Announcing Alliiance’s 2019 Promotions

SENIOR ASSOCIATES

Paul Anderson  RA, LEED AP BD+C

Paul joined Alliiance in 2016 and brought with him a deep résumé of public and community-oriented work with a particular focus on environmental learning and visitor centers throughout the Midwest and Alaska. While at Alliiance, Paul has provided business development leadership and design for a number of unique projects. His experience includes various projects with Schmeeckle Reserve Nature Center; Three Rivers Park District; and Metropolitan Airports Commission; as well as the University of Minnesota Cloquet Forestry Center and Hubachek Wilderness Research Center, Sunny Hollow Montessori Expansion, MnDOT Safety Rest Areas, Peace Lutheran Church, Oxbow Nature Center, Fort Wilderness, International World Center, and Urban Refuge Remodel.

Ben Johnson  ASSOC. AIA

Ben joined Alliiance in 2015 and has focused on aviation terminal projects with a unique ability to develop and foster best practices. He combines a strong design sense with a talent to quickly and efficiently develop, illustrate, and evaluate project opportunities. Ben has been a designer on the following projects: Spokane International Airport (WA), Williston Basin International Airport (ND), San Diego International Airport (CA), Port of Oakland (CA), Gerald R. Ford International Airport (MI), Jacksons International Airport (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea), and Roland Garros Airport (Sainte-Marie in Réunion, France).

Lauren Perich  AIA, LEED GREEN ASSOCIATE

Lauren is adept at navigating complex projects with energy and passion resulting in well-orchestrated solutions. She possesses an in-depth knowledge about Alliiance’s design delivery capability and has worked to disseminate “Alliiance Quality” throughout the firm and with our consultant partners. In addition to extensive aviation project contributions at Minneapolis-St. Paul and Little Rock international airports since joining Alliiance in 2011, Lauren was a key member of the Wells Fargo Center and Ecolab North Tower renovations as well as The Works Museum. She is a key contributor to firmwide initiatives such as supporting leadership of Alliiance’s Design Delivery Area of Excellence group; SWAT Drawing Graphic Standards Member; Alliiance University training; MAC Best Practices Committee; BIM Committee; and Aviiators knowledge sharing. In 2017 Lauren participated in AIA’s Minnesota Leadership Forum.

Amber Sausen  AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Amber joined the firm in 2011 and is a strong advocate for thorough planning, thoughtful design, and integrated sustainable strategies. Amber quickly sees the big picture and engages all opportunities to demonstrate the Alliiance brand. She is a member of Alliiance’s Green Team; a former board member of the Minnesota Environmental Fund; a committee member for the AIA Minnesota Lake Superior Design Retreat; Culture Change Resource Team; and president of Urban Sketchers, an international non-profit dedicated to fostering a global community of artists who practice on-location drawing. Amber’s project experience includes a wide range of project types including the MnDOT Safety Rest Areas in Clear Lake and Des Moines River; University of Minnesota Bee Lab; Reif Performing Arts Center Renovation and Addition; Bayer Interventional; several projects at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport; and a major campus consolidation project for the General Mills James Ford Bell campus.

ASSOCIATES

Stefan Balaz  AIA, LEED AP

Stefan joined Alliiance in 2014 and is a strong project architect and project manager who brings an even-hand demeanor to his projects. Stefan is very active in creating staff cohesion, consensus, camaraderie, and mentorship. He has gained the confidence of our clients and project teams through his foresight, diligence, and attention to quality. He is a Revit Responder, part-time contributor to the BIM Committee, and is actively involved in most firm activities. While with Alliiance Stefan has spent a majority of his time keeping the Williston Basin International Airport in North Dakota, on track and coordinated, while also providing important roles on the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Consolidated Checkpoint in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Roland Garros Airport project in Sainte-Marie, Réunion, France.

Greg Frenzel  ASSOC. AIA

Greg joined Alliiance in 2015 and is a critical part of Alliiance’s MAC team. He excels at leading and coordinating large, complex project teams, consultants, and stakeholders while championing design. Greg’s passion for quality and professionalism has gained him the trust of our clients and partners alike. Currently, Greg is assisting with the Lincoln Nebraska Airport Terminal Expansion while continuing major MAC projects for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). Greg’s direct project involvement at MSP includes Vertical Circulation Improvements and the Baggage Claim Renovation. He has liaised with MAC stakeholders on these projects as well as during significant Operational Improvement project transitions.

Sangyong Hahn AIA, LEED GREEN ASSOCIATE

Sangyong began lending his design talents to Alliiance in 2014. He is a thoughtful designer skilled at detailing and forwarding complex designs. While Sangyong has primarily worked on MAC projects for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), he is a great firmwide resource as a Revit Responder, Visualization Responder, and SWAT Sustainable Design member. Some of the many projects at MSP that Sangyong has worked on include Vertical Circulation Improvements, Baggage Claim Renovation, Terminal 1 Checkpoint Expansion and Consolidation, Restroom Upgrade, Art in the Terminal, South Security Exit and Facade Expansion, and Food Court Expansion. Sangyong has also contributed to Alliiance’s business development efforts.

Gauri Kelkar LEED AP

Gauri is motivated, talented, communicative, and works well with other team members. Since joining Alliiance in 2014, she has worked across all market sectors with project experience including the University of Minnesota Crookston Classroom and Lab Improvements; Hennepin County Medina Office Remodel; University of Alaska Anchorage Bookstore Renovation; Cargill Minneapolis R+D Center; University of Minnesota Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building; BMO Harris Nicollet Branch Renovation; various office and lab projects for General Mills; Ecolab Building H; Wells Fargo Center Remodel; and OTG Management Food and Beverage concepts nationwide.

Christine Peterson AIA

Christine joined the Alliiance team in 2016. She a very knowledgeable project architect and project manager with strong technical skills. Christine promotes sound delivery methods and brings technical rigor to our projects as well as being influential in EDI activities within the firm and the design community at large. While with Alliiance, Christine has contributed to several projects at the University of Minnesota including the Veterinary Isolation Facility, Cancer Center Renovation in Moos Tower Level 2, and various remodels in the McGuire Translational Research Facility. In addition Christine has been a team member on the Williston Basin International Airport in North Dakota, Ecolab North Tower Renovation, WuXi AppTec renovation, and Sunny Hollow Montessori Expansion.

Steve Wohlford AIA

Steve joined Alliiance in 2016 and quickly emerged as a primary resource and mentor for Alliiance staff. He is a strong senior project architect with unparalleled technical expertise. No topic is too mundane for Steve to take on or coordinate and he is very adept at keeping his teams coordinated and on track. Steve’s primary focus has been MAC projects for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport such as the Baggage Claim Expansion, Ticket Lobby Operational Improvements, Mezzanine HVAC and Penthouses, South Security Exit and Façade Expansion, and CSI Specification Transition. In addition to project work Steve assists the firm as an expertise leader in project delivery, Revit Responder, BIM Committee member, MAC Specs Committee, MAC Best Practices committee, SWAT Exterior Envelope member, and SWAT Specifications member.