First kicked off in 2024, the AMasterClass series is an ongoing discussion dedicated to celebrating and sharing the knowledge, insight, and advice accumulated by the female leaders at our firm over the years. They are five-minute-long, miniature crash courses on valuable lessons learned throughout their careers, told in the format of a MasterClass lecture discussion.
An introduction to 2025’s AMasterClass, A Celebration of Female Leaders, shared by Stephanie Hollar.
This year, the three women who opened up to share their experiences with the rest of the firm were Bethanne Mikkelsen, Senior Principal and Office/Retail/Community Studio Co-Leader, Rachel Fazio, Vice President of People, and Alissa Brandt, Vice President of Interiors.
Bethanne, Alissa, and Rachel take part in the live AMasterClass panel in Ankrom Moisan’s Portland office.
Hosted and moderated by Sheana Hawes, HR Generalist, the three female thought leaders conducted a panel discussion in Ankrom Moisan’s Portland office, sharing their insights, knowledge, and experiences with a live audience, and discussing the similarities between the challenges they face and the lessons they’ve learned from overcoming those challenges.
The graphic from 2025’s AMasterClass event.
Bethanne discussed what it means to be an empathetic leader, sharing that “utilizing these techniques improves team collaboration, increases employee engagement, and enhances communication.”
Rachel shared her perspective on resilient leadership, declaring “you have to build the right mindset for leadership, lead with positivity and humor, and focus on solutions rather than the problem.”
Alissa enlightened us on design-forward leadership, reminding us that inspiration isn’t static – “take time to reflect on what drives you now versus what motivated you at the beginning,” she said. “Let inspiration evolve with your experiences.”
The wisdom shared by Bethanne, Rachel, and Alissa this year – as well as last year’s speakers’ thoughts on Harnessing Your Voice, Being Your Authentic Self, and Solving the Unsolvable – can be viewed in the playlist below.
A playlist of discussions from 2024 and 2025’s AMasterClass series.
Celebrating AM’s Team Members
Held at the beginning of each year, our annual People Celebration is a time when the firm reflects, looking back at all we have accomplished in the last year and honoring those who have helped to get us where we are. As a part of that celebration, we aim to acknowledge and reward the hard work of the individuals who have really made a difference in the part year.
We are pleased to announce the promotion of 18 team members who have demonstrated a strong commitment to designing smarter and going beyond for their clients and communities.
2025’s Promotion Recipients
Promoted to Senior Director
- Emily Lamunyan – Senior Director of Marketing
Promoted to Studio Co-Leader
- Brad Bane – Affordable Housing Studio Co-Leader
Promoted to Principal
- Cara Godwin – Principal, Operational Excellence, Practice
- Jason Jones – Principal, Higher Education Studio Co-Leader
- Katie Lyslo – Principal, Affordable Housing Studio Co-Leader
- Ashlee Washington – Principal, Healthcare Studio Co-Leader
Promoted to Associate Principal
- Kimberly Gonzales – Associate Principal, Office/Retail/Community
Promoted to Senior Associate
- Aaren DeHaas – Senior Associate, Office/Retail/Community
- Richard Grimes – Senior Associate, Senior Communities
- Alex Kuzmin – Senior Associate, Higher Education
- Jenna Mogstad – Senior Associate, Higher Education
- Scott Soukup – Senior Associate, Senior Communities
- Elisa Zenk, LEED AP BD+C – Senior Associate, Affordable Housing
Promoted to Associate
- Angela Blechschmidt – Associate, The Society
- Sydney Ellison – Associate, Higher Education
- Mandy Housh – Associate, Senior Communities
- Anders O’Neill – Associate, Marketing
Celebrating a culture of leadership, collaboration, and innovation, these promotions recognize individuals who not only push the boundaries of design and expertise, but also foster an environment where mentorship, inclusivity, and creativity thrive.
“Their contributions strengthen our studios, enrich our firm, and shape the future of the communities we serve,” Dave Heater, President, said of the individuals who received promotions this year. “We look forward to the continued impact they will make – both within our teams and in the spaces we create.”
Congratulations to everybody who received a promotion – it is well-deserved, and your hard work is appreciated!
Employee Spotlight: 2024 Q4 Design Champion Monika Araujo
Recognized and honored as Ankrom Moisan’s 2024 Q4 Design Champion, Monika Araujo, Senior Associate, is an active and vital member of her team. In her role as an interior designer, she has made many connections with her coworkers, who constantly support her, encouraging her to grow, learn, and follow what fascinates her.
“I’ve been fortunate to work with some wonderful people here,” she shared. “I enjoy being at Ankrom Moisan because I’m always learning and growing as an interior designer and project manager. My job is always evolving, never stagnant. I can thank Ankrom Moisan for empowering me to pursue my interests.”
Monika’s interests, it seems, revolve around creating well-designed senior communities with her close-knit team, who she credits for the beautiful, impactful work they do. “I find a great team to be key for a successful project. Nurturing relationships over many years develops trust which fosters smooth, efficient, well-designed projects,” Monika said. “I look forward to coming to work every day and having fun with my team. Spending every day with hard-working creatives is a gift.”
Monika on the roof of Ankrom Moisan’s Portland office
“I enjoy being a member of the Senior Communities Studio because we get to design so many types of senior-friendly spaces,” Monika shared. She loves the variety of work that the Senior Communities Studio does, ranging from healthcare and amenities to apartments and offices. “I like doing both renovations and ground-up projects,” she said. “It’s good to have a mix of both.”
Whether it’s for a renovation or a ground-up project, Monika’s favorite aspect of design is the planning process. “I see design as a thoughtful, intentional planning process that leads to the creation and implementation of beautiful, cohesive, functional spaces,” she said. “The cherry on top is seeing people enjoy the spaces we create.”
Seeking inspiration for the thoughtful planning process of design, Monika turns toward nature and the environment around her. “I look for beauty in everyday experiences,” she shared. “Whenever I feel stuck, I go for a walk and spend time away from my desk.”
Monika on top of the Portland office
Since starting at Ankrom Moisan, Monika has grown constantly. “At this stage, I can balance managing multiple projects because I’ve grown professionally every year: learning new skills, maintaining positive relationships, and designing various project types. I have more to learn and experience, and I’m excited to continue my path,” she said.
“I feel a big part of growing professionally is making the time to think and process,” Monika added. “Ankrom Moisan nurtures our well-being in this way so that we can continue to make strides in our profession.
Monika’s nomination video
Called out in her nomination video by Jayne Arnold, Interior Designer, for how organized, approachable, open, and knowledgable she is, Monika explains how she balances the technical, design-oriented aspects of her role with the social relationship building she’s done with clients, excelling at both. “I don’t shy away from learning something new,” Monika revealed. “The more I engage with understanding all the work that goes into building spaces, including the architectural, consultant, and contractors’ work, the more I have to offer our clients during design and construction meetings.”
Alissa Brandt, Vice President of Interiors, also quite literally sang Monika’s praise, highlighting how Monika is a mentor to the rest of the Senior Communities team and always brings her best. That element of mentorship is something that Monika values greatly, “I enjoy mentoring other designers. I’ve had many mentors in my career that have helped me along my path. My advice to new design professionals is to seek out a mentor,” said Monika. “Secondly, also aim to improve yourself. Take classes, attend events, visit places, and listen to clients.”
When she learned that she was one of 2024’s Q4 Reward & Recognition Champions, Monika took a moment to acknowledge that her efforts do not exist in a vacuum, and that her team is a big influence on how she approaches her work. “It feels great to be recognized, of course. I’m lucky to work with such a talented team that shares a similar vision to work hard and create beautiful, functional spaces.”
Thinking about how the Reward & Recognition program will continue to honor the efforts of Ankrom Moisan Employees in the future, Monika reflected on how important it is that hard work is both recognized and celebrated. “It’s important to recognize people so they feel they are an integral part of AM,” she said. “I hope the legacy of the program will be that we keep honoring our teammates over the years, so they feel valued.”