Our Team

West Texas A&M University
Thomas Edison State University

As a detail-oriented management professional with a strategic mindset, Trace brings to OPA Design Studio and its clientele over 15 years of operations management experience from his time spent in the retail, private security, and architecture industries, where he has held such key management positions as client services manager, production manager, and office manager. Through the integration of his operations, relationship, and IT management skill-sets, he actively seeks to draw teams together, increase efficiency and productivity, promote positive and mutually beneficial relationships, foster professional ethics and integrity, and solve problems and challenges through agility, flexibility, innovation, and ingenuity.

Louisiana State University

Erica’s blend of creativity and organizational skills prove very useful when managing projects. After moving to Austin in 2014, Erica has worked for a number of small architecture firms before joining OPA, where she gained a diverse set of design and management skills. Erica believes that, for each unique client and place, there is a unique architectural solution, and each should be beautiful down to the minute detail. Using a careful balance of imagination and creativity with a passion for quality control, Erica strives to not only craft beautiful architecture, but create a clear and enjoyable architectural process for our clients.

University of Louisiana – Lafayette

Duke’s experience in designing and managing detailed architectural projects is an asset to all of our clients’ projects. Previous to joining OPA, Duke was a project manager for 7 years with an architecture firm that worked in conjunction with Whole Foods’ planning and design department throughout the United States and the U.K. Through his experience in retail and production design, he was able to gain valuable skills in creating unique, environmentally sensitive spaces by using materials and designs that speak to a specific region’s culture and passion. Duke finds it critical that the architect understands the passion and vision of the client while providing creative insight and guidance to help those goals develop from dream into reality. His attention to detail, thoroughness and emphasis on quality control is an asset to OPA and our clients.

University of Texas at Austin

Todd believes that architecture is at its best when it creates a beautiful space that is in tune with its place. His thoughtful design process has been cultivated through school and over 4 years working on custom residential, office, education and brewery projects. He also has hands-on construction knowledge from building at an Austin farm and building a tiny house of his own design.

Pratt Institute New York
University of Texas at San Antonio

Carole believes that the true beauty of architecture is in finding the perfect balance between functionality and aesthetics. With more than 5 years of experience in Retail, Commercial, and Residential Architecture, and having worked at design firms in New York and San Antonio, Carole brings a seasoned, yet fresh perspective to all of her projects. Through her studies and travels across Europe and the Middle East, she developed a unique design palate, along with a better understanding of innovative approaches to design and architecture. During her time at Pratt Institute, Carole had the opportunity to learn and utilize various design media, such as 3D modeling, printing, animation, and multimedia production, which helps her to craft individualized presentations for each of her clients. She prides herself in being intuitively sensitive to the needs of clients, while keeping in mind the restraints of design in a particular location in order to create an all around architectural experience.

North Carolina State University

Yuzhou brings to OPA 5 years of experience, largely in healthcare architecture. Through her experience, she’s developed a keen interest for user and client-based design, architecture with a sense of place, sustainability, and a detailed-orientated mindset. Yuzhou looks forward to helping to create innovative solutions and broadening her knowledge and skillset with OPA Design Studio.

University of Houston

Kimmie believes that thoughtful design can create a unique atmosphere for the user and maximizes the purpose of the space. With 4 years of experience in the industry, primarily focused on commercial projects, she has broadened her knowledge in sustainability in the design process. She looks forward to listening to the client’s vision and helping them create a place that is unique for them and their end users.

Kennesaw State University

Julianna represents OPA from Atlanta, Georgia, with 5 years of experience in educational architecture and multi-family commercial construction, and 8 years of Revit interface expertise. Through her early exposure to the design program, her passion blossomed in holistic design and sustainable efficiency. From her nomadic upbringing, she cherishes the idea of making a house a home and believes, in its essence, is passion that can be threaded from initial client vision to habitable space. Julianna aspires to be a licensed architect and looks forward to the experiences and human connections she will build through OPA.