitely like my child.

What do you like to do for fun?
I like to garden, paint when I can (love watercolors), walk around the downtown Charleston since I live downtown, ride my bicycle whenever I can, hang out with friends, and hang out with my dog a lot.

Tell us about Arnie.
He is a 16-year-old mutt named Arnie that I adopted from a shelter out in Portland, OR 15 years ago after he lost a leg and was scared to death of people. He has traveled everywhere, including cross-country from Seattle, WA to Charleston and back three times now with me. He is my best friend.

Favorite place(s) to go locally?
I love Hampton Park and Battery Park, walking there quite frequently. Arnie and I like to go to Folly Beach and hang out when it’s not the tourist season. Probably my favorite place is my own garden space which is rare to have in downtown Charleston.

Favorite restaurant?
A spot called Harvest Moon out on Highway 17.

Favorite food?
Gourmet grilled cheese and tomato soup!

Least favorite food?
I’ll try just about anything. I try to avoid processed foods though, so those would probably be my least favorite.

Favorite book or author?
Erik Larson, Devil in the White City. I love all his books.

Do you play any instruments?
No. Tried playing the clarinet in middle school, but not my thing.

What song is at the top of your most played list?
Home by HAIM (Barbie movie soundtrack)

Favorite musical artist or genre?
I’m pretty eclectic, but my favorite band is called Metric.

Favorite visual artist?
Monet

Favorite television show?
Six Feet Under

Last book you read?
I Am Bunny by Alexis Devine

Favorite podcast or blog?
Ologies with Alie Ward

Favorite movie or genre?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Last movie you watched?
To Sir with Love

Favorite place you have traveled to and why?
It’s close – I love two cities – Barcelona, Spain and Medellin, Colombia. I am enamored with how both cities have managed to make dense urban environments feel so tied to nature either in the way the architecture is inspired by organic structures such as coral and forest canopies and various animals and plants (in Barcelona) or how transit systems tie the urban fabric to the natural mountains that surround via trolleys and escalators and light rail (in Medellin).

Favorite style of architecture?
Probably Expressionism. How buildings affect the way we think and feel has always been very important to me as an Architect.

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you?
Sagrada Familia

Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to and why?
I went to Spain years ago for three weeks by myself. I bought a one-way ticket to Madrid and then just stayed at hostels while on a very loose itinerary that took me all over the country and even to Paris for a few days before coming home. It was life changing for me.

What would the book or movie about your life be called?
Wherever Life Takes You, Embrace It

Who would play you in a movie about your life?
She is not anywhere close to my age or even younger than me, but I was always told I look a lot like Ali McGraw, and I would say my personality is similar to her character in her most famous role, Love Story.

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
Sea turtle, without question. They are solitary, they travel a lot. Symbolically, they have always meant a lot to me representing longevity, wisdom, carrying the world on it’s back. I have a tattoo of a sea turtle on my right shoulder.

Are you messy or organized?
Most of the time organized, lol.

What’s your pet peeve?
Interrupting and talking over others.

Guilty pleasure?
Buying flowers for myself when I go to the grocery store.

Tell us a random fact.
My dad is from Nicaragua, and I have an uncle who was, and a cousin who is, an Architect in Nicaragua today.

Favorite quote?
”Nothing is invented, for it’s written in nature first.” – Antoni Gaudí

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
My maternal grandparents who both died when she was a teenager. I would like to tell them what a wonderful woman my mother is and how proud they should be of her.

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?
1998 NBA Finals, Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz, Game 6 (Michael Jordan’s last game) - I worshipped him as a kid.

If your house was burning down, what is the one non-living thing you would save?
A necklace from my family in Nicaragua and my maternal grandmother’s engagement ring.

What three traits characterize you?
Empathy, honesty, openness

What’s your astrological sign?
Leo

What is your personal philosophy?
Live in the moment as much as possible.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
Getting outside and enjoying the fresh air.

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far?
Life not happening quite the way I expected and being okay with that because it has made me who I am.

What is your greatest fear?
I don’t think I’m really afraid of anything. As a kid I was deathly afraid of sharks after seeing Jaws. I would dream about them being in a pool I was swimming in and have even had a recurring nightmare like that as an adult. But I got to cage dive with Great Whites in South Africa several years ago and that shifted my fear to awe. They are amazing creatures and such survivors. I now admire their perseverance instead!

What is your superpower?
Adaptation

What inspires you most?
I am constantly inspired by my friends and family. Hearing their personal stories of overcoming great odds or doing something incredibly brave, or just being amazing humans that surround me with so much love is a wonderful gift I try my best to not take for granted.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Having the courage to start over.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
The openness and compassion here. Arnie comes to work with me nearly everyday and everyone has been just awesome in welcoming him along with me into this fantastic work family.

What does true leadership mean to you?
It depends on the circumstance. Leading a team means being able to clearly express a vision and/or set of goals and then empowering and supporting those around you to achieve that vision or reach those goals together. True leadership is also demonstrated in individual work though. Always striving for your best and when your best isn’t possible or you make a mistake, owning it and learning from it.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
A cartoonist

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
Don’t sweat the small things so much.

How do you define success?
Being content, but always learning.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
I was very into basketball as a kid (my dad was a high school coach) and I was also a very tall preteen, so I decided to try out for an all-boys’ team in 4th grade and ended up being the starting center from 4-6th grade when we won the league championship. I did not grow an inch more and in junior high moved to forward and by high school was a shooting guard for my high school team. If I hadn’t gone to school for architecture, I would have played college ball somewhere, but the commitment was too much to do both.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Sounds silly, but my mom and I both remind each other to “let it go” as it is sung in the movie Frozen.

Spotlight On: Ridab Glal

Spotlight On is our tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our October Spotlight On feature is Ridab Glal. Ri joined the Liollio team in 2022 and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, where she earned her Master of Architecture degree. Ri has a passion for architectural design and rendering, organic design, and sustainability. A valuable asset to the studio, Ri confidently settled into her role as Project Designer and is applying her experience and knowledge to several projects in markets including Higher Education, K-12 Education, Community, Federal, and Health & Wellness. We sat down for a Q+A session with our newest Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up?
We moved around a lot when I was younger. I bounced back and forth between the States & Europe. If I had to identify one place, it would be North Charleston.

Are you married?
Yes newly wedded!

Do you have children?
Nope!

What do you like to do for fun?
I mostly like to spend time with my family. If I’m not hanging with family I’m most likely at the beach!

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
Noo but I really want a kitty.

Favorite place(s) to go locally?
The beach!!

Favorite restaurant?
I don’t necessarily have a favorite restaurant, but I often find myself at Kid Cashew or Spicy Palette.

Favorite food?
If the dish tastes good it automatically becomes my new favorite.

Least favorite food?
Unpopular opinion but I HATE eggs!

Favorite book?
Not sure! I haven’t come across a book that has caught my attention for a long minute.

Do you play any instruments?
Not currently but I used to play the

What song is at the top of your most played list?
Tout va Bien by Ever Mihigo

Favorite musical artist or genre?
Heavy Metal & R&B

Favorite visual artist?
Not sure if she counts as a visual artist, but Iris van Herpen

Favorite television show?
Grey’s Anatomy! But my show of the month right now is Why women Kill.

Favorite movie or genre?
Thrillers or Mystery! Sometimes horror

Last movie you watched?
They Cloned Tyrone

Favorite place you have traveled to and why?
Thailand! We went for our honeymoon; it was a breath of fresh air.

Favorite style of architecture?
I like architecture that reflects traditions and values of a specific culture. Not sure if it has a name - maybe cultural architecture?

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you?
Wat chaithararam temple in Thailand. All of it is hand made! So impressive.

Are you messy or organized?
I like to stay as organized as I can.

What’s your pet peeve?
Nothing yet!

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
Zaha Hadid

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?
Hasn’t happened yet but the first Woman president!

If your house was burning down, what is the one nonliving thing you would save?
Most likely my phone! It has literally all the information I need to replace my other belongings.

What’s your astrological sign?
Cancer

What is your personal philosophy?
Mistakes are forgotten, life goes on.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
Shelter & water - the essentials!

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far?
Being comfortable with being uncomfortable. It’s gotten me far.

What is your greatest fear?
I fear nothing… except chimpanzees…they are terrifying.

What inspires you most?
My parents! They’ve gone through a lot trying to make sure my siblings and I have a safer life than they did in Sudan.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Completing Architecture school, it was a rocky ride.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
I love how relaxed the working environment is and how the firm prioritizes growth!

What does true leadership mean to you?
I think a true leader should have a passion for teaching. If I’m not learning anything what am I gaining?

If you could perform another job for just one day, what or who would it be?
Jeff Bezos

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
Other than the responsibilities you suddenly have, adulting isn’t so bad.

How do you define success?
Being very knowledgeable and resourceful.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
I used to speak fluent Dutch up until I was about 5 years old because I was born/lived in the Netherlands. I no longer speak Dutch - just Arabic and English.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Just do it.

SPOTLIGHT ON: TOM WALES, AIA

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Spotlight On is a Liollio tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our January/February Spotlight On feature is Tom Wales. Tom joined the Liollio team in 2021, relocating from Boston. As an Alabama native and graduate of Auburn University, Tom’s passions for historical research and analysis, paired with his background in the arts, has made him an asset to the team. We sat down for a Q+A session with our newest Spotlight On feature:

Where did you grow up?
I grew up on a farm in Elkmont, Alabama. It’s dead center between Nashville, TN and Birmingham, AL on the state line. If you are on driving down I-65 and see a Saturn IB rocket, you are there.

Are you married?
Yes, I am married to my wonderful wife, Courtney. We’ve been together since high school.

What do you like to do for fun?
I really enjoy painting and drawing in my spare time, along with playing guitar. We also enjoy finding something good to drink/eat and spending time at any of the great beaches here.

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
We have one heavyweight calico cat named Pip. Courtney got her while in school at Auburn, so she’s been with us for over a decade now. She’s the best.

Favorite place(s) to go locally?
Our favorite place to go is Sullivan’s Beach. We try to get out there at least once a week when weather permits.

Favorite restaurant?
We’ve recently been to Chubby Fish with friends, and the food was hard to beat. We also love going to Leon’s and Post House in Old Village.

Favorite food?
Ribeye or peaches.

Do you play any instruments?
I have played guitar since I was about 12 and enjoy most any stringed instrument. I have been learning to play the piano this year though, and it is going well overall I’d say.

What song is at the top of your most played list? 
Patches by Clarence Carter.

Favorite visual artist?
I’ve always loved the work of Edward Hopper and John Singer Sargent, particularly both of their watercolors and travel sketches. I also really like Fairfield Porter and Hockney in terms of oil painting.

Favorite television show?
We really have a love for anything in the PBS Masterpiece Series. All of their shows are well made and are shot in the best locations. The Durrells in Corfu and All Creatures Great & Small are two recent-ish shows they have produced that are great.

Favorite book or author?
I think I own and have read every David Sedaris book to date. I am currently reading Laurie Woolever’s biography of Anthony Bourdain and am enjoying it so far.

Last movie you watched?
The last full movie I watched was Pale Rider.

Favorite place you have traveled to and why?
My overall favorite place that I have been to so far is Florence, Italy.

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you?
The Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket in Copenhagen is the most inspiring building that I have been to. It’s the art collection and museum of the founder of Carlsberg Beer. Not only is the collection of art amazing, the buildings and garden are top notch.

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
An indoor/outdoor house cat has an ideal life.

What’s your pet peeve?
If you have the right-of-way, drive like you do. Be predictable, not polite!

Guilty pleasure?
Kirkland’s Signature Trail Mix.

Tell us a random fact.
I used to travel around Alabama and the southeast playing in disc golf tournaments. I can still throw a Frisbee well over 300 feet.

What three traits characterize you?
Hardworking, curious, and tall.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
Music.

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far? 
Relocating across the country is up there on the list. Moving without knowing anyone is challenging, but we’ve made great friends wherever we have landed.

What inspires you most?
I also usually have music on if I am doing anything remotely close to work. Travelling is up there too.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am proud of all that I accomplished in my time at Auburn. I would say that I was an okay student through high school and that it all seemed to click once I was in a field that I was actually interested in.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
I’ve made great friends and have learned a lot from everyone in my time here so far.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
I have said that I would want to drive an ambulance. Get from point A to point B in the shortest amount of time with a blaring siren.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
For the love of your joints, please do not play football.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
“I can stand on my head for a year. You can always move back if you don’t like it.” This came from my former boss in Auburn after receiving an unsolicited offer to move to Boston after graduating.

SPOTLIGHT ON: HUNTER THURLO

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Spotlight On is a Liollio tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and to get to know them better as individuals. Our August Spotlight On feature is Hunter Thurlo. Hunter became a welcome addition to our team his year, joining the Liollio studio as a Project Designer. He is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture (2021) and a Masters of Architecture (2022). Hunter has become a valuable contributor, jumping right into studio pinups, production and the culture of the firm. We sat down for a little Q+A with one of our newest team members.

Where did you grow up? Mocksville NC

Are you married? No

Do you have children? No

What do you like to do for fun? Be outside, and explore new things.

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them. Growing up we had a recreational farm, and a slew of dogs and cats.

Favorite place(s) to go locally? Sullivan’s Island

Favorite food? Mexican

Least favorite food? Indian

Favorite book? Any well-articulated (with pictures) monograph on architecture.

Do you play any instruments? No

Favorite musical artist or genre? My Spotify favorites resemble a pinball …always changing directions

Favorite visual artist? Ralph Grady James

Favorite television show? The Big Bang Theory

Favorite podcast or blog? Oh yeah, I cannot pay attention to podcasts.

Favorite movie or genre? National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Favorite style of architecture? All styles resemble a time/place that represents the culture and technology of the time; therefore favoritism towards one is not allowing the understanding of what the style did for humanity.

Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to and why? St. Kitts. However, Rome would have probably topped it if my Study Abroad wasn’t cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What would the book or movie about your life be called? Dumpster Fire

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? Whale - the strong family aspect.

Are you messy or organized? An organized mess.

What’s your pet peeve? The lack of work ethic.

Tell us a random fact. I spent Thanksgiving in jail one time…it’s not what you think.

Favorite quote? “Humor is the absence of terror, and terror is the absence of humor.” – Jimmy Buffett

What three traits characterize you? Humorous, extroverted, selfless

What’s your astrological sign? Aries

What is your personal philosophy? Don’t Give Up the Ship

What is your greatest fear? Birds, snakes, ghosts

What inspires you most? Working hard and dedication.

What accomplishment are you most proud of? Making the rival high school swim coach break a clipboard because I beat his swimmer.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio? The culture and dedication to design.

What does true leadership mean to you? Selflessness and respect.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be? Large machine operator at a landfill…I would crush it.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13? Go have fun and take a break.

How do you define success? Starts with waking up in the morning.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received? “Confident, not cocky.”

SPOTLIGHT ON: RAJAN MISTRY

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Spotlight On is a Liollio tradition of interviewing team members to highlight and celebrate them - and to get to know them better as individuals. After a hiatus of Spotlight On Q&A sessions, we are finally returning to form and highlighting Rajan Mistry as our July Spotlight On feature. Raj became a welcome addition to the Liollio studio in 2021 as Contract Administrator. He is a graduate of the New School of Architecture & Design in San Diego. He has a history of construction contract administration and project management from the perspective of the owner, contractor, and architect.

Where did you grow up? Ndola, Zambia – it’s a small copper-mining town close to the Congolese border, and had a great childhood there.

Are you married? Do you have children? Neither

What do you like to do for fun? I love being outside, so it would either be cycling, dog-walking, golfing or hashing.

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them. I have a Shepherd-Husky mix, named Shaki, and she is an awesome dog. She looks like a German-Shepherd but has gorgeous ice-blue eyes. She has just enough German-Shepherd in her to be obedient, and just enough Husky in her to be independent and love a good run around. Interesting fact about her; she doesn’t bark at all!

Favorite place(s) to go locally? Golf Courses & Breweries

Favorite restaurant? I don’t know if it’s my favorite restaurant, but I love going to Jamaican restaurants and go there most frequently.

Favorite food? Ethiopian and Japanese

Least favorite food? Any food that is a greasy mess and impossible to eat without destroying my beard.

Do you play any instruments? I play the guitar, sitar, and a bit of bass/piano as well.

What song is at the top of your most played list? It’s either going to be Chronixx (reggae & dancehall) or some vocal Drum ‘n Bass mixes.

Favorite musical artist or genre? House Music

Favorite television show? I don’t really watch TV – life itself is sufficiently surreal…

 Last book you read? It was probably a Harvard Business Review.

Favorite book? Bhagavad Gita

Favorite author? Jon Klassen writes awesome children’s books, and I highly recommend you investigate them and buy them all for your kids.

Favorite podcast or blog? The Peter Schiff Show – it is primarily an economics podcast, but he also discusses news stories and geopolitics.

Favorite movie or genre? I love a good laugh, so comedy is always high on my list, but it may have to be The Matrix.

Last movie you watched? It was a kids’ movie with my little niece and nephew. There were some magic dragons and I think it was called Raya.

Favorite place you have traveled to and why? Mexico – I have been to 8 Mexican states and have had a great time every visit. You get high-quality goods/services, excellent prices, and the people are all wonderful.

Favorite style of architecture? I do not have a preference. I believe that good design is independent of stylistic choice. Just like how one can have great and terrible movies or songs of a genre, so too can architecture of a style be great and terrible.

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you? The Salk Institute – the look and feel of the building, especially with its layout amongst the ocean and vegetation is great. The way the building systems were managed and long-term modifications planned for was extremely insightful.

What would the book or movie about your life be called? Let’s See What Happens

Who would play you in a movie about your life? Like Tyler Perry, I would love to play absolutely everyone, including myself, in the movie.

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? I was once told by one of my primary school teachers that I was like a hummingbird. Very curious, very active and constantly moving around and engaging with things.

Are you messy or organized? Organized. There are two types of people; Leavers and Putters, and you find that out when you ask them where something is. Some people will say, “where I put it,” and some people will say, “where I left it.”

What’s your pet peeve? Mispronunciation of the word nuclear as nuculer, and the disastrous misuse of the apostrophe.

Guilty pleasure? I’m a sucker for sweet things, and every once in a while, I like to drive fast.

Tell us a random fact. Biologically, there is no such thing as a fish.

Favorite quote? “Rule #1: Work your Butt Off. Rule #2: Break the Rules.” - Arnold Schwarzenegger

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be? Peter Schiff

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see? I would love to see timelapses of ancient construction feats. Too many people tell me they were built by aliens, and discredit sheer manpower.

If your house was burning down, what is the one nonliving thing you would save? My laptop

What three traits characterize you? Intelligent, Playful and Wacky

What’s your astrological sign? Leo – and I would say I am very much the stereotypical Leo.

What is your personal philosophy? Generally, that things fall into place in life. Despite the rollercoaster of life, ride the waves out with a positive attitude – they are temporary – and you will keep the whole thing moving forward.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without? Outside space

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far? I have had many difficult projects, with difficult project teams and difficult bosses. But interestingly, I love a challenge and the constraints that come along with it. It certainly increases the value in your heart when the job is over and done.

What inspires you most? Being at home, coming up with ideas on things to build and how to build them. I am always walking around my house and yard, scheming.

What accomplishment are you most proud of? There are many accomplishments that I am proud of, but none would be categorized as the one I’m most proud of. I have been told that I have beautiful handwriting, so maybe that!

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio? Liollio has an awesome team of people; hard-working, social and with great communication. I have high hopes that we have many more years of excellent work output for this city, state and region.

What does true leadership mean to you? There are many attributes that constitute good leadership, and all of them are vitally important, but I won’t be listing them all out in this answer. Two of the most important are trust and approachability.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be? A crane operator or possibly some sort of earth-moving equipment. Basically a giant toy that a 3 year-old boy would play with.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13? I wouldn’t have anything specific to tell myself, but I would love to teach myself projection-planning.

How do you define success? Adequately planning for everything to go well, not being irritated by things not going well, and dragging things to the finish line nonetheless.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you. I write calligraphic poetry art-pieces and they are currently being featured at the Mary Martin Art Gallery on King & Broad.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received? If you show up ten minutes early, you’re already twenty minutes late.