South Florida Architecture and Design

Mr. Alejandro Echeverry was promoted to President of Stiles Architecture in 2022 after four years with the company. He is a licensed architect with nearly 20 years of professional experience in architecture and construction management. In his prior role as Vice President, Alejandro worked alongside the President to oversee daily activities of the group and ensure project success and profitability. Additional responsibilities included business development activities and the future vision for the group, as well as mentoring and empowering the team to achieve personal and group objectives. Prior to joining Stiles, Alejandro served as the Vice President of Atkins Caribe. While at Atkins, he formed part of the BU leadership group and managed the Miami Division for the Publix Remodel program. He has worked on such notable projects as Publix on the Bay, designing and managing the addition to the Carlos Zapata iconic flagship supermarket on Miami Beach, overseeing 250 Publix remodel projects in the Miami and Lakeland Divisions and managing several interior projects that have been published in retail publications. Alejandro received both his Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Architecture from Florida International University, as well as his Masters Degree in Construction Management. He is a licensed architect in both Florida and Puerto Rico and North Carolina. He holds a Construction Documents Technologist (CDT) certification as well as a PMP Certification from PMI (Project Management Institute).

Mr. Sabo has been a pioneer in real estate and hotel advertising, brand management and strategic relationships that consistently add value to hospitality and residential projects. With degrees in both Finance and Law, he brings a unique perspective to the industry and is considered an expert in most real estate development and an imagineer in the hotel space. Successfully participating in over 53 projects in over 6 countries he and his team have delivered more than $8 billion in assets since 2002 with clients like Related Group, Rilea, RPC, Euro-American Group, ProCasa, Integra, Brack Capital, Key International, NEO, Chetrit Group, BCOM, Roy Stillman, AIMCO and others. Under his guidance as Chief Creative Officer, RPC has created the Paramount Residences brand (3 towers) , Legacy Hotel and Residences (under construction), the "Grand Reserve" masterplan in Puerto Rico, Elevate Apartments (under construction) and others.

Igor Reyes graduated from Florida A&M University where he received his Bachelors in Architecture in 1993, and originally joined Nichols Architects in 1999 as a project manager. Working at the firm, Igor has been involved with many of the award winning designs such as 1450 Brickell, International Finance Bank, as well as other innovative designs such as VUE, Marriott at Miami World Center, and Met 2 at Metropolitan Miami. As a principal, he has concentrated on the further development of the design culture and the marketing of the Nichols Architects legacy. Representative clients of the firm include hospitality and development giants such as Marriott, Westin, Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, Waldorf Astoria, Starwood, St. Regis, “W” Rosewood, Fairmont, Regent, Loews, Nikko, and Hilton.

An honor graduate of the University of Miami, Jorge is the driving force behind the firm’s growth and development since 1987. Prior experience includes earning a reputation with highly acclaimed architectural as well as land development firms, where he grew to understand the importance of leadership within an organization, the community, and the unique ability of integrating innovative architecture with rational business criteria in a balanced format. Jorge’s primary focuses are corporate leadership, design, vision, collaboration, and growth development for the firm’s philosophical ideals. Jorge is a licensed architect in thirteen states with expertise in the design of national and international facilities including hotel & resorts, commercial, institutional, mixed-use developments, and residential, projects. He is a sought-after authority on the realities and challenges clients face in the planning, approval and entitlement processes found in today’s challenging development environment.

As Founder and Chief Project Officer of The Common Area, Maureen promotes the boutique firm’s “client-centric” owners’ representative focus for commercial and residential projects. Her company oversees all aspects of project management and advisory services, including strategic planning, contract negotiations, team procurement, scheduling, budget development, overseeing the permitting and construction process along with move-management & occupancy services. Maureen’s experience collaborating with real estate advisory firms highlights her understanding of all processes of office leasing, property management, development, and project management related to multiple specialties and asset types. She successfully launched The Common Area in 2018 after seeing ways to improve the client experience and create more stable, successful project outcomes. Core to the service is creating clear communication and providing accountability for all project players. Maureen fosters an environment of teamwork and ensures that strategy is clearly defined while overseeing budgets, schedules, and quality of performance by all vendors and contractors. Her teams strong communication skills and relationship-based approach enhances the process-driven management philosophy that has earned her loyalty of her clients and confidence of her industry partners. As an industry innovator, she has since launched two new companies; filling needs her clients lacked solutions providing tangential and complementary services with long-term home maintenance support for elderly and absentee owners through Mango Management and home inspection & handyman services through Building Standard. Her services have spread geographically beyond Florida to Texas, Georgia, New York & The Bahamas and continues to expand.

Kobi Karp is the Founder and Principal of Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design, Inc (KKAID). Kobi Karp founded the firm in 1996 and has been the Principal-in-Charge of design since that time. KKAID is a full-service architectural and interior design firm providing a vast array of services, ranging from the design of large-scale, high-rise condominium and hospitality projects to intimate, small-scale low-rise residential and commercial structures. Educated at the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Technology, Kobi Karp earned degrees in both Architecture and Environmental Design. Subsequently, Kobi Karp began his career working on major hospitality and all- inclusive resort projects throughout the United States and the Caribbean. His restoration design techniques have contributed to a renaissance in one of this country’s most cherished areas, Miami Beach’s Art Deco District which is internationally recognized around the world. Kobi Karp has developed expertise in design over the last 20 years, working with a wide range of project types, sizes, complexities, and budgets. It is through this last quarter century working in warm weather climates that KKAID has garnered international acclaim and been selected to spearhead numerous resort projects. Developers and builders in the Caribbean, Black Sea region, and the Middle East have relied on the firm for their design eye and planning. Kobi Karp is a recognized member of the American Institute of Architects, honored for his award-winning designs and buildings and he is a licensed Professional Architect in 9 states and in Abu Dhabi (UAE). His firm has been featured in renowned national and local publications based on their major contributions in the preservation of historical areas.

Diana Farmer-Gonzalez is the Co-Managing Director of Gensler’s Miami office. She has over 30 years of professional experience in a wide range of interior design and architecture projects throughout South Florida as well as Latin America and the Middle East. Diana's experience ranges from leading clients and creating project teams from project inception through project completion for both high design and specialized technical spaces for architecture and interior projects. Ms. Farmer-Gonzalez has expertise design projects ranging from hospitality, multi-family residential, retail, commercial office buildings, workplace and branded environments to aviation interiors and higher education projects. Ms. Farmer-Gonzalez is a frequent lecturer, and her work has been featured in several industry publications. Passionate about mentoring young designers and design education, Diana is sought out to be a guest lecturer and student mentor at Florida International University’s College of Communications, Architecture + The Arts, where she also serves on the Deans Leadership Advisory Board, the Interior Architecture school’s advisory board and was a FIU Torch Award recipient for outstanding contributions to the profession of design and architecture. Diana is an active member of the International Interior Design Association, serving currently as a Board Member for the International Chapter, is a long-standing Associate member of the America Institute of Architects and was named “Interior Designer of the Year” by the AIA’s Miami Chapter. Diana earned a B.S. in Interior Design from Florida International University and studied Architecture at the University of Colorado School of Design and Planning.

Tony Cho is a real estate pioneer, impact entrepreneur, and founder of the Future of Cities – a mission-driven consortium and multi-pronged platform invested in transforming the built environment by adopting environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies to improve the quality of urban living. Influenced by his work as founder and chairman of Metro 1 – an award-wining, forward-thinking real estate investment, brokerage, management, and development firm that he still leads - Cho’s career has focused on shaping neighborhoods and developing sustainable cities in South Florida and beyond. He has completed over $3 billion in real estate transactions since 2005.

Born in Buenos Aires, Miguel spent his early childhood in Patagonia. There, he was exposed to a unique landscape that later influenced his passion for spaces that evoke an authentic sense of place. In 1980, after attending a language school in Cambridge, England, Miguel felt inspired to work abroad. He returned to Buenos Aires to pursue his Architectural degree, graduating from the Universidad de Buenos Aires in 1984. While an architectural student, he interned at AURI, SA, working on key projects for the City of Buenos Aires, including an ecological belt program with renowned architect, Rafael Viñoly. Upon graduation, his father presented him with the opportunity to fulfill his dream of working abroad in California, from where he would launch his architectural career in the United States. Miguel hails from an entrepreneurial family. His mother’s father owned utility companies, his father’s father owned and operated the largest retail store in his town, and his father was a highly successful dentist. Miguel always dreamed about running his own office. He founded YSM Design in 1989 in addition to several other companies over the years. Throughout his prolific career, Miguel has shown sophisticated expertise in the design of high end homes, residential and office buildings, hotels, retail stores, and automotive facilities for significant, global corporations. He has also master planned residential and commercial developments, both within the U.S. and internationally.

Meredith Zenkel is Poppin's longest tenured employee. A Native New Yorker, she began her marketing career at Brooks Brothers before joining Poppin as the Director of PR in 2010. As the VP of Marketing and Communications, Meredith has been an integral part of Poppin’s ongoing success, including Poppin’s 2020 acquisition by Kimball International (KBAL). With over 12 years of experience in the workplace industry, she is a well-respected voice on the future of office design and culture.