Meet The DC Team: Amanda

Name: Amanda Castelli

Number of years at DC: 2+

Title: Landscape Designer

Where are you from? Originally, I am from a small town, Rillton, which is located outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I moved to Colorado 7 years ago and never left!

Where did you go to school? For my undergraduate degree I attended Pennsylvania State University and received a degree in Environmental Resource Management and a minor in Geographical Information Systems (GIS). For my graduate work, I attended Colorado University – Denver and received a Master of Landscape Architecture and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning.

What's one thing you can't live without? Where to begin? Professionally, I would say I cannot live without my computer. Personally, I can not live without my family. I talk to my mom, dad and sister practically everyday.

Where is the farthest you have traveled? In college, my husband studied abroad in Australia and I traveled to see him for about two weeks, we had a great time.

What's your favorite food? Nothing beats a slice of east coast pizza, hands down, thin crust pizza is the only pizza. What’s up with dipping your crust in Coloroado?

What's your favorite part of working at Design Concepts? My favorite part of working at Design Concepts is the people. It was one of the major reasons why I took the job. Everyone is willing to help and share their knowledge and experience, which only helps everyone grow professionally.

What would you do with $1 million?

1. Pay off any dept for me and my family
2. Buy my parents an awesome retirement home
3. Travel wherever I wanted
4. Give some to charity or set up scholarships for college students
5. Buy a cupcake store
6. Hire a chef, I can’t cook!

What inspires you? Nature, family, friends, music, art, food….

What's one totally random fact about yourself? I am addicted to flavored seltzer water; there are probably about 10 cans of it in my recycling bin.

Meet The DC Team: Scott

Name: Scott Hodson

Number of years at DC: 3 years

Title: Landscape Architect (in-training)

Where are you from? Lafayette, IN

Where did you got to school? Purdue University

Do you have any pets? What are they like? I have a black Lab named Luna. Great laid back personality and temperament. She does not mind kids climbing and sitting on her. She loves to catch bubbles in her mouth.

What's one thing you can't live without? Family. My wife and two kids are very important to me. I could give up anything else in life to keep our family strong.

Where is the farthest you have traveled? Northern Alaska. My wife Melissa and I took this trip back in summer of 2004. Little did we know it would be our last for quite a while because we found out she was pregnant soon after the trip. It was amazing to see true wilderness where wildlife is preserved and roads are few.

What's your favorite food? Fondue. Favorite restaurant is The Melting Pot. We have two pots at home and have customized recipes for cheese, meat and chocolate fondue. If it is my wedding anniversary you know where to find me.

What's your favorite part of working at Design Concepts? DC provides opportunities to work on multiple teams in a meaningful manner. There is freedom to express interest in certain realms and pursue those aspirations. It is not the type of firm that manages from the top down in a pyramid scheme. DC has the reputation that it is capable of winning a great project. Working in a creative and fun office culture. Most DC projects get built.

What would you do with $1 million? Pay off all of my debts would be priority number 1. Then I would buy a house for my parents so that they could retire and move out to Colorado. Since I have not done much travelling outside of the U.S. I would take some time to travel around the world. I have always wanted to see the Himalayan Region.

If you could be a professional athlete, what sport would you play? I grew up in Indiana. Enough said. Basketball is a major part of the Midwest culture. We had a lighted 30’x50’ pole in the barn with a concrete floor and a basketball hoop. I hosted pick-up games most days after school. My hometown was not quite 2 hours from Chicago. I was a teenager when Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls won 6 championships.

What inspires you? Nature is a spectacular thing. I love hiking and backpacking, which is why I moved to Colorado in the first place. To get away from people and out into beautiful outdoor environments is inspiring on many levels. I am part of a volunteer group called Poudre Wilderness Volunteers which enables me to get out and enjoy wilderness while giving back to the community by educating people about the national forest.

What's one totally random fact about yourself? I was the first person under 18 years of age to ride more than 1,000 miles in the Wabash River Cycle Club. As a member of the club, each organized ride accumulated miles over the course of a year, from January to January. I logged more than 3,500 total miles for that entire year.

Meet the DC Team: Linda

Name: Linda Anderson-Biella

Number of years at DC:  Started in January 1993; 16 years.

Title: Administrative Associate – overall office management; proposals/marketing; bookkeeping; some aspects of human resources.

Where are you from? Colorado Native - Born in Boulder; never lived anywhere but Colorado – why would I?  It’s a great, beautiful state.

Where did you got to school? Fairview High School, graduated 1988.

Do you have any pets? What are they like? Currently “petless” except for 35 head of angus cattle my husband and I own (photo: one of the older cows in the herd).

What's one thing you can't live without? Family and friends; connection to country living and values.

Where is the farthest you have traveled? Sweden, 1988 (only place outside of US I’ve traveled).  Went to Alaska in 2006, will definitely go back.

What's your favorite food? Steak; chips & salsa!  Least favorite - sushi.

What's your favorite part of working at Design Concepts?  People; location; the types of projects.

What would you do with $1 million?  Pay off debts; buy a cabin in the mountains; donate to a cause I believe in; travel; quit my job!

If you could be a professional athlete, what sport would you play? Hockey.

Meet the DC Team: Dave

Dave Peterson has worked at DC since August 2004. Lately he has been serving as a Jack-of-all-trades aiding with city submittals and the logistics of getting projects underway and seeing that they are completed.

Now, however, he is transitioning into working with GRASP (Geo-Referenced Amenities Standard Program) which works with GreenPlay and Geowest, Inc. on the master planning for future park and recreation systems, which includes assessment of needs and level of service analysis. The first GRASP project to which Dave is contributing is in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he, Rob, and Amanda are working initially to create Geographical Information Systems showing Tulsa’s existing parks and rec inventory. The inventory is then given ratings related to how the different elements are functioning in the community so that DC and others working on the project can give recommendations for overall improvements. This information is then given to city officials who use it to decide how best to advance the overall parks and recreation system in their city.

Recently Dave was able to take a break from all he does at Design Concepts to return to Cancun for a week, where he enjoyed the limited crowds, ocean views, and a chance for some rest and relaxation.

Shanen Named Principal

This past January Shanen, a 15 year Design Concepts veteran, joined founding Principals Axel and Robby and managing Principal Carol as the firm’s newest Principal.

Shanen first joined the DC team in 1994, having graduated from Colorado State University where an interest in art and Earth sciences led her to landscape architecture—a field in which she found she could combine the two. She has since cultivated an enthusiasm for horticulture and design with plants.

Throughout her career here Shanen has developed a passion for park and playground design, where she has been able to incorporate children and education into natural environments. When asked to cite specific projects for which she and DC have done this, Shanen is quick to name Centennial Park in Rifle. Centennial Park’s phase two includes plans for a playground which will carry themes of time and history. Willow Farm Park in Longmont also integrates a historical theme.

Shanen’s next big project is the renovation of Adams 12 School District’s campuses. DC has already created the master plans and construction documents for the renovation. As tax funding has been put on hold Shanen is now working with schools to target specific components of play equipment and play areas to meet new district standards until new bond initiatives make more money available for the planned complete renovation.

In her new role as a Principal Shanen looks forward to helping Carol manage the firm. As Design Concepts evolves and transitions to coming generations and the founders look toward the future of the company, Shanen feels that with her, Carol, and others moving forward the firm is being placed safely into the hands of people who share the firm’s founding ethics and values.