LRS Architects Promotes Six Team Members to Senior Associate and Associate Levels

LRS Architects, a firm that values innovation, creativity, and collaboration, is pleased to announce the promotions of four team members to Senior Associate and two team members to Associate as the firm continues advancing and developing its valued staff and client services. The promotions went into effect on January 1, 2025.

“These six professionals’ collective experience and knowledge of architectural design best practices will aid LRS Architects in continuing to expand and remain an industry leader,” said Trish Nixon, President of LRS Architects. “We congratulate each of them on their respective promotions and look forward to many more successful years of collaboration in delivering the top-quality projects our clients have come to expect.”

Promoted to Senior Associate

Mathew Dreska has been with LRS Architects since 2011 and was named an Associate in 2021. A thoughtful designer with a deep focus on the end-user experience, Dreska has been involved in various projects for clients in the automotive, civic, commercial, multifamily housing, and retail sectors. As a rising leader in the LRS Bend office, he has contributed to projects across the Pacific Northwest, focusing on clients in Central Oregon. His recent projects include upcoming affordable housing projects, including Wickiup Station in La Pine, Trinity Place in Sisters, and 9 Peaks in Bend, as well as the Magnolia II in Portland, completed just in time for the holidays in 2020. Dreska is a Licensed Architect in the State of Oregon, a LEED Green Associate, and is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). He has a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon.

Amy Hjelte has spent nearly three decades at LRS Architects as a Specifications Specialist and was named an Associate in 2011. She joined the firm in 1997 and has supported a wide variety of projects for LRS’ civic, senior living, retail, multifamily housing, and commercial clients across the West Coast. Hjelte has contributed to dozens of projects of all sizes and scales throughout her career, including Parkview at Terwilliger Plaza in Portland, multiple anchor projects on the Vancouver Waterfront, and the Bunk House Hotel in Madras. She holds certifications as a construction documents technologist (CDT) and as a certified construction specifier (CCS). She is currently a Director on the Board of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) Portland chapter. Hjelte has a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon.

Alex Karel has been with LRS Architects since 2011 and was named an Associate in 2019. Karel’s experience includes a unique balance of civic, commercial, and auto dealership design projects across the West Coast and Alaska. He is an advocate for integrating emerging design technologies and tools into the design process, enhancing collaboration and the experience of clients. Karel is known for his keen attention to detail and dedication to finding the best creative solutions for his clients. His notable recent projects include Washington County’s Wingspan Event and Conference Center in Hillsboro, Oregon; the ilani Event Center Expansion in Ridgefield, Washington; and the Swickard Anchorage Mercedes-Benz Van Center in Alaska. Karel is a Licensed Architect in the State of Oregon and has a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon.

Kelsey Loverro has spent the entirety of her professional career at LRS Architects, joining the company in 2014 upon graduating with a Bachelor of Interior Architecture from the University of Oregon. Loverro has distinguished herself at LRS as an organized and creative designer, contributing to the success of some of the firm’s most notable, award-winning hospitality, automotive, multifamily, workplace, and retail projects across the region. Her most notable recent projects include Jaguar Land Rover’s Technology Center in Portland, Alta University Place, and the Travel Portland Visitor Center. Loverro was named an Associate at LRS in 2023, holds certification through the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ), and is an active Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Network member. In 2024, she was recognized as a rising industry leader in DJC Oregon’s Phenoms & Icons program. 

Promoted to Associate

Paul Kurth has been with LRS Architects for over a decade and infuses creativity, attention to detail, and organization into his work. Since joining LRS in 2012, Kurth has served in multiple roles, including as Job Captain and Architect, and Design Lead, with projects in the automotive, office, retail, religious, and senior living sectors for clients in Oregon and Washington. His recent projects include Holman Lexus of Vancouver, Porsche Studio Portland, and a warehouse facility for Leatherman. Kurth is a mentor with the ACE Mentor Program in Portland, a Licensed Architect in the State of Oregon, certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), and has a Bachelor of Architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Zachary Freund joined LRS Architects in 2015 and brings well over a decade of experience to his new role. With a versatile skillset from project organization to planning and design, he has contributed to a wide range of projects, including office and workplace, multifamily housing, industrial, and retail. Freund has worked on numerous historic structures during his career, and he has cultivated a specialty in renovation and adaptive reuse design, with recent projects including The Clifford affordable apartments, St. Mary’s Rectory, and St. Joseph’s Hall in Portland. Freund is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and as an Earth Advantage Sustainable Homes Professional (SHP). He is a Licensed Architect in the State of Oregon and has a Master’s and Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Idaho.

“As a new year dawns, we are proud of and excited for these well-deserved promotions,” Nixon said. “Our continued work is to create a better built environment for those we serve locally and throughout the United States.”

About LRS Architects

LRS Architects is a majority woman-owned architecture and interior design firm with offices in Portland and Bend, Oregon. Founded in 1976, the award-winning practice is driven by a passion for good design that goes beyond aesthetics to create vibrant communities and spaces that support the well-being of those who inhabit them. With 100+ design professionals, the firm is committed to partnering collaboratively with clients to positively shape the human experience through the physical environment. The diversity of the firm’s project experience provides a broad perspective and proven expertise in design, problem solving, documentation, and project delivery methods. The firm’s work, while centered in the Pacific Northwest, is found throughout the United States in over 30 states and internationally. Recognized with dozens of awards, the practice’s work has been featured in hundreds of publications, including ARCHITECT, Fast Company, ENR, Archello, and Office Snapshots, among many others. LRS holds national certification as a women-owned business through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and is a participant in the International Living Future Institute’s Just Label program. The firm has been named an Oregonian Top Workplace Award Winner annually since 2016. lrsarchitects.com