Katie Stachler

As senior project manager and architectural discipline lead for Phoenix and Denver, Katie views her position as "leading a team of professionals to push the boundaries of our clients’ expectations." That team, she notes, includes the client, the contractor and the range of integrated disciplines from SmithGroup. "We work together in a collaborative environment, pulling the best ideas from the entire team," she remarks. "Everyone brings a different perspective and all are important to accomplish the goal." Katie works in the higher education, science and technology and workplace practices, on "projects as diverse as the clients themselves," from science labs to performing arts centers. "We create environments for people to explore and shape the future," she says. Katie names The Tale of Three Trees as a favorite read, which left her with the message that "Life rarely turns out the way we think it should. In many cases, our hopes and dreams are achieved in more grand ways than we ever imagined." For a grand adventure, Katie dreams of scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef.