Vectorworks Design Day 2023

Design Day NYC is the perfect chance to meet Vectorworks in person for exclusive content. Join architecture, interiors, and landscape industry leaders and design enthusiasts for inspiring stories and presentations. Plus get excited for Vectorworks senior leadership's exploration of what’s new in Vectorworks 2024 and beyond. Design Day NYC will feature a Tech Desk to get all your tech questions answered, as well as time to connect with other industry experts and expand your professional network. Space is limited, so register now—you won’t want to miss it!

Speakers:
Claudia Tejeda, Founder and Principal Designer, Claudia Giselle Design
Darick DeHart, Chief Product Officer, Vectorworks
Greg Upwall, Principal, Studio Upwall Architects
Luc Lefebvre, OAQ, LEED, AP, Product Marketing Manager, Vectorworks
Luis Ruiz, Senior Architect Product Specialist, Vectorworks
Matthew Cunningham, ASLA, RLA, Founding Principal, MCLD LLC 
Michael McPartland, Associate, GKV Architects
Om Khurjekar, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP+, Principal, Hord Coplan Macht
Randolph Gerner, AIA, Principal, GKV Architects
Rubina Siddiqui, Assoc. AIA, Senior Product Marketing Director, Vectorworks, Inc.
Susan Cohan, CPLD FAPLD, Creative Director, Principal Designer, Susan Cohan Gardens
Tony Kostreski, PLA, ASLA, Senior Landscape Product Specialist, Vectorworks
Vlado Stanev, Vice President of Product Management, Vectorworks

About the Speakers:
Claudia Tejeda is a New York State Certified Interior Designer and holder of the National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) Certificate. Tejeda expertise lies in hospitality and high-end residential design. In 2011, she established Claudia Giselle Design LLC, a boutique interior design studio located in Brooklyn, New York. Additionally, in 2019, Tejeda pursued her passion for learning and mentorship by teaching at NYSID, where she has had the opportunity to share her enthusiasm for design and uphold high standards for emerging professionals in the field. Claudia Giselle Design believes that exceptional interior design surpasses the mere acquisition of objects or their cost; it revolves around delivering a remarkable experience for its clients. The approach to interior design is holistic and begins with actively listening to our clients, free from judgment. Client desires and requirements are then translated into high-quality interior spaces that not only enhance the value of their property but also reflect their unique lifestyle.

Darick DeHart joined Vectorworks in 1996 and has been a part of the executive team since 2016. As Chief Product Officer, DeHart works to improve industry-specific workflows and features to provide better resources, solutions, and experiences for Vectorworks users. He is in charge of establishing Vectorworks’ technical vision and leads all aspects of the company’s technological development. He seeks out opportunities for growth through the research of leading-edge technologies. He then strategizes processes for adopting these changes to ensure their efficiency and effectiveness upon implementation. 

Greg Upwall is the Principal at Studio Upwall Architects, an award-winning design firm committed to promoting innovative, community-oriented, and sustainable design. Established in 2004 and based in the U Street neighborhood of Washington DC, the firm offers integrated architectural services from conceptual design through construction. It specializes in both new construction and retrofits to existing buildings for residential, multi-family, and small commercial design projects. With over 28 years of experience in the field, Upwall is a licensed architect in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Upwall is a LEED Accredited Professional and Certified Passive House Consultant. Upwall’s career reflects his commitment to cultivating the younger generation of architects. From 2004 to 2009, he taught at the Graduate School of Architecture at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA. In addition to managing the firm, he spent time teaching as Adjunct Faculty in the Cultural Studies & Sacred Space Program at The Catholic University of America, School of Architecture & Planning from 2010 to 2016. Upwall received a Bachelor of University Studies with an emphasis in Architecture and Urban Planning in 1993 and a Master's of Architecture in 1995, both from the University of Utah Graduate School of Architecture. 

Luc Lefebvre, OAQ, LEED AP, received his undergraduate degree in architecture from Montreal University, and since then, he’s enjoyed more than 25 successful years in the business. With twenty years of experience in the architectural field as an Architect and BIM manager, Lefebvre consistently strives to find new ways to gain efficiencies in the design process and, more specifically, with BIM projects. For the last five years at Vectorworks, Lefebvre has used his knowledge of Vectorworks and his professional practice experience to help other firms adopt more efficient workflows and transition to a BIM process. His role as the Product Marketing Manager for architecture entails bridging market demand with the engineering team, supporting sales and customer success, and cultivating relationships with Vectorworks users. 

As Vectorworks’ Senior Architect Product Specialist, Luis Ruiz brings his architectural expertise to showcase Vectorworks software’s capabilities. He provides training and conducts demonstrations at AIA conventions and international BIM events. A native of Mexico City, Ruiz also supports Latin American Vectorworks users and distributors by speaking at events and recording voiceovers for Spanish-language tutorial videos. Prior to joining Vectorworks, he worked as an architectural designer in New England and in Mexico City. Ruiz earned a master’s degree in architecture from Universidad del Valle de Mexico. He’s been clicking the mouse since the days of Claris CAD, Architron, and MiniCAD 3. 

Blending traditional Yankee building techniques with high design, Maine native Matthew Cunningham is well-known for his plant-centric residential landscapes throughout the Northeast. His gardens feature ecologically impactful planting schemes and regionally sourced materials that evoke an authentic sense of place while showcasing his unique ability to grasp the dynamic rhythms of everyday life. With offices in Massachusetts and Maine, Cunningham's firm, MCLD, has garnered awards from ASLA, the Boston Society of Landscape Architects, and APLD, and his gardens have been widely published in magazines such as Architectural Digest, Garden Design, and New England Home. Cunningham is a Lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Design, and prior to founding MCLD in 2004, he worked for Reed Hilderbrand. 
 
Michael McPartland joined GKV Architects in 2013 and earned his Associate title in 2019. McPartland is a very capable designer and is both artistically and technically talented. He is very adept with BIM programming and modeling. He has coordinated several complicated adaptive reuse projects, including the award-winning headquarters for God’s Love We Deliver in NYC and a recently completed New Haven Preservation Award-winning project, the historic Graduate Hotel Duncan on the Yale University campus. Both projects required a complete demolition of the existing buildings down to their structural frames and a complete re-build of all aspects of the buildings, including entire replacements of all infrastructure with modern energy-efficient systems. In addition, McPartland contributed to the design and construction administration teams for the Seaside Arts Center in Coney Island, which won a New York State AIA award, and 500 Waverly, a mixed-use inclusionary housing project in Brooklyn. He has extensive zoning analysis experience with several GKV base building projects in Brooklyn and Queens. McPartland graduated from the City College of New York’s Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture in 2013.
 
Om Khurjekar is the Principal, Partner, and Board Member of Hord Coplan Macht, bringing over 23 years of experience in designing diverse landscapes and architectural projects. He is known for his expertise in creating public parks, interpretive play environments, campus landscapes, and urban streetscapes, all while emphasizing the seamless connection between landscape and architecture. Khurjekar's clients and colleagues appreciate his passion for design, attention to detail, and candid nature. His remarkable work has earned numerous awards and accolades, notably from the Maryland and Potomac chapters of the ASLA, Preservation Pennsylvania, Maryland Recreation and Parks Authority, and LUXE interior design magazine.  Before his successful career in the United States, Khurjekar practiced as an Architect in Pune, India, primarily focusing on residential and institutional projects. Actively involved in the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), he has served in various leadership roles, including President of the Maryland Chapter and the Chapter President's Council at National ASLA. He currently represents MDASLA as the Chapter Trustee and serves on the Board of Trustees at National ASLA. Additionally, he also serves on various educational advisory boards and award juries for ASLA chapter programs. Khurjekar enjoys sharing his knowledge with the next generations and has served as a lecturer and design critic at Morgan State University, University of Maryland College Park, and other notable institutions in the United States of America and India. 

As a co-founding Principal of Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel (GKV) Architects, DPC, Randolph Gerner, AIA, is responsible for more than 40 million square feet of base building and interior design work. He has designed high-profile award-winning commercial, residential, hospitality, and corporate buildings and interior spaces. Since forming GKV Architects in 1995 with Richard Kronick, AIA, and Miguel Valcarcel, AIA, Gerner has established a strong reputation for designing projects that are distinguished by sophistication, quality, and innovation while pioneering the use of new material technologies. Gerner has designed commercial projects both nationally and internationally. His projects include The Beekman Hotel, the Ford Amphitheater, 2 Cooper Square, and most currently, Greenpoint Landing E1 in Brooklyn, New York, along with other notable projects in the New York City Area. His clients include Clarins, The Carlyle Group, Savanna Real Estate Fund, Henry Schein, Inc., Viacom, Lightstone, Sandell Asset Management, The Clarett Group, Equity Residential Properties, Artimus, Pershing Square Partners, The Durst Organization, Victor Homes, and Avalon Bay.

Rubina Siddiqui, Assoc. AIA, utilizes her BIM knowledge and architectural experience to assist with the development of Vectorworks products and to support the Sales and Marketing teams. She works with architects, landscape architects, and lighting designers to understand their needs and goals and demonstrates how Vectorworks workflows can benefit their projects. Siddiqui is passionate about communicating how interoperability and collaboration with design partners in various industries are improved with open workflows using the Vectorworks platform. Siddiqui earned a Bachelor of Science degree in geology and earth science from George Washington University and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Tennessee. As a geologist, she worked for the Climate History division of the U.S. Geological Survey. After earning her master’s degree, Siddiqui worked as both a project architect and a BIM manager for firms focusing on institutional projects, particularly schools. Siddiqui is an Associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), as well as an active member and volunteer for both the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and Architecture In Schools (AIS). 

Susan Cohan, CPLD FAPLD, is an internationally award-winning landscape designer. She was named Designer of the Year by the Association of Professional Landscape Designers in 2021 and is the creative director and principal designer of Susan Cohen Gardens studio. Her work has been widely published, and she strives to incorporate elements of gracious living with ecological responsibility in every project. Cohan is a hands-on designer whose attention to detail and dedication to fine craftsmanship result in beautiful landscapes that feel as if they have always belonged to the environment they inhabit. 

Tony Kostreski, PLA, ASLA, Prof Member APLD, is a landscape technology enthusiast bringing municipal, institutional, mixed-use, and high-end residential site design proficiency to his role as Senior Landscape Product Specialist at Vectorworks. Kostreski has consulted dozens of design-build and landscape architecture firms across the United States of America to help increase their efficiency by implementing best practice workflows in design, modeling, documentation, GIS, and BIM for landscape. Kostreski has also provided customized workshops at various universities providing landscape architecture students with essential tools as they enter the workforce. He holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Maryland, College Park, has served on the ASLA Maryland Chapter as secretary and program committee chair and currently serves the ASLA Potomac Chapter as member-at-large. 

Vlado Stanev brings a wealth of expertise in software development and product management, with an impressive track record spanning over two decades. Currently holding the position of Vice President of Product Management at Vectorworks, he plays a pivotal role in driving the technical advancement of the company’s products. Stanev’s primary focus is to deliver unparalleled resources, innovative solutions, and a seamless experience for designers across the architecture, landscape architecture, and entertainment industries. Before his role at Vectorworks, he was a software engineering team leader for Nemetschek OOD Bulgaria.