about smartDESIGN

Gus Smart

Chief Morale Officer Gus Smart specializes in 14-hour nap cycles, aggressively auditing the trash cans, and providing intense staring contests to anyone eating lunch. He currently holds the office record for loudest snores during the quarterly meeting.

Deborah Taylor

As a Senior Project Manager, Deb Taylor oversees multi-site rollouts for national clients.

With degrees in Business and Interior Design, she blends exceptional organizational insight with design strategy, coordinating all project stakeholders—from clients and consultants to landlords and regulators—to deliver hundreds of successful projects.

John Sherman

Senior Design Associate John Sherman brings over 20 years of architectural design experience and leads smartDESIGN’s BIM and technology initiatives. He transforms complex concepts into clear solutions and fosters strong collaboration among teams, ensuring precision and efficiency throughout each project.

Lauren Rock

Lauren Rock is the Office Manager at smartDESIGN where she oversees day-to-day operations and ensures the smooth running of the studio. She supports firm-wide HR efforts, fosters team morale, and leads the Culture & Team Building committee.

Lauren also manages the firm’s social media presence and assists project teams with research on permitting and municipal requirements.

Karlie Schleich

Karlie Schleich is a Design Associate who recently joined smartDESIGN full-time following the completion of her internship with the firm.

A graduate of Villa Maria College with a degree in Interior Design, Karlie supports the Hospitality team while also contributing to a range of other project types across the studio. She brings strong organizational and communication skills to her role, along with an eagerness to learn about professional practice.

Michelle Muniak

Michelle Muniak is a Senior Design Associate and interior designer known for her versatility and cross-discipline contributions.

With degrees in architecture and interior design, she plays an essential role in residential, commercial, and hospitality projects, earning her the nickname “Swiss Army Knife” of the office.

Joseph Moroz

With more than 25 years of experience, Joseph Moroz is an Senior Design Associate focusing on multi-family, senior housing, and large-scale storage facilities across the U.S.

He specializes in code analysis, building surveys, specifications, and construction documents, ensuring compliance and constructibility throughout each project.

Mckenzie Kilanowski

Mckenzie Kilanowski is a Design Associate at smartDESIGN with a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from Villa Maria College. After completing her internship, she joined the firm full-time in 2024 and now contributes to fast-casual restaurant projects as part of the Hospitality team.

McKenzie brings creativity and attention to detail to each project, while continuing to build her skills and experience in the field.

Kathleen Geiger

Project Coordinator & Director of Interior Design Kathleen Geiger has been with smartDESIGN since 2011. Specializing in corporate restaurant design and developing on-brand interior finish standards, she coordinates project teams and consultants to deliver for multiple projects across the country.

Kathleen continuously deepens her knowledge of finishes, design trends, and interior construction methods and detailing.

Joshua Bernard

Since joining smartDESIGN in 2009, Project Manager Josh Bernard has contributed to projects ranging from custom homes to behavioral healthcare and advanced manufacturing facilities. He excels at producing construction drawings for complex projects and high-impact 3D renderings that bring clarity and precision to every phase of design.

Tracy Bellerdine

A Registered Architect and Senior Project Manager with over two decades of experience, Tracy Bellerdine leads the development of specifications and visual communication materials for commercial projects, from concept through construction.

Known for her attention to detail, code research skills, and construction-phase coordination, she ensures clarity and precision for clients, consultants, contractors, and code officials alike.

Martha Bailey

Martha Bailey is Office Manager Emeritus at smartDESIGN. As she eases into retirement, Martha is training our new Office Manager to take over her many and varied responsibilities. Martha’s future responsibilities will be focused more on grandchildren, golf, and her incurable chronic volunteerism.

Todd Audsley

As Project Executive, Todd Audsley leads client engagement, design, and construction management for a diverse range of projects, from custom house design to high-performance manufacturing, and assembly spaces in historic buildings. His background as an educator and contractor fuels his passion for restoring historic homes and informs practical design and construction know-how.

Todd leads our efforts in the provision of construction documents for Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity’s yearly construction schedule, and has presented on design to the Roycroft Master Craftsmen Association.

Edwin Smart

Ed Smart is the President and Principal Architect of smartDESIGN Architecture, an award-winning firm based in Batavia, NY.

Before founding smartDESIGN, Ed taught architecture and interior design at Western New York colleges and sustainable design at the Monteverde Institute in Costa Rica.