Executive Board

Maria Denegri, BA , BArch, MArch, OAA, RAIC

Maria Denegri is a partner in Denegri Bessai Studio. She is a registered Architect with the OAA in the province of Ontario and member of the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada. Maria Denegri holds a professional degree in Architecture from the University of British Columbia, and completed graduate studies in Architecture and Urbanism at the UPC, Technical University of Catalonia, in Barcelona. She worked for several prominent architects in Canada, USA and abroad before establishing Maria Denegri Architect in 2008. In 2013 Maria and her partner, Tom Bessai, established Denegri Bessai Studio in 2013. Maria has been a lecturer at the John H Daniels Faculty of Architecture since 2002. In 2012 Maria joined the TSA Executive. In 2013 she took on the coordination of the Urban Affairs Forums, which she has continued to oversee. Maria served as Vice-Chair from 2014 to 2016 helping manage the TSA's initiatives and the overall direction of the Society. In 2017 Maria was elected as the TSA Chair.

 

 

 

Megan Torza, OAA, MRAIC, LEED AP BD+C

Megan Torza is a partner at DTAH whose professional focus lies in community-based projects, with a particular interest in adaptive reuse, innovative housing models as well as environments for children. Past project experience includes the Market Commons affordable housing project in downtown Guelph, the Dane Avenue Child Care for the City of Toronto, and the Artscape Wychwood Barns and Evergreen Brick Works projects - both award-winning, LEED certified examples of the creative adaptive reuse of abandoned industrial facilities for not-for-profit clients in the Toronto area. Megan is currently member of the Vaughan Design Review Panel, and a regular architecture and urban design critic and guest lecturer at the Universities of Toronto, Waterloo, Carleton and Ryerson. Megan has been on the TSA Executive since 2012 where she has managed numerous initiatives including Urban Affairs and Ideas Forums, collaboration with Toronto Offsite Design Festival, and an intensive research initiative to catalog and share much of the TSA's historic records through a blog series.

 

 

 

Charles Lau, OAA MRAIC LEED® AP

Charles Lau has been serving on the TSA executive board since January 2012, leading the TSA Building Tours programme and liaising with Ryerson University for their Toronto building inventory online application. Charles is a registered architect with the OAA and an associate at DIALOG, bringing both Canadian and international experience in sustainable and integrated design to commercial and higher education developments. Charles participates in continued mentorship activities of both architectural interns and international architects within the community.

 

 

 

 

 

Heather Dubbeldam, OAA, FRAIC, LEED AP

Heather Dubbeldam is a Past Chair of the Toronto Society of Architects from 2011-2013, a Vice Chair from 2006-2010 and an Executive board member since 2001. She is the principal of DUBBELDAM Architecture + Design, a multi-disciplinary design studio in Toronto with projects ranging from single and multi- family housing, to commercial and institutional renovations, and including landscape, furniture and installation design.

In addition to her role at the TSA, Heather is Vice-Chair of the Design Industry Advisory Committee, a member of the Ryerson University Program Advisory Council, and Director of Twenty + Change, a national organization dedicated to promoting emerging Canadian architects. She is the co-editor and co-author of several architecture and design publications, and regularly makes time to mentor architecture interns and participate in design charettes and juries, speaking engagements, and as a guest critic at schools of architecture.

 

 

Antonio Gomez-Palacio, Arq. MES, RPP, MCIP, MRAIC

Antonio Gomez-Palacio is a past Chair of the TSA (2007-2008) and now sits on the executive board in an advisory role. He is a founding partner of DIALOG and also formerly of Office for Urbanism. His professional focus is on the intersection of architecture, planning, and urban design, and he has a wide range of experience in urban intensification, mixed-use, community economic development, transit, sustainable development and heritage projects. Antonio is currently the Chair of the City of Vaughan Design Review Panel and a regular speaker on planning and building cities, campuses, and urban environments, using approaches and concepts that enhance social and economic vitality.

 

 

 

 

Bindya Lad, BES, MArch, OAA

Bindya Lad served as the Secretary of the Toronto Society of Architects from 2007 to 2011 and now sits on the executive board. Bindya has recently been named an associate at Toronto-based practice Superkül. She has previously held positions with Quadrangle Architects, Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, the Planning and Building Department at the City of Mississauga, the Planning Division at the Town of Oakville, and Meridian Planning Consultants. Her project experience has been focused on urban intensification, master planning, mixed-use, transit, heritage, and sustainability; her interests include design and discussion aimed at raising the public’s awareness of the architectural profession and increasing the accessibility of architecture.

 

 

 

 

Kevin McIntosh

Kevin has actively served on the TSA executive board since 2005, primarily managing online activities including online membership registration & sales, event ticketing, and social media. He has also been instrumental in the development and leadership of the Toronto Architecture Tours program since its inception in 2009, as well as leading the Year End Bash organizing committee since 2012. The only non-architect on the executive board, Kevin is a partner and Vice President of business development with Cardwatch Inc, a software technology company with institutional and corporate clients across North America in the healthcare and education markets. Kevin’s enthusiasm for volunteering with the TSA is fueled by his interest in architecture and a career path not taken.

 

 

 

Adam Thom, BFA, MArch, OAA, RAIC

Adam Thom has been serving on the TSA executive board since 2012 and leads the TSA Architects’ Studio Tours programme in conjunction with Doors Open Toronto. As a registered architect and also a practising sculptor, Adam is a founding principal of AGATHOM Co., a practice forged with a passion for timeless, innovative design, rigorous planning and robust detailing. AGATHOM Co.’s portfolio includes a range of projects from single family residential to commercial, educational, hospitality and public works. Adam also volunteers as a mentor with JVS Toronto, helping to integrate internationally trained architects into the Canadian work culture.

 

 

 

 

Barbora Vokac Taylor, BSc(Arch), MArch, OAA, MRAIC, LEED AP

Barbora Vokac Taylor has been serving on the TSA executive board since 2015 and leads both the Summer Building Tour Series and, with Adam Thom, the Studio Open House programme in conjunction with Doors Open Toronto. Barbora is a registered architect and principal of Barbora Vokac Taylor Architect (BVTa:) a practice focused on residential, educational and corporate projects – new build, renovations and also interiors. The firm’s work is driven by desired user behaviours to develop elegant and successful solutions to involved design briefs. Barbora’s interests lie in promoting the value of Architecture and the role of Architects to the public. A former RAIC Syllabus mentor Barbora now sits on the Programme Advisory Committee at George Brown College where she is also a part-time professor.

 

 

 

Richard Witt, BES, BArch, FRAIC, AIBC, AAA, MAA, OAA, AANB, NSAA, LEED AP

Richard was the co-Chair of the TSA (2011-2013) and former Treasurer (2009-2010) and now sits on the executive board in an advisory role. A principal at Quadrangle Architects, he has built an international career promoting and enabling the development of cities through urban intensification, master planning, sustainable design and adaptive reuse. Richard is active in the architectural and development community. In addition to his volunteer work with the TSA, he is also Chair of the Canadian Chapter of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Co-Chair of the Urban Land Institute Outreach Committee and vice-chair of the City of Vaughan Design Review Panel.

 

 

 

Meg Graham, BES, B.Arch, MDesS, OAA, FRAIC

Meg is a past Chair of the Toronto Society of Architects from 2009–2010. She has been a principal of superkül Inc Architects since 2005, and has taught introductory and graduate-level design since 2001 at the Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto. Her professional expertise ranges from small landscape design to large, institutional-scale construction projects. Meg sits on the Harbourfront Centre’s Architecture Space Advisory Committee, acts as a Precinct Advisory Committee member of the Friends of Fort York, and volunteers as an OAA mentor.

Joe Lobko, BArch, MArch, LEED® AP, OAA, FRAIC

Joe Lobko has been involved with the TSA since 1998, first as a member of the executive board and then as TSA Chair from 2002 to 2004, where among his many achievements he oversaw the publication of the award winning TSA Toronto Architecture Guide Map. Since 2004, Joe has played a valuable advisory role as a past Chair and has been involved with work on a second edition architecture guide map and a Toronto Open Spaces guide map. Joe is a partner at DTAH, and with over 30 years of experience as an architect and urban designer, he has worked on a broad range of public and private developments, with a particular emphasis on urban design, adaptive reuse and the non-profit sector. Joe received an urban leadership award from the Canadian Urban Institute and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Sustainable Buildings Canada. He also serves on the Board of Directors for ArtsBuild Ontario and is a current member of the City of Toronto Design Review Panel.

 

 

David Sisam, OAA, AAA, LEED® AP, FRAIC

David Sisam is a TSA executive board member, who created and is leading the TSA’s Advocacy programme since 2012. David is a founding principal of Montgomery Sisam Architects, a Toronto based firm with over 35 years experience in the fields of healthcare, education, urban infrastructure and housing. David has recently been focusing on the impact of urban form on public health and sustainable design, and is a regular speaker on this subject. He has also taught, lectured and been a visiting critic at various architecture schools including the University of Toronto, Dalhousie University, the University of Waterloo and Ryerson University. He currently sits on the City of Toronto Design Review Panel.

 

 

Jason Dobbin, BArch, OAA, MRAIC, AIA

Jason is currently a principal at Montgomery Sisam and served as TSA Chair from 2014 to 2016. A strong advocate for design awareness within North American communities, Jason has developed an interest and area of expertise in higher education, urban infrastructure, and housing. He is also is a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) providing advice, feedback and guidance to the City of Toronto and Waterfront Toronto for the Gardiner Express Way / Lakeshore Boulevard East Reconfiguration Environmental Assessment and Integrated Urban Design Study.

 

 

 

Max McQuinn, BA, MArch

Max has served as the Executive Administrator for the Toronto Society of Architects for over a year. He currently works at Alex Rebanks Architects and has previously held positions at JCI Architects, Wallman Architects and MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects. His project experience has focussed primarily on retail and residential architecture from single family scale to high-rise. In addition to Max has worked as a sessional instructor at Humber College Institute of Technology.

Joël León, Hon.B.A., M.Arch, MRAIC