Previous Planner of the Year Award Winners

2018 Winner Rob Winstead

A nationally-recognized expert in learning space planning and design as well as sustainability, Rob Winstead is an advocate for exceptional learning spaces that blend thoughtful design with high performance goals to deliver added value for clients and users. He is a frequent speaker at regional and national conferences and his work across the country has been recognized with numerous awards for planning, design, architecture, urbanism, and sustainability. As Principal and K12 Studio Leader at VMDO Architects, Rob is committed to a collaborative, integrated, and inclusive design process that results in customized solutions and unique learning experiences. An active member of the design community, Rob serves through organizations such as the US Green Building Council, the A+D Sustainable Design Leaders, Building Goodness Foundation, and AIA Central Virginia—where he currently serves as President.

2017 Winner Dian Paulin, NCIDQ, ALEP

At the 2017 VA-A4LE annual conference in Willliamsburg, Dian Paulin, NCIDQ, ALEP, was named the 2017 Planner of the Year Award recipient for her outstanding contribution, support and service to the school children of Virginia through planning safe, healthy, and quality learning environments. Over the past 25 years in her work with Ballou Justice Upton Architects, Dian has been involved in all phases of educational facility projects, wearing multiple hats. While her degree is in interior design, Dian’s professional experience has involved so much more than “color, fabrics, and patterns.” Her extensive and challenging experiences have included direct collaboration with school administrators, school board members, school staff, teachers, facility personnel, parents, community groups, and most importantly students. Dian earned the designation of Accredited Learning Environment Planner (ALEP) and is currently a student in the 3rd Cohort of the Advanced Academy for Learning Spaces through A4LE. Dian’s colleagues state that she works with integrity, honesty, and from the heart. She truly cares about the well-being and success of all learners. Among Dian’s projects involving programming and planning services are the following: Warren County, Virginia: Warren County Middle School Restoration/Renovation/Addition New Warren County Middle School – Currently in Construction Phase Fairfax County, Virginia: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Renovation/ Addition Cherry Run Elementary School Renovation/Addition Oakton Elementary School Renovation/Addition Kings Glen Elementary School Renovation/Addition Freedom Hill Elementary School Renovation/Addition Glasgow Middle School South County Middle School Holmes Middle School Renovation/Addition The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind, Staunton, Virginia: Campus-Wide Renovations and New Construction Essex County, Virginia: System-Wide Educational Facilities Planning Study Essex High School Renovation/Addition Essex Intermediate School Renovation/Addition Mathews County, Virginia: Lee-Jackson Elementary School Thomas Hunter Intermediate School Renovation/Addition Mathews High School Renovation/Addition Middlesex County, Virginia: St. Clare Walker Middle School City of Richmond, Virginia: Lucille Brown Middle School Dinwiddie County, Virginia: Dinwiddie Middle School Renovation/Addition (renamed Historic Southside High School Education Center) Dinwiddie High School (renamed Dinwiddie Middle School) Dinwiddie Elementary School Renewal/Addition Midway Elementary School Renovation/Addition Accomack County, Virginia: Nandua Middle School Arcadia Middle School Chincoteague High School Renovation/Addition Chesterfield County, Virginia: Thomas Dale High School Renovation/Addition Awards: Outstanding Renovated School Design Virginia Department of Education; Outstanding Design Award VSBA Orange County, Virginia: Prospect Heights Middle School Locust Grove Middle School King William County, Virginia: System-Wide Educational Facilities Planning Study King William High School Renovation/Addition Hamilton-Holmes Middle School Renovation/Addition Williamsburg-James City County, Virginia: Stonehouse Elementary School

2016 Winner Jim McCalla, REFP

At the annual conference in Williamsburg, Virginia on April 17-20, 2016, Jim McCalla was recognized as the A4LE Virginia Chapter's Lifetime Achievement/Planner of the Year Award recipient. Subsequently, Jim was recognized as the A4LE Southeast Region's Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for 2016. Jim has 31 years of educational facility planning experience that includes programming, pre-planning, feasibility studies, and the design of numerous educational facility projects. He leads Moseley Architects K-12 educational sector, a Virginia headquartered firm that is listed in the top 20 firms providing K-12 educational facilities from a national perspective (in Building Design & Construction magazine and other national publications). His involvement in K-12 projects has included virtually every aspect of educational facility planning including enrollment projections, development of educational specifications, educational programming, facility assessments, feasibility studies, CIP planning and budgeting, cost estimating, design of every type of educational facilities including small modifications, total renovations, additions to existing facilities, and new facility construction at the elementary, middle, high, combined elementary and middle and combined middle and high school levels. Jim has been a member of the Association for Learning Environments (previously CEFPI) since the early 1990's and is a Recognized Educational Facility Professional (REFP). In the last 25 years of his career, Jim has been directly involved with approximately 270 educational facilities in the role of either project manager (6), design collaborator (29), or managing principal (235). These projects have represented approximately 13.6 million square feet of educational space (primarily Virginia public schools); over $1.8 billion in the construction value of new and/or renovated spaces; and directly working with 36 different school systems, including 34 in Virginia.

2014 Winner William (Bill) Bradley, PHD, AIA, LEED AP, REFP

William (Bill) Bradley, PhD, AlA, LEED AP, REFP was selected as the VEFP Planner of the Year Award Winner for 2014 at the annual conference in Williamsburg, Virginia on March 3-4, 2014. Bill Bradley co-founded the Charlottesville studio of SHW Group (now Stantec), a national A/E firm with specific expertise in the planning and design of K12 and higher education facilities. Bradley works with educators to develop project visions, communicate with and develop consensus among key project stakeholders, and lead the efforts of project teams. When asked about his working philosophy, Bradley states that he strives “to leverage architecture to enhance teaching and learning”. He further adds that “Our environment is not neutral. On the contrary, architecture is a powerful medium that influences us in subtle and profound ways. But consider for a moment the environments in which teachers teach and students learn. Most fall short of their potential, which is truly a shame given what’s at stake. Frans Johansson speaks to that potential in his book “The Medici Effect” in which he describes opportunities that lie at the intersection of seemingly disparate fields. Architecture and education are two such disparate fields and their intersection is ripe with potential. With an understanding of both education and architecture, in general, and the relationship between the two, in particular, I aim to facilitate conversations between educators and architects that will lead to better, more thoughtful learning environments that inspire students and teachers alike.” Prior to joining SHW Group (now Stantec), Bradley worked for ten years as an architect/educational planner with VMDO Architects in Charlottesville, Virginia. From 1996-98, he served as an assistant professor in the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education. Bradley earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Virginia and was named the Outstanding Doctoral Student of the Year in 1996. He earned a Master of Education degree from the University of Virginia, too, serving as president of the Curry Education Council and member of the Raven Society and Phi Delta Kappa. He graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in Design from the School of Architecture. Bradley has been a member of the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) since 1996. He served on the Virginia chapter board for eight years, including five years as an officer. More recently, Bradley has served on the Southeast region’s board and is currently the president. He is a Registered Educational Facility Planner with A4LE and a LEED accredited professional. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, serving on the Architecture for Education Committee. Bradley lives in Charlottesville with his wife, Elizabeth, and two children, Whitfield and Isabelle, both of whom keep him active and engaged in the community. Besides coaching his son’s baseball team and cheering on his daughter at swim meets, he enjoys travelling with his family, competing in triathlons, blogging and, of course, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies!

2013 Winner John M. Hill, AIA, REFP, LEED AP

John M. Hill, AIA, REFP, LEED AP has been involved in the planning, design and construction of K-12 schools in the mid-Atlantic region for over 20 years. Hill is the Chief Executive Officer of Grimm + Parker Architects (G+P). He has been instrumental in establishing the firm as a leader in educational design and helped shape the mission of the firm "Creating Together: Meaningful Architecture and Client Success." Under his leadership, G+P has developed an organization of educational designers who Listen, Learn, and then Lead communities to greater success. Hill is forward thinking and many of his designs are often ahead of their time. He incorporated concepts such as the "house within a school" concept, extended learning areas, project based learning zones, multi-age groupings, team teaching, and outdoor learning spaces before they became what is considered today to be "the latest thinking" in school design. Hill encourages school systems, which can be slow to change, to embrace the data and evidence based design that are critical to creating superior learning spaces for 21st Century learners. Hill has personally led numerous educational programming, master planning and school design projects; for elementary schools, middle schools and high schools, various hybrid programs, specialized educational projects, and higher education projects. He has been a speaker at numerous educational conferences and has written articles for industry publications that focus on best practices for educational design. Hill is a Registered Educational Facility Planner with CEFPI. His team leadership has resulted in numerous award-winning projects that have been recognized by a wide range of industry groups including educational planners (VEFP and CEFPI), the American Association of School Administrators, the National School Boards Association, the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA), various educational publications, and other industry groups including the AlA. Most recently Hill's work on Washington Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia was recognized with the Platinum Level Distinguished Design Award by the VSBA. During his tenure at G+P, the firm has received the three most prestigious awards in educational design: the James D. MacConnell Award for Hollywood Elementary School in St. Mary's County, Maryland; the Shirley Cooper Award for Carlin Springs Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia; and the Walter Taylor Award. Hill was directly involved in two of the three award winning projects. G+P is one of only two firms in the country to win all three of these prestigious national and international awards. As a member of the VEFP Board of Directors for almost seven years, Hill has helped plan and execute conferences and seminars that promote the latest thinking in educational facility design to educators, facility managers and designers throughout the State. He has served as State Governor and President of the Board of Directors. Hill recently accepted the position of Treasurer for the Southeast Regional Board of Directors for A4LE. In that position he will continue his service to the industry and his mission of promoting best practices in educational design to all the member chapters of the region. Hill is a graduate of Vanderbilt University (B .A. 1980) and the University of Maryland (M.A. 1988). He is a registered Architect, a member of the American Institute of Architects, and holds licenses in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia and North Carolina. He has worked at G+P for the past 23 years holding the positions of Associate, Principal, and CEO.

2011 Winner Robin O’Hara, REFP

Robin O’Hara, REFP, a nationally-recognized educational facility planner, recently joined Fanning Howey’s Washington, D.C. office. O’Hara has 21 years of experience in educational and urban planning. She was nominated and selected as Lifetime Achievement Award Winner in recognition of her knowledge of the latest trends in educational planning, her passion for improving the lives of students and teachers, and her commitment to putting national best practices to work here in Virginia and the surrounding areas. She currently works as an educational planner with Fanning Howey. In her prior position, O’Hara managed the Office of Public Education Facilities Modernization’s Planning Division for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) with over 16 million square feet and a value of approximately $3 billion in facilities construction. While with DCPS, she played an integral role in helping to create the Master Facilities Plan, which is now the cornerstone of an unprecedented district-wide school construction program. O’Hara’s involvement has helped to ensure the integration of concepts such as school/community partnerships, small learning communities, and use of the building as a teaching tool. O’Hara has been involved in educational planning efforts for the Providence Public Schools in Rhode Island, Syracuse City Schools in New York, and Detroit Public Schools in Michigan. In each case, she helped clients address the issues of declining enrollment, while also creating exceptional plans for the development of 21st century learning environments. These initiatives, including Detroit’s $500 million, three-year construction program, are transforming the very face of education in each urban community. While O’Hara is bringing her passion and expertise to school districts across the nation, her roots are in Virginia. Prior to working for the District of Columbia Public Schools, and now for Fanning Howey, she worked in the planning departments of the City of Manassas, Arlington Public Schools, and Fairfax County Public Schools. O’Hara received a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Virginia.

2009 Winner Dr. Thomas H. DeBolt

Dr. DeBolt is in his fourteenth year as Superintendent of Manassas Park City Schools and prior to this, served as a high school principal for 23 years. In Manassas Park, he is very involved in helping this rapidly growing school system achieve sustained student and school division success. The fact that the Manassas Park City Schools are exemplary in numerous ways is certainly a tribute to Dr. DeBolt’s fourteen years of leadership as Superintendent. Dr. DeBolt and his school division have developed outstanding programs and initiatives in the following areas: vision and planning, student achievement, curriculum/instruction, staff development, technology, school design and construction, fiscal resource enhancement, and school-community relations. Under Dr. DeBolt’s leadership, Manassas Park City Schools has constructed four world-class facilities – Manassas Park High School opened in 1998, Cougar Elementary School opened in 2001, Manassas Park Middle School opened in 2006, and the new Manassas Park Elementary School will open in April 2009. To date, Manassas Park City Schools buildings have received thirteen state and national awards for architectural excellence. Recently, the Virginia State Board of Education honored MPCS as one of only four school districts of the 134 in Virginia to earn full accreditation for each of its schools. MPCS and also received division-wide accreditation from SACS CASI. MPCS is only one of fourteen school divisions to earn the rare distinction of having each of its schools and the school division achieve AYP under NCLB. The significant improvement of MPCS, and the work of Dr. DeBolt and many others during the last ten years, is the story told by UVA Professor, Dr. Daniel Duke in his recently published book, The Little School System that Could, State University of New York 2008. Beyond Dr. DeBolt’s leadership contribution to his own school division, he has served as a generous contributor to professional organizations, other school divisions and the Department of Education. He is certainly an important contributor for the improvement of education in Virginia. Read a letter from Dr. DeBolt »

2008 Winner Paige Stutz

Paige Stutz is currently the Program Administrator for Planning and Development for Chesapeake Public Schools and has held that position since 1998. Paige has worked in educational facility planning for the last 14 years all with Chesapeake Public Schools. She is part of the Operations Division, whose main purpose is to provide the optimal school facilities, in new and older buildings, so school administrators, teachers and staff can focus on the important task of educating students. Paige has also presented or co-presented at the ESRI GIS Education User Conference, the Virginia Association of School Business Officials conference and the Virginia Educational Facilities Planning conference.

2007 Winner Doug Westmoreland

Doug Westmoreland has over 28 years of educational facility planning experience with over 25 Virginia school divisions, including programming, pre-planning, feasibility studies, and development of educational facility projects at all grade levels. Doug was a founding partner of BCWH Architects in 1986 and was instrumental as that company’s leader in K-12 public school design. In 17 years with that firm, Doug led many school projects that have been recognized on a state and national level for excellence in educational design. Doug joined Moseley Architects in 2003 as vice president and a managing principal of K-12 education to expand his ability to provide personalized service in helping school divisions determine the most effective solutions to their school facility needs. He is known for his ability to facilitate community groups to explore alternatives and build consensus for the most appropriate solutions for each particular division. Active in CEFPI for over 13 years, Doug is the current Secretary/Treasurer of Southeast CEFPI, has received the Recognized Educational Facility Professional (REFP) designation, and was the Virginia and Southeast Region 2007 Educational Planner of the Year. Doug has presented seminars on career and technical center design at state, national and international conferences.

2006 Winner Dr. Glen Earthman

Dr. Glen I. Earthman possesses forty years experience in the field of education and thirty years of specialized experience in the educational facilities planning arena. He has taught extensively on the subject of educational facilities for over twenty-five years at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and has provided consultation to over forty school districts regarding educational facilities planning. Dr. Earthman has been an active member of the Council on Educational Facility Planners, International for over 45 year, serving in many leadership positions. He served on the International Board of Directors for six years and as Chair of the Editorial Committee for the CEFPI Journal. Dr. Earthman has received five national awards for his contributions to the field of facilities planning and research. He has authored six books on the subject of educational facilities, several book chapters, and has published extensively in professional journals as well on this subject. He served as the first Director of the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. He continues a schedule of teaching and research in the field of school facilities. At present, he has seven students doing doctoral research under his direction concerning the relationship between school buildings and student and teacher productivity and health.

2005 Winner Jim Copeland, AIA, REFP

Jim Copeland has been a member of the Association for Learning Environments for over 15 years and is a Recognized Educational Facility Professional (REFP). Jim served as Virginia State Chapter president in 2000-200. Jim has also served on the Southeast Regional Board and as Regional President in 2003-2004. Jim is a Vice President with Moseley Architects and manages the Raleigh office. He received his Bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech in 1976 and has worked with over 20 school districts in Virginia and North Carolina in the planning and design of educational facilities for the past 28 years. Jim and his wife Gail have three children and two grandchildren. He enjoys golf, tennis, and snow skiing, and spends as much time as possible in the mountain air of Wintergreen, VA.

2004 Winner William T. Brown, III, AIA, REFP, LEED AP

Bill Brown is President and CEO of BeeryRio Architecture+Interiors in Springfield, Virginia. He is a Recognized Educational Facilities Planner with the Association for Learning Environments and a LEED Accredited Professional through the United States Green Building Council. He is also active in the Council of Educational Facilities Planners International, serving as President of the Southeast Chapter and as a Past President of the Virginia Chapter of the Association for Learning Environments Bill was also recognized by his peers in 2005 by being named the Thomas Morgan Planner of the Year for the Southeast Region of the Association. Bill’s other interests include fly fishing, playing guitar and enjoying a good cigar and glass of wine (while reading a book).