Category: SCHRADERGROUP
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes New Team Members!
Carlyssa Pierre
Carlyssa Pierre joins the SCHRADERGROUP (SG) team to manage the administrative and bookkeeping end of the business. Carlyssa graduated from Temple University with a bachelor’s degree in advertising. She has eight years of management and administrative experience across multiple agencies, along with proficiency in graphic design and marketing. Carlyssa is attentive, determined, and adaptable, making her a valuable asset to our firm.
We are excited to have her on board and are already grateful for her contributions thus far.
Omar Abdulrahman, Assoc. AIA
Omar is an experienced Architectural Designer with a rich background in the architecture and planning industries. Omar graduated from the German University in Cairo with a bachelor’s degree in architecture engineering. He brings a comprehensive skill set, including proficiency in AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Revit, Sketchup, Bluebeam, Enscape, and other advanced design tools. Currently, he is pursuing his Master’s degree in Architecture from Thomas Jefferson University. His advanced education deepens his understanding of contemporary architectural practices and enhances his ability to contribute to innovative design solutions.
At SG, Omar is actively involved with several projects. His responsibilities include project design and liaising with consultants and clients. Welcome to the team, Omar!
Rebekah Shaw
SG is delighted to have Rebekah join the Interiors team in our Lancaster office! Rebekah has over twenty years of experience in the architecture and interior design fields. She graduated from the Bradley Academy for the Visual Arts with an associate’s degree in Interior Design. Her diverse client base and robust portfolio foster a seamless integration into the SG team. Rebekah is a strong communicator with keen attention to detail. At SG, she works closely with clients to reach solutions that align with their goals.
Welcome to SG, Rebekah!
Jake Wano
Jake recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Architecture from Kent State University and is the newest Architectural Designer at SG’s growing Pittsburgh office. During his academic career, Jake worked for the School of Architecture’s exhibition space where he collaborated with out-of-house architects and designers at his university. He also had the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy, where he broadened his knowledge and skillset in architecture.
Now that Jake is with us at SG, he is gaining a deeper understanding of all project processes and phases. Welcome, Jake!
SCHRADERGROUP Hires New K-12 Market Segment Leader, Jennifer Grafton
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) welcomes our new K-12 Market Segment Leader for Pennsylvania, Jennifer Grafton. Jennifer brings excellent leadership and strong communication skills from over 25 years of experience in the industry designing educational environments. Her area of expertise primarily consists of planning and designing K-12 schools that encourage student achievement and next-generation learning environments in the Pennsylvania market. She draws inspiration from the powerful impact of education on the individual and the community. She is a long-standing member of the Association for Learning Environments, Professional Women In Construction – Philadelphia, and an active volunteer with Philadelphia’s Center for Architecture + Design; a program committed to providing underserved communities with accessible design education. At SG, Jennifer will work directly with the various districts throughout Pennsylvania, growing relationships and providing solutions that best serve their communities. We are excited to work with her in educational planning and project design—welcome to the team, Jennifer!
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes New Team Members!
In recent months, our team at SCHRADERGROUP (SG) has expanded significantly. We’d like to highlight these exceptional individuals below!
Eleni Katsas
Eleni Katsas graduated from Kent State University with a Master of Architecture degree, and during her time there, she gained cultural experience through a study abroad program in Florence, Italy. During her academic career, Eleni held several summer positions that offered exposure to the architectural and construction industry.
We welcome Eleni as an Architectural Designer at SCHRADERGROUP. She is currently working on several projects, including the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School Arts and Sciences Building and Events Center, and assists with construction administration for the West View Elementary School addition and renovation. Eleni is on the path to architectural registration and is excited to learn and collaborate with the SCHRADERGROUP team to design impactful spaces.
Gianna DeLorenzo
Gianna DeLorenzo graduated from Thomas Jefferson University with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design. During her time at TJU, we at SCHRADERGROUP had the pleasure of hosting Gianna as an intern, where she gained significant professional experience.
Gianna is now with us full-time as a Junior Interior Designer. She is involved with all aspects of the Interior Design Department and coordinates with material representatives for projects to keep the SG Philadelphia Interiors Library current. Gianna is adept in Revit, Enscape, and Photoshop. We are thrilled to support her as she rapidly gains professional development experience.
Ally Everlof, Associate AIA
Allyson Everlof graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Architecture and a Minor in Architectural History. During her time at PSU, Ally interned for us at SCHRADERGROUP for two summers, where she developed graphic representations of projects, schematic diagramming, assisted with construction documentation, and participated in productive dialogue with end-users of our facilities. She is highly interested in learning how architecture and design serve our psychological needs and overall wellness.
Ally is now a full-time Architectural Designer with Associate AIA credentials. Her goal is to become a licensed architect and is well on her way to a successful professional career. She firmly believes in creating supportive environments to foster end-user well-being and success.
We are thrilled to have them as part of the team!
Interested in joining SG? Visit our Careers page here.
Happy New Year from All of Us at SCHRADERGROUP!
2024 marked SCHRADERGROUP’s (SG) twentieth anniversary, and with that, we look back on the year with gratitude for achieving major milestones. This past year, SG expanded our project portfolio, received awards for our achievements, stayed active in our community, and grew our team, which now exceeds fifty dedicated professionals. We are humbled by our progress and look forward to what lies ahead. We recognize that the support of our clients, colleagues, friends, and family, has contributed to our success in creating state-of-the-art, sustainable projects for future generations.
We at SG would like to express our appreciation to everyone involved with our team this past year. We are thrilled to recap our year below and we look forward to what 2025 holds!
SG’s current projects continue to progress from groundbreaking events to ribbon cutting ceremonies.
SG has been constructing buildings for twenty years. Current new construction projects include Keith Valley Middle School, Hares Hill Elementary School, and the Reading STEM Academy. Current addition and renovation projects are underway in many school districts including Council Rock, Coatesville Area, and North Hills School Districts. As for new construction in Higher Education, we are thrilled to see the Penn State Harrisburg Academic Learning Center begin its construction process in early 2025.
In the municipal market, the Public Works Facility in West Whiteland Township is rapidly approaching completion, with a targeted end date of January 2025. Public safety projects under construction include the Aldan Borough Admin/Police facility which is progressing smoothly and construction for Knightdale’s Police Department will begin in January 2025.
Great Valley School District officials hosted a dedication ceremony when the new 5/6 Center opened its doors this fall. The local community had the opportunity to tour the facility for the first time and to see the advancements in facility design offered by the new school. Additionally, Willistown Township hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of its renovated Administration Building.
Chatham County Emergency Management and 911 Communications Center celebrated its first anniversary of operations. The new facility provides additional space, upgraded systems and technology, accessible features, and effective workstations necessary for the growing County.
The people we design for are the driving force behind our inspiration, and as a result, we stay involved in the communities with which we collaborate. Over this past year, our team attended conferences, dinners, career fairs, fundraisers, and other social events.
SG had the opportunity to attend several career fairs in 2024. Several of our Penn State alumni returned to their alma mater for the annual Stuckeman Career Day, which specifically caters to students in architecture, landscape architecture, and graphic design fields. Additionally, the SG team attended career fairs for Penn College of Technology, Thomas Jefferson University, and Kent State University to inform students about our projects, internship opportunities, and the industry at large.
In addition to promoting our mentorship program at career fairs, the SG team attended many conferences this year. We traveled to several regional PA conferences: PASA PSBA in the Poconos, ERAPPA in Valley Forge, SCUP in Philadelphia, and PASBO in Hershey. But it doesn’t stop there; we also attended IACP in Boston, A4LE’s LearningSCAPES in Portland, OR, NENA/APCO and NCACP in North Carolina, and SCUP Mid-Atlantic in Arlington.
Beyond conferences, our team attended various fundraising events, including Community Design Collaborative’s Leverage Event and additional DVASBO-sponsored golf outings that benefit students in local districts.
SG has not only experienced growth in projects and the community, but we have expanded internally in several ways too. April kicked off our firm’s twentieth anniversary which coincided with our Philadelphia office move. The move was bittersweet, as we said goodbye to the Manayunk office that had been the home base for two decades and relocated to Conshohocken. This change provided an inviting and spacious office to accommodate our growing team and projects. Later in the year, we hosted an Open House for our friends, colleagues, and clients to tour the new space and to catch up. Additionally, this year, we established a new office in State College, PA.
Our team expanded and we’ve now surpassed fifty employees. Our summer interns included Alissa Kinney, Isaac Buxton, and Shubh Savani, who all contributed immensely during one of our busiest seasons. Additionally, Colleen Deluca, part of our Interiors department, was promoted to Senior Interior Designer/Project Manager. We’ve hired the following people this year and are pleased with their contributions already:
- Allison Mason – Project Manager
- Allyson Everlof – Architectural Designer
- Carlyssa Pierre – Office Administrative Team
- Craig Schulz – Mission Critical Facility Expert
- Eleni Katsas – Architectural Designer
- Gianna DeLorenzo – Jr. Interior Designer
- John Evans – Project Manager
- Omar Abdulrahman – Architectural Designer
- Pat McFeely – Public Safety Market Segment Leader
We are proud of the team’s growth and look forward to furthering our expansion in the future.
The SG team is honored to have received numerous accolades and awards in 2024. Learning by Design magazine showcased the Community College of Philadelphia’s Career and Advanced Technology Center on the cover of its Fall 2024 issue and recognized the project with a Citation of Excellence. Additionally, the Career and Advanced Technology Center earned a Specialized Facility Citation in American School & University magazine’s 2024 Architectural Portfolio issue.
The American Council of Engineering Companies’ Pennsylvania sect awarded PennDOT District 6-0’s Regional Traffic Management Center a Diamond Award in the Building/Technology Systems category. The team consisted of Heim Construction, Jacobs, and Bala Consulting Engineers. AIA Pennsylvania’s Emerging Professionals Committee recognized SG as an EPiC firm as we continue our commitment to emerging professionals’ development.
As for rankings, Building Design + Construction ranked SG #51 in their Top K12 Firms list and #161 in the Higher Education Firms list. SG also placed in the Top 150 Local Government Buildings Sector, and Engineering News-Record’s Mid-Atlantic region ranked SG as a Top Design Firm, placed us at #83 on a list of Outstanding Firms, and recognized Hatboro Horsham School District’s Keith Valley Middle School as our largest project to break ground in 2023.
This summer, Learning by Design magazine launched a new ICON in Education Award, honoring leaders in design who go above and beyond to improve educational spaces. Managing Partner David Schrader was one of the first five recipients of this honor. We have long known of his skills, talents, and creativity in the K12 market and appreciate that he and his efforts are being recognized by others as well.
At SG, we are incredibly humbled by these accolades and use this recognition to stay motivated.
This past year was a time of tremendous growth, opportunity, and achievement. As we close out our twentieth year, we reflect on how far we’ve come with gratitude. We could not be more appreciative of our supportive clients, colleagues, friends, and families who remind us daily of why we do what we do.
We are excited about the opportunities and connections the new year will hold. We wish you and your families a terrific holiday and a fantastic 2025!
From all of us at:
Warm Holiday Wishes from All of Us at SCHRADERGROUP!
We at SCHRADERGROUP wish our friends, colleagues, clients, and family a happy and healthy holiday season.
As the holidays approach, we celebrate our accomplishments and are reminded that you are the “why” behind our work. The communities and clients we serve inspire us to keep creating dynamic, cutting-edge facilities for future generations. We understand the importance of these facilities, from Academic to Public Safety, and we draw insight from the communities we are involved in, and ingenuity from the clients we are fortunate enough to work with. We are consistently and increasingly thankful for the relationships we’ve fostered over the years.
From everyone at SCHRADERGROUP, we hope you have a wonderful and joyous holiday season, and a New Year filled with inspiration and success!
Happy Thanksgiving from SCHRADERGROUP!
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) extends our warmest Thanksgiving wishes! We at SG are thankful for those who collaborate with us and provide inspiration daily. We are grateful for the opportunities to create facilities that make a difference in the lives of communities we deeply care about.
This year, SG has again seen tremendous growth and has achieved many goals. We’ve added new members to our team and have expanded our project portfolio. This time of year reminds us of how far we’ve come, and we are thankful for all the relationships we have fostered over the years. The SG team wishes you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!
From all of us at:
SCHRADERGROUP Attends Great Valley School District’s Dedication Ceremony for the New 5/6 Center
On October 15th, SCHRADERGROUP (SG) team members attended the dedication ceremony celebrating the completion of the new 5/6 Center for Great Valley School District (GVSD) in Malvern, PA. The dedication ceremony commemorated the new, 166,000 SF, two-story 5/6 Center, now a next-generation educational facility that provides enhanced learning environments and generates a new sense of pride for the students, community, faculty, and staff.
District officials welcomed community members to tour the new facility and hear testimonials from Superintendent Dr. Daniel Goffredo, Principal Dr. Kyle Hammond, Board President David Barratt, additional District administrators, and current students. Following the ceremony, community members toured the new facility and heard from staff and students about the amenities and perks of their new school.
The new 5/6 Center rests on the site of the former District Administration building adjacent to the existing K.D. Markley Elementary School. A portion of the District Administration Building was demolished while the entirety of the original historic portion was restored, representing the connection to the school’s significant roots. Additionally, SG renovated the historic portion of the building to house the school’s STEM program, which operates a unique juxtaposition of a contemporary educational program with the historic structure. The new learning commons features a centralized Learning Stair in the atrium.
The new entrance to the school opens into the dining commons and a Learning Stair to view the stage. The stage is double-sided and accessible from the gymnasium as well. SG designed two music classrooms and an instrumental band room with optimal acoustic treatments and ample storage. The Media Center mirrors the STEM area where students can access the art studios and Maker Lab.
Superintendent Daniel Goffredo states “The Great Valley 5/6 Center is designed to be a school characterized by flexible learning spaces that accommodate the needs of students at this age. Like all our schools, the building provides a safe, nurturing, and child-centered space where students can learn and grow into responsible, talented, and caring community members. We are proud to show our community how their support translates into opportunities for the children in our schools.”
The new 5-6 Center provides the District with capacity relief at the middle school and four elementary schools as enrollments continue to climb within the District. The construction of the new facility serves as a unique opportunity to provide a facility specific to this transitional age group. We at SG are honored to have provided the GVSD students with this new facility.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends the 2024 PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference
On October 6th through 8th, SCHRADERGROUP (SG) attended the 2024 PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference (SLC) at the Kalahari Resort & Convention Center in the Poconos. The team members representing SG at this event included David Schrader, Thomas Wippenbeck, Allison Mason, Devin Bradbury, Charlotte Stoudt, Harry Pettoni, Tom Forsberg, and Matt Wittemann. The SLC provided the opportunity for our team to connect with school officials, colleagues, and professionals passionate about the future of education.
Serving and supporting the role of school administrators and school board directors, the programming of the PASA-PSBA SLC both informs and inspires. The conference also prepares attendees for potential challenges that can arise within education leadership roles by providing learning opportunities, products and service offerings, and networking. Attendees heard from presenters, speakers, and performers on compelling topics ranging from student achievement to recent technological advancements in the field.
Having concluded another successful year at the PASA-PSBA SLC, SG is grateful for the chance to foster our current relationships and to create new ones.
To see more K-12 projects by SG, please click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Ranks in the ENR Mid-Atlantic’s Top Design Firms of 2024
The Mid-Atlantic region of Engineering News-Record (ENR) ranks the largest US-based design firms annually on their Top Design Firms list. This past June, SCHRADERGROUP (SG) ranked as a Top Design Firm and placed #83 on the list of outstanding firms. Additionally, they recognized SG’s Hatboro Horsham School District’s Keith Valley Middle School as the firm’s largest project to break ground in the prior year. We at SG are honored to receive these recognitions!
SCHRADERGROUP’S Colleen Deluca, NCIDQ, ASID, Promoted to Senior Interior Designer/Project Manager
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is proud to announce the promotion of Colleen Deluca, NCIDQ, ASID, to Senior Interior Designer/Project Manager. With over a decade of interior design experience across numerous project types, Colleen’s approach has contributed to SG’s overall success since her hire in 2023. We at SG are inspired by her hard work, dedication, and professional growth. Colleen’s rigorous attention to detail and keen design sense have helped her maintain strong relationships with clients and translate into creating interior environments that exceed goals and expectations.
Colleen’s new role includes managing projects, participating in regular senior leadership meetings, retaining clients, and recruiting staff. Her approach fosters a sense of collaboration within the SG interior design team as well as with outside consultants and vendors. We are proud of her accomplishments to date and look forward to her future impact on the firm’s projects and client relationships. Congratulations Colleen!