Heather Morrison is the Founder and CEO of Morrison Architectural Planning Strategies, LLC and MAP Studio LLC. She is an architectural strategist and project manager with a twenty-five year record of successfully managing large-scale architecture and construction projects.
As a compliance partner, Heather and her team focus on editing architectural designs during pre-construction and strategically plan the path for permitting and licensing, creating better design outcomes while saving time, money, and resources.
Notable developments overseen by Heather and her team include: 400 North Lakeshore Drive, Lincoln Yards, 727 W Madison, Tribune Tower Residences, and The Row (the tallest building in Chicago’s West Loop).
George Guarino III, Associate AIA joined MAPS in 2015 as employee number three. Throughout his career, George has worked on a wide array of projects ranging from new construction high rise development, historic adaptive reuse, nationwide retail, and infrastructure. Across all project types he has seen the value of detail-oriented strategic planning of a project’s compliance path.
At Syracuse, George participated in the management and design of multiple community-engaged design projects and served as Editor-in-Chief of CRIT, the internationally distributed publication of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS).
Brandon Clementi is a Project Executive who leads owners and architects through the building permit review process to minimize time from design to construction. Since joining MAPS in 2017, Brandon has guided clients through complex reviews strategically and efficiently to secure permits on a tight schedule. Working across the full breadth of the City of Chicago’s building permit review processes, Brandon leads MAPS in the management of self-certification permitting and CDOT Public Right of Way permitting.
In addition to nationwide retail permit management, especially with Target since 2017, Brandon’s permitting experience in Chicago has included numerous project typologies.
Emma Cline, AIA, NCARB is a licensed architect in Pennsylvania and Illinois and is Self-certified in Chicago. She has managed and worked on a variety of project scales and typologies including K-12 schools, restaurants, large multi-unit and single family homes, commercial build outs, and large resort retail spaces. A full scope loving architect, Emma enjoys the big and small picture - from space planning diagrams to plumbing service diagrams; and the cross-functional learning from others it requires along the way.
Tim Artman, RA, ALA worked for more than 35 years at the prestigious Holabird & Root architecture firm in Chicago. His experience is a diverse array of programming and architectural design projects, including several academic and hospital additions/ renovations. For the past several years, he has served as a professional code compliance reviewer for the City of Chicago. Since 2003, he has reviewed over 400 projects for various medium to large/complex public and private projects throughout Chicago, including several high-profile projects such as Trump Tower, Ann and Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital, the Art Institute of Chicago's Modern Wing, Northwestern Memorial Hospital New Prentice Women's Hospital, and renovations at the Palmer House Hotel and U.S. Cellular Field.
Ashraf Hayek, PE, LEED AP is a detail-oriented engineer with an expertise in building mechanical systems. Ashraf has been involved in designing heating, ventilation and air conditioning, plumbing and fire protection systems for different types of buildings including commercial, residential, health care, institutional buildings and industrial facilities. He is also experienced in municipal pump station and power generation plant design.
Ashraf’s interest in energy conservation and sustainability has been informed by his experience serving as a LEED/ energy specialist evaluating life cycle impacts on new and renovated projects.
Matt Croll has a depth of finance experience including more than 15 years as a CFO. He has worked with a variety of companies in manufacturing/distribution, consumer products, and professional services. Matt brings a multi-faceted view to business opportunities and a strong analytical perspective to business decisions. Matt resides in Naperville, Illinois with his wife and two daughters. He enjoys staying active and participating in various sports in his spare time.
Lauren is a hands-on controller responsible for the full cycle accounting process including month end close, budgeting, cash flow, analysis and reporting, and tax and audit support. She has worked in various industries including service, technology, design and development, and non-profit. Her focus includes strengthening internal control processes and procedures, streamlining month-end close, financial reporting and overseeing AP and AR processes.
Mike Dritto brings with him a wealth of C-Suite experience from the dynamic worlds of film, television, and real estate. His professional background has lent him the opportunity to support Executives and Producers at renowned companies such as Sony, Disney, and the real estate company, Hines. Mike takes pride in elevating his team and helping to streamline their focus on current and future clients.
Tom McDonough is an accomplished professional with over 10 years of experience in the real estate and construction industries primarily focusing on development consulting and permit management. Having served as a trusted permitting consultant for esteemed entities such as Netflix, Apple, Amazon, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tom has established a reputation for delivering excellence. His track record speaks volumes about his ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes and deliver results that exceed expectations.
His goal with any project is to make the experience as predictable as possible, remaining efficient, while providing excellent customer service.
MJ is a licensed architect in the State of Illinois. She graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a Masters of Architecture with emphasis in Interior Architecture and Philadelphia University (now Jefferson University) with a Bachelors of Science in Interior Design. She has worked on numerous building project types such as Federal, Military, Residential, Retail, Restaurant and Commercial.
MJ loves the detail in everyday building experiences, organizing complex projects and working to find the best outcomes for users and clients.
Ed is a Senior Code Consultant who works with architects to refine their designs to be more compliant with municipal requirements.
Ed knows that while code compliance is not often in the forefront of a designers mind it is a major part of the design process. He is focused on confirming alignment while maintaining design excellence in a process.
From single family homes to major high rises, Ed’s experience covers a wide-range; including the renovation and rehabilitation of a 1940’s baseball stadium.
Abdiel Filos Gonzalez joined MAP Strategies with more than a decade of engineering and construction experience. As a Transportation Planning Engineer, his passion for creating comfortable, safe, efficient, and faster service for residents helps fuel his contributions on mass transit and transit-oriented projects. With high attention to detail, Abdiel works with clients throughout the compliance process.
Michael Grochola, ICC is an architectural accessibility specialist who works with architects, contractors, and developers to ensure accessibility codes and concerns are being met throughout the design and construction process.
Michael knows how to manage various city, state, and federal codes of any project, regardless of the project’s type or size; with experience in 30+ states. His work has ranged from plan reviews, legal remediation, and construction site visits for 200+ different architects and developers.
Michael is an ICC Certified Accessibility Inspector. At his previous employer he worked with and learned from two former United States Access Board Chairmen.
Nelly Perez has over 20 years of experience in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Industry; streamlining office operations to allow teams and clients to succeed. Her day-to-day responsibilities include oversight on a range of administrative, financial, and managerial tasks. Nelly’s focus is on strategic alignment between accounting and the compliance process, saving time and redundancy while providing people-first service.
Gabrielle hails from California, where she received her Bachelor of Architecture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. There, she grew her interests in community centered design and architectural history. She began her career as an architectural designer for affordable housing projects and soon transitioned into University planning and project management.
At MAPS, she enjoys building professional relationships and working collaboratively with clients to execute successful projects.
Yijun Zhou, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP recently graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University, with a focus on sustainability and social responsibility. She has gained hands-on experiences through multiple architectural internships, across a variety of project types and scales.
Now, as an Associate Project Manager at MAPS, Yijun is passionate to bring her personal interests in policy and design to our projects. She is currently pursuing her architectural license, and looks forward to leveraging both her creative and technical skills to assist our clients in the business of real estate, architecture, and construction.
Anna Werman recently graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Architecture where she gained a strong foundation in design principles, sustainable practices, and urban planning.
Now, as a member of the Code Consulting team, Anna contributes her passion for ensuring safe, innovative, and compliant design. She enjoys collaborating with her team to navigate the complexities of codes and regulations and translating them into inventive solutions that enhance the built environment. She is currently pursuing her architectural license and is excited about the journey of combining technical precision with creative problem-solving.
Kameron Lyles is a recent graduate from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, earning his bachelor's degree in architecture with a minor in urban and regional planning. While attending college, he also studied abroad in Spain for a year where he gained an appreciation for preserving historic architecture. His expansive knowledge about urban landscapes and his passion for designing for the common man is what motivates how he hopes to design in the future.
As an Associate Project Manager on MAPS Strategic Planning team, Kameron plans to combine, not only his appreciation of the city of Chicago, but also his experience with management of projects during active construction. From his first Eagle Scout project to being a co-president for the architecture student council at UIUC, Kameron has seen the positive results of being an effective communicator and applies it to informing and assisting in the various permit processes and he values making strong connections across the AEC industry.
Spencer Blaney, AIA is a Consulting Architect who works with Architects, Owners and Developers to efficiently manage their permitting and approval processes.
Spencer knows that the permitting process can seem daunting. He strives to make the process as clear and straightforward as possible through a well thought-out permit and communication strategy.
Spencer has obtained permits for numerous projects across scales; from restaurants to high-rise multifamily and everything in between.
Spencer is a licensed architect in Illinois and is Self-certified in Chicago. He completed AIA Chicago’s Bridge Mentorship program in 2022.
Aphrodite Angelakos, SE, RA, has over thirty-five years of experience in Structural Engineering. She got her start as a Reviewer at the City of Chicago’s Department of Buildings and since 2000 she has been working as a Structural Engineering Peer Reviewer.
As Founder and President of a1a Design Group Aphrodite works closely with design teams on each project to complete a thorough structural engineering peer review. Aphrodite’s expertise includes building types across scale and construction material; from new construction to adaptive re-use alterations.
Jose deAvila, MBA, MSEE, PE, LEED AP is Principal of Jose de Avila and Associates. Jose is driven by the philosophy that excellence in engineering begins with designs that provide healthy, safe, stimulating, and comfortable environments.
Jose has a thorough understanding of the Chicago Electrical Code, and was selected by the project manager for the new Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago to provide consulting electrical engineering designs for the project's infrastructure. For the past ten years Jose has been providing electrical code reviews for permit applicants to the City of Chicago’s Department of Buildings.
Steven Vance is an urban planner in Chicago. Steven founded Chicago Cityscape, a real estate information platform that aggregates data about all properties in Cook County. Steven consults for MAP Strategies and its clients about local land use and transportation policies and writes zoning reports for all types of existing and new construction projects in Chicago.
