Make more. Ego less.
Our talented team is what makes it all possible and what makes us, us. We come from a wide range of backgrounds, we have a ton of different experience, and we're genuinely nice people. It may sound simple, but those values are at the heart of what JtA is all about. Work hard with great people to create great new things with other great people.
Our Team
Principal
Joe Stromer is the Owner and Principal at JtA, which he started in 2008. Originally from Colorado, Joe has over 17 years of experience and specializes in commercial, restaurant, and residential design. He earned his Master’s in Architecture from Boston Architectural College and his Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University. In addition, Joe has over a decade of service industry experience, voted one of Boston’s Most Beloved Bartenders along the way.
Design Director
Alberto Cabré is the Design Director at JtA, overseeing all designs, facilitation of the project teams, and code review. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Alberto has over 22 years of experience. In addition to working at JtA, he also owned and operated Casa B restaurant in Somerville which gives him a wealth of practical knowledge. He holds his Master’s in Architecture from MIT, his Bachelor’s in Environmental Design from the University of Puerto Rico, and his Professional Chef’s from Cambridge School of Culinary Arts.
Director of Business Development
Alex Siekierski is the Director of Business Development at JtA. Alex has been with JtA from the beginning and oversees new busines, as well as maintains client and vendor relationships. Alex is a Senior Project Manager and Architect with 17 years of experience and specializes in academic, hospitality and residential design. He holds his Master’s in Architecture from Boston Architectural College, in addition to his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design from UMASS Amherst.
Architecture & Sustainability Director
Chris Brown is the Architectural & Sustainability Director at JtA, overseeing a wide range of projects as well as our sustainability initiatives. With over 26 years of experience in both Boston and Washington D.C., Chris specializes in higher-ed, educational, and sustainable design, and has extensive experience in mixed-use, multi and single-family residential, plus two national memorials. One of Chris’ most notable projects includes the Hawaii Preparatory Academy Energy Lab, the third ever ‘Living Building’ and the first K12 facility to meet Cascadia‘s ‘Living Building Challenge’. He holds his Masters in Architecture from the University of Maryland and his Bachelor’s from Colby College.
Interior Design Director
Grace oversees all interior design projects, the interiors team, all FF&E, as well as designing and managing her own projects. Originally from Lima, Peru and Montreal, Grace has over a decade of experience between the U.S. and Canada, specializing in large and mid-sized commercial and corporate design. Some of her most notable projects include Deciphera’s headquarters, Oracle, ICER, and Millstreet Capital. Grace holds her Bachelor of Interior Design from Dawson College in Montréal.
Creative Director
Chris Milne is the Creative Director at JtA. Chris comes from the ad agency world where he has over 17 years of award-winning experience in advertising, branding, marketing, and design. Chris oversees all creative and experiential aspects of our projects, as well as develops branding for both JtA’s architectural clients and non-architectural clients. Over the years, Chris has helped develop brands such as New Balance, Honda, Sam Adams, Disney, Calvin Klein, Castle Island, Zipcar, and many others. He holds his Bachelor’s in Communication from Saint Louis University and his graduate Certificate in Advertising and Copywriting from The Creative Circus.
Senior Project Manager & Interior Designer
Meg is a Senior Project Manager and Interior Designer who helps oversee our interior design process, materials, sourcing, as well as managing and designing her own projects. She holds her Bachelor of Studio Arts from the University of Rhode Island with a concentration in printmaking, in addition to her Master’s of Interior Architecture from New England School of Art & Design at Suffolk University.
Project Manager & Architect
Originally from Ohio and Illinois, Robert works on a wide range of project types and has over a decade of experience in high-end residential design as well as commercial design.. He holds both his Bachelor of Science in Architecture and his Master of Architecture from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Digital Design Manager & Project Manager
Alberto Malagón is the Digital Design Manager at JtA as well as a Project Manager. Alberto oversees all BIM processes, technologies, and tools in our office as well as manages his own projects. Originally from Sevilla, Spain, Alberto has over 20 years of experience across a range of work including multi and single-family residential, modular design, engineering, visual programming, CGI, interior design, and cost estimation. He holds his Master of Architecture from Universidad de Sevilla and his Associate’s in Construction Engineering from Universidad de Sevilla.
Project Manager & Architect
Geoff Farrell is a Project Manager and Architect at JtA. In addition to designing JtA projects, Geoff is a 3D modeling expert, helps manage our visual and rendering standards, real-time rendering, plus our VR walkthroughs. Geoff holds both his Bachelor and Master of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a concentration in urban design.
Project Manager & Architect
Travis Blake is a Project Manager and Architect at JtA. Originally from New Hampshire, Travis works on a range of different project types at JtA and specializes in restaurant design, which he has over a decade of nationwide experience. He holds both his Bachelor of Science in Architecture and his Master of Architecture from Northeastern University, as well as his Associate's in Architectural Engineering Technology from New Hampshire Technical Institute.
Lead Brand Designer
Elanie Blais is the Lead Brand Designer at JtA who creates and develops branding for both JtA's architectural and non-architectural clients. Elanie comes from the design and ad agency world where she has 15 years of award-winning experience designing for brands of all shapes and sizes. Over the years, she has helped develop brands such as New Balance, Reebok, Brick & Mortar, Stio, FedEx, Toyota, and many more. She holds her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design from the University of Connecticut and is a Course Instructor at MassArt.
Project Manager & Designer
Austin is a Project Manager and Designer who specializes in commercial, restaurant, retail and dispensary design. Austin holds both his Bachelor and Master of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a concentration in emerging technologies.
Project Manager & Designer
Mayra Cabré is a Project Manager and Designer at JtA. Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mayra has over 20 years of experience in architecture, urban design and master planning, and is also heavily involved in the restaurant industry. Mayra holds her Bachelor’s in Environmental Design from the University of Puerto Rico as well as her Masters of Architecture from the University of Virginia.
Project Manager, Designer & Publications Manager
Sean is a Project Manager and Designer at JtA who designs a range of both commercial and residential projects. They hold both their Bachelor’s and Master of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a concentration on adaptive interventions.
Project Manager & Designer
Nadya is originally from Belarus and most recently Canada, where she worked heavily in residential and institutional design. She specializes in residential design at JtA and holds her Bachelor of Architecture from Carleton University in Ottawa, with a specialization in conservation and sustainability.
Project Manager, Designer & Business Development Manager
Jim is a Project Manager and Designer who works across a range of commercial and residential projects. Jim holds his Bachelor’s in Architecture from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and his Master’s from Northeastern University. He is also the go-to person in the office for all things automotive.
Project Manager & Interior Designer
Camille works on all aspects of our interior design process, materials and sourcing, as well as managing and designing both commercial and residential projects. Originally from Maine, Camille holds her Bachelor’s in Interior Design from Wentworth Institute of Technology.
Project Manager & Interior Designer
Amanda Gray is an Interior Designer and Project Manager at JtA. Amanda works on all aspects of our interior design process, materials and sourcing, as well as managing and designing projects. Originally from Massachusetts, Amanda has an extensive background in high-end residential design, as well as specializes in kitchen and bathroom design. She holds her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from New England School of Art & Design at Suffolk University.
Project Manager & Interior Designer
Audrey Lee is an Interior Designer and Project Manager at JtA. Audrey works on all aspects of our interior design process, materials and sourcing, as well as managing and designing projects. Originally from Orange County, California, Audrey has extensive experience in hotel, hospitality, lab, and restaurant design. She holds her Bachelor of Interior Architecture with a focus on Adaptive Reuse from RISD.
Project Manager & Interior Designer
Gina Milatzo is an Interior Designer and Project Manager at JtA. Gina works on all aspects of our interior design process, materials and sourcing, as well as managing and designing projects. Originally from the Washington D.C. area, Gina has extensive experience in large-scale projects, coworking spaces, commercial design, and corporate interiors. She holds her Bachelor’s in Interior Design from Marymount University and is also a certified yoga instructor.
Project Manager & Designer
Chris Drinan is a Project Manager and Designer at JtA. Chris works on a range of projects at JtA, in addition to specializing in cannabis design. Over the years, he has worked on an extensive number of large cultivation and dispensary projects across several states, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, Michigan, Nevada, and California. Chris holds both his Bachelor's and Master of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology, and his heart belongs to the Boston Red Sox.
Project Manager & Designer
Jeff Carroll is a Project Manager and Designer at JtA. Jeff works on a variety of different types of projects in addition to specializing in restaurant design. Originally from California, Jeff holds his Bachelor’s in Earth Science with a focus in Geology from the University of California Santa Cruz and his Master of Interior Architecture from RISD.
Project Manager & Designer
Matt Drosselmeier is a Project Manager and Designer at JtA. Matt works on a variety of different projects and has significant experience in large-scale, multi-unit design as well as the service industry. Originally from Long Island, New York, Matt holds his Bachelor of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology, and he makes a mean old fashioned.
Existing Conditions Manager
Andres Ojeda is the Existing Conditions Manager and Junior BIM Manager at JtA. Originally from Colombia, Andres oversees all of our laser scanning, base condition documentation, and makes sure every one of our projects starts off with the right informational foundation. Andres holds his Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from Pontifical Bolivarian University in Colombia and his Master’s in BIM Applied to Civil Engineering from Structuralia in Spain.
Some Kind Words
We have worked with Joe the Architect for several years on both residential and commercial projects. All of these projects have been successful and have run smoothly. The entire team takes a warm, nurturing approach to fully understand a client’s vision and provide creative solutions to achieve their goals. Communication is clear, complete and concise. We will continue to recommend JtA to all of our potential clients, and are happy to call them our friends.
Bailey Davol / Studio Build
Working with the JtA team was a breeze. From the very beginning, JtA set expectations on timeline and pricing, and the project never strayed from those expectations. Seantel was prepared for every meeting and her turnaround time for sending agendas or follow-up documents was always right on time. She’s amazing. Our follow-up questions were always answered quickly and clearly. We can’t say enough good things about working with this team. JtA works efficiently, openly, and they provide excellent insight. We were in uncharted territory re-imagining our future home, and their expertise in every detail went a long way. We’re so excited to bring our plans to light. Thank you JtA!
Residential Clients
As a general contractor, I’ve crossed paths with a wide variety of architects. In addition to time efficiency and accuracy, the professionalism, organization, and out-of-the-box thinking JtA offers really sets them apart from the rest. When it came time to select an architect for a project at my personal residence, JtA seemed like the obvious choice and I was not disappointed. I wholly recommend their services to anyone seeking an architect.
Fresh Start Contracting
We’ve worked with Joe and his team on two projects now, one for our business and one for our home. For our business, Joe was able to turn our idea of having a non-traditional retail space for our bespoke suiting business into a reality. Joe designed this cool showroom with a lounge and a bar that is more reminiscent of a hip downtown loft than a traditional store with racks of merchandise. When it came down to renovating our home, we turned to Joe and his team again. They more than delivered. We now have a home that is much more functional than it was before, both beautiful and comfortable for our growing family.
9Tailors
