Speakers are listed in alphabetical order.
MICHAEL BALLINGER (President, Dandeneau Contracting) Michael started Dandeneau Contracting Inc in 2004, where he has devoted most of his time to historical preservation. Michael has won two awards with the City of Jacksonville for two complete historical house restorations. These days he works solely on window restoration and millworks. His passion lies on recreating quality craftmanship no longer found on today windows.
SARAH BOREN, LEED AP Homes, LEED AP BD+C (Executive Director, U.S. Green Building Council North Florida Chapter; Executive Director, Green Team Project, a project of the Tides Center; and Co-Founder & Vice President, NE FL Green Chamber). Sarah has over twenty years of professional experience in the environmental sustainability field in the non-profit, private and government sectors including at the Smithsonian Institution in DC and green business consulting in CA. Sarah received her BA in Politics and a minor in Chinese from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1991 and a Masters of Environmental Management in Resource Economics, Policy and Business, including corporate environmental management, from Duke University in 1999.
MELODY BISHOP, AIA (Project Manager, Akel Logan Shafer, P.A.) A native Floridian, Melody graduated from the University of Florida in 1981 with a Master’s of Architecture. Melody serves on the State Board of Directors; is AIA Jacksonville Chapter Liaison to Florida A&M University, School of Architecture; President of the Mellen C Greeley AIA Foundation; Professional Liaison Committee to UF School of Architecture; Florida Foundation for Architecture Board of Trustees; and chaired the initiating steering committee for the Top 100 Buildings Celebration (top 100 constructed in the past 100 years). Currently, Melody is developing design documents for 122 Ocean and the old Haydon Burns Library. A recent project for which she is particularly fond is Artists’ Square, home of the Riverside Arts Market (RAM) on the Northbank Riverwalk, for which she received the Eve Award for Business as well as the Mayor’s Award; also the Northbank Riverwalk, from Berkman Plaza to the Fuller Warren Bridge, which received the Florida American Public Works Association Consultant of the Year Award.
WILLIAM BISHOP, AIA (Vice president of Akel, Logan and Shafer, Architects and Planners and Vice President of the Jacksonville City Council). Bishop is a graduate of Lawrence Technological University with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and of University of Detroit Mercy with Master of Architecture and MBA degrees. He has been active in Jacksonville and Florida both professionally and in the civic arena for over twenty years. Bill currently serves on the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization and is a past member of the Northeast Florida Regional Council. He is a former board member of Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. and chaired the JCCI study on affordable housing. He served on the Economic Development Advisory Committee for the Downtown Jacksonville Master Plan, is a past member of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority North/Southeast Corridor Mass Transit Citizen’s Advisory Committee, and a past board member of Riverside Avondale Preservation, Inc.
PAUL BREMER. Born in Jacksonville, FL and educated at the University of South FL with a Master’s in Counseling and Psychometrics. Paul has undertaken several restoration projects: 433 Margaret St. from retail shops to manufacturing facility and offices(1980). 2515 Herschel St., 1910 American Foursquare (2000-2004). Cozy Corner, 742 Dellwood Ave, 1928 building used as bar into home and offices (2004-2006).
WALLY CONWAY, LEED AP, LEED Green Rater, HERS rater, Commercial Energy Auditor, RESNET HESP, BPI Building Analyst (Founder, HomePro Inspections). As a media-active educator, Wally has been a regularly featured expert on the HGTV hit series “House Detectives”, is co-host of the DIYNetwork series “Finders-Fixers”, and is co-host of “The Home and Garden Show” radio show heard on WOKV every Saturday.
ANGEL CORRALES (President, My Old House Restoration). Angel founded My Old House Restoration, a building preservation and window restoration company. Angel has many years of experience working with historic properties and has literally restored (several) hundreds of windows in Jacksonville’s Historic Districts. He belongs to the National Association of Window Restoration Specialists and was an assistant to John Leeke at the National Window Preservation Summit for the upcoming Window Preservation Standards Collaborative. His role in the summit was to assist in the energy testing and record each method of restoration. He has experience with historic masonry and has recently worked on the Kingsley Plantation Restoration Project.
STEPHEN DARE (Metrojacksonville.com columnist). Stephen Dare is an entrepreneur, journalist, restaurateur, playwright and chef who has written about, studied, and travelled in the pursuit of the DNA of modern cities since 1987. He has lived primarily in Jacksonville Florida since the mid 1960s, and is from an old Jacksonville family. Stephen is the author of 78 theatrical plays, 9 musicals, hundreds of published essays and articles on public policy, and is currently the co writer and co producer of “In the Pits” a televised sitcom on The CW 17. He has been heavily involved in the both the national Spoken Word and Poetry movement of the 90s and 2000s as a promoter, venue owner and publisher as well as experimental theatre and Cabaret Revival, and is a featured contributor on the forums of MetroJacksonville. In his spare time he participates in rediscovering the historical heritage of Jacksonville, Florida, and has devoted his life to understanding the processes whereby cities and neighborhoods develop, succeed, fail, and transform. He currently resides in the Historic Springfield District of Jacksonville, Florida.
ENNIS DAVIS (Urban Planner, Metrojacksonville.com founder and columnist). Author of recently released “Reclaiming Jacksonville: Stories Behind the River City’s Historic Landmarks”, Ennis Davis graduated from Florida A&M University in 2001 with a bachelor of architecture degree and has since been employed in the fields of architecture and planning. In 2006, he co-founded the award-winning MetroJacksonville.com, an online media entity focusing on quality of life issues impacting Jacksonville. In his spare time, he is a civic activist and has served with various organizations committed to improving our community, including the American Planning Association (APA), American Institute of Architects (AIA), Jacksonville Historical Society, City of Jacksonville Southeast Visioning Committee, Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), Commuter Rail Citizen’s Advisory Committee, JTA Bus Rapid Transit Citizen’s Advisory Committee, 2006 Downtown Action Plan Committee, North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), 2035 Long Range Transportation Plan Stakeholder’s Taskforce and Springfield Area Merchants and Business Association (SAMBA).
GLORIA DEVALL (General Contractor,Glory Homes, Inc.,CBC059741; Vice President of SOS, Save Our Springfield). Gloria has over 12 years experience as a state licensed building contractor working mainly in historic districts. She is a founding member and vice president of Preservation SOS, a grassroots preservation non-profit organization, working toward protecting the historic fabric of Springfield, a Nationally Recognized Historic District.
BRUCE DOUECK (Manager of Customer Efficiency & Conservation, JEA). Bruce joined JEA in 1975. Prior to his current position, Bruce has held a variety of Management positions including: as Manager of Capital Budget Planning and Manager of JEA’s Economic Development. He has also owned and managed small businesses and taught math and science in Duval County public schools. Bruce holds a Bachelor of Science degree from FSU and a MBA from the UNF. He is a Certified Energy Manager, Energy Rater and a Green Home certifying agent.
MATTHEW HAYES (MA) recently graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a Masters of Arts Degree in Historic Preservation. He has presented aspects of his research at a variety of conferences dedicated to architecture, preservation and art history; these include the recent annual conferences of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Association for Preservation Technology International, and the Society of Industrial Archaeology. Currently, Matthew works for the City of Tacoma Planning Department in Historic Preservation and Sustainability. He is presently working on a modernist historical context statement for Tacoma, Washington.
LAURA LAVERNIA (Preservation & Education Coordinator, Riverside Avondale Preservation). Laura has a Masters of Arts Degree in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a Masters of Art in Arts Administration from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Laura has over two years of experience in local government, previously working for the City of Miami Planning Department in Historic Preservation. She has experience in architectural history, she obtained a Bachelors of Arts in Art History from Florida International University and has written several local designation reports for historic resources for the City of Miami, and National Register Nominations as the lead researcher and board member for DoCoMoMo FL (Documentation and Conservation of the Modern Movement, an international non-profit research organization with local chapters).
WILLIAM LEUTHOLD, AIA (Architect, former member of Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission and current member of the Board of Director of the Jacksonville Historical Society). Mr. Leuthold is an architect in Jacksonville where he lives and works in the Riverside Avondale Historic District. After receiving a Master of Architecture Degree with a specialty in Architectural Preservation from the University of Florida, Mr. Leuthold returned to Jacksonville to practice architecture with his father, Duane Leuthold. Mr. Leuthold worked three years for the Ministry of Works and Engineering in Bermuda, then returned to Jacksonville to form William Leuthold Architect, Inc. in 1994 where he has designed numerous residential projects. His firm has received several local preservation awards including two for new homes in the Riverside Avondale Historic district.
TERRY LORINCE (Director, Downtown Vision). Terry Lorince became the first Executive Director of Downtown Vision Inc. in 2001. She has over 20 years of experience in the field of economic development with fifteen years of specialization in the field of Downtown revitalization. Prior to coming to Jacksonville, Terry was the Deputy Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. In the past five years, Downtown Vision has been involved in making Downtown Jacksonville cleaner, safer and more attractive, addressing Downtown’s parking issues, marketing Downtown Jacksonville and becoming an advocate for the interests of Downtown. Terry has an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters of Science in Management and Policy Analysis from Carnegie Mellon University. She is a Board member of the Florida Theatre, and the Urban Land Institute (ULI).
JENNIFER MANSFIELD (Partner, Holland & Knight, LLP; Member, Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission). Jennifer is a commercial litigation attorney at Holland & Knight LLP. She has experience in both federal and state courts regarding contractual matters, construction and lien law, defense of defamation claims, and gaining access to courts and public records. Prior to her law career, she served for three years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay teaching business skills to the management of a farmers’ cooperative. In addition to her Juris Doctor, Jennifer has a BA in Economics from Northwestern University. She has lived in Riverside since 2000, volunteering with RAP’s Design Review Committee since 2004. She served on RAP’s Board of Directors as Vice Chair, Historic Preservation, from 2008 to 2011.
AUTUMN L. MARTINAGE (Historic Preservation Planner with the City of Jacksonville; Owner of Martinage Genealogical Research). Autumn is a 2004 graduate of the University of West Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Pre-Law. She has worked professionally as a planner for almost 7 years, 5 of which has been with the City of Jacksonville as a historic preservation planner. Previously, she was employed by the West Florida Regional Planning Council as a transportation planner and public involvement coordinator working as part of the staff to the Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization, the Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization, and the Bay County Transportation Planning Organization.
JOEL MCEACHIN, AICP (City Planner Manager that supervises the Historic Preservation Section of the Jacksonville Planning and Development Department). Joel has worked for over 28 years in the field of historic preservation with over 23 years with the City of Jacksonville. He is experienced in all aspects of historic preservation including: Documentation of cultural resources; Researching and preparing local landmark and historic district designation reports as well as applications for listing properties on the National Register of Historic Places; Reviewing of exterior work impacting historic buildings using design standards and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation; Reviewing projects per federal, state, and local laws and codes; Implementing objectives of the Historic Preservation Element of the City’s Comprehensive Plan; and Administering Historic Preservation Property Tax Exemption program and other preservation incentives. He has Master degrees from Florida State University (anthropology and archaeology) and Florida A&M University (secondary education).
MICHELLE MICHAEL (Architectural Historian, NAVFAC SE). Michelle received her Masters in Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia and has worked for over seventeen years in the private, non-profit, volunteer, and governmental sectors of historic preservation. In the private sector, Michelle worked as a historic preservation consultant completing architectural surveys, National Register nominations, Local Landmark nominations, Design Guidelines, and Rehabilitation Tax Credit applications. In addition, she served as the Architectural Historian under contract at Fort Bragg in North Carolina where she reviewed all construction projects for compliance with the Secretary of Interiors Standards and the National Historic Preservation Act. In 2009, she relocated to Jacksonville to work as the regional Architectural Historian for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast. She has spoken on historic preservation and architectural history at events for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation North Carolina, Preservation South, and the Department of Defense.
GENORA CRAIN-ORTH (Environmental and St. Johns River Enthusiast). A long-time resident of Jacksonville, Genora is responsible for one of the first residential green roofs in Jacksonville, installed on her Riverside bungalow that she shares with her husband, son and a myriad of pets. She organized and hosted a River Friendly Cleaning Supplies Workshop on behalf of St. Johns Riverkeeper, where participants learned how to make household cleaning products using safe, environmentally-friendly ingredients. Genora loves plants and gardening, utilizing natives as much as possible, and does her best to incorporate sustainable practices in and around her home.
JIMMY ORTH (Executive Director, St. Johns Riverkeeper). Jimmy received his undergraduate degree in Marketing from Florida State University, and his master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of North Florida. A native of Jacksonville, Jimmy has extensive experience working on environmental issues in Northeast Florida for over 20 years. He previously served for over eight years as an executive committee member and as chairman for the local group of the Sierra Club. In 2003, Volunteer Jacksonville awarded Jimmy its Nature of Caring Award for founding and leading a local chapter of Inner City Outings, a program that exposes urban youth to the wonders of the outdoors. He was hired as the Executive Director of St. Johns Riverkeeper in February of 2004. As the Executive Director, Jimmy maintains overall responsibility for budgeting, staffing, program development, fundraising, and public relations.
H. ROB OVERLY, AIA, LEED AP BD+C (Architect, former member of Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission). Rob has practiced architecture in Jacksonville FL since the mid 1980s. Recently, Mr. Overly was awarded a preservation award by the JHPC for the John Gorrie: A Condominium Adaptive Use Project. He has also designed the Springfield Klutho Park gazebo and was a co-author of the Riverside Avondale Historic District Design Regulations. He is the LEED Project Administrator for the Jacksonville University Marine Science Research Institute, Jacksonville University (USGBC Gold Certification).
JAQUELINE OWENS, ASLA, LEED AP BD+C (Landscape Architect, JOLA, Inc.) Jackie Owens is a Principal Landscape Architect with eighteen years of experience in private practice. She founded JOLA, Incorporated – a design firm in the Gainesville area in 2000, and is the guiding influence for a firm that practices landscape architecture with an emphasis on environmentally green and sustainable design. Her areas of expertise include urban design – streetscapes, plazas and parks; and cemetery design. Ms. Owens is a graduate of the University of Florida School of Design, Construction and Planning with a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture.
MARY PUCKETT (Urban Gardening Program Assistant, University of Florida/IFAS Urban Gardening Program) Mary has been a Master Gardener since 1999 and employed by the University of Florida/IFAS Urban Gardening Program since 2004. Her expertise is growing vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers and sharing her knowledge and experience with others through workshops, hands-on demonstrations, and newsletters. She aids Master Gardeners to help maintain a demonstration garden for educational purposes. She manages 4 community gardens and guides others in how to start their own, develops and presents workshops pertaining to vegetables, culinary herbs, and edible flower gardening for home-owners.
JULIA STARR SANFORD (Founder, Starr Sanford Design Associates). She has been a designer for an extensive range of international projects and provided design and project management for historical renovations, showrooms, libraries, museums and private galleries. She is focused on incorporating vernacular traditions with sustainable design and high performance building technologies. Her residential projects are characterized by an interest in the regional traditions of the South and Colonial architecture of the West Indies. Julie has a Master of Architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she was the recipient of Georgia Tech’s prestigious SGF award, Skidmore Owings and Merrill Portfolio Fellowship, and the Governor’s Honor for the State of Georgia. She received a Bachelor of Art in Art History from the University of North Carolina and Master’s Thesis under Mack Scogin of Harvard University. Her first book, Poetic Sustainability, will be available this Summer.
ANGELA SCHIFANELLA (Architect and Member of Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission). Ms. Schifanella is an architect in Jacksonville where she lives and works in the Riverside Avondale Historic District. After receiving a Master of Architecture Degree from Harvard University, Ms. Schifanella returned to Jacksonville and practiced commercial architecture for nine years. Since 1996, she has owned her own practice specializing in residential architecture. Her work includes additions, new construction, and renovation of historic properties. She was named “Outstanding Historic District Architect” in 2002 by Riverside Avondale Preservation. Together with her husband, Alan Wilson, she won the San Marco Square Design Competition leading to the design of the lion fountain and tower for the square in 1996.
LISA SHEPPARD, AICP, LEED AP (Senior Historic Preservation Planner with the City of Jacksonville, Florida). Lisa has worked with the City’s Planning and Development Department for over 13 years. After receiving her BA from the University of North Florida, she attended Savannah College of Art and Design for Historic Preservation post-graduate studies where she researched the issue of the continued use of historic school buildings. Since working as a planner, she has obtained AICP status. As a historic preservation planner, she is responsible for reviewing the design of hundreds of projects, the administration of two local preservation incentives and hosting an annual preservation award ceremony. Her interest in recycling old buildings inspired her to achieve LEED, AP® accreditation. She has spoken on historic preservation issues at events for the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, the Florida Planning and Zoning Association and Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association.
RICHARD SHIELDHOUSE, PH. D (Preservationist and past President of DOCOMOMO US/Florida (DOcumentation and COnservation of the MOdern MOvement, an international non-profit research organization with local chapters)). Mr. Shieldhouse recently acquired a doctorate in design, construction and planning from the University of Florida, with a dissertation on the impact of World Heritage List inscription on World Heritage Cities. Shieldhouse has a masters degree in city and regional planning from Harvard University. He has worked in the aviation and railroad industries in New York, Baltimore, and Jacksonville.
CHRISTINA STARMER (Partner at POS Properties; Co-owner, First Coast Rental Management; Co-owner, CenterBeam Construction). CenterBeam Construction’s focus is on historic renovations and additions. Christina is also a licensed real estate broker and entrepreneur.
JEFF STARMER (Construction Manager, CenterBeam Contracting). Jeff has been the construction manager with CenterBeam Contracting for the past 4 years. He is also the current partner with POS Properties- a company that buys dilapidated historic buildings, rehab’s them and rents them out as apartments/condos (7 years).
MARY TAPPOUNI (General Contractor and President, Breaking Ground Contracting Company). Breaking Ground’s diverse portfolio includes new construction, renovations, tenant build-outs and additions on projects such as professional and medical offices, health and fitness facilities, historic, government, non-profits, custom green homes, historic preservation, schools and institutional projects. Mary and her team offer their clients construction solutions infused with a green philosophy, incorporating sustainable strategies on all their projects.
JASON R. TEAL (Chief, Regulatory Division, Jacksonville Office of General Counsel). Mr. Teal received his Juris Doctor degree, with honors, from Florida State University in 1998. His undergraduate degree is in Environmental Science from the University of Kansas. Mr. Teal is the lead prosecutorial attorney for the City of Jacksonville responsible for enforcement of the numerous City ordinances, including animal control regulations, zoning, fire prevention, building, property safety, public works and historic preservation. He is also the staff attorney forJacksonville’s Historic Preservation Commission. Additionally, he regularly provides Sunshine Law training toJacksonville’s various boards and commissions and conducts legal training to various code enforcement officers for issues arising during the investigative and prosecutorial phases of the enforcement process. He has worked inJacksonville’s Office of General Counsel since 2000.
WAYNE WOOD (Arts Activist, Historian, Retired Optometrist). Widely regarded as one of the foremost chroniclers of northeast Florida’s history and architecture, Wayne has been called “the undisputed godfather of preservation in Jacksonville.” He founded Riverside Avondale Preservation and served as chairman the Jacksonville Historic Landmarks Commission. For over three decades he’s been preserving our city’s historic buildings. Wayne has published eleven books about Jacksonville’s history. His best-known work is the classic Jacksonville’s Architectural Heritage: Landmarks for the Future. This 424-page volume has won numerous awards and is in its fourth printing. It is believed to be on more coffee tables than any other book in Florida. He also co-authored The Great Fire of 1901 with the late Times-Union columnist Bill Foley and produced The Architecture of Henry John Klutho – The Prairie School in Jacksonville with architect Robert Broward. Wayne wrote what is perhaps the largest and most beautiful book about Jacksonville ever published: The Jacksonville Family Album: 150 Years of the Art of Photography.