MEET THE STAFF
JOSEPH K. OPPERMANN, FAIA, APT RP
PRINCIPAL AND FOUNDER
Joe for more than thirty years has managed an architectural firm with primary focus on the preservation and adaptive use of historic architecture and new design within historic contexts. His projects include restorations of some of the most significant architecture in the country, and the firm has been recognized by more than thirty design awards, including the national Palladio Award for Outstanding Restoration. Joe has been selected by his peers as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.
A graduate of the University of Texas, he received a Bachelor of Liberal Arts, a Bachelor of Architecture with High Honors, and a Master of Architecture, and while in college was a member of an Historic American Buildings Survey Team (HABS). Post-graduate studies include a Certificate in Museum Studies from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the more recent designation as a certified Safety Assessment Program (SAP) Building Evaluator for earthquake and storm disasters.
In the public sector before going into private practice, Joe served as Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) of Texas, overseeing state and federal preservation programs. As a member of the Board of the National Conference of SHPOs, he chaired the Programs Committee and was the Conference’s liaison to the National Park Service (NPS) during development of both the NPS-28 Cultural Resource Management Guidelines and the national guidelines for promoting handicapped access to historic sites and buildings.
Joe has held leadership positions at the national level throughout his career, among them chair of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Historic Resources Committee (HRC) and chair of the HRC of the North Carolina AIA, chair of the American Institute of Conservators (AIC) Architecture Specialty Group, president of the Society of Architectural Historians state chapter, and founding member of the Preservation Education Initiative, a joint effort of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and the AIA. He currently co-chairs the Association for Preservation Technology International (APT) Climate Change Task Group.
Joe has further promoted professional development and design excellence in a variety of ways, including service as peer reviewer for the grant programs of both the Getty Foundation and the Institute of Museum Services, and as a juror for national scholarships and design awards. Joe also lectures extensively at national conferences and symposia, schools of architecture, and graduate preservation programs.
HENRY H. LAFFERTY, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
SENIOR ARCHITECT
Henry brings more than 35 years of professional experience to his role as Senior Architect with JKOA. Exposure to historic preservation during his undergraduate studies opened his eyes to the importance of preserving our urban environments to create vibrant places. His thesis on infill design addressed the impact of building codes and zoning regulation on urban form, and presented design strategies to incorporate new construction into architectural fabric while addressing regulatory requirements, user needs, and preservation.
During his career, Henry has worked in large and small firms on a wide range of project types with more than 15 years devoted to historic preservation. His preservation projects include historic restorations and adaptive use for residential, institutional and commercial buildings. He also owned and managed an architecture firm for 15 years before joining JKOA.
Over the span of his career, Henry has increasingly come to believe that thoughtful communication and careful listening are essential to the design process. It is his belief that while there are articulated project intentions, it is essential to listen for the objectives that are often unvoiced but can be as important in the ultimate success of a project. This success extends beyond the realization of the project design objectives to include the navigation of the construction process while reconciling client and contractor expectations.
Henry has a passion for smart growth and planning. He was accredited by the Congress of New Urbanism and served on both the Charlotte Mecklenburg (NC) Planning Commission and Charlotte Mecklenburg Historic District Commission. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in both political science and religious studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Master of Architecture from the University of Texas School of Architecture.
Robert J. Hotes, AIA, NCARB, APT RP, LEED AP BD+C
SENIOR PRESERVATION ARCHITECT
As Senior Preservation Architect at JKOA, Bob focuses on the preservation and rehabilitation of historic buildings for institutional, governmental, and educational clients. After growing up in Washington, DC, Bob spent the majority of his career in Philadelphia. A passion for the past, combined with a commitment to a sustainable future, has guided an award-winning career working with existing buildings, including all forms of rehabilitation and additions, spanning the 18th to the 21st centuries. Recent projects include the exterior restoration of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the roof replacement at Reynolda House Museum of American Art, and the renovation and expansion of Dillon Gymnasium at Princeton University.
Bob was the recipient of the 2000 Young Architect Award from the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and he chaired AIA Philadelphia’s Historic Preservation Committee for over twenty years. He is a Recognized Professional with the Association for Preservation Technology International (APT) and serves on the APT Technical Committees on Documentation, Sustainable Preservation, and Modern Heritage. Bob is also active with the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), for whom he serves on multiple International Scientific Committees. His publications include “Sustainable Building” in The Practice of Sustainable Development, published by the Urban Land Institute.
Bob received a BSE in Architecture and Civil Engineering from Princeton University and a MArch and Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania. He pursued additional training through the US/ICOMOS International Exchange Program at the Institute Spetsproyectrestavratsiya in Moscow and the Penn Summer Program in European Conservation at the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) in Rome, and he was the 2011 laureate of the Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship in France. A leader in the architecture and preservation professional communities, Bob speaks and writes frequently on architecture, preservation and sustainable design, and he has lectured at numerous professional conferences and symposia throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.
LANGDON E. OPPERMANN
ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN & PLANNER
Langdon has worked as architectural historian and preservation planner at JKOA on a wide range of projects for individuals and institutions. She conducts intensive-level research for planning evaluations and preservation efforts, and has co-authored numerous investigation and preservation reports, Historic Structure Reports, master plans, alteration and condition assessments, feasibility studies, and interpretative materials.
She grew up in Charleston, SC, a city with a rich preservation ethic that is deep-seated in her approach to her work. After receiving her BA in City Planning and Historic Preservation from Hollins University, she served on a HABS team before receiving her MA in City Planning and Historic Preservation from George Washington University. She received a fellowship and Certificate in Preservation Planning from Cornell University’s Center for Urban Development Research.
For many years Langdon directed programs of the State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO) of both North and South Carolina. As owner of a consulting firm, she prepared historic tax credit certifications, design review guidelines, National Register nominations, and worked on the “other side of the table” with DOT contractors and other federal representatives to meet preservation compliance requirements. Among notable projects was her planning study of about 2,000 buildings and subsequent publication of Winston-Salem’s African-American Neighborhoods, 1870-1950.
Nationally, she has served as chair of the 106 Compliance Committee of the National Conference of SHPOs, on a National Park Service advisory group and the board of Preservation Action, and at the state level, the board of Preservation North Carolina. Locally, she is recent chair of the Forsyth County Historic Resources Commission and of the Society for the Study of African-American History. She is the recipient of awards for her work in the revitalization of historic neighborhoods and speaks often to advocacy and professional groups, including the Preservation Society of Charleston and the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training.
CHRISTOPHER M. WOOLLARD, ASSOC. AIA
ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATE
Chris’s role as an Architectural Associate at JKOA ranges from project management, development, and contract management, to architectural design, condition assessment, and intensive historic research. He has co-authored a number of investigation and preservation reports including, Historic Structure Reports, Condition Assessment Reports, master plans, and feasibility studies. His design work extends to graphic production and interpretative materials. His client experience spans small private organizations to large governmental agencies. In his 6+ years with the firm, he has been afforded the opportunity to work on some of the most prestigious Historic Landmarks in the United States.
Chris holds a Masters in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he was named an Alan K. and Leonarda F. Laing Fellow in architectural history and preservation, and received a number of accolades for his studio work. He received a Bachelors in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College with concentrations in Fine Art and Art and Architectural History. As part of his undergraduate work, he studied fine art paint and finish conservation at Studio Art College International in Florence, Italy, and received archaeology field training at Washington University in St. Louis.
In his time before JKOA, Chris worked as a research specialist for the Illinois Energy NOW program administered through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, where his role spanned a diverse portfolio of energy efficiency programs and focused on grant writing to sustain program funding. He concurrently held a position in the communications department of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, where he was part of a team that handled graphic design, branding, strategy, and creative production for the college, the Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and the Medical District Veterinary Clinic in Chicago.
A generalist at heart, Chris brings to the table a comprehensive educational background combined with deep knowledge in a variety of fields. His design interests are broad-based–ranging from historic preservation to sustainable ecologies. He believes design in every form should always be grounded in research.
JEFFREY P. ANDERSON, ASSOC. AIA
ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATE
As an Architectural Associate, Jeff’s roles include architectural design, project management, condition assessments, preparation of recordation and construction drawings, and historical research. He has co-authored a number of Historic Structure Reports, Condition Assessment Reports, and feasibility studies for both private and federal clients.
Jeff received a Bachelor of Science of Architectural Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, followed by a Master of Architecture degree with a focus on historic preservation. As part of his graduate work, he served on two teams preparing documentation drawings and written reports for the Historic American Buildings Survey, including one for the Paul Schweikher House in Schaumburg, Illinois and for the Governor John Wood Mansion in Quincy, Illinois. He was twice nominated for the Illinois School of Architecture’s Edward C. Earl Prize for studio work.
In his 3+ years with JKOA, Jeff has worked closely with Senior Architects on a number of A/E and Cultural Resource projects. Notable past projects include Historic Structure Reports for the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville, the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Home in Plains, Georgia, and the Malus-Beauregard House near New Orleans. Jeff has prepared construction documents for multiple recent projects including exterior repairs at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, roof replacement at the Reynolda House Museum of American Art, and Stafford Settlement chimney stabilization at Cumberland Island National Seashore.
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