Lidia D’Amico | Biologist, National Park Service 

Lidia D’Amico is a Biologist with the National Park Service working on Alcatraz Island. She is a San Francisco-Bay Area native with 10 years of experience in the field of wildlife biology, with 5 years in the private sector as consultant, including 9 years working with AECOM. Her areas of expertise include biological surveys with protocol-level methods, habitat assessments, permitting and compliance, habitat restoration and management, and public assistance. She has experience in a variety of areas and specialize in ESA protected species, with an emphasis on MBTA protected species, CA red-legged frog, CA tiger salamander, burrowing owl, San Joaquin kitfox, salmonids, and other State and Federal special-status species. In addition, she has fulfilled the role of lead biologist on a variety of projects and have coordinated with various agencies and municipalities to facilitate project needs. Lidia received a degree in Biology from the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

When? July 2nd @Fieldwork 

Adam Varat  | Deputy Program Manager –
Waterfront Resilience Program, Port of San Francisco  

Adam Varat, Port of San Francisco, is the Deputy Program Manager for the Port’s Waterfront Resiliency Program. Prior to this role, Adam was Deputy Director of the San Francisco Planning Department’s Citywide Planning Division, a 50-person team of planners focusing on long-range and comprehensive planning initiatives. Adam has over fifteen years of experience in long-range planning, policy, and urban design. As part of this role, Adam oversaw the Division’s urban design, resilience and sustainability, and plan implementation functions. Prior to joining the San Francisco Planning Department, Adam worked as an urban planner and designer with Calthorpe Associates in Berkeley, California and participated in the EDAW (now AECOM) Summer intern program in San Francisco, California. Adam holds a Masters Degree in City Planning and Certificate in Urban Design from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley. 

When? July 9th @Pier 1, Port Authority of San Francisco

Emma Greenbaum   | Project Director, Exploratorium  

Emma Greenbaum is the Project Director of Climate and Landscapes at the Exploratorium. She has previously worked at the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission as a Data Research Analyst and Resilient by Design (RBD) as a Research Program Consultant. Resilience by Design Bay Area Challenge was an international competition by 9 interdisciplinary design teams, government, scientists, and community members to plan long-term for sea level rise in the San Francisco Bay Area. Emma provided guidance on final jury deliberation and design evaluation, created content for RbD 'Book', and programatic assistance for RbD 'storefront' during the 2018 Governor's Climate Summit. 

When? July 9th @Exploratorium

Susan Schwartzenberg  | Senior Artist and Curator, Fisher Bay Observatory at the Exploratorium   

Susan Schwartzenberg is a senior artist at the Exploratorium, where she leads the development of the Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery. She has been a curator, photographer, designer, and artist, and served as director of media for the museum. She has participated in many exhibit development and Web-based projects. Susan was a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and has taught at the San Francisco Art Institute, the California College of Art, and Stanford University. As a photographer and visual artist, she has received numerous awards, and has taken part in residencies and exhibitions worldwide. She is known for her public art, including recent works at Stanford University and San Francisco’s McLaren Park  

When? July 9th @Exploratorium

Josiah Cain | Design Ecology 

Josiah Cain is a landscape architect and ecological design consultant with over two decades of experience working at the nexus of ecology, infrastructure, and urban design. For the past 12 years, he served as a Principal and Director of Innovation at Sherwood Design Engineers. Prior work experience includes building two companies, and a senior leadership role at Rana Cohabitat. Josiah has also lectured widely, taught studio courses, and was Program Director for UC Berkeley’s Professional Certificate in Sustainable Design. In addition to a BS in landscape architecture from UC Davis, Josiah holds an advanced degree in Design, Technology, and Environment from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He also has design certificates in Permaculture, Green Roof Design, Rain Harvesting, and Constructed Wetland Treatment Systems. His specializations include a wide variety of ecological design applications, including food systems, green roofs, living walls, rainwater harvesting, graywater, blackwater, biofiltration and habitat restoration...for a variety of clients including civic, institutional, commercial, and residential...at a variety of scales including chicken coops, landscape design, organic farm master planning, campus, high-rise, mixed-use redevelopment, and district infrastructure.

When? July 11th @Wurster Hall, Room 102 

Debra Guenther | Mithun

Debra Guenther is a partner and landscape architect at Mithun, Debra has built a team that brings exceptional quality, critical thinking and award-winning design to projects. Debra is committed to connecting people with their surroundings and each other. She works on diverse projects — delivering conceptual design ideas firm-wide. Clients benefit from her ability to bring together emerging ideas in policy, practice and design. Debra is a regular contributor to conversations on equity, resilience and climate change at venues such as Greenbuild, Living Futures, and the Urban Land Institute. Nationally recognized for her leadership on green infrastructure and ecosystem service issues, she was awarded the American Society of Landscape Architect’s Presidents Medal in 2010. 

When? July 16th @Zoom 

Janey Madamba, Anya Riddell-Kaufman, and Ray Reedy | 

PYATOK Architects

Janey Madamba is a Senior Associate at PYATOK Architects. She has over20 years of experience in high-density housing, from live-work communities to multifamily housing. Her experience is predominantly focused in affordable family housing and senior housing, encompassing both renovations and new construction. Janey has had the opportunity to work extensively on renovation projects including several occupied affordable housing projects completed in San Francisco under the RAD program. In addition to her strong technical skills, Janey is adept at coordinating closely with project owners, city agencies, and consultants, ensuring that all members of a project team are informed and working toward the same goals. On her current projects, Janey has been deeply involved in choreographing projects in order to facilitate good communication, resolving issues, and coordinating between design, client, and general contractor while keeping within timelines and budgets.

Anya Riddell-Kaufman is an Associate at PYATOK Architects. She joined PYATOK in 2016, drawn to the firm’s dedication to socially conscious design. Committed to the belief that housing is a human right, Anya is eager to address the Bay Area housing crisis through the design of multifamily housing. Having also worked for a small single-family housing practice in San Francisco, she values the opportunity to contribute to people’s wellbeing through the thoughtful design of their homes. Anya moved to the Bay Area in 2010 to study Architecture at UC Berkeley. At UCB, she became highly engaged with the student housing cooperative model of living. In an effort to deepen her understanding of architecture and culture, Anya spent time abroad in northwest and central west India studying sustainable community development.  

Ray Reedy is an Associate at PYATOK Architects. He joined PYATOK in 2016, drawn to the office’s role in improving lives through socially and environmentally responsible architecture. He plays a leading role in the office’s Sustainability Committee, through which he pushes for more ambitious sustainable solutions and advancing a culture of prioritizing environmental sustainability. In college, Ray spent a year abroad at the University of Botswana where he, among other things, learned about the challenges of international humanitarian design as a volunteer with Architecture for Humanity. During graduate studies at the University of Oregon, Ray developed an interest in collaborative community initiatives by leading design-build projects with students and community members.  

When? July 18th @Wurster Hall, Room 102

Disc*Alumni Guest Speaker Panel | Virtual

When? July 23rd @Zoom  

Disc*Alumni Guest Speaker Panel | In-Person 

When? July 25th @Wurster Hall, Room 102