OFFice Culture

For Todd, Architecture is a journey of creating beautiful structures, each with its own unique story. A stickler for resiliency and perseverance, Todd continuously pushes VOSH team members to overcome design obstacles and challenges, encouraging individuals to actively engage in critical thinking and problem solving. As an Architect, mentor, and design “colour commentator” with 27 years of hard-earned experience, Todd’s love for Architecture is fueled by ever-changing sources of inspiration that spark creativity, inventiveness, and imagination. He is best known for his ability to engage our clients and project team members in meaningful conversations that lead to authentic moments of collaboration and discovery.

“Little-Known Fact”: At the age of 23, Todd and his young family packed their belongings into 25-year-old school bus that was resuscitated with a new battery, a rebuilt carburetor, and problematic brakes the day before heading out for a life-changing trek from Camrose, Alberta to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The goal of this trip: arrive in time (and in one piece!) for Todd to begin his first year of Architecture at the Technical University of Nova Scotia (which was eventually merged into Dalhousie University). The former Junior A Tier 1 hockey player, his wife and two young children (aged 3 months and 3 years) travelled for ten days across Canada in a stripped-down bus packed with furniture and a red Honda Civic hatchback in tow before reaching their destination. The trusty yellow school bus has since been retired.

DeAnna brings over 25 years of leadership and expertise in Healthcare Administration and Human Resources management. Over the last two decades, she has been involved in the strategic planning of operations management and the implementation of healthcare programs across the province of Alberta. As the Managing Partner of VOSH, DeAnna’s affinity for structure, communication and organization brings a vital balance to the VOSH team’s whirlwind of creativity and passion for architecture.

“Little-Known Fact”: DeAnna was the recipient of a full-ride softball scholarship in Washington State where she played second base for a Division 1 Junior College. During this time, DeAnna received the Gold Glove Award and several other awards for home runs, batting averages and runs batted. She also managed to snag two National Championships in the USA Women’s League. DeAnna’s love for the game of softball is only rivaled by her love for her family and her two grandkids, Wesley and Ryut.

Sabrina brings a highly collaborative and energized approach to design and project management. She brings more than 15 years of experience as an Architect and has been involved in the planning and design of numerous civic, institutional, commercial and healthcare projects across northern Alberta. As our Project Architect and Contract Administration Lead, Sabrina also plays a key role as a mentor and is committed to inspiring VOSH’s team members to continually grow and learn with each project that we have the opportunity to be involved in.

“Little-Known Fact”: Passionate about Architecture, design, and nature, Sabrina combines her love for all three by dabbling in the art world. She has been fortunate enough to have been juried into workshops each year and has been taught by some of the world’s finest nature artists, such as Robert Bateman, John Banovich, and Paul Jackson. Sabrina works primarily with acrylics and watercolor but is also learning how to paint with oils.

Mike is an Architectural Technologist with 15 years of experience in the design and construction industry. From the production of drawings and building models to contract administration and project management, Mike has a demonstrable understanding of the link between concept and construction. Mike’s approachability and responsiveness enables him to build constructive and effective working relationships with clients and project team members.

“Little-Known Fact”: Mike is a talented drummer who met the love of his life, an equally talented songstress, as members of an Edmonton-based band. Together, Mike and his wife have recorded several albums and have lit up the stage playing at the smallest dives in the city to the Edmonton Convention Centre. Design and architecture aside, Mike’s second profession is building large-scale Lego sets. Every year, Mike participates in Extra Life – Edmonton’s largest 24-hour gaming marathon that raises money for the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Having completed her Master’s Degree in Environmental Design and Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Lviv Polytechnic National University in western Ukraine, Sofiya began to explore her love for interiors. For Sofiya, inspired interior design realizes the potential of any space. This involves establishing an overall aesthetic direction, thinking through the circulation and connectivity of each space, designing interior architectural elements, specifying finishes, fixtures, furniture, accessories, and art. She loves to create beautiful and functional spaces and strives to create memorable design experiences along the way.

“Little-Known Fact”: Sofiya loves to bake and enjoys treating family and friends with her favourite desserts. She also enjoys hiking, traveling, and gardening because “nothing tastes better than fresh tomatoes or cucumbers from your own garden.

Calvin recently graduated from the University of Calgary’s Master of Architecture program and is interested in all aspects of sustainable design. Inspired by organic architecture and Japanese architecture, his approach to design focuses on the building users’ overall experience and feeling of connectedness to the natural world beyond four walls and a ceiling. Calvin is currently working towards his LEED® Green Associate certification to facilitate his passion for sustainable architecture.

“Little-Known Fact”: Prior to completing his Architectural studies at the University of Calgary, Calvin obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Biology from the University of Alberta and worked in animal care for almost 15 years. This experience includes seven years as a zookeeper at Edmonton Valley Zoo and the Calgary Zoo, as well as a four-month stint as a volunteer Wildlife Release Site Manager at a Jaguar Rescue Center in Costa Rica. Calvin is also an avid gamer, which has recently inspired him to learn Japanese.

Jane joins our team at VOSH with a Master’s Degree in Sociology from Renmin University of China and a Bachelor’s Degree in Publishing Science from the Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication. She is an accomplished journalist and editor with 7 years of experience working for a Beijing-based magazine. During this time, she was the recipient of national awards for her work as an investigative reporter in 2008 and 2009. Eventually, Jane and her husband moved to Canada to raise their two young daughters. A nature-lover at heart, Jane enjoys exploring Canada’s vast outdoors with her family and quiet moments reading her favourite books.

“Little-Known Fact”: During her years as a stay-at-time mother, Jane created a YouTube channel dedicated to reading classic children’s books that she had taken the time to translate from English to Chinese. A creative and talented wordsmith, Jane also penned her own children’s stories to share with her daughters before bedtime.