Albert de Santis

Senior Architect

Everyone loves to be on Al’s team. Creative and design savvy, he leads by encouraging his colleagues to think outside the proverbial box. Clients appreciate Al’s easy-going nature as he tackles the tough assignments to get things done with an unflappable demeanor.

Alex Frank

Office Ambassador

As our Office Ambassador, Alex's skills and extensive history in customer service keep TCF running efficiently. While gaining hands-on experience through her work here, she is simultaneously pursuing her communications degree. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, writing, and learning new concepts and skills. You can often find her weightlifting, hiking, and designing virtual houses.

Aliyana Forest

Designer

A Tacoma native inspired by the art, design, and culture of the “City of Destiny,” Aliyana discovered her passion for architecture through programs like ACE and Next Move. These experiences helped shape a vision rooted in inclusivity. Now pursuing her Bachelor of Architecture degree online, Aliyana brings strong prioritization skills, professionalism, and creative thinking to her work. She approaches design as both a problem‑solving process and a human‑centered practice. Equally passionate about mentoring design students and serving as a resource for her community, she uses architecture as a tool for meaningful change.

Ally Beardemphl

NCIDQ

Manager of Interior Design

Ally is inspired by how thoughtful design shapes the way people move, work, and feel in a space. She brings a warm, people-focused perspective to every project, pairing functional clarity with a careful eye for materials, color, and the subtle details that elevate daily experience. She sees interior design as a kind of storytelling, creating spaces that feel intuitive, purposeful, and closely connected to the people they serve.

A Tacoma native, her connection to the city guides her commitment to crafting interiors that genuinely support their communities. Her work is grounded in practicality and a deep respect for the people who inhabit each place, drawing steady inspiration from Tacoma’s trails and the Puget Sound; landscapes that continue to shape her approach to design that feels authentic and enduring.

Amanda Stanton

Designer

Amanda combines her passion for sustainable design and mass timber with a focus on innovative, environmentally-conscious architecture. Her ongoing relationship with the TallWood Design Institute continues to influence both academic and professional practices in the field.

Outside of work, Amanda is an avid photographer, capturing landscapes and architecture with an eye for detail. Originally from Boulder City, Nevada, she enjoys spending time with her horse and exploring new places with her camera.

Andrew Hickman

Senior Project Manager | IT Director

Across nearly three decades of dedication to TCF, Andrew has managed the delivery of the majority of TCF’s complex renovation projects. He is accustomed to working with all levels of stakeholders to understand needs, seek creative solutions and address technical challenges to increase impact and maximize longevity. A seasoned problem solver, Andrew’s portfolio of experience includes new elementary school projects, historic renovations, and modernizations for unique secondary programs.

Current and recent projects:

Highline School District

Parkside Elementary School Replacement

Midway Heights Elementary School Replacement

Cedarhurst Heights Elementary School Replacement

North Hill Elementary School Replacement

Lopez Island School District

Lopez School Modernization/Expansion

Olympia School District

Knox Center Renovation

Knox Gym Renovation

Phased Renovations at L.P. Brown Elementary School

Peninsula School District

Kopachuck Middle School

Key Peninsula Middle School Renovation/Addition

Seattle Public Schools

Historic Webster School Renovation/Addition

Seattle World School Renovation of T.T. Minor

NOVA High School Renovation of Historic Mann

Improvements for ORCA @ Columbia School

Meany Middle School Renovations

Chief Sealth High School Renovation

Improvements to dozens of other existing schools for the District

Andrew Tesmacher

Designer

Originally from Florida’s Space Coast, Andrew’s early perspective was shaped by the scale and possibility of space exploration. That sense of curiosity led him to architecture, where he strives to do work that improves life for our current world, and sets a good example for future generations. Andrew approaches design through place-making and the user experience. His process is grounded in research, drawing insight from diverse cultures, environments, and conditions. Outside of work, Andrew is an active traveler, photographer, and artist. He draws lasting inspiration from his family roots on both coasts, including connections to the Swinomish Tribe, shaping a design approach that is both personal and grounded in respect for people and context.

Austin Flink

Graphic Designer | Creative Strategy Director

With over a decade as a graphic designer and marketing maven, Austin blends strategic storytelling with pixel-perfect visuals to captivate audiences and drive brand success. Beyond the studio, you’ll find him wielding a hammer in his woodshop or charting adventures in the great outdoors, where creativity knows no bounds.

Brian Ho

AIA, ALEP, LEED AP, DBIA

Managing Principal

Brian’s work is grounded in a deep understanding of how people experience place. As a Principal focused on K–12 design, he partners closely with owners, educators, and stakeholders to shape environments that are both purposeful and adaptable. His experience across Progressive Design-Build, GC/CM, and public bid delivery allows him to guide projects with clarity, balancing budget, schedule, and site-specific challenges to reach thoughtful, well-resolved outcomes.

Known for his approachable communication style and solutions-focused mindset, Brian builds trust across teams and keeps projects moving forward with confidence. That perspective extends beyond the studio. Whether navigating open water, reading shifting conditions on a ski slope, or cultivating growth in the garden, he brings the same attentiveness and discipline to his work. These experiences sharpen his ability to anticipate change, stay focused under pressure, and respond with clarity, resulting in learning environments that are resilient, sustainable, intuitive, and connected to the natural world.

Current and recent projects:

Bremerton School District

Long Range Facilities Master Plan

Armin Jahr Elementary School

View Ridge Elementary Arts Academy

Tacoma Public Schools / Port of Tacoma

Maritime|253 Skills Center

Tacoma Public Schools

Bryant Montessori School

Oakland Secondary School

Downing Elementary School

Browns Point Elementary School

Peninsula School District

Evergreen Elementary School

Pioneer Elementary School

Kopachuck Middle School

Key Peninsula Middle School Renovation/Addition

Mount Vernon School District

Mount Vernon High School

Remodel, Mount Vernon High School’s Administration Building

Harriet Rowley Elementary School

Madison Elementary School

Seattle Public Schools

Webster School for Licton Springs K8

Tumwater School District

Peter G. Schmidt Elementary School Replacement

Littlerock Elementary School Replacement

East Olympia Elementary School Modernization

Tumwater Hill Elementary School Modernization

Tahoma School District

Lake Wilderness Elementary School

Olympia School District:

Olympia Regional Learning Academy

Ocosta School District

Ocosta Elementary School Replacement

Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound, 3 New Community Centers

Lakewood Branch, Lakewood WA

Cheney Family Branch, Gig Harbor WA

Henry T. Schatz Branch, Tacoma WA

Brie Braukmann

AIA

Architect

Returning to TCF where her career began, Brie infuses fresh perspective from her recent urban planning work to the design of schools and industrial campuses. Based in Gig Harbor, Brie is passionate about incorporating community needs in design, focusing on sustainable futures, and seeking balance among work, family, and her exploration of new hobbies.

Bryan Perez

Architect

Bryan is the kind of designer who thinks about people first. He is always seeking to learn more from the communities involved, what they need, and how he can serve them, and striving to incorporate his love of traveling, music, and food into the research process. His career has stretched from the West Coast to the Midwest, taking him from hand-drafting small renovations to a diversity of experiences spanning churches, fire stations, daycares, and single-family homes. Across all projects, his throughline remains the same: a genuine investment in humanity. He brings curiosity and warmth to every collaboration, finding as much value in the conversation as in the result.

Caitlin Regan

Specifications Manager

As an Architect with 10 years of experience, Caitlin understands the importance of specifications to the construction process. She thrives in the technical aspects of design and views specifications as an opportunity for the design team to articulate exactly what they want from the project, knowing that the better the team is at explaining what they want to the contractor, the closer the result will be to the desired vision. Caitlin has an interest in learning about construction materials, finishes, and furniture.

Camila Carvajal

Designer

Having designed in Ecuador, Buenos Aires, and France, Camila is dedicated to enhancing communities through a combination of human sensitivity and technical expertise. Camila’s background in leading multidisciplinary teams across several countries has equipped her with the tools to collaborate effectively and advance projects with a flexible mindset and a strong understanding of core challenges. She specializes in human-centered urban, housing, and civil projects, achieving high levels of optimization and engineering performance.

Growing up in a family of passionate architects and being involved in projects has been part of Camila’s life for as long as she can remember. From a young age, she understood that architecture requires hard work and dedication; however, the deep growth that comes from facing challenges in practice has given her the opportunity to continuously learn and engage meaningfully with communities. Camila also participates in a variety of outdoor activities and hands-on artistic projects. Swimming, tennis, biking, photography, ceramics, and woodworking have all been great sources of inspiration for her work.

Coreen Van Ausdell

AIA, Assoc. DBIA

Architect | Environmental Design Director

Coreen brings a steady, organized approach to guiding projects through every phase of design and construction. She is skilled at managing critical path milestones and coordinating teams to keep work moving forward smoothly and efficiently.

Over the course of her career in planning and design for projects within the public sector, Coreen has developed a strong commitment to client engagement and to creating environments that support organizational culture and morale. She works closely with project teams, clients, and consultants to balance ideas, goals, and practical constraints, helping projects move from early planning through construction with clarity and purpose.

Outside of the office, Coreen works to quiet her busy mind by actively seeking out joy: drinking her coffee hot with whipped cream, getting lost in a book or print magazine, loud dance parties at home with her family, or puttering around a well-curated local shop in search of treasures.

Current and recent projects:

Chelan County PUD

Chelan County PUD Service Center

City of Bothell

Shop 1 Building Programming & Design

City of Camas

Public Works Operations Site & Space Needs Study

City of Vancouver Public Works

Maintenance & Operations Campus

Link Transit

EV Bus Garage Building Programming, Design, & Construction

Snohomish County PUD

Space Needs, Master Planning Programming Study

Pacific Box Company

Interior and Exterior Office Renovation

Cristian Ortega

Designer | Design Continuity Manager

Born and raised in the culturally rich landscapes of Mexico, Cristian pays homage to his heritage by infusing architectural elements of his ancestry into design. While at Washington State University attaining his bachelor’s degree, his capstone project won a collaboration with Vulcan Real Estate, and he was named Architecture Student of the Year for 2022. Cristian has a keen eye for fashion, this inspires his explorations with patterns, forms, and colors in architecture as well as his stylish outfits at the office.

Dakota Witte

Designer

A recent graduate of Washington State University, Dakota blends architecture and engineering experience with a passion for design leadership. Awarded the Alpha Rho Chi Bronze Medal, he’s led volunteer projects and held key roles in student organizations. Outside of work, hiking and building mini ecosystems of terrariums and nano fish tanks fuel his design inspiration, helping to create spaces that connect people with their surroundings.

People

Nice to Meet You!

Albert de Santis

Alex Frank

Aliyana Forest

Ally Beardemphl

Amanda Stanton

Andrew Hickman

Andrew Tesmacher

Austin Flink

Brian Ho

Brie Braukmann

Bryan Perez

Caitlin Regan

Camila Carvajal

Coreen Van Ausdell

Cristian Ortega

Dakota Witte