Alumni Updates
We invite you to send us your news to caed-news@calpoly.edu.
Architecture alumnus Michael Scott shown with plans at the Alternate Care Site at Cal Poly. (Photos courtesy of The Tribune/David Middlecamp.)
CAED Alumni Responding to COVID-19 Help Design Cal Poly Alternate Care Site
Three CAED alumni – Erik Justesen (Landscape Architecture ’84), Michael Scott (Architecture ’98) and Bobby Walker (Architecture ’14) – led the primary RRM Design Group team that collaborated with Central Coast business and community leaders to design a phased in site plan for an Alternative Care Site (ACS) in Cal Poly’s Recreation Center. The site was selected as a central location within the county as it was near two major hospitals and centrally accessible to north and south county residents. As architects, RRM's goal was to plan for as many beds as safely possible to serve the maximum number of COVID-19 patients who were too sick to care for themselves, but did not need immediate hospital care, thereby alleviating pressure on local hospitals and health care facilities. The ACS enabled SLO County to meet the recommended county-wide COVID-19 bed capacity, which eased some of the more stringent lockdown measures.
Not all phases were built and fortunately the site was not used at the emergency level. Although the ACS is being dismantled, the modular plans have prepared the Central Coast for any future outbreaks that may occur. Many counties throughout the state have looked to this model for their own county emergency preparedness plans. The Medical Reserve Corps volunteers who were trained to staff the site are now providing vaccines. Justesen, Scott and Walker want to thank the entire planning team, contractors and community members, including several Cal Poly grads. View a video here on how the ACS was created.
AIA Professional Fellowships Awarded
The college proudly recognizes the induction into the American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Fellows a faculty member and two of our alumni. Stephen Phillips, FAIA, founder and director of the Architecture Department’s Los Angeles Metropolitan Program in Architecture and Urban Design (CPLA Metro), and principal of Stephen Phillips Architects, was recognized in the category of architectural education, training and practice. Read more about Phillips in this issue of Connections. And we celebrate the accomplishments of these two CAED alumni:
William “Bill” J. Melby, FAIA (Architecture ’76), is a principal emeritus with Ordiz-Melby in Bakersfield.
Click here for more.
John R. Sheehan, FAIA (Architecture ’84), is a principal of Studio E Architects in San Diego.
View more.
Students Interview Construction Management Alumni in New Hard Hat Discussions
Cal Poly’s California Center for Construction Education (CCCE) ambassador students are gaining knowledge about the construction industry from construction management alumni and are sharing their helpful tips with our future construction leaders. Recent Hard Hat Discussions include Chris Forster (Construction Management ’84), vice president of operations for Largo Concrete; Ray Trebino (Construction Management ’94), business unit leader at DPR Construction in the Bay Area; and Bobby Van Hollebeke (Construction Management ’07), preconstruction manager of Swinerton. You’re invited to view the growing series by clicking here.
Michael Dadasovich (City and Regional Planning ’71) spent much of his career working in various regional and state planning agencies in the Bay Area before starting his own development firm. Now a successful artist, he spends much of his time working on acrylic plein air painting, which is done outside the studio in a natural environment. “I started to paint seriously about 2003, taking classes through Adult Education in watercolor and pastels... my college experiences in architecture had a number of delineation and freehand drawing classes.” In April, Dadasovich was the featured artist at the Benicia Plen Air Gallery. View more of his work. 
Mark Engelien (Architecture ’71) was featured in several shows from the Bakersfield Art Association. Since retiring from architecture, Engelien has dedicated much of his time to artistic expression. His recent show “Mark the Spot: Favorite Places,” features paintings of Rome, Florence, Greece and more. He studied art during his time as a Cal Poly architecture student, and specialized in drawing, watercolor and ceramics. Click here to view some of his artwork. 
Donna Clandening (Architectural Engineering ’87) will be driving growth, design excellence and innovation for the Buildings and Places practice in AECOM’s Los Angeles office as a vice president and managing principal. “The interdisciplinary education I received at Cal Poly’s CAED continues to have a direct influence on my career path. Nowhere is this more evident than my joining AECOM, a firm that is known for their integrated delivery of design and construction services.” Clandening continues to volunteer for the Los Angeles Chapter of the ACE Mentor Program and the college’s Dean’s Leadership Council.Carl Holm (City and Regional Planning ’88) is transitioning to retirement after 32 years of public service and 19 years with the Monterey County Resource Management Agency. He started in construction after graduating from Cal Poly, and later moved toward public service in Susanville, LaVerne, Rosemead and Walnut before settling down in Salinas. Holm is moving to Colorado, where he plans to continue working as director of Delta County community development and natural resources.
Alicia (Murillo) Giudice (City and Regional Planning ’94) will be the new community development director for the city of San Rafael. She has more than 25 years of professional experience in both the private sector and local government, and specializes in land use, housing, traffic and utility infrastructure. “I am very proud to be a member of the San Rafael team and honored to have been selected to take on this new role,” Giudice said. “I look forward to continuing to work with this amazing community and will strive to put forth the same passion and commitment to public service that I see daily from other city employees.” She begins her new position in June. Read more about her role here. 
Trace Pesavento (Construction Management ’95) is the new vice president of field operations for XL Construction, a Northern California-based firm. Pesavento is responsible for company planning and execution, and will assess contingency and risk factors for new and in-progress projects. He and his wife, a third-grade elementary school teacher, have been married for 25 years with two sons attending college. He enjoys family activities and fly fishing in his spare time. 
Raffi Boloyan (City and Regional Planning ’97) is the next community development director for the city of Dixon, California. Boloyan has more than 23 years of experience in planning and development, and spent much of his career in San Rafael in several of the city's planning positions. (Photo courtesy of the city of Dixon.)Michael Prater (City and Regional Planning ’99) is leading the Santa Barbara Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) as its new executive officer. The LAFCO is a group of regional organizations made up of elected officials that work to develop local agencies and special districts. Prater has planning experience in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, and was greatly involved in the Old Town Orcutt Revitalization plan.
Jessica Musick (Architecture ‘03) is the newest member of the KTGY board of directors. Since joining the architecture and planning firm in 2003, Musick has played an integral role in establishing design visions and carrying out projects through design approvals. She specializes in urban-infill mixed-use developments and believes that architecture should be deeply rooted in community needs and interests. Beyond architecture, Musick serves her community by working with Oakland’s public Madison Park Business & Art Academy, and volunteering with the local LMJS running club. 
Jonathan Boriack (Architecture ’05) assumes his new role as a principal at KTGY’s Oakland studio, where he brings private sector experience to single and multifamily residential, urban mixed-use, commercial, and retail projects throughout the state. Boriack specializes in problem-solving, and his attention to detail has helped him develop long-lasting client relationships and successful residential communities. 
Kally Gaughan and Johanna Mall (Landscape Architecture ’18, pictured left to right) have recently stepped into new roles with McCullough Landscape Architecture in San Diego. Gaughan, a junior associate, looks forward to gaining valuable project management experience working with clients, agencies and team members. Mall is celebrating the completion of her second year in project management and her promotion to associate. Read more in the San Diego Business Journal that named her one of San Diego’s Women of Influence in Architecture 2021.
Will Allen (Architecture ’20) has joined the Spokane-based architecture firm CollinsWoerman, bringing a background in healthcare from his prior work on Bay Area interior hospital renovations at Stanford Health, UCSF and Kaiser. 
Hannah McKay (Architecture ’20) is working with CAIRN Collaborative founder Michael Horgan (pictured left to right) to construct a home that is Passive House certified, the first of its kind on the Central Coast. The building, which sits adjacent to Bishop Peak in San Luis Obispo, must allow for space heating and cooling-related energy savings of up to 90 percent compared to typical building stock to gain certification. McKay, a certified Passive House consultant, says efficiency is a priority when building these structures. They both hope to expand the use of the Passive House standards in the future. Read more about it. (Photo courtesy of The Tribune/Jayson Mellom)
