UNIVERSAL DESIGN LIVING LABORATORY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Business Development for Manley Architecture Group
Cathy Van Volkenburg is the Director of Business Development for Manley Architecture Group. Cathy's multiple roles, since 2004, include interior design, client communications and construction management.
Job Titles:
- Founding Member
- Team Member Profile
Jon Christensen is a founding member of the firm. He counsels clients, many of which are high technology businesses, on business and intellectual property matters. He began his career with the Columbus office of Jones Day. While there, he was involved with complex corporate transactions, including securities, banking, and intellectual property matters. He graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.A. in political science and obtained his law degree, with honors, from the Ohio State University College of Law, where he was managing editor of the Ohio State Law Journal.
Prior to studying law, he had professional experience in the electronics industry, television news, and public information/public relations. He served as assistant to the director of the Ohio Department of Commerce and was a division chief of the Ohio Department of Health. He speaks French fluently, having been reared abroad by parents in the American diplomatic corps. His interests include photography, music, computer-related activities, cooking and gardening. His community service interests have included board membership for several music organizations. He is the restaurant reviewer and wine writer with regular weekly columns in The Columbus Dispatch and has reviewed performances of early, classical, baroque and other music in Columbus for the same newspaper. He has been statewide and local editor for the Zagat and Gayot guides to restaurants in Ohio. He is a member of the Ohio State and Columbus bar associations.
Job Titles:
- the Project / Business Manager
Mark Leder, the Project / Business Manager for the Universal Design Living Laboratory, and President of Mark Leder.com, runs an Internet strategy and development firm, which provides businesses with compelling, comprehensive and practical solutions to Internet communication challenges. His areas of expertise include web site: software design and programming, visual design and web site usability, product and service marketing, search engine optimization, ecommerce, streaming media, Real Simple Syndication (RSS), blogs, podcasting, database driven e-mail subscription, membership tracking, calendar automation, and content management. The underlying framework for these projects are built using Adobe Coldfusion, Javascript, AJAX, Adobe Photoshop, and Microsoft SQL Server 2005.
His extensive computer experience includes sales and installation of local and wide area networks, document imaging and knowledge management, utilizing Lotus Notes software and other database development platforms, and business consulting.
Leder also is a photographer and videographer. He is well experienced in non-linear digital editing, audio post-production, and format compilation to Flash, Quicktime, Windows Media and other digital formats.
Mark has over 30 years of unique and diverse business experience ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to small start-ups. His expertise includes business operations and project management, sales, marketing and customer service.
A solutions-driven individual, Mark has years of demonstrated project management leadership successes, applying knowledge and past experience to efficiently and decisively handle current business and project challenges.
He has managed properties and directed new facilities construction and existing renovation projects for Fifth Third Bank (3.5 years) and Abbott Laboratories (7.5 years), both in Columbus, Ohio. Mark authored corporate technical standards regarding office furniture, furniture bar coding, office workspace ergonomics, and interior graphics/wayfinding. Leder is experienced in Autocad, using it to create shop drawings (electrical, plumbing, casework, furniture, and architectural floor plans).
Mark excels at providing creative business re-engineering and process automation solutions to existing tasks, and is respected as trustworthy and knowledgeable. Architects, contractors, vendors, and customer alike have praised his firm and fair detail-oriented approach to taking nothing for granted, anticipating problems, and moving projects to completion where winning outcomes for all parties are the norm.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of Cincinnati in 1982, and graduated Cum Laude..
Job Titles:
- Founding Member
- Team Member Profile
Mary Christensen is a founding member of the firm. She practices in the areas of public utility regulation, focusing on telecommunications and electric issues, and in the area of local government utility issues. She also serves clients with cyberlaw issues, including doing business on the Web, entering into Website development and maintenance agreements and Web hosting agreements.
She began her career in 1983 as an Assistant Attorney General in the Public Utilities Section. She then joined and became a partner in the Columbus law firm of Bricker & Eckler LLP.
Prior to practicing law, she worked in the U.S. House of Representatives and a Columbus television station as director of continuity and operations, Battelle Memorial Institute as a technical writer, and in both the Ohio Commerce and Health departments as an assistant public information officer.
She obtained her undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary and her law degree from The Ohio State University College of Law, where she was managing editor of the Ohio State Law Journal. She is a member of the Columbus, Ohio and American Bar associations, the International Technology ("ITechLaw") Law Association, and the Federal Communications Bar Association. Her interests include cooking, gardening and writing. Her gardening articles have appeared in The Columbus Dispatch.
Job Titles:
- Certified Kitchen / Bath Designer
Mary Jo Peterson is a certified kitchen/bath designer and educator, and a certified aging in place specialist with specific expertise in universal design, addressing the needs of people of varying sizes and abilities, including people with disabilities and people who are aging. She focuses her Connecticut design practice on residential and commercial building projects in the New England region, and provides consulting support to major home builders nationwide, as well as the architects, developers, and product manufacturers that support them. Her builder clients have included US Home, Ryan Homes, Del Webb, Beazer, Cambridge Homes, and UDC, among others.
Consulting with several building systems research consortia, such as IBACOS and CARB of the Building America Initiative, Ms. Peterson provides kitchen and bath design support, and contributes to educational efforts for builders, designers, and consumers.
Author, speaker and teacher for the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), Mary Jo has just completed the update of two of the kitchen and bath reference books, incorporating universal design. She speaks and teaches frequently, including appearances on national television, addressing issues relating to kitchen, bath, and universal design. As an active member of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), she addresses these topics, and the active adult and aging in place market. Having served as a trustee in the 50+ Housing Council, Mary Jo has contributed to leadership and education. Membership involvement with the Remodelers Council includes contributing to and teaching the new Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) program. Mary Jo is a founding member of the national Home Modification Action Coalition, she serves on the Advisory Board for the Center for Universal Design, and she has done consulting work for the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP).
Ms. Peterson's books on universal design, titled Universal Kitchen and Bathroom Planning, and Gracious Spaces are published by McGraw-Hill. She has contributed to several other books on universal design along with the two new publications from NKBA. Author of the design column for Kitchen & Bath Design News, Mary Jo also contributes regularly to other trade and consumer shelter magazines.
Mary Jo has worked with national builders and product manufacturers on staff training and design of spaces and products incorporating universal concepts. Her design work, particularly with GE Appliances, has won national recognition, including citations from the NAHB 50+ Housing Council, the NKBA, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Building Sciences Museum, and from AIA, Easter Seals, and Century 21 in the Easy Access Housing Awards for excellence in universal design.
Currently serving on a number of cross-agency committees, Mary Jo works at integrating universal design into home and product design. This work has involved her with state and federal government agencies and advocacy groups, as well as professional organizations mentioned above. She actively promotes change and education towards universal design.
Pamela Gilchrist Corson has nearly 25 years of success as a strategic communications leader. She is a business strategist, whose combination of vision, executive management and entrepreneurial skills helps organizations achieve maximum results.
She's earned the trust and respect of our clients, colleagues and community by consistently providing context, clarity and credibility.
Her career has spanned top communications posts with two Fortune 500 organizations. She has also served as a director at a regional telecommunications company and as an account executive with a leading regional Ad/PR agency. After her stints in the corporate and agency world, she founded PR Link Public Relations®, LLC in 1999. She focuses her work on building corporate identity programs for her clients, influencer engagement and embedding strategic messaging throughout all facets of organizations.
Gilchrist holds a master's degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University and a bachelor's degree in Communications from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, and holds a certificate in personality training through Loyola University in Chicago. She is also a member of the Counselors Academy and is accredited (APR) by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) where she serves as an assembly delegate for the Cincinnati Chapter.
Ms. Rizzo heads LRC DesignWorks, the lighting design program at the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Design projects include energy-efficient lighting for interior, exterior, commercial and residential spaces, and a recently completed waterfront master plan. One of her initiatives has been the role of lighting in universal and inclusive design, a topic she has presented at conferences and workshops nationally and internationally. Along with graduate students at the LRC, she has integrated universal lighting design concepts into residences, educational facilities and community spaces in various parts of the US. Ms. Rizzo has participated in the curriculum design of a series of seminars on energy-efficient lighting and instructs lighting design courses at the LRC.
Job Titles:
- Member of Numerous Organizations and Committees
Mr. Manley is a member of numerous organizations and committees including The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Austin A. Knowlton School of Architecture Alumni Association, former Commissioner on the Italian Village Historic Preservation Commission, Clintonville, Worthington and Upper Arlington Chambers of Commerce, Co-founder of Desktop Architect Co., American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Space Colonization Technical Committee (SCTC), Aircraft owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Chairman of the Board of Dave Fox Remodeling Co., International Society of Space Architects, and others.
Job Titles:
- President of Rossetti Enterprises Inc
Rosemarie Rossetti, Ph.D. is a powerful, internationally known speaker, consultant, writer, and publisher who walks her talk. On June 13, 1998 Rossetti's life was transformed when a 3 1/2 ton tree came crushing down on her. Her life was changed in that instant! Paralyzed from the waist down with a spinal cord injury, Rossetti looked deep within herself and found new strength and new resolve. In her keynote speeches, she shares the lessons she has learned since that fateful day, and demonstrates how to rise above misfortune and live life with conviction.
Rossetti is the president of Rossetti Enterprises Inc., founded in 1997, www.RosemarieSpeaks.com and Fortuna Press LLC, founded in 2003. She is a member of the National Speakers Association, and served on the board of directors for the NSA Ohio Chapter from 1998-2003.
Rossetti and her husband, Mark Leder, are on a personal mission to increase the awareness and discussion of the home of the future. They built a national demonstration home and garden in Columbus, Ohio, the Universal Design Living Laboratory www.UDLL.com. This home is the highest rated universal design home in North America earning three national certifications. It received a Silver LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and a Gold rating on the National Green Building Standard program. Rossetti brings the discussion about marrying universal design, green building, healthy home, and technology to the forefront. This home serves as their residence, but also is being used to inspire residential and commercial builders, architects, landscape architects, designers, interior designers, manufacturer's representatives/distributors, and home buyers. The 3,500 square foot ranch-style home incorporates the finest craftsmanship and state-of-the-art products and services.
She is a Certified Living in Place Professional and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Global Universal Design Commission, Inc.
Rossetti delivers motivational programs on the topic of universal design and green building. Her keynote, Designing & Building Sustainable Homes that Make Life Easier has been delivered internationally. She and her husband consult with builders, designers and consumers assisting in the design of new and remodeled homes.
Using her extensive research and first-hand experience as a person who uses a wheelchair, Rossetti writes articles for national publications and speaks internationally about the features and benefits of universal design and green building. From March 2006 to June 2011, her columns about accessible housing were published in Action Magazine, a publication of the United Spinal Association. She has also written magazine articles for Ultimate Home Design, SpeciaLiving, PN Magazine, New Mobility, NAHB's 50 Housing, Columbus Monthly, and Ability Magazine.
The National Association of Home Builders, New York School of Interior Design, American Society of Interior Design, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Construction Specifications Institute, Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association, Ohio Department of Aging, Ohio House of Representatives, Ohio Housing Finance Agency, Ohio Community Development Corporation Association, Building Industry Association of Central Ohio, Home Building Association of Greater Grand Rapids, Hospitality Design Expo, Design Arts Seminars, U.S. Department of Justice, and The Ohio State University have utilized her universal design and green building expertise and speaking talents at recent programs. Her radio interviews on universal design and green building have been featured on Blog Talk Radio and Builder Radio.
Rossetti's motivational program Just Like Riding A Bike: Coping with Change and Dealing with Adversity is a transformational experience. Rossetti uses the lessons that she learned during her spinal cord injury recovery to empower participants. She focuses on what motivates people to change their behavior, awaken their inner gifts, find meaning in their lives, and accomplish more to bring out the best in themselves. As a result of this program, participants will be revitalized and recharged. They will leave with restored hope, happiness and an improved vision of their future. Rossetti helps people achieve goals and take charge of their lives. She brings a positive attitude to life that touches all who hear her, with an emotive speaking style that makes audiences fall in love with her and rally to her message.
Rossetti developed Selling Disability Income Insurance with Conviction using her case study. In this program Rossetti discusses the value of disability income insurance and motivates insurance professionals and financial planners to sell more policies. Rossetti was selected as the national spokesperson for disability insurance by the LIFE Foundation in 2011.
Rossetti wrote a monthly nationally distributed inspirational column from December 1999 to August 2008. Rosemarie is the author, co-author or contributor to 14 books including "Take Back Your Life!" a collection of 20 inspirational articles from her columns.
Rossetti taught courses at The Ohio State University for fifteen years in oral expression, teaching methods, instructional media, and marketing. In 1995, she was presented an award from the College of Agriculture for her outstanding teaching. Her academic background is in the area of teacher education. Rossetti has a Ph.D. (1982), Master of Science (1979), and Bachelor of Science (1975) degrees from The Ohio State University, in Agricultural Education. She had a dual major in horticulture and agricultural education as an undergraduate.
Rossetti has eight years of experience in sales and marketing as vice-president of an interior landscaping company. She was a Certified Interior Horticulturist, and wrote for national gardening publications. She is the co-author and publisher of The Healthy Indoor Plant, a book on the care of interior plants. She was president of Rosewell Publishing Inc. from 1991-2000. She served as a member of the Board of Trustees at the Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Gardens from 1992-1998. She taught horticulture in a vocational high school from 1975-1978.
In December 2014, Rossetti received a proclamation from the Ohio Senate that honors her achievements. In October 2014, Rossetti received the Unsung Hero Humanitarian Award in New York City from the People of Distinction Foundation. In February 2008, Rossetti was honored as one of "20 Outstanding Women You Should Know" in central Ohio. She was selected as a national "Roll Model" on the runway in a New York City fashion show on February 6, 2007 for a spinal cord injury fundraiser sponsored by Discovery through Design. She holds the title, Ms. Wheelchair Ohio 2004. In 2002, she carried the Olympic torch in Columbus, Ohio on its way to the Winter Olympics. She also received the Remarkable Women Award and a service award from the National Speakers Association, Ohio Chapter, in 2002. In August 2001, she founded the Rosemarie Rossetti Spinal Cord Research Fund at The Ohio State University. In 1999, she received the Woman Business Entrepreneur of the Year Award; Franklin Park Conservatory - Recognition of Service Award - Board of Trustees; and the Women in New Growth Stages - Women Honoree Award. The Ohio State University College of Agriculture gave her a teaching award in 1995.
Job Titles:
- NAHB Life Director, Fellow, MIRM, CMP, CSP, MCSP, CAASH, CLIPP
Robert is founder and president of North Star Synergies, Inc., a full-service marketing, management, sales and consulting firm specializing in creating strategies to promote and sell real estate products and services throughout the United States. He created the Denver-based national consulting firm in February, 1983.
Robert and his team have helped merchandise more than twelve billion dollars of residential, resort, recreational, commercial, and industrial real estate.
Since moving to Colorado in September, 1978, Robert has received numerous civic and industry awards. The Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Denver honored him as its top "Sales and Marketing Director of the Year" in 1979, again in 1980 and as its "Man of the Year" in 1982. In 1998, Robert also won the "Associate of the Year" award.
Another honor came in 1982 when he was recognized by the National Association of Home Builders as the national "Marketing Director of the Year." Robert's biggest honor is The William "Bill" Molster Award for 1996 and 2002 which is awarded to the most outstanding sales and marketing professional in the nation by the nation's leading housing trade association of 225,000 plus companies, the NAHB. In 2005, Robert was recognized with an award by the International Real Estate Trade Organization for his contribution and devotion to the real estate industry.
Among Robert's other honors have been the "Economic Developer of the Year" (1979), the "Marketeer of the Year" (1981) by the Metro North Chamber of Commerce in Denver, Colorado, and the "President's Award" (2002) from the Colorado Association of Home Builders. Robert helped establish the Adams County Economic Council, and founded the Douglas County Economic Development Council and the Teller County Economic Development Council.
He was honored for his work in founding the Sales and Marketing Council of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Colorado Springs, which was named the "Best New SMC" in the nation for 1983.
Robert also created and developed the first centralized Parade of Homes for the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Denver in 1986. This event has since become nationally renown as a model for the industry as Robert received a special award from the NAHB for that promotion.
Robert is a Past Chairman of the Sales and Marketing Council of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Denver and also Colorado Springs, an 18-year member of the Board of Directors and Public Affairs Chairman for the Colorado Association of Home Builders. He also has been elected as a member in the Institute of Residential Marketing (MIRM), an exclusive organization representing the country's leading sales and marketing professionals and currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Institute. Robert is also a trustee of the National Sales and Marketing Council and a nationally recognized leader in membership recruitment and sponsorship sales. Robert is the past Chairman of the National Sales and Marketing Council of the NAHB.
Robert is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Editors. He is a regularly published contributor to the Builder-Architect Magazine, Sales & Marketing Ideas, Nation's Building News, and has co-authored the book, Marketing for Remodelers: Building Business Leads.
Robert has a B.A. in Labor-Management Relations from Penn State University and a Master of International Management from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of International Management in Glendale, Arizona.
Robert and his wife, Penny, have been married for 35 years. They have two sons, Jason and Alan.
Tracy has earned international acclaim as one of America's most entertaining and knowledgeable garden writers and professional speakers. She has extensive experience in the United States, and abroad working for over 30 years in the industry, speaking for over 25 years and designing for over 20 years.
Her experience includes stints at Longwood Gardens in the U.S., The Montreal Botanical Garden in Canada, the Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium, and Knightshayes Court in England. She earned a B.S. and M.S. in Horticulture from The Ohio State University.
Her first book The Well-Tended Perennial Garden, which has been referred to by many as "the bible for perennial maintenance", has sold over 150,000 copies and has become Timber Press' best selling book in their 25 year history of publishing. Now available in a beautiful expanded edition.
Her second book The Well-Designed Mixed Garden, which has sold over 30,000 copies, brings her trademark exuberance, expertise, and efficiency to bear on frequently daunting elements of garden design demystifying them with her direct approach. Tracy is a gifted and award winning designer who combines artistic vision with practical horticultural strategies.
Tracy's followers now welcome her long awaited newest book (2009)-50 High Impact, Low Care Garden Plants: Tough but Beautiful Plants Anyone Can Grow which features easy care dynamic selections for our busy lives.
DiSabato-Aust is a frequent guest on national garden television and radio gardening shows. She is a vibrant speaker, and in great demand nationally and internationally, on the lecture circuit. Venues include New Zealand & Australia Landscape Design Conferences, England's Royal Botanic Garden-Kew, England's Royal Horticulture Society Garden- Wisley, The English Gardening School, The Oxford Botanic Garden The Smithsonian Institute, The Perennial Plant Association, numerous botanical gardens and professional association meetings.
Tracy has contributed articles or been featured in numerous national and international magazines, books, and newpapers. Magazines include: Fine Gardening, Horticulture, Garden Design, & Gardens Illustrated (London, England. The New York Times, The Daily Telegraph in London, England, and The National Post, Toronto Canada have all published articles on Tracy. She has appeared on several gardening television shows including, Way to Grow & Smart Gardening. She is a frequent guest on Martha Stewart Radio.When Tracy is not busy with horticulture adventures she is training and racing as an "All American" at the national and world's level in triathlons and duathlons.