SKOLNICK Announces 3 Staff Promotions
SKOLNICK Architecture + Design Partnership is pleased to announce the promotion of Scott W. Briggs, AIA to Associate Principal, Katie Ahern to Senior Manager, Content and Visitor Experience Design, and Kristen Leone to Marketing Manager.
Scott W. Briggs, AIA
Scott W. Briggs, AIA has been promoted to Associate Principal. Scott has been involved in every aspect of the firm’s work for cultural institutions during his 21 years with SKOLNICK Architecture + Design Partnership. He has worked with the firm’s Principals and senior management to expand the firm’s portfolio beyond the museum and exhibition design work for which SKOLNICK is well-known to a broader international range of projects including libraries, schools and learning facilities, and children’s healthcare environments.
Scott’s creative contributions have advanced the firm’s reputation for design excellence through projects committed to enriching the human experience. He provides planning, design, and operational expertise to the creation of projects which support the client’s mission and vision. Scott maintains direct involvement in all aspects of the design process, from concept through resolution of construction and fabrication issues, ensuring that the completed work is true to the project’s design intent.
“Scott has been a key contributor to the success of our firm for many years. His full complement of skills and proactive character have been invaluable, and we look forward to a bright future together.” said Lee H. Skolnick, FAIA, our studio’s Founder and Principal.
The recipient of numerous design awards, Scott’s work with SKOLNICK has been widely published. He represents the firm at national conferences and has authored numerous articles about the firm’s projects. He frequently serves as a visiting critic and presenter to several colleges and universities including SUNY/FIT, Bank Street College of Education, and Pratt Institute. Scott is an active member of the New York City chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) where he currently serves as Secretary on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors. He was previously Co-Chair of the Cultural Facilities Committee.
The promotion takes effect immediately.
Katie Ahern
Katie Ahern has been promoted to Senior Manager, Content and Visitor Experience Design. With over ten years of experience teaching, designing, managing, and evaluating educational experiences in both formal and informal settings, Katie is an accomplished content and experience designer, educator, and strategist.
Katie draws upon her educational background to inform content development and visitor experience design at SKOLNICK. From concept through fabrication, she is a passionate audience advocate. Her work involves coordinating with consultants, writing narrative descriptions and scripts, and conducting audience research and evaluation to ensure that design goals are being met. She also creates educational materials and curriculum to support exhibits, in alignment with client goals, learning standards, and developmental theory.
Through her work with SKOLNICK, and past work with Teach for America, The Presidio Trust, Tinybop, and Local Projects, Katie has built a portfolio of projects that includes classroom lesson plans, hands-on field trip and afterschool programs, educational apps, interactive media installations, and museum exhibits. Her curiosity about the ways in which people learn drives her design thinking and informs all stages of a project from research and concept ideation, to prototyping and content development, to implementation and evaluation.
Examples of her exhibit design projects include the Bishop’s Basilica of Philippopolis, Children’s Museum of Virginia, Roper Mountain Science Center, and Shanghai Planetarium.
In 2014, Katie earned an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies in Education Design from Teachers College at Columbia University. She also holds an MS in Teaching and Childhood Education from Fordham University and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley.
Katie is currently a member of The American Alliance of Museums and NYCMER, The New York City Museum Education Roundtable.
Kristen Leone
Kristen Leone has been promoted to Marketing Manager. For over 7 years, Kristen has been directly involved in SKOLNICK’s marketing, business development, and public relations efforts. With an extensive background in the arts, she is a creative and proactive contributor to the SKOLNICK marketing team.
Responsible for managing a wide range of marketing initiatives at SKOLNICK including researching and monitoring new business opportunities and leads, preparing and overseeing marketing campaigns, liaising with press contacts, and contributing written content and graphic layouts for qualifications packages, proposals, presentation materials, award submissions, and social media, Kristen is an experienced and versatile AEC-Industry Marketer.
Since starting at SKOLNICK in 2013, Kristen has helped organize the studio’s conferences and events and has also represented the firm at the Association of Children’s Museums’ Interactivity Conference and the Association of Science and Technology Centers‘ Annual Conference. Kristen oversees SKOLNICK’s social media marketing strategy and content marketing, the operation of the studio’s website and email marketing program, and she works closely with the studio’s SEO consultant to provide helpful analytics review. She also helps to develop, monitor, and analyze the studio’s marketing budgets and projections.
Prior to her experience at SKOLNICK, Kristen was the Director of Vivian Horan Fine Art, a prominent secondary-market art gallery in Manhattan. She also spent 5 years working as both Project Manager and Assistant Studio Manager for the world-renowned artist Takashi Murakami.
Kristen has won numerous awards and scholarships, including an artist’s residency from the Prince of Wales/Forbes Foundation at the Chateau de Balleroy in Normandy, France in 2007, the same year she earned her MFA from the New York Academy of Art. She also holds a BFA in Media Studies from the University at Buffalo, where she graduated Cum Laude in 2001.
Kristen is currently a member of the New York City Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS).