Jay Jacot
President /Treasurer
Jay has been Treasurer of the Architecture Resource Center since its founding. For nearly five years he also served as Treasurer of its predecessor organization, the Connecticut Architecture Foundation (CAF). While on the CAF Board Jay participated in Architecture Resource Center activities serving on its Advisory and Development Committees. Jay has also served as President of the Architecture Resource Center for the past several years.
Jay is a career Naval Officer who retired with the rank of Captain after thirty-one years of service. As an officer of the United States Navy Supply Corps, he gained extensive experience in budgeting, budget execution, and financial project management and oversight. In addition, Jay has significant experience, both with the Navy and private industry, in contract management and contract fraud investigation.His last assignment with the Navy was with the staff of the Naval War College.
Throughout his post-military careers, Jay has generously donated his financial services and project management skills to numerous non-profit organization. Jay is also employed as the business and construction manager for Thompson|Edwards Architects LLC in New Haven. He is a graduate of the Navy Supply Corps School and has an MA in Management from Central Michigan University and a BA in Economics from the University of Connecticut.
Kathleen Tracy
Secretary
Gina Calabro, Hon. AIACT NOMA
Executive Director
A life-long educator and administrator, Kathleen began her career teaching Kindergarten in New South Wales, Australia. After one year, she returned to the US and taught at both elementary and secondary levels in Washington State for fourteen years, followed by nine years in administration.
A Connecticut native, Kathleen returned to her hometown of West Hartford to become Principal of Duffy Elementary School where she remained for thirteen years. It was there that she first heard aboutArchitecture Resource Center (ARC) programs and brought them to her students in grades 3-5.
Since her retirement from public education in 2014, she has been involved in a number of non-profit organizations. Kathleen is the Secretary of Creative Educators International Network (CEIN), the Secretary/Treasurer of Smart Is Cool, the President of the Windsor Brush and Pallet Club (WPBC), member of Windsor Art Center (WAC), member of the West Hartford Art League (WHAL) and the Lyme Art Association (LAA). She is also involved politically and is on the Zoning Board of Appeals in the town of Old Lyme.
Kathleen has a BA in Psychology and a Teaching Certificate from Boston College, an MAED in Curriculum Instruction and School Administration from Seattle University, and received her Superintendent's Credential from the University of Connecticut's Education Leadership Program. She joined the ARC board as Secretary in 2015
With a career spanning more than 25 years, Gina brings extensive expertise in executive planning, administration, communications, and marketing, gained through her diverse experiences in both the private and non-profit sectors. Currently the Executive Director/CEO of AIA Connecticut, she has taken on the role of Executive Director of ARC.
In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the AIA Connecticut Chapter, Gina was honored with the prestigious designation of Honorable AIACT in March 2021. She also serves as an advisor to the Connecticut National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMAct) and an advisory board member with the University of Hartford's Department of Architecture.
Gina's commitment to fostering growth and development extends beyond her role at AIA CT and ARC. She was invited to serve on the Programs Advisory Committee for the Connecticut Technical (CTECH) Construction Trade Programs, as well as the Architecture Programs of Platt Technical High School and Bullard Haven Technical High School. These appointments reflect her dedication to shaping and improving educational opportunities within the architectural and construction fields.
She has previously served as the CEO of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association (HBRA) of Fairfield County and held the position of Division Director of Membership and Marketing at the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.
Tanya Cutolo, AIA LEED AP
Dominic Di Cenzo
Tanya Cutolo is a registered architect with over thirty years’ experience working in the design and construction field. She currently leads the New London studio of Silver Petrucelli & Associates, an architectural, engineering and interiors firm.
Tanya received her Master of Architecture degree from Tulane University. Her professional registrations and certifications include, LEED AP, RA NY & CT, AIA and NCARB. She currently serves on the boards of the CT Architecture Foundation (CAF), CT Green Building Council (CTGBC) and the Architectural Resource Center (ARC). Tanya also participates in AIA CT COTE, and Sustainable Essex.
Dominic Di Cenzo has been the Executive Director of the Connecticut Concrete Promotion Council of the Connecticut Ready Mixed Concrete Association for the past seven years. In that time, he has been recognized for his marketing and promotion by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association as the State Association of the Year in 2018 and as Individual State Affiliate Promoter of the Year in 2020.
A 48-year veteran of the construction industry, Di Cenzo has held multiple operations and sales & marketing positions with Connecticut-headquartered LATICRETE International, a global manufacturer of ceramic tile & stone setting materials, as Marketing Manager for Neoperl, Inc. (Waterbury), an OEM supplier of faucet aerators; and as the Marketing Director of Five Star Products (Fairfield & Shelton), a supplier of precision grouts and concrete repair mortars.
He is a member of ACI (American Concrete Institute) National and ACI New England Chapter; a member and board member of ACE (Aggregate & Concrete Executives Association); Board Member of ARC (Architectural Resource Center); an Allied Member of AIA Connecticut and BuildGreen CT, and past member of ICRI (International Concrete Repair Institute). He is currently a member of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association Social Media Task Force and co-chair of the AIA Connecticut Allied Members Committee.
Jennifer Huestis, AIA NOMA
Samuel E. Gardner, AIA
An architect, interior designer, and co-principal of Huestis Tucker Architects, Jennifer has been designing new homes, renovations, and interiors for clients in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York for over 30 years. A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and the Yale University School of Architecture, she founded HTA with her husband, Robert Tucker, in 1998. Jennifer is an active member of AIAct and NOMAct. She is currently serving on the board of directors of AIAct and is co-chair of the Women in Architecture Knowledge Community.
Samuel Gardner has over 30 years of experience with transportation and infrastructure upgrades; downtown revitalization and TOD planning; historic rehabilitation and adaptive re-use projects. For the past 20 years, Sam has played a key role in many of the state’s rail, transit and airport facility design and renovation initiatives. Before joining Greg Wies & Gardner, he ran TAMS Consultants, Inc’s Stamford office for over five years renovating and expanding ConnDOT’s New Haven rail line stations. Registered in Connecticut since 1985, Sam received the “Emerging Architect Design Award” from AIA/CT for a broad body of work preserving and revitalizing the downtown districts of New Haven, South Norwalk, and Stamford, Connecticut.
Sam was an ARC founding member, and helped develop our alliance with the New Haven Public Schools. He is a former ARC Board Member and Past-President. Sam has a BFA from Colgate University, and a Master of Architecture from Yale University.
Robynne Orr, M.S., RA, LEED AP
Robynne Orr is the associate director of project management for Yale University, where she manages a team dedicated to delivering capital projects for the School of Medicine and West Campus. In her role, Robynne leads the construction completion of multiple floors at 100 College Street where a new 210,000 square foot renovation and relocation of the departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, and the Wu Tsai Institute are collocated. This interdisciplinary research facility is focused of the university’s science priorities including the study of the brain – “Neuroscience: From Molecules to Mind" – among dozens of other projects within the scope of her influence.
Spanning the last eight years as a planner architect, Robynne has worked on capital projects serving the needs of the university’s medical and west campuses. Many of the projects she has managed in support of the School of Medicine including the Yale Child Study Center at 350 George Street building acquisition and renovation (2018); Yale Medicine Administrative Consolidation building acquisition and renovation (2019); and at 800 Boston Post Road, Guilford, multi-specialty Clinical Building, tenant fit out (2020).
Prior to joining Yale, Robynne was an associate at MBH Architecture, a healthcare planner at Ballinger and Robert D. Lynn Associates in Philadelphia PA.
Robynne received a B.Arch from Temple University, an M.S. in building construction management from Purdue University, and is a registered architect in the State of Pennsylvania in addition to being a LEED Accredited Professional. She is also a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects.
In addition to her role at Yale University, Robynne is a mother, voice actor, an aspiring expatriate, and soon to be an avid hiker.