Design firm promotes eight employees to Principals across six studios
National design firm Cooper Carry today announced its next generation of leaders with the promotion of eight senior architects and designers in the Atlanta and Washington, D.C offices. Sophia Tarkhan, Nicolia Robinson, Daniel Sweeney, T.Jack Bagby, Scott Fleming, Krista Dumkrieger, Michael Linker and Kathy Logan have been promoted to Principals, individually averaging 20 years of experience in architecture and design. The newly appointed Principals serve as leading voices in the firm, guiding design projects across six studios.
“Cooper Carry is committed to building a dynamic leadership team, producing results that surpass our clients’ expectations and growing our firm both internally and externally,” said Kyle Reis, CEO of Cooper Carry. “Each of our new Principals have an individualized set of skills and vast experience that contribute to our diverse set of voices, which is essential to our success as a firm. Cooper Carry is heading full force into the future of design, with this next generation of leaders helping to lead the charge.”
Cooper Carry is the largest architectural firm in Atlanta and has over 300 employees across its offices in Atlanta, Washington, DC, and New York City. The firm approaches its work as a collaborative mixed-use ecosystem, with numerous studios providing each project with a unique combination of talent and knowledge.
Sophia Tarkhan, Principal of the K-12 Education Studio
Leading the K-12 Education studio as Principal, Tarkhan leverages her varied background and 20 years of experience in architecture and construction management to lead complex projects that create spaces that foster growth, connection, and education. As a pioneer focused on bringing attention to the talent and unique perspective minorities in the field offer, Sophia was a key member in the formation of Cooper Carry’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council (EDIC). In 2017, she served as the President of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)’s Atlanta Chapter where she spearheaded various initiatives aimed to educate and build relationships between key members of the city, minority architects, communities, and business owners. She was recently selected as a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA)’s first cohort of Next To Lead, a leadership training program for ethnically diverse women in architecture. Tarkhan graduated from the University of Florida with a Master of Architecture and a Master of Science in Building Construction. She is a registered architect, a member of AIA, the Council of Educational Facilities Planners International (CEFPI), and is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP). Her more recent projects include the award-winning addition and renovation of Midtown (formerly Grady) High School, and the two new STEM schools for Fulton County, the Global Impact Academy and the Innovation Academy.
Nicolia Robinson, Principal of the Urban Design & Planning Studio
As Principal of the Urban Design & Planning Studio, Robinson leverages her 22 years of expertise to guide the direction of the studio, collaborating across the firm to advance Cooper Carry’s mission of connecting people to place. She oversees transit, mixed-use, downtown, and neighborhood master planning projects for public and private sector clients. In addition, she organizes and leads public outreach meetings, charettes, public presentations, community work sessions, and stakeholder interviews. With a background in architecture and urban planning, Robinson’s approach for master planning involves more than erecting a building or completing a project — it relies on an honest, thorough, and mutual process that evokes the truest sensibilities of the community. As an advocate within the larger urban planning community, she is an active member of the American Planning Association (APA), the American Institute of Certified Planners, the Georgia Planning Association and has been a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Atlanta for more than 10 years, presenting on organization panels about her work in urban design. Robinson received her undergraduate degree from University of Florida and later graduated from the University at Buffalo in New York with a dual Master of Architecture and Urban Planning. Among other notable projects, she is currently leading the firm’s planning team for Microsoft’s new westside Atlanta campus project.
Daniel Sweeney, Principal of the Retail Studio
Sweeney joined Cooper Carry in 2015 and is a Principal of the firm’s Retail Studio. Creating fresh, evolving spaces that encourage exploration, Sweeney’s holistic design approach is rooted in human behavior while enhancing the delivery of client expectations. Understanding architectural intricacies, he excels at utilizing unique aspects of each sector in the retail environment. He integrates multiple uses into a project and blends his designs with business sensibilities to achieve heightened economic value and better serve client needs. As a LEED AP, Sweeney directs adaptive reuse projects to create authentic retail destinations, reimagining properties while enhancing longevity through sustainable designs to add true value. A graduate of Emory’s Goizueta Business School, Sweeney offers a unique and balanced perspective when weighing design decisions against financial returns. His familiarity with adaptive reuse projects began with his architectural thesis in Samuel Mockbee’s Rural Studio at Auburn University, an experience that has provided him with a special sensitivity for historic structures and a keen interest in reclaiming abandoned buildings for modern conversions to create highly functional, authentic, sustainable, and inspired projects. His most recent design projects include the award-winning Capitol View in Nashville and the Exchange Food Hall at the AT&T Discovery District in Dallas.
T.Jack Bagby, Principal of the Hospitality Studio
Bagby rejoined Cooper Carry in 2012 and has worked on a diverse collection of project types from mixed-use to performance spaces, master planning to retail. This breadth of experience has honed his skills at delivering complex projects incorporating responsible design while striving to exceed client expectations. He is continually inspired by the opportunity to craft both the guest and employee experience for the hotels he designs, as well as the opportunity to infuse hospitality into the wide variety of projects designed by Cooper Carry. Bagby earned his Master of Architecture from the University of Miami (FL) and his Bachelor of Architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He graduated magna cum laude from both. He is a registered architect, a LEED AP, a member of AIA and of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). Some of his notable projects include the Kimpton Tryon Hotel in Charlotte, the award-winning Plaza Hotel at Pioneer Park in El Paso, and the forthcoming Grand Bohemian Lodge in Greenville. He loves soccer, having played it himself. He roots exclusively for the Atlanta United and hopes to coach his girls on a team someday.
Scott Fleming, Principal of the Office Workplace Studio
Fleming joined Cooper Carry in 2015 and has nearly 20 years of experience in architecture as a project architect specializing in the design of corporate and commercial offices. Fleming is now a Principal of the Office Workplace Studio, where he focuses on large scale, complicated projects in urban environments such as the award-winning Park Center, State Farm’s regional headquarters in Dunwoody, GA. His experience includes healthcare, higher education, multifamily, retail, science and technology, government and civic work, and he brings a wide breadth of knowledge and skill to current design challenges. He also has a complete and thorough understanding of all architectural project phases, including construction documentation and construction administration. Fleming graduated from Southern Polytechnic State University (now Kennesaw State University) with a Bachelor of Architecture. He is a member of AIA, is a registered architect and a LEED AP. He prides himself on his roller skating skills and has been a season ticket holder for the Atlanta Roller Derby for a decade. He is also a champion of the arts, often drawing connections between art and architecture. His talent as a sculptor influences him to explore different options for integrating the arts into community development.
Krista Dumkrieger, Principal of the Mixed-Use Residential Studio
Dumkrieger is now a Principal in the Mixed-Use Residential Studio. She has devoted her career to the design and construction of beautiful, livable multifamily and mixed-use developments since joining Cooper Carry in 2011. Krista graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Architecture. It was that program’s semester in Rome, Italy that opened her eyes to multifamily housing as a historic building form spanning millennia, and its ability to be a beautiful, organic part of a community. Post-grad, she helped design and build single family housing for low-income families with Habitat for Humanity. There she grew an appreciation for designing within constraints and solving the puzzle of maximizing value while working under a tight budget. Today, Krista enjoys the challenges of articulating the client’s vision and translating it into a solution appropriate to the given environment and community; her aim, to build longstanding relationships with clients over the course of multiple projects. As she helps expand Cooper Carry’s footprint further west, she is eager to address the housing challenges of today with creative, adaptive, and regenerative design strategies. Dumkrieger’s recent projects include AMLI 3464 & AMLI Lenox in Atlanta, The Gadsden in Charleston, and Riverworks at Eastern Wharf in Savannah. She’s a member of the American Institute of Architects, the Urban Land Institute, the International Living Future Institute and is NCARB certified. Krista enjoys being outdoors hiking and biking in her new home state of Colorado. She also enjoys crocheting, sewing, glass etching and a good murder mystery book.
Michael Linker, Principal of the Hospitality Studio
Linker joined Cooper Carry in 2004 and has quickly risen as a leader on various projects. He has amassed an extensive portfolio in his time at the firm, with projects in multifamily residential, retail, and hospitality venues. He received his Architectural License in 2007 and now serves as Principal in the Hospitality Studio. With nearly 20 years of hotel design experience at Cooper Carry, Linker manages the Hospitality Studio in the Virginia office, leading multiple project teams and the studio’s diverse portfolio. His expertise focuses on a variety of projects spread across multiple hotel brands, ranging from urban infill conference center hotels to full-serve resort properties. Notable projects under his direction include The Main Norfolk – Hilton Hotel and Conference Center, Hilton Columbus Downtown Convention Center Hotel Expansion, Marriott Virginia Beach Resort, and the Embassy Suites Virginia Beach Resort. One area of focus for Mike is expanding Cooper Carry’s hospitality portfolio in the Midwest market, building on several successful projects already completed in that region. Mike is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the National Council of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB) and is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP). He enjoys spending time outside, hiking, biking or just enjoying the outdoors, and he carries this passion into his hotel projects, focusing on great outdoor spaces.
Kathy Logan, Principal of the Hospitality Studio
Logan now serves as a Principal of the Hospitality Studio, playing a key role in designing notable full-service and select service hotels. Prior to joining the Hospitality Studio, she served as a firmwide BIM Manager and specialist. In this role, she provided technology and software support, training, and content development for multiple project teams and practice groups. Logan’s passion for the hospitality industry stems from her affinity to create places where people want to go again and again, not places where they have to be. She has been designing hospitality projects for nearly 20 years. From iconic luxury brands like the Ritz Carlton to boutique, independent hotels, her devotion to crafting beautiful destinations across the country shines through her work effort and leadership style. Logan graduated magna cum laude from The Ohio State University in 2004, with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, as well as a minor in Art History. She graduated from Georgia Tech in 2006 with a Master of Architecture. While at Georgia Tech, she won the Portman Prize Design Competition in 2004 along with the SGF Thesis Design Competition in 2006. She was a member of the Leadership Buckhead class of 2015 and the ULI Center for Leadership class of 2017. Kathy is currently registered in the State of Georgia, is a certified member of NCARB, and is also a CSI-certified Construction Document Technologist. Her recent notable projects include The Eldred Preserve in Eldred, NY, and the current renovation and addition to The Ritz-Carlton, Naples Beach Resort. She is particularly interested in expanding the firm’s resort work with a focus on boutique resorts, as well as developing more projects in Florida and the Caribbean.
Reis adds: “Since my appointment to CEO last year, it’s been my prerogative to invest in our people so that Cooper Carry not only produces great work but is a place where our employees flourish and grow into exceptional leaders.”
ABOUT Cooper Carry
Cooper Carry provides architecture, planning, landscape architecture, interior design, experiential graphic design, branding and sustainability consulting services. Founded in 1960, the firm specializes in the design of education, government, hospitality, mixed-use, office, residential, restaurants, retail, senior living, science + technology, and transit projects. The firm has designed projects in 45 states and globally in the Caribbean, Middle East, Asia, Africa and Central America. Cooper Carry approaches its work as a collaborative ecosystem. Its multiple studios and services come together daily to provide each project the depth of knowledge needed to meet and exceed objectives. Cooper Carry’s leaders are advocates and authorities for their specialties, empowered by decades of expertise to make decisions that prioritize placemaking, civic space, and the greater good of communities, tenants, residents and visitors. For more information, visit Cooper Carry’s website at coopercarry.com and follow the design firm on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
