Glastonbury, CT, January 26, 2026 – The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM) is pleased to announce the promotion of five individuals to Associate Principal, twelve to Senior Associate, and five to Associate. These promotions recognize the professional excellence, leadership, and commitment that each honoree brings to the firm and our clients.
Emily Burton, Associate Principal, Business Development – Atlanta
With 13 years of experience in architecture and business development, Emily strengthens our sports practice and drives firm-wide growth. She connects client vision with market realities, using architectural training, and a strategic approach to building lasting relationships. As a mentor to technical teams, Emily aims to bring a data-driven mindset to developing metrics and insights. A former D1 student athlete, Emily holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Georgia Tech.
Dana Christ, Assoc. AIA, Associate Principal – Glastonbury
Since joining SLAM in 2001, Dana has become the firm’s national subject matter expert in Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Radiation Oncology, and Compounding Pharmacies. A leader in equipment coordination for complex, technology-driven projects, he collaborates closely with vendors and engineering teams from programming through construction to ensure long-term client success.
Emily Sperini, AIA, Associate Principal – Glastonbury
A leader in research-driven lab planning at SLAM, Emily brings 12 years of experience delivering flexible, high-performance laboratory solutions. As a Project Manager and Lab Planner for higher education projects, she provides hands-on leadership in technical documentation and consultant coordination, actively mentors STEM students through the ACE Mentoring Program, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Architecture Foundation.
Richard Sears, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, ACHA, Associate Principal – Glastonbury
Rich brings nearly 30 years of experience leading large-scale healthcare projects, including assembling and guiding strong teams at Yale. His work has expanded beyond outpatient facilities to more complex projects, like the Greenwich Cancer Center renovations. A key member of the next generation of the Glastonbury Healthcare team, Rich has led multiple marketing efforts for new clients and remains highly active in the New England healthcare market, consistently building meaningful connections for the firm.
Brian Ericsson, AIA, Associate Principal – Boston
Brian joined SLAM 20 years ago as a technology expert and quickly became a driving force behind our Building Information Modeling standards, many of which still guide the practice today. Over time, he has grown into one of our most respected technical leaders, serving as Technical Lead on Boston’s Studio Core team. Known for leading complex teams to exceptional results, his work on Stonehill’s School of Business and Baylor College of Medicine reflects his collaborative leadership, technical excellence, and commitment to design quality.
Renée Latulippe (HR, Glastonbury), Alisa Elfman, PLA, ASLA (Landscape Architecture, Glastonbury), Yana Pierzchala, AIA, LEED GA, WELL AP, EDAC (Orlando), Kelly Kleppin, AIA (Orlando), Gabriel Hohag, AIA, LEED GA (Philadelphia), Meghan Mendes, NCIDQ, IIDA (Interiors, Glastonbury), Ayca Ata, Ph.D., LEED GA (Glastonbury), Matthew Hildreth, AIA (Denver), Brittany D’Oddio, NCIDQ (Providence), Ellie Hart, AIA, EDAC (Boston), Kathryn Packtor, PLA, ASLA (Glastonbury), and Ross McCoy, AIA, ACHA, EDAC (Glastonbury)
Cole Peterson, AIA, NCARB (Glastonbury), Brittany Blinn (Providence), Ryan Oldach (Philadelphia), Nazeer Kutty, AIA, Fitwel (Atlanta), and Brian Ott, AIA (Denver)
