Nationally recognized architecture and interior design firm Dyer Brown has announced the promotion of five architects and interior designers making exceptional contributions in innovation and project delivery. Noted by the Boston- and Atlanta-based firm as critical to recent success and growth, the firm’s partners have elevated Kara Hanson, IIDA, to associate; Laurel Christensen, AIA, WELL AP, to sustainable design lead; Brittany Morgan, AIA, to project manager; Rachel Giorgi, NCIDQ, to interior designer; and Emily Washek, Assoc. IIDA, to the role of assistant interior designer. 

Announced by the president of Dyer Brown, Brent Zeigler, AIA, IIDA, the promotions confer expanded responsibilities for these successful professionals. The promotions “enhance Dyer Brown’s abilities to meet client goals and achieve design excellence in their work for building owners, businesses, and institutions,” says the firm.

At the same time, Dyer Brown congratulated to two of the five elevated professionals for recent major accomplishments: Kara Hanson has been inaugurated as president of the New England chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA New England), for a one-year term starting July 1, 2021. In addition, Laurel Christensen has attained her WELL professional accreditation, designated as WELL AP, indicating her knowledge and experience with designing healthy buildings and interior spaces.

“As a design-driven organization, we at Dyer Brown are committed to developing and furthering the careers of our team members in ways that foster our ability to service client needs and strengthen those relationships,” says the president Zeigler. “These five individuals regularly demonstrate qualities that owners, developers, institutions, and corporate clients depend on Dyer Brown to deliver: a commitment to developing leading-edge solutions that produce inspiring and highly functional spaces, and a passion for the kind of visioning and engagement that are the hallmarks of effective design processes.”

Zeigler added congratulations for Kara Hanson in leading IIDA New England, and the achievement by Laurel Christensen with her new WELL accreditation. “These accomplishments reinforce why our clients have entrusted these design leaders and Dyer Brown with large-scale project management roles and increased responsibilities over time,” adds Zeigler. Details on the five team members follow.

  • Kara Hanson, IIDA, brings more than fifteen years of professional experience to her role as associate and senior project manager. Through the firm’s Asset Design + Support studio, she focuses on collaboration, engagement, and project delivery for Dyer Brown’s owner, developer, and tenant firm clients. A graduate of the Wentworth Institute of Technology, Hanson oversees projects from visioning through construction, excelling in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment. Her parallel commitment to the advancement of others in the interior design profession has made her an invaluable asset not only for Dyer Brown but also for IIDA New England, leading her to her current role as that chapter’s president.
  • Laurel Christensen, AIA, WELL AP, brings her passion for end-user wellbeing and environmental responsibility to her new role as project manager and sustainable design leader for the organization. In addition to working closely with property owners and business leaders on repositioning projects and workplace design, she also helps advise clients and project teams on how to develop and meet sustainability and materials health goals. Christensen serves as chair of the mindfulMATERIALS Outreach Working Group and the Boston Reuse Subcommittee of the Carbon Leadership Forum. A Master of Architecture recipient from the University of Kentucky, her industry experience includes work as both a designer and an industrial product manufacturer’s representative. Christensen is a frequent speaker on materials health and sustainability topics for professional audiences. 
  • Brittany Morgan, AIA, takes on her new role of project manager in Dyer Brown’s Asset Design + Support Services studio armed with a Master of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology and more than eight years of professional experience focused on design and project delivery. She is currently working on workplace, spec suite and marketing suite projects, collaborating closely with tenants, owners, and developers. Morgan’s experience prior to joining Dyer Brown includes residential mixed-use buildings, historic preservation and commercial interiors. 
  • Rachel Giorgi, NCIDQ, brings broad experience with multiple project types to her new role as interior designer with the Corporate Services studio, from contributing to innovative workplace designs to helping manage challenging restroom renovations. Bringing a passion for creative design solutions to every project, Giorgi demonstrates noteworthy responsiveness to client concerns and needs. A graduate of the Wentworth Institute of Technology, Giorgi is currently at work on higher education and corporate office projects. 
  • Emily Washek, Assoc. IIDA, brings direct experience in corporate, higher education, and hospitality interiors to her new role of assistant interior designer. Working with the Dyer Brown team primarily through the firm’s Corporate Services studio, she contributes to the creation of inspiring spaces for a range of client types. While servicing regional and national accounts, Washek makes time to stay an active member of IIDA New England’s Student Affairs Committee. A 2018 IIDA Emerging Leader, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Endicott College.