WHO WE ARE

About

Board Members

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OFFICERS

Amy Van Gessel, President
Amy currently works at MacDonald & Mack Architects. She has a BS in Interior Design from Adrian College (MI) and both a Master of Architecture and Master of Science in Heritage Conservation & Preservation from the University of Minnesota. She is interested in the technical and aesthetic challenges which come with recent past preservation and rehabilitation, with a special affection for postwar modern recladding projects.

​Amy is also an adjunct instructor at the University of Minnesota, teaching architectural drawing and critical thinking. ​She was just recently the co-steward of the Twin Cities chapter of The Architecture Lobby which advocates for the value of architecture in the general public and for architectural work within the discipline. 
Ben Clasen, Vice-President
Ben is a commercial photographer and digital imaging artist with a passion for architecture and design of the Modern Movement. He spent his early adulthood living and studying in and among the Modernist masterpieces of Marcel Breuer, Curt Green and Val Michelson, while earning his BA from the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University.

As a visual storyteller, Ben appreciates connections between spaces, design, history and human experience – making Mid-Century documentation and advocacy a natural fit.

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Patrick Moe, Secretary
Patrick is a registered architect currently working at Perkins & Will in Minneapolis. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Master of Architecture program. Patrick’s architectural education began as a visual arts student at St. John’s University, exploring the forms and materiality of Marcel Breuer’s work on the campus through sculpture, drawing, and painting and as an assistant in the campus woodworking shop. Patrick is a singer with the choral ensemble Kantorei, often performing in mid-century modern sacred spaces across the Twin Cities—combining his love of music and architecture.
Jamie Heilicher, Treasurer
Jamie is currently the President of Advance Realty, Inc., a commercial property management company. In addition to being a founding board member for Docomomo US/MN, he is the Board President for the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest (JHSUM). He is a graduate of the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA). Jamie Heilicher is an avid collector of Mid Century Modern furniture and objects and is an advocate for the preservation of Modern Architecture. He joined the Docomomo US/MN board to provide expertise in operations and finance for the new non-profit organization. In his free time, he enjoys travel, antiques, gardening and Mid Century Modern!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Todd Grover, Board Member; VP Advocacy, Docomomo US
Todd is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. He has worked full time with MacDonald & Mack Architects since 1997 and became a Principal in 2004. He also serves on the National board of Docomomo US and heads the Advocacy committee.  

Todd’s interests include the preservation of the recent past, and efforts to heighten the awareness and understanding of significant build­ings that have not reached the fifty-year threshold. He is also interested in sustainability and historic preservation, realizing the embodied energy available in existing buildings, but expanding on these concepts to discover ways to make buildings more energy efficient without disregarding their historic integrity. Todd is also Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota teaching two courses related to the documentation and conservation of historic resources.
Katherine Stalker, Board Member; Immediate Past President
While earning a B.A. in Art History from Carleton College and a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota, Katherine developed a lasting appreciation for modernism and an interest in shaping public dialogue about architecture. She spent the last five years planning public programs at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, where she organized lectures, workshops, tours, and other events that celebrated the city’s architectural history and explored contemporary issues in architecture and urban design. She recently moved back to the Twin Cities and currently edits the newsletter of the Association of Architecture Organizations, an international network of nonprofits dedicated to architectural programming.
Bobak Ha'Eri, Board Member
Bobak's interest in architecture blossomed when it was far too late to change majors in college. Passionate about all modernism, he enjoys diving into the history of buildings and place. He holds a BA from the University of Southern California and a JD from the University of Minnesota, where he's currently an Adjunct Professor for the University Honors Program and Instructor of Legal Practice at the Law School.
Jessica Buelow, Board Member
Originally from Beaver Dam, WI, Jessica relocated to St. Paul in 1998 to study theatre at Macalester College, where she earned her degree in Dramatic Arts. Before becoming a residential Real Estate Agent in the Twin Cities, she worked as a Stage Manager at SteppingStone Theatre as they worked diligently to save and restore the historic church at 55 Victoria Street and transform it into a working theatre.

Jessica champions the Modern aesthetic and strives to introduce unique properties to clients while also educating about the preservation of modern and historic properties in the Twin Cities. She also loves LEGOs :)
Peter Barile, Board Member
Peter is a Realtor with Anderson Realty based in Minneapolis. He strives to educate his clients about being stewards and preservationists of the eclectic styles of homes that we have in the Twin Cities. Prior to becoming a Realtor, he had a decade-long career in Marketing + Operations at technology companies in Silicon Valley and Santa Fe. 
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Peter’s passion for homes and design was instilled at a young age, often spending time after school at his father’s job sites, which were Victorian, Neo-Classical and Beaux-Arts mansions of San Francisco and the Bay Area. When he was 9 years old, a friend of his moved into an Eichler home in Marin County, and he fell head over heels for Modernism and has been obsessed with it ever since. Peter and his husband are currently restoring their Mid-Century Modern home, the Ronald Balazs House I, in the Prospect Park neighborhood of Southeast Minneapolis.
Stephen Magner, Board Member
Stephen Magner is a UX Designer and Creative Director with over 30 years of experience in the design industry. He is passionate about using design to solve problems and create meaningful user experiences.

Magner began his career as a graphic designer, and over the years, his work has evolved to encompass store design, architectural signage, product design, and experience design. He has worked for several leading design firms, including Gensler, Vignelli Associates, and the Estée Lauder Corporation. In these roles, he has led teams of designers to create award-winning work.

He is a member of the AIA-MN Housing Advocacy Committee and has served on the board of directors for several organizations promoting accessibility.

You can find him biking around town on his e-bike, in a yoga class, or at an art and cultural event.
Angela Wolf Scott, Board Member
Angela is a registered architect in Minnesota and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. She is the CEO/President and Principal Architect at MacDonald & Mack Architects. 

Angela has a dedication to our architectural heritage and an interest in the intersection between historic preservation, sustainability, and the urban environment. The combination of these interests is the core of her approach to architecture and the foundation of her career.
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Angela is the recipient of the AIA Young Architect Award at both the state (MN) and national levels. She is also Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota teaching studio courses related to the documentation, conservation, and reuse of historic resources.
Willie Willette, Board Member
Willie graduated from St. John's University in 1983 with a degree in English with a concentration in Philosophy, guaranteeing that he would work with his hands for the rest of his life. After years of construction, travel, and museum work, Willie established Willie Willette Works in 1996 with the intent of crafting beautiful, high-quality custom furniture. Since then, Willie and his team have designed and created one-of-a-kind pieces for thousands of residential and commercial clients out of their University Ave studio – always using the finest local materials, working closely with each client every step of the way, and prioritizing top-tier craftsmanship. 

​He has also worked as an adjunct professor at Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), as well as serving on many local Arts Boards, plus the University of Minnesota student run radio station, Radio K. 
Ashley Bull, Board Member
Ashley is self-proclaimed house nerd with a passion for interior design that started in childhood. After earning a B.A. in Studio Arts from the University of Minnesota, she went on to work in the interior design and construction industries. For many years, her love for design took a back seat to a successful corporate America career. But that all changed in 2020 when Ashley and her husband bought a 1956 architect designed Midcentury Modern home in Wayzata. She has spent the past several years thoughtfully restoring the time capsule house - which was featured on the Docomomo tour in 2023.

​The process of restoring and sharing her home inspired Ashley to return to her design roots. She is now the Owner and Founder of Novella Design House - an Interior Design and Real Estate firm that specializes in Midcentury Modern design and restoration. As a designer, Ashley loves the tension of form and function and welcomes the challenge of modernization vs. preservation.