Alumni News & Announcements

Kevin Kudo-King, a 1995 graduate of the B.Arch program, is the principal/owner of internationally renowned design firm Olson Kundig in Seattle. In this profile, he discusses his path through and beyond architecture school, offers insight for current design students, shares the collaborative process used by his design firm as well as a recent favorite project and shares how his inspirations and passions shape his design outlook.

CAPLA undergraduate architecture students Kaya Orona, Celestin Amani and Anisa Hermosillo held externships at The M Group in Washington, D.C., Onyx Creative in Tucson, Arizona, and erstad ARCHITECTS in Boise, Idaho last spring break. Learn more about their experiences and the benefits externships offer for both students and sponsoring firms.

After a full and rewarding architecture career that spans marketing, facilities, project management and corporate relations, CAPLA Director of Alumni Relations and Community Engagement Kay Olsen Brown has retired. Before she rode off into the sunset, Brown shared stories about her career, her experience at CAPLA and more.

Forest Replogle, a transportation planner with the Mid-Region Council of Governments Metropolitan Planning Organization in Albuquerque, New Mexico, graduated from the UArizona MS Planning degree after serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, an experience that helped him think about "how the built environment affects health, wealth and ecology."

A Class of 1977 Bachelor of Architecture alumnus has established the Judith Chafee Scholarship to honor the legacy of the architect and School of Architecture professor, who in her classroom and studio created "new expressions in the built environment that caused in the viewer reflection and gave a new sense of existential ‘delight’."

The 12th Annual CAPLA Job Interview Fair, made possible by the Chasse Building Team and 22 other sponsors, was held February 10-11, 2022. For the first time, the interactive two-day event took place both online and in person and included 42 employers, 145 students and 536 interviews.

Richy Altuna, who graduated from the Bachelor of Architecture program in 1974 and went on to become a renowned consumer experience designer for many of the world's most iconic retail stores, passed away in June 2021. His family and friends have established the Richard “Richy” Eugene Altuna Endowed Scholarship to support CAPLA undergraduate students.

Georgia Pennington, who is originally from Kansas City, Missouri, came to UArizona to study sustainability. While in the BS in Sustainable Built Environments program, she found herself most drawn to the urban planning courses, so then enrolled in the MS Urban Planning accelerated master’s program option. Upon graduation, she accepted a planning job with the City of Tucson.

CAPLA celebrated alumni, students and loved ones at 2021 Homecoming festivities with our Día de los Muertos Celebration, Alumna of the Year, Homecoming Reception, 58 Society After-Hours Event and Class of 2020 Convocation. View photo galleries.

Though Dan Heinfeld knew from a young age that he wanted to become an architect, he couldn’t have known in eighth grade—when he wrote a class paper on the profession—that his career pursuit would not only change his life but also change the design industry itself. As president of LPA, he’s done just that.

The Arizona Alumni Association has named Heather Henricks Lenkin ’79 B.Arch as its 2020-2021 Alumna of the Year for the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture. Heather was chosen for her outstanding career success, passionate work to protect the world’s cultural resources and unwavering support of the university.

David D. Ortega, who is from Globe, Arizona and has lived and worked in Scottsdale since 1978, became the first architect and Latino mayor in the country when he was elected the 12th mayor of Scottsdale.  He credits his background in architecture with informing his views as a civic leader.