Donald J. Stastny, FAIA, FAICP, a founder and CEO of Portland’s StastnyBrun Architects, Inc., has been a practicing architect, urban designer and process facilitator for 40 years, rebuilding communities, physically and culturally. Using design as a comprehensive and strategic tool, he works toward elevating the public’s understanding and expectations of architecture locally, nationally, and internationally. Mr. Stastny is recognized as one of the preeminent competition advisors and managers in the country. Providing a stewardship role in design competitions, he “designs” opportunities for architects to create outstanding architecture. In 1980, he conducted his first design competition for Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square, creating a process that was published in the 1988 AIA Guidebook for Architectural Competitions. He has evolved design and design/build competition processes into an art form that has resulted in national models protecting the architect from exploitation and initiating collaboration between architects, landscape architects and artists – and raising the public’s expectation of design. An award-winning architect and planner, Mr. Stastny has been honored with Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects, the American Institute of Certified Planners, and the Institute of Urban Design. He was awarded the 2006 AIA Northwest and Pacific Region’s Medal of Honor and the 2009 AIA Thomas Jefferson Award for Public Architecture.
Jennifer Mannhard, AICP is a senior urban planner and project manager at Otak, Inc., an international, award-winning design and planning firm. With education and experience in architecture, planning and real estate development, Ms. Mannhard brings a truly integrated approach to projects. Over the past five years she has worked with StastnyBrun Architects to execute high-profile and complex design competitions, serving as project manager for such competitions as the Transbay Transit Center and Tower Design and Development Competition in San Francisco and the National Museum of African American History and Culture Design Competition for the Smithsonian Institution. She manages the exchange of information between competitors and sponsors, develops the competition materials, and ensures successful coordination and execution of the competition processes. A professional planner, Ms. Mannhard is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and a LEED Accredited Professional.