When you choose Freeman French Freeman, you get one of the most experienced teams around. Our people love what they do, and that passion is reflected in the work they deliver to our clients day in, day out.
Alex Halpern
President | AIA, NCARB
Over the past twenty-five years Alex has led many of the firm’s largest projects, such as UVM’s new STEM Complex and the Dion Family Student Center at Saint Michael’s College. But Alex enjoys the challenges that come with the firm’s smaller projects, too—like Trader Joe’s or UVM Rescue—that require the same level of attention and care. A Burlington native, Alex is our office Francophile and enjoys frequent trips to Quebec and France with his family.
Shawn Brennan
Vice President | AIA
Shawn’s success as an architect and project manager stems from his unwavering commitment to client service and design excellence. The result: satisfied clients who return again and again. A proud graduate of Norwich University, Shawn has returned to his Alma mater multiple times, both as an architect and as a two-term member of the Board of Fellows. Shawn’s passions include two activities that rarely go together: he is both a skilled auto mechanic and a talented painter.
Josh Crandall
Associate Principal | AIA
After ten years of working for firms in New York, Washington and Portland, Josh returned to his home state of Vermont to join the FFF team in 2015. He has extensive experience in commercial construction as well as renovating and preserving historic structures. Josh spends his free time with his family in Vermont’s Green Mountains and can often be found drawing and painting.
Jane Pickell
Director of Interiors | IIDA, LEED AP, WELL AP
Jane works side-by-side with clients to select colors, materials, and finishes that give each project its own unique character and style. With Jane you also get superior technical skills, which ensure that your interior space is not only beautiful to look at but a pleasure to work in. A student of Russian literature in college, Jane is always on the lookout for her favorite Russian desserts.
Jesse Robbins
Senior Project Manager | AIA, LEED AP, ASHRAE
Jesse’s 20-plus-year track record managing technically complex projects through all phases of construction make him a naturally collaborative leader. His breadth of experience, coupled with deep expertise in sustainable design, is highly valued by clients of all types. If Jesse isn’t at the office, you’ll probably find him at his camp in Montgomery, skiing at Jay Peak or hiking with his dog, Lucy.
Brian Leet
Senior Project Manager | AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, CSI
Brian has over twenty-five years of design and project management experience in Vermont and Pennsylvania. He is a long-time member of the Construction Specifications Institute and currently serves as the Northeast Region representative for the Vermont Chapter. With a dozen LEED projects to his credit, Brian leads many of our efforts in building science and sustainability. When not contemplating projects, Brian is a competitive Latin dancer and board game designer.
Nathalia Ellis
Architect | AIA
Nathalia brings a designer’s eye and a passion for sustainability to every project. After growing up in Brazil and attending graduate school in Las Vegas, Nathalia has (finally) learned to embrace Vermont winters. She loves sledding with her family at the neighborhood park.
Jamie Wagner
Architect | AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, CPHC
When clients want to see exactly what their project will look like, they turn to Jamie to deliver high-quality, computer-generated 2D and 3D renderings. Jamie is also a Certified Passive House Consultant, which provides clients an alternative to LEED certification when building green. At home, Jamie loves to cheer on the Ohio State football team with her husband, son, cats and chickens.
Colleen Perron
Architect | AIA, NCARB, LEED AP
With degrees in both architecture and civil engineering, Colleen understands both the art and science of building design and construction. She comes to Vermont following a 20-plus-year career in Long Island, NY, and can often be found oil painting en plein air on the shores of Lake Champlain.
Alyssa Dirks
Architect | AIA, NCARB, LEED Green Associate
Alyssa moved to the Green Mountain State in 2022 after working for firms in Oregon and Washington, DC. In her teen years Alyssa was a gold-medal-winning figure skater for Team USA, and she brings that same energy and work ethic to her clients today as a licensed architect at Freeman French Freeman.
Andres Gutierrez
Architectural Designer
From Bogotá to Burlington (via Brooklyn), Andres joins the firm with over 15 years’ experience as a project manager and designer. Away from the office Andres enjoys exploring Vermont’s beautiful countryside with his young family.
Jamie Gravel
Architectural Designer
Jamie has over 20 years’ experience as a designer and project manager. A Burlington native, she has worked for several local firms and is particularly strong in health care design and commercial architecture. On most weekends you’ll find Jamie in Vermont’s great outdoors with her dog and family.
Alberto (Beto) Silva
Architectural Designer
After living and working on three continents, family ties led Beto to the hills of Vermont in 2020. He is a graduate of the Pratt Institute in New York and believes good design can lead to a more equitable and sustainable future. Outside the office, Beto loves spending time with his growing family and exploring country roads by bicycle.
Ryan Catozzi
Architectural Designer
From an early age Ryan knew architecture was his calling, first as the state champion of the SkillsUSA architectural drafting competition in high school, and later as an architecture student at Vermont Tech. Ryan enjoys travel, video games, and cooking with friends.
Bodwe Kashindi
Architectural Designer
Bodwe joined FFF as a summer intern in 2022 after graduating from Burlington High School and the Engineering and Architectural Design program at the Center for Technology, Essex. Right away we knew we had found someone special, and Bo now works full-time as an architectural designer. Bo loves to draw, bike along the Burlington waterfront, and spend time with family.
Jesse Beck
President Emeritus | AIA, NCARB
Jesse has been a leader at the firm and in the community for over 30 years. He continues to provide valuable insight and input on select projects as President Emeritus, but these days you’re more likely to find Jesse outside hiking, biking and skiing in Vermont and beyond.
Alyssa Frederick
Administrative & Financial Coordinator
With a background in hospitality, Alyssa knows how to create an atmosphere that is warm and welcoming for employees and visitors alike. Originally from Lake George, New York and now living near the shores of Lake Champlain in Vermont, Alyssa loves to get out on the water.
Mike Ballard
Marketing Director
Whether he’s assembling a proposal or writing for the website, Mike knows how to get the best out of technical staff to tell the firm’s story to a broader audience. Vacation planning is Mike’s other specialty: he and his family are famous for their trips to exotic locations around the globe.
