THE STAFF
Jacquelyn Bertolini, Interior Design Associate
Jackie Bertolini joined Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA in October 2007. Her responsibilities include interior design and administration for residential and commercial projects. Jackie is currently working on interiors for The Patterson Club in Fairfield, Connecticut and residences in Newport, Rhode Island.
Jackie attended Savannah College of Art and Design where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design. During her education, she studied in France and interned for Oakleigh Interiors in Morristown, New Jersey. After graduation, Jackie worked for Jerry Rose Floral and Event Design in Maplewood, New Jersey.
Originally from Warren, New Jersey, Jackie is a spokesperson and volunteer for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation North Jersey Affiliate.
Carl Carfi, Senior Architectural Associate
Carl Carfi has been with the firm since 1999. He started as an intern and began full time in September 2007. His responsibilities include the design, production and construction administration of residential projects. Carl is currently working on residences in Kiawah Island, South Carolina; Newport, Rhode Island; and Westport, Connecticut.
Prior to joining the firm, Carl attended Fordham University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Art History. He then received a Masters of Architecture from New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Gary Chase, Senior Architectural Associate
Gary Chase joined Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA in October 2004. He is a member of the design team and is responsible for design and project administration for residential and commercial buildings. Gary is currently working on private residences in Connecticut and the renovation of Nantucket Yacht Club in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Previously, Gary attended Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, Massachusetts in 1999 where he studied Architectural Engineering and then continued his education at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island where he earned a Bachelor of Architecture Degree in 2004.
Amanda Cizek has been with Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA since November 2006. She oversees all office management and is also the assistant to Mark Finlay.
Prior to joining the firm, Amanda worked at Bernstein Investment Research and Management as Senior Administrative Assistant and eventually as an Executive Assistant to the Vice Chairman of Alliance Bernstein. She also worked for seven years in the entertainment industry as an assistant to a theatre and television director where she worked in regional theatre, Broadway and episodic television.
Amanda received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Theatre Arts from Hartwick College.
Charles Fazekas, Senior Architectural Associate, IT Professional
Charles Fazekas joined Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA in 2000. His responsibilities include production and managing residential and commercial projects. Charles also has over ten years of experience in Information Technology and manages all IT for the firm’s Connecticut and New York offices.
Previously, Charles was with the firm Kasper and Associates out of Bridgeport, Connecticut for five years. He attended Waterbury State College where he earned an Associate Degree in CADD Engineering.
Jennifer Hermsen, Architectural Asssociate
Jennifer Hermsen has been with the firm since August 2008. Her responsibilities include design, production, and construction administration of residential projects. She is currently working on residences in Stratton, Vermont and Greenwich, Connecticut.
Prior to joining the firm, Jen attended the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture and graduated with high honors. Jen was also a member of the American Institute of Architects Student Chapter.
Shannon Horsley, Publicist & Business Development Assistant
Shannon Horsley joined Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA in October 2006. Her responsibilities include managing all media, publicity, photography and coordinating business development strategies for the Connecticut and New York offices.
Previously, Shannon worked for Moore Media Relations in San Diego as a Public Relations Coordinator.
Shannon received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications and Public Relations from the University of Rhode Island where she graduated Suma Cum Laude. During her time at URI, she studied in Australia for one semester concentrating in journalism and also interned at RDW Group, a Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations Firm in Providence, Rhode Island.
Maureen Kokorda, Senior Interior Design Associate
Maureen Kokorda has been with Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA since 1988 when she began as an intern, and finally joined the firm full time in 1998. Her responsibilities include leading a five person interior design team in design, production and administration of residential and commercial projects. Maureen is currently working on residences in Connecticut and Vermont.
Previously, Maureen attended Wellesley College where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Architecture in 1989. During her studies, she interned at Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA and continued after graduation for one year. She took a leave of absence to start a family before she returned full time.
Kurt Larson, Architectural Associate
Kurt Larson is the newest member of the Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA team. Joining the firm in November 2009, his responsibilities include design and construction administration for residential and commercial projects.
Previously Kurt worked for Centerbrook Architects and Planners, LLC for three years where he was responsible for several institutional projects including Yale University Indoor Tennis Center and Football Stadium additions and renovations. He also worked at Newport Collaborative Architects, Inc., where he was responsible for drafting and design development of several commercial, residential and master planning projects.
Kurt attended Roger Williams Univeristy in Bristol, Rhode Island where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture with a minor in Art and Architectural History and a Masters of Architecture. During his education, Kurt studied in Florence Italy and interned at Bianco Giolitto Weston Architects and AE Design. He also owned a business called Pride Property Maintenance and Improvement where he was a head designer and contractor.
Matt Lian, Senior Architectural Associate
Matthew Lian joined the firm in 2001. He is responsible for design, production and administration of several large residential projects. Currently, Matt is working on private residences in Connecticut and Vermont.
Prior to Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA, Matt graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Architecture in 2001. During his studies, he volunteered for Habitat for Humanity in Lexington, Kentucky and was a member of the American Institute of Architects Student Chapter. Matt attended high school at Fairfield Prep where he began his Habitat for Humanity work and took part in several projects in New Haven, Connecticut.
Thomas Lucas, Senior Architectural Associate
Thomas Lucas has been with Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA asince 2004. His responsibilities include design, production and construction administration of residential and commercial projects. Thomas is currently working on several residences in New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Previously with the firm of Bridges, Marsh & Associates in Palm Beach, Florida, for three years, Thomas gained a great deal of experience in high-end custom residential design.
Thomas graduated from Porter & Chester Institute in Connecticut with an Associate’s Degree in Architectural Engineering. He furthered his education taking classes in Architectural Design through The Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America where he attended classes and lectures taught by Andrés Duany. Before working in architectural firms, Thomas spent twelve years in the construction business at Sage Construction in Stamford, Connecticut.
Jason McLevy, Senior Architectural Associate
Jason McLevy joined Mark P. Finlay Architects in 2003. He is responsible for construction administration of several commercial projects. He was the project manager for 1020 Post Road, a commercial project completed in 2009 that revitalized downtown Darien, Connecticut. Jason is currently working on The Patterson Club in Fairfield, Connecticut and several new commercial buildings in Darien, Connecticut.
Prior to joining Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA, Jason worked on municipal buildings for Thomas Lonardo & Associates in Cranston, Rhode Island for two years. He also worked at Westview Gardens in Plainfield, Connecticut where he started a horticulture business. He gained nine years of experience here starting while he was in school.
Jason attended New England Institute of Technology in Cranston, Rhode Island and graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Architecture.
Matthew McMaster, Architectural Associate
Matthew McMaster joined the firm full time in July 2009. His responsibilities include production for residential and commercial projects.
Previously, Matt attended Hobart College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Architecture. During his studies, he interned at Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA for two summers. Matt is in the process of applying to graduate architecture programs.
Maggie Neary, Interior Design Associate
Maggie Neary has been with the firm since November of 2007. Her responsibilities include design, production and administration of residential projects. Maggie is currently working on several residences in Asheville, North Carolina and New Canaan, Connecticut.
Prior to joining the firm, Maggie attended Drexel University in Philidelphia where she received a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design with a minor in Art History. During her studies she interned at Teknika Design Group as an assistant designer and also assisted Pam Sperling, a freelance fabric representative also in Philadelphia.
Eugene Pletner, Architectural Associate
Eugene Pletner joined the firm in July 2008. He is responsible for production and construction administration of several residential projects. He is currently working on residences in Connecticut and Vermont.
Previously, Eugene attended The University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning where he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Architecture. During his studies, he was a Mentor for American Institute of Architecture Student Chapter (AIAS), and a member of the Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. He also interned abroad in Saint Petersburg, Russia in the summer of 2006 and at Vincente-Burin Architects, a custom residential firm, in Fairfield, CT.
Originally from the Republic of Moldova, Eugene moved to the United States with his family in 1991.
Shaun Ramke, Architectural Associate
Shaun Ramke joined Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA in July 2008. He is responsible for production and construction administration for several residential and commercial projects and is currently working on several residences in Newport, Rhode Island and New Canaan, Connecticut. Prior to joining the firm, Shaun worked as a quality check professional at AK Steel Company in Ohio.
Shaun attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Architecture and a minor in Landscape Architecture. During his studies, he interned at Rogero & Buckman Associates in Dayton, Ohio and received Honorable Mention in the Ohio Valley Creative Energy (OVCE) Art Center Design Competition. He also co-founded the Miami University Club Football Team.
Shaun lives in Fairfield with his wife and two daughters.
Thomas Stalzer, Senior Architectural Associate
Thomas Stalzer joined Mark Finlay Architects, AIA in April of 2007. His responsibilities include design and construction administration of residential projects and of the firm’s New York City projects. Thomas is currently working on residences in Stratton, Vermont; Asheville, North Carolina; and Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
Prior to joining the firm, Thomas was as an Associate with Costas Kondylis and Partners where he had the opportunity to manage the residential conversion of the historical New York City landmark: The Woolworth Building.
Thomas received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from New York Institute of Technology and is an associate member of the AIA. Thomas lives in Rowayton with his wife and two sons.
Deborah Tilford, Interior Designer
Debbie Tilford has been with Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA since August 1994. Her responsibilities include interior design and administration of residential and commercial projects. Debbie is currently working on several residences in Connecticut and North Carolina. She is also working on the Patterson Club in Fairfield, Connecticut.
Prior to joining the firm, Debbie graduated from Becker Junior College in Worcester Massachusetts with an Associate Degree in Interior Design and then continued her studies at Winthrop University in South Carolina where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design, a FIDER (Foundation for Interior Design Education Research) Accredited school. Debbie is also certified by the National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ).
Erin Turner, Administrative Assistant
Erin Turner joined Mark P. Finlay Architects, AIA in January 2008.
Prior to joining the firm, Erin worked for a large non-profit organization in Connecticut where she was in charge of special events and publicity. She also owned her own catering and special events business based out of Philadelphia and Palm Beach.
Erin graduated from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Art History with a minor in English Literature.
