PIVOT Associate Katie Hall, AIA, will serve as president of the Southwest Oregon Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA-SWO) for 2017. The AIA is a membership organization that supports the profession of architecture at local, regional, and national levels. The AIA-SWO chapter supports the architects and the communities they serve of nine counties reaching from the coast eastward into central Oregon. The organization offers continuing education, advocacy, and comradery while providing a voice for the power of the built environment to improve our health, commerce, and enjoyment of life. Katie is determined to use her presidency to further architects’ participation in the conversations our communities are having about their infrastructure, development, sustainability, planning, and meaning.  Her energy and clarity of vision promise to bring the chapter a year of strong contributions to the vitality of our chapter. Katie joined PIVOT in 2009 and follows past AIA-SWO presidents Scott Clarke, Bill Seider, Curt Wilson, and Eric Gunderson. PIVOT is delighted to support her efforts in giving back to the architectural community.

 

PIVOT Architecture in Eugene, OR recently hired two new design staff members. Shirin Majlesein, a native of Iran, joined the firm in April and Jacky Gomez, who hails from La Grande, OR, joined the firm in June.

 

Shirin Majlesein, originally from Tehran, Iran, joined PIVOT as a designer in the spring of 2016. Shirin has lived in the US for two years and moved to Eugene a year ago. She holds a master’s degree from University of Tehran. While in Iran, Shirin worked at an architecture firm and was involved in designing diplomatic and residential buildings. She has won several travel awards and a national architectural contest for designing a bridge across Haraz River in Iran. When not at work, she always has a canvas on an easel waiting for her.

Jacky Gomez recently graduated with a Master’s of Architecture from the University of Oregon. She holds undergraduate degrees in mathematics and art from Eastern Oregon University.  She has several years of hands-on construction experience in concrete form and finishing, carpentry, drywall, and cabinet making. When she is not working, she enjoys fishing, furniture making, motorcycles, classical piano, backgammon, and surfing.