Jennifer Esposito
Jennifer Esposito
OAA, MRAIC, M.Arch II, M.Arch, B.A.S.
Executive Board Chair
Jennifer Esposito guides the Executive Board team and is responsible for coordinating resources for events and projects organized by BEAT, as well as ensuring that the organization is working towards its long-term and short-term goals.
Jennifer is an architect and educator with over 15 years in professional practice. Jennifer is an architect and educator with over 15 years in professional practice. She is a registered Architect in Ontario and principal at Place of Work, an architecture studio based in Halifax, NS and Toronto, ON. She currently holds a position as assistant professor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Department of Architectural Science. She currently holds a position as assistant professor at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Department of Architectural Science.
Graduating with a post-professional Master of Architecture II from Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Jennifer previously earned a Master of Architecture and a Bachelor of Architectural Studies with Highest Distinction from Carleton University, where she was named to the RAIC Honour Roll. She is also a recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts JBC Watkins Award, which enabled her to pursue postgraduate education beyond Canadian borders.
Jennifer is a past Associate at Superkül (Toronto, ON) and MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects (Halifax, NS), where she led single family residential projects, a typology she has specialized in for over a decade. Additional past work experience includes Pin/Taylor Architects (Yellowknife, NT), Brown + Storey Architects (Toronto, ON), LUCE et studio (San Diego, CA), and William Rawn Associate Architects (Boston, MA). She has held teaching positions at Harvard GSD (Career Discovery Program), Dalhousie University, and the University of Waterloo.
Committed to mentorship and advocacy in the profession, Jennifer volunteers her time to OAA Intern Architects as well as students in the Carleton Alumni Mentorship Program, Harvard GSD's Women in Design, and Harvard Mentor Collective. Jennifer is currently co-chair of Harvard GSD Alumni Council Governance Committee and previously served as co-chair for the 2023 Harvard GSD Alumni Award Jury.
As a Toronto native, Jennifer developed a deep appreciation for urban environments. She leveraged her architectural education and professional experiences to explore cities worldwide, spanning South America, North America, Europe, and the Middle East. She brings this internationally informed expertise to her projects marrying ideas with thoughtful practice.
Ramona Adlakha
Ramona Adlakha
Executive Board Vice-Chair
M.Arch, OAA, MRAIC, LEED GA
Ramona Adlakha is the Vice Chair of BEAT's Executive Board. Her professional work spans a wide range of architectural typologies with a special focus on institutional and large-scale cultural arts projects. Ramona is a practicing architect (OAA) at KPMB Architects, a member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, and a LEED-accredited professional. She holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania where she received the Alpha Ro Chi Medal for professional merit, and a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, Fine Art and Literary Studies from the University of Toronto. At UofT, Ramona was also the recipient of the four-year Provincial Laureate scholarship by the Government of Canada’s Millennium Scholarship Foundation.
Ramona is deeply committed to promoting the visibility and voice of women in design. Her first book, Women [Re]Build: Stories, Polemics and Futures, co-edited with Franca Trubiano and Ramunė Bartuskaite is now available in bookstores worldwide and online.
Melanie Rank
Melanie Rank
Treasurer
B.Arch., OAA, LEED AP
After pursuing her interests by beginning her studies in Mathematics and Fine Arts, in 1998 Melanie graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Architecture, with High Distinction. In September of 2000, Melanie joined BDP Quadrangle where she currently leads a small team in developing feasibility studies. She brings a solid understanding of building components into the early planning concept stage, with a focus on business development by inspiring new clients and providing engaging concepts to existing clients. This role affords her the opportunity to concentrate on her keen interest in various scales of site plan development, identifying site opportunities and constraints, analyzing zoning parameters and quantitative analysis in a consistent and sophisticated early design process. In 2006, Melanie became a registered Architect with the OAA and in 2009, obtained LEED AP accreditation.
As a member of the BEAT Executive Board since 2019, Melanie previously focused on the planning and organization of the BEAT Dinner Series and has currently assumed the role of Treasurer.
Vineetha Sivathasan
Vineetha Sivathasan
M.Arch., B.A (Hons)
Mixes
Vineetha Sivathasan is a graduate of the Masters of Architecture program from the University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. She currently works at Kohn Partnership Architects, where she is continuing her path to become a fully licensed Architect in Ontario. She believes that giving back in some form is essential for professional and personal growth. She currently sits in as an Interns Committee Member of the Ontario Association of Architects, where they tackle issues pertaining to future architects like herself. When time permits, volunteers with Toronto Society of Architects.
Vineetha pursues various freelance projects including visual, conceptual and 3D representation of clients’ intended ideas for the City of Toronto, exhibition visualization for various museums in Toronto, and event/exhibition coordination and graphic design for the Ontario Association of Architects’ Intern Committee for their //MOVE Party, an art installation party. Recently, she worked with Esther E. Shipman, an internationally renowned curator, to design and create her brand and website for her new business venture focusing on art, architecture and cultural tourism in Portugal.
Alena Crowne
Alena Crowne
Sponsorship
B.Arts
Alena is a skilled communicator, dynamic storyteller, and experienced marketer with a background in Toronto and Montreal. As a seasoned professional in strategy, communications, partnerships, media, events, and outreach at KPMB Architects, she thrives on collaboration and believes teamwork and fresh thinking drive innovative ideas. Passionate about her professional and personal communities, Alena is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world through volunteer efforts and advocacy.
She joined BEAT in 2021 after entering the architecture and design space and recognizing the need for greater representation in leadership, project visioning, and the way spaces are designed to reflect the full spectrum of human experiences. Alena believes architecture has the power to shape communities, and that equitable representation leads to more inclusive and impactful design outcomes.
Safoura Zahedi
Safoura Zahedi
Forum
M.Arch, BID, MRAIC
Safoura is an Architectural Designer at Superkül with experience on a diverse range of projects, including residential, institutional, civic and master planning. She is highly committed to the design community and acts as Awards Coordinator at the DesignTO Festival and Executive Committee member at BEAT (Building Equality in Architecture Toronto), where she co-founded the annual BEAT Forum, devoted to addressing issues of diversity and inclusion in the design and architecture industry. Safoura's independent work has been exhibited at the Design Exchange 3DXL exhibition, DesignTO Festival, and Gladstone Hotel's Come Up To My Room and GrowOp exhibitions.
Mahsa Malek
Mahsa Malek
Talks
M.Arch, BAS
Mahsa Malek is an Iranian-Canadian designer and educator. She is currently an adjunct professor at Syracuse University School of Architecture. Previously, she was a designer at Williamson Williamson Inc. in Toronto, where she worked on several award-winning commercial and residential projects. She has worked at multiple offices in Canada and the United States including Bjarke Ingels Group and Leroy Street Studio and has been a guest critic at the University of Toronto, Syracuse University, Virginia Tech, and University of Virginia.
She holds a Master of Architecture AP from Princeton University with a certificate from the Media and Modernity Program, where she was the recipient of the Suzanne Kolarik Underwood Prize for excellence in design. She also holds a Bachelor of Architectural Studies with distinction from the University of Waterloo in Canada, where she graduated on the dean’s honors list.
As an advocate for women in architecture, she currently serves as a board executive of Building Equality in Architecture Toronto (BEAT) where she organizes the BEAT Talk series.
Kiana Mozayyan
Kiana Mozayyan
Talks
OAA, M.Arch
Kiana is a Planner at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine. She holds a Master of Arts in Persian Mystical Poetry, as well as a Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto. Over the course of her studies and after graduating from UofT, Kiana has taught and assisted in courses exploring health and architecture, urbanism, and core studio courses. Kiana is an active member of Toronto’s design community and is an executive board member with BEAT (Building Equality in Architecture Toronto). Kiana is currently involved in a research project focusing on the intersection of health, physical space, and policy.
Maya Mahgoub-Desai
Maya
Mahgoub-Desai
M.Arch.
Forum
Maya Mahgoub-Desai is the current Chair of Environmental Design and an Associate Professor in the Design for Health program at OCAD University. Maya’s current research is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC / CRSH) and the Government of Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals Program and investigates themes related: to human-environment behaviour, public health policy and public realm design, addressing equity in design education (with a focus on disability) and inclusive teaching pedagogies.
As the Senior Urban Designer for Moriyama Teshima Architects, Maya has led several urban and peri-urban campus, community and municipal plans which focus on sustainable approaches, cultural resilience, and a collaborative community engagement process. Her portfolio includes serving as a subject matter expert for Waterfront Toronto; developing master plans for Qatar's Education City, Surrey City Development Corporation, and the Town of Whitby; and campus plans for the University of Lethbridge, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Conestoga College.
Maya also remains actively engaged in professional and volunteer activities that focus on health and equity. Maya currently serves as a committee member of the RAIC Promoting Equity and Justice Advisory Committee and as an Executive member of BEAT, co-leading the annual BEAT Forum.
Persis Lam
Persis Lam
Forum
M.Arch, OAA
Persis Lam is a Toronto-based architect, born and raised in Vancouver, BC. Her practice is inspired by collaborative and beautiful design rooted by site and community relationships. Her drive for elegant design solutions to solve real problems stems from a technical and common sense. She believes each design has a story that is revealed in the final built form. She graduated with a Diploma of Building Technology at BCIT, Bachelor of Environmental Design and a Master of Architecture from Dalhousie University, where she received the RAIC Ernest Wilby Memorial Scholarship and the Rosetti Scholarship 2005: Havana. Since joining Diamond Schmitt Architects in 2002, Persis has worked on a range of academic, commercial and residential projects, including: the Hudson Condominiums in Toronto; the School of Medicine at Queen’s University; Lethbridge Leisure Centre in Alberta, the Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building at Drexel University in Philadelphia and 505 Richmond Great Hall.
Persis enjoys mentoring in the architecture community, has been a guest critic at University of Waterloo School of Architecture, a speaker at Engineers Without Borders Conference and continues to support collaboration at all levels of the design field. As well as keeping a strong focus on design and project management at Diamond Schmitt Architects, Persis enjoys spending time with her two young children and participates in the office rock band, Thundertrϋss.
Persis is an Executive Board Member of BEAT and focuses on BEAT Talks which is a small private event at a host architectural firm that showcases their work and the people behind it.
Emira Galeteanu
Emira galeteanu
Workshops
BAS, M.Arch., OAA
Emira is an Associate and an OAA licensed Architect at LGA. Since entering the profession in 2004 she has been striving to create buildings that not only inspire, but that make a direct and positive impact on the communities that they serve. Driven by a commitment to social good, her portfolio includes numerous award-winning cultural, educational, and community projects such as affordable housing. She currently leads a team working on the renovation of a 75,000 sq ft care facility that will include supportive housing, a shelter, as well as rehabilitation spaces. Prior to joining LGA Architectural Partners she worked with G. Bruce Stratton Architects on various community projects including the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) Design Excellence Award-winning Mount Dennis Public Library.
Beyond her work with LGA, Emira teaches architecture at the University of OCAD as a sessional faculty member where she has been sharing her expertise since 2021. In 2024, Emira became an executive board member of Building Equality in Architecture (BEA) Toronto chapter, an organization that advocates for equity and diversity and is committed to creating systemic change within the architectural industry.
When she is not designing buildings, teaching architecture or advocating for change, Emira enjoys building furniture, ceramics, and art objects. She has also written and illustrated three children’s books.
Angela Gou
Angela Gou
Social Media
M.Arch, B.A
Angela Gou is a passionate advocate for equity within the realm of architecture and is an intern architect at KPMB Architects. A graduate of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto, Angela was deeply engaged in the school community, notably serving as the President of the Graduate Student Union (GALDSU) and is the recipient of the Alpha Ro Chi Medal for professional merit, as well as the John and Myrna Daniels Scholars Award.
Immersed in the field of architecture, Angela is committed to fostering inclusivity and fairness. Her dedication to these principles extends beyond her professional endeavors, as she actively seeks opportunities to champion equity in various spheres. With a fervent belief in the importance of representation and advocacy, Angela looks forward to continual collaboration with BEAT members and working together with the next generation of women on their journey in architecture and design.
Andrea Bancod
Andrea Bancod
Programming Assistant
B.ArchSci
Andrea is a graduate of the undergraduate Architectural Science program from Toronto Metropolitan University. Currently serving as the Programming Assistant at BEAT, she dedicates her efforts to supporting the delivery of virtual and in-person programs and events. She plays a role in supporting the Executive Board by assisting with essential communications and graphics support, additionally contributing to maintaining the organization’s online presence as well as the organization’s ongoing operations.
Andrea is a 2024 Fellow of the Student Energy Program, where she gained comprehensive insights into energy systems at a global scale while honing essential project development and project management skills. Her time in the program ignited a passion for advocating for energy transition within the realm of architecture in Canada. During her studies at Toronto Metropolitan University, Andrea served as the Vice President of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) Chapter, having previously held roles as Events Team Lead and Events Coordinator. She is eager to continue leveraging her passion for collaboration and problem-solving to make a positive impact in her community.