April 22, 2026

Perkins&Will Announces Leadership Advancements in Boston Studio

Internal promotions reflect a commitment to advancing design leadership, deepening client impact, and expanding firmwide collaboration.

Perkins&Will announces a series of leadership promotions within its Boston studio. The promotions include Abby Gillespie and Jeffrey Keilman to Principal; Chris Karlson and Ananta Sodhi to Associate Principal; Athena Patira and Dan Prager to Senior Associate; and Sarah Burrows, Lizzy Dame, Bri Dazio, and Derek Shin to Associate.

“These leaders bring targeted expertise across our practice areas, helping clients navigate complex challenges with clarity” said Vickie Alani, managing director of the Boston studio. “Their work is central to our strategy—thinking ahead, aligning teams early, and delivering more integrated outcomes.”

Together, these advancements underscore individual achievement as well as Perkins&Will’s continued focus on strengthening design leadership, deepening client relationships, and encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration across its global practice.

Abby Gillespie and Boston studio leadership posing together in an office setting.

Abby Gillespie, Principal

Abby Gillespie is the marketing director for the Boston studio, where she shapes pursuit strategy and client engagement across more than ten practice areas. With over 25 years in the industry, and nine years at Perkins&Will, she brings a deep understanding of how to position complex work in a competitive market. Abby is known for aligning teams early and translating strategy into clear, compelling narratives that strengthen both design outcomes and client connection.

Jeffrey Keilman, Principal

Jeffrey Keilman, a senior project manager, has been with Perkins&Will for 20 years, leading complex healthcare and institutional projects for clients including MaineHealth, Hartford HealthCare, UMass Chan Medical School, Mass General Brigham, and Baystate Health. Known by healthcare clients for his perspective on the future of care delivery, he guides large teams through complexity with clarity and discipline. His work includes the award-winning Malone Family Tower at Maine Medical Center, where he aligned more than 100 team members around a unified vision. He ensures design intent carries through delivery, strengthening outcomes through precision and accountability.

Jeffrey Keilman and Boston studio leadership posing together in an office setting.

Chris Karlson engaged in a discussion during a planning meeting, with architectural diagrams and a laptop in view.

Chris Karlson, Associate Principal

Chris Karlson has spent more than 17 years with Perkins&Will, contributing to civic, academic, and athletic projects including Phillips Academy Andover’s Snyder Center, Belmont Middle-High School, Columbia University’s Tennis Center, and Northeastern University’s Multipurpose Athletic Facility. As a senior project designer, he works across complex, multidisciplinary environments requiring close coordination among teams and stakeholders. Chris is known for his systems-based approach, translating complexity into clear, resilient design strategies, while contributing to firmwide design culture through collaboration and shared learning.

Ananta Sodhi, Associate Principal

Ananta Sodhi is a Senior Interior Project Designer in Perkins&Will’s Boston studio, with a decade of experience focused in higher education, including residence halls at Weill Cornell Medicine and Samford University as well as the Academic Success Building for Purdue University. She collaborates across disciplines and studios to shape integrated, human-centered design solutions. Ananta is known for bringing early clarity to complex programs, developing spatial frameworks that guide both vision and execution.

Ananta Sodhi discussing with teammates at a table covered with drawings and notes. Office setting with modern design elements.

Athena Patira, Dan Prager, Senior Associate; Sarah Burrows, Lizzy Dame, Bri Dazio, and Derek Shin, Associate

Athena Patira, Dan Prager, Sarah Burrows, Lizzy Dame, Bri Dazio, and Derek Shin represent established talent across the Boston studio, with expertise spanning Digital Practice, Higher Education, Workplace, and K–12 Education. They play a critical role in advancing strategic initiatives and delivering design work in close partnership with studio leadership.

Collectively, this group strengthens the studio’s integration of design thinking, technical expertise, and delivery across disciplines and markets, reinforcing its ability to scale impact across complex project types.

“These leaders reflect the depth and range of talent shaping the future of Perkins&Will,” said Patrick Cunningham, the Boston studio’s design director. “What connects them is clarity of thinking—strategic, collaborative, and grounded in responsibility to clients and communities. They strengthen our work by sharpening ideas, expanding perspective, mentoring teams, and elevating how design is delivered across the studio and the firm.”

Perkins&Will Announces Leadership Advancements in Boston Studio

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