Our Team

Trace Livengood, MBA ↓

Chief Operating Officer

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.

Erica Flannery, AIA ↓

Project Manager

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.

Duke Gambino ↓

Project Manager

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.

Todd Hutchison ↓

Project Manager

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.

Carole Zuriek ↓

Project Manager

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.

Nicholas Meszaros ↓

Project Designer

University of Oregon

Before beginning his career in the architecture industry, Nicholas spent six years in the United States Air Force. Following his graduation from the University of Oregon, he has developed his experience in the disciplines of urban planning and architectural design. With an academic background that emphasized sustainability, Nicholas’s design philosophy includes an approach that balances innovation, unobtrusiveness, honesty, aesthetics, and usefulness.

Estephania Cazale-Maldonado ↓

Project Designer

Boston Architectural College
University of Texas at El Paso
Texas Tech University El Paso

Having worked in city planning, construction administration, and architectural design, Estephania brings to OPA 5 years of experience across various commercial and multi-family projects. She believes that true design in architecture is that which best demonstrates how each element in a building is perfectly integrated. Her great attention to detail and creative thinking ensures delivery of the best quality and highest degree of accuracy. She is highly motivated and success and growth oriented. Estephania is currently attending the Boston Architectural College to obtain her Master’s in Architecture and endeavors to become a licensed architect.

Yuzhou Peng ↓

Project Designer

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.

Kimmie Wu ↓

Project Designer

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.

Julianna DeCocco ↓

Project Designer

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.

Jessica Johnson ↓

Administrative Assistant

Jessica brings to OPA 4 years of experience in the design industry. Working alongside designers and field professionals has equipped her with a skillset geared for communicating directly with clients and service departments to successfully coordinate project timelines. She assists with the day-to-day operations of the organization, collaborating with and serving as liaison for the OPA design team.

Our Affiliations

Brewers Association
Texas Craft Brewers Guild
American Distilling Institute
American Craft Spirits Association
Texas Distilled Spirits Association
Craft Wine Association

OPA in the News

Austin's Beloved LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue Opens its Long-Awaited Restaurant
Tribeza Austin Curated
LeRoy and Lewis Ignites South Austin with First Brick-and-Mortar Barbecue Haven
Eater Austin
Former Guitar Store Near Universal Theme Parks Tapped for Craft Brewery
Orlando Sentinel
Southern Tail Brewing Breaks Ground at Site of Future Brewery
Arkansas Money & Politics
Austin Barbecue Truck LeRoy & Lewis Is Finally Opening That Long-Awaited Restaurant
Eater Austin
Austin brewery says hi from a new spot on the East side
Culture Map Austin
Taprooms are Turning into Destination Spaces Thanks to Austin’s Top Architects
Austin Monthly
Meanwhile Brewing Co. brings pale ales, stellar food trucks and more to Southeast Austin
Austin 360
How OPA Design Studio Makes Austin’s Elite Brewery Taprooms
Austin Chronicle
Austin Eastciders Is Opening a Restaurant on Barton Springs Road
Eater Austin
Brewing Pedigree Represents at Far West Austin’s Beerburg
Austin Chronicle
Pinthouse, But Hold the Pizza? Brewpub’s Next Austin Spot Won’t Serve Pies
Austin 360
I Tasted 250 Different Texas Craft Beers in the Last 9 Days – Here Are My Favorites
Big World Small Girl
Texas Beer Bloggers Embark on Road Trip to Hit 50-plus Breweries in 9 Days
Dallas News – Guide Live
I’m Going on a Texas Brewery Road Trip!
Big World Small Girl
Podcast: OPA Design Studio: Architecture & Brewery Planning
Building Breweries: A Beer Podcast
Meet the Brewery Architects Designing the Next Generation of Taprooms
BigWorldSmallGirl
Vista Brewing to Open on April 20
Brewbound
Former Adelbert’s Head Brewer Opens a New Brewpub This Week
Eater Austin
Manor Road is Getting a Brewery with Spring Opening of Oddwood Ales
Austin 360
Austin’s New Urban Whiskey Distillery is Now Open for Business
CultureMap Austin
Sprawling brewery with restaurant and farm heads to Driftwood
EaterAustin
This will be the next hill country hot spot for craft beer and much more
culturemap.com
Central Texas brewery breaks ground on destination brewery
craftbeer.com
Vista Brewing in the works as 21-acre destination brewery in Driftwood
Austin 360
Adelbert’s Brewery spin-off Oddwood Ales fires up new taproom
Eater Austin
Architect Stephen Oliver, OPA Design Studio principal, on designing for breweries
Beer Advocate
Austin craft brewers, distillers urged to keep close watch on city’s code rewrite
Austin Business Journal
Fully equipped
constructionnews.net
Land code review panel takes shape, no lobbyists allowed
bizjournals.com
See Austin buildings that took top honors at AIA awards program
bizjournals.com
Cool restaurants, creative companies grab new space in East Austin
bizjournals.com
Beer and wine: Two new tasting room concepts to debut in Spring 2015
bizjournals.com
First Look: Friends & Allies Brewing
bitchbeer.org
AGAVE: Efficiency, style, high-end materials available at a lower price
Austin American Statesman
Hi Sign Brewing Opens New Austin Taproom, Updates Logo and Can Designs
Craft Brewing Business