Announcements April 15, 2024

Announcing New Leadership in Our Chicago Studio

Our Chicago studio is thrilled to announce that Lara Leskaj, IIDA, LEED AP, and Interior Design Director of our studio and Kristin Rosebrough, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Cultural and Civic Practice Leader for the Midwest region, have both been promoted to Principal. In addition, Andrew Broderick, AICP, LEED AP, and Amina Helstern, NCIDQ, LEED AP, Fitwel Ambassador, have been elevated to Associate Principals. Andrew continues as Urban Design Practice Leader for the Chicago studio, while Amina continues as Senior Regenerative Design Advisor and firmwide Living Design Knowledge Manager.

“We are excited for Lara, Kristin, Amina, and Andrew and for the clients they serve,” says Lindsey Peckinpaugh, Managing Director of the Chicago studio. “They are steeped in the culture of Perkins&Will, dedicated to our clients’ success, and committed to building diverse, talented teams who will deliver the highest-quality and sustainable design.” All are award-winning designers with a focus on projects featuring inclusion, sustainability, and well-being.

Lara Leskaj, Principal

Lara brings an interdisciplinary approach that combines architecture and design principles across Workplace, K-12 and Higher Education, and Healthcare markets. Recognizing that interior design goes far beyond colors and fabrics, she understands the importance of how interior environments can positively impact business and academic success. In approaching work for clients such as the University of Cincinnati, Washington University School of Medicine, American Express and several Confidential Law and Private Equity firms, she says that each project is unique and informed by client needs. Lara focuses on building teams that “empower younger designers, allowing all voices to matter and be heard.”

Kristin Rosebrough, Principal

Kristin’s experience working on multifunctional, complex projects bridges building types across Cultural and Civic, Science and Technology, Higher Education, and Corporate and Commercial for clients that include the Smithsonian Institution, Mansueto Office, Morningstar, and Northwestern University Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center. The breadth of her work informs the emphasis she places on addressing a wide range of big-vision outcomes and exacting details. Her holistic approach applied to project management, design, and technical development and delivery results in elegant projects accomplished with a high level of care.

Andrew Broderick, Associate Principal

Andrew leads the urban design practice in the Chicago studio, where his work includes long-range, large-scale campus master plan and urban district projects. He focuses on helping higher education, local governments, real estate developers, and economic development organizations make important decisions that impact their future built environment.

Andrew brings 18 years of experience in architecture and urban planning. Project highlights include the award-winning Greater Corktown Neighborhood Framework Plan in Detroit, innovation district planning work at Wake Forest Innovation Quarter, City in Philadelphia, and Discovery Partners Institute in Chicago, as well as campus plans at Florida State University, Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin, among others.

Amina Helstern, Associate Principal

Trained as an architect, Amina incorporates environmental strategies into the earliest phases of the firm’s workplace, residential, mixed-use, K-12, branded environments, sports and recreation, and affordable housing projects including EY, Thrive Englewood, and University Research Park Element Labs, and The Soul City Corridor Development Framework . As Senior Regenerative Design Advisor, she oversees high-performance energy and carbon analysis, material research, health and well-being initiatives, as well as resilience factors on a wide range of projects. She has developed tools and resources for project teams and clients to track quantitative and qualitative metrics, resulting in more positive environmental outcomes. She is also a member of the firm’s Living Design Leadership Council.

Amina works with other experts in design, sustainability, and technical execution to refine the strategic direction for the firm and, by extension, the industry. She is a Crain’s Chicago Business 2023 Notable Leader in Sustainability.

Announcing New Leadership in Our Chicago Studio

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