Alumna Kaya Orona named 2026 Phoenix Business Journal 40 Under 40 Honoree
CAPLA alumna Kaya Orona, B.Arch ’23, has been named one of the Phoenix Business Journal’s 2026 40 Under 40 honorees, recognizing her accomplishments in the construction industry. Now a preconstruction manager at The PENTA Building Group, Orona has built on her architectural education to lead projects at the intersection of design, construction and development.
CAPLA lecturer Nataliya Apanovich honored with Gerald J. Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence
Nataliya Apanovich, a CAPLA lecturer, won the Gerald J. Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence. She’s known for innovative, student-centered, community-focused sustainability education.
La Casa Verde: Itzel Gamez '22 B.Arch
No one element of Itzel Gamez's La Casa Verde in El Paso, Texas is secondary or supplemental, as the design treats architecture, vegetation and the inhabitants as one cohesive whole—creating a dialogue among each other.
Job Searching in the COVID Era: Lena Porell '20 MS Urban Planning
Despite the challenges presented by job hunting during a global pandemic, Lena Porell '20 MS Urban Planning recently moved across the country to Providence, Rhode Island to start her career as a staff planner.
Hands-On Learning: Kaya Orona '23 B.Arch
CAPLA student ambassador Kaya Orona, who is active in several student organizations, came to the Bachelor of Architecture program at the University of Arizona from Chandler, Arizona.
Persistence is Key: Tulga N. Ericson '21 B.Arch
Tulga N. Ericson, who is originally from Mongolia but moved to Arizona nine years ago, entered CAPLA's Bachelor of Architecture program after knowing he could stay in Tucson to attend an outstanding undergraduate architecture program.
Ensuring Equity, Building Community: Kendra Hyson ’15 MLA
With her MLA, Kendra Hyson has followed a path to leadership not just in landscape architecture but also in the movement for social equity in built environment design—as both a founder of The Urban Studio and in her current role as a landscape architect and planner for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
Transportation, Health Equity and Social Justice in Regional Transportation Planning
What can fine-scale spatial modeling of health impacts from long-range transportation plans do to support racial and social justice? More than you may realize, according to CAPLA’s Nicole Iroz-Elardo, assistant research professor of planning.
From Hong Kong to Tucson: Cordell Lee '24 BS SBE
Cordell Lee, who is originally from Hong Kong, entered CAPLA's BS in Sustainable Built Environments program after completing his high school career in the United Kingdom.
Architecture Lecturer Sandra Bernal-Cordova Named USGBC Women in Green 2020 'Shero' for September
The U.S. Green Building Council recognizes “Women in Green Sheroes”—women who “demonstrate how the power of purpose can shape our lives, our careers and our changing world.” This month, the honor was bestowed upon CAPLA Lecturer in Architecture Sandra Bernal-Cordova.
Poetics of Space: Jesús Edmundo Robles Jr, Assistant Professor of Practice in Architecture
Assistant Professor of Practice in Architecture Jesús Edmundo Robles Jr, who teaches Techne 2 and second-year studios and is a principal at DUST Architects, has a focus that "oscillates between sustainable material development and poetics of space."