Meet the Team
Naomi Langer-Voss, RA
Founder of ARCscholars
After 5 formative years working at Frank Gehry and Associates on notable projects such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbo Spain, Naomi established her architectural practice Naomi Langer Studio in Los Angeles in 2001. The firm specializes in single family residential projects, select commercial, and institutional projects including an award-winning renovation of the B’nai David Judea Synagogue Los Angeles. In 2018, Naomi decided to expand the practice to New York City and engage in community based projects. Naomi began her teaching career in 1995 and taught design studios at Woodbury University, Pasadena City College and Otis College of Art and Design from 1995-2002. Currently she is an adjunct professor at City Tech, New York City College of Technology. Naomi received her Master of Architecture degree with honors from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Bachelors of Science in Architecture with from the University of Michigan.
Jason T. Voss, RA
Professional Mentor
Jason has a wide variety of experience, ranging from design, permitting, and construction administration to master planning. He graduated from Southern California Institute of Architecture with honors and currently works at FXCollaborative to lead the construction administration effort for a large, mixed-use high rise, though he also has previous experience working on schematic design and construction documentation for various research and academic projects. He is a licensed architect and a member of the AIA. His professional affiliations include LEED Green Associate Accredited by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)
Stephen Sheng, RA
Professional Mentor
tephen Sheng is an Associate Principal at Handel Architects with over 20 years of experience in large-scale urban mixed-use projects. While at Handel Architects, he has served as a Project Manager and Project Designer for a variety of project types in cities globally. Previously, Mr. Sheng was the Design Principal and Hong Kong Director for the firm Mix StudioWorks, opening the firm’s Hong Kong office in 2009. Prior to that he served as Vice-President and Design Principal at the Jerde Partnership, where he focused on urban mixed-use projects from concept through construction. Stephen received his Master of Architecture degree with honors from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Pennsylvania. Stephen has served on numerous academic juries in Los Angeles and Hong Kong.
Nina Lesser, RA
Professional Mentor
Nina Lesser is a registered architect and LEED AP with over 25 years of experience. After joining Peter Gisolfi Associates in 2017, Ms Lesser quickly advanced to become the lead project architect on several important academic, civic, and cultural projects. Prior to joining Peter Gisolfi Associates, Ms. Lesser worked for HLW on projects such as the IMAX headquarters in Los Angeles before becoming a partner at NLStudio and completing a range of commercial and residential projects. She also spent several years in Hong Kong, working with Atelier Pacific on luxury brand retail projects for Louis Vuitton, Dolce and Gabbana and Hermes. She and her husband reside in Hastings and are co-founders of REDUX NY, an organization dedicated to urban redevelopment.
Ms. Lesser is passionate about architecture education and has taught design courses at USC, Sci-Arc, UCLA, Woodbury and Otis College of Art and Design. Her design works have been published in architectural magazines and she has been exhibited and garnered awards from industry institutions such as the American Institute of Architects
Dr. Sharon Egretta Sutton, FAIA
Founding Partner and Professional Mentor
Dr. Sutton has been an integral partner in the establishment of the ARCscholars program. Her guidance, encouragement and tenacity helped create the education and planning team. We are so fortunate that she has joined as a professional mentor. Dr. Sutton is an author, educator, and citizen architect, Dr. Sutton is credited with helping shift the architecture profession toward a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive future. She currently is distinguished visiting professor of architecture in SCE and has previously served on the faculties of Columbia University, Pratt Institute, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Michigan, and the University of Washington and was president of the National Architectural Accrediting Board.
Tamar Meyerovich
Professional Mentor
Tamar Meyerovich is an award winning licensed architect recognized for academic excellence and design achievements with over 15 years of experience in large-scale urban mixed-use projects. Her emphasis as a Project Manager and Project Designer is on quality, budget control, and environmental impact. Tamar has worked at a variety of firms as an architect and team leader responsible for public buildings and housing projects. Most recently, her role was Chief Architect of a large municipality responsible for the planning, construction, and maintenance of large-scale buildings and infrastructures. Tamar has also taught for several years at Bezalel Art and Design Academy. Tamar received a Master of Architecture and Urban Culture degree with honors from the Universität Polytechnic De Catalunya Barcelona, and a B. Arch with honors in Architecture and Urban Design, from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem.
Vaidehi Mody
Course Instructor
As an Urban Designer at the New York City Housing Authority, Vaidehi advances the agency's Connected Communities initiative with open space planning and stakeholder engagement practices. She manages strategic partnership projects with agencies, non-profits and the private sector, and leads the integration of engagement internally, to further participatory design across the agency's capital projects portfolio. Her work strives to bridge the gap between community, design and policy to develop innovative placemaking strategies. Prior to NYCHA, she has consulted for local urban design advocacies and non-profits' public plaza programming plans. She holds a Master of Science in Urban Placemaking and Management from Pratt Institute in New York, along with a Bachelor of Architecture, a diploma in Fine Arts and is also accredited in Indian Classical Music. She lives in Brooklyn, and enjoys long walks, biking, cooking for her friends and greenmarket finds.
Learn more at - https://www.archarticle.com/emerging-professionals/vaidehi-mody
Julien Sneck
Professional Mentor
Julien Sneck is a Senior Urban Designer at the Dept. of City Planning.
Since he started working the Department of City Planning in 2015, Julien has been involved in many citywide initiatives that led him to engage with many communities of New York City.
He has been focusing in making the practices of urban planning and urban design more accessible and understandable to every New Yorkers. He had the opportunity to collaborate with NYCHA to create the Connected Communities Guidebook.
Before proudly serving the many communities that make up New York City, Julien provided his skills and expertise as a dedicated civil servant for the residents of the suburbs of Paris, France, the city where he graduated as an architect.
Farai Matanigira
Professional Mentor
Farai recently graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from New York City College of Technology and is currently working at Architecture Research Office where he contributes to the office’s wide-ranging design work. Having lived in 3 different countries, he continues to explore more about architecture not only from a design and construction perspective but also from its relationship to societal issues in cross-cultural set-ups. Farai is an avid sports fan and enjoys biking, reading, and playing the keyboard in his free time.
Farai participated as a student mentor in the first two inaugural ARCscholars sessions. We are honored to have him back as a teaching assistant.
Nicole Vlado
Professional Mentor
Nicole is an architect and housing advocate committed to enhancing the quality and experience of public space and the built environment. She believes that collaboration and community engagement are critical to the successful execution of projects and has enjoyed working closely with clients and creative teams on architectural and site-specific public arts works. As a Principal of the Brooklyn-based women-owned architectural firm, Shakespeare Gordon Vlado Architects, Nicole devotes special focus to the firm’s substantial body of work in affordable housing. She also continues the design research she began as a student of architecture at MIT, through architectural art projects, including a recent site-specific commission for the 33rd Sao Paulo Bienal set within and designed in response to Oscar Niemeyer’s iconic Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion.
Danai Metoyo
Professional Mentor
Danai currently is a designer at Leroy Street Studio in NYC and is a recent graduate of Louisiana Tech University’s Master of Architecture program. Throughout her college career, Danai remained highly involved in community and campus-wide initiatives as she served as the president of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students for three consecutive years. As part of this role, Danai has spoken on panels for NCARB regional conferences. Recognizing her involvement on a national level, she was awarded the Alpha Rho Chi Medal.
It was through school that Danai discovered her passion for mentorship and community revitalization. Danai aspires to utilize her talents to implement change and outreach in communities while continuously educating students on the importance of discovering their voice and passion in the world of architecture.