Today we are delighted to announce our latest line-up of promotions, celebrating our next generation of leaders for their dedication and the insight they offer. Among the cohort are leaders in sustainability, champions for diversity, and mentors for those around them.
Each promotion aligns with Hames Sharley’s vision for ‘future thinking’, positioning the practice for continued growth and success.
Associates
Cheyenne Lee
Cheyenne is a meticulous designer who has been instrumental to the Health portfolio as it continues to grow on the East coast. She has led multiple Health jobs and supported Defence projects to a very high standard. She has a great rapport with our clients and consultants and has succeeded in establishing strong relationships with numerous individuals at the QLD Health Districts and universities.
Cheyenne has been continuing to manage health projects for the Brisbane Studio whilst participating in business development across NSW. Cheyenne is a future leader who has been - and will continue to be - instrumental in Hames Sharley’s ongoing expansion.
Spencer Tuffnell
Immensely respected across the Practice for his clear and honest approach to service, Spencer is a leader in his field. He has shown Hames Sharley the true value of technological investment, with an outcomes-driven approach to solving problems that has delivered success for Hames Sharley over several years.
Spencer has grown from a ‘Helpdesk Technician’ to ‘IT Manager’ due to his skills, both interpersonal and technical, and his fantastic ability to achieve more with less. He always puts Hames Sharley first and cares deeply about the impact of his work. He is a dedicated, passionate, and knowledgeable member of Hames Sharley’s national practice and is key to our ongoing success.
Alex Quin
Those who have had the pleasure of working or interacting with Alex will know the passion he has for this industry and for the communities that we serve. Alex is continually sought out as a mentor by staff, especially in the areas of construction documentation, site administration and detailing.
Alex is a valued member of the WA studio culturally and adds a unique approach and way of thinking which is much appreciated by the staff as a whole. He is co-chair and an active participant of the Hames Sharley RAP committee, and his depth of knowledge and immense respect for Australia’s First Nations cultures will serve Hames Sharley well as we continue to grow our own understanding of this area.
Madeleine Steele
Madeleine is an exemplar of Hames Sharley values with an impressive ability to connect with clients and colleagues alike. Madeleine has brought her winning attitude to Hames Sharley where she has played a key role as a part of a number of award-winning projects. Similarly, she is a leader within Hames Sharley, which is evident through her involvement in a number of working groups including Champions for Change, the Reconciliation Action Plan committee, SA social committee, NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction), and several others.
Her authentic, positive and warm style of communication has meant many more junior staff look to her for advice and consultation as they transition from university study to the work environment. The support and advice she provides to several members of the Practice cannot be understated. Madeleine is recognised within and outside of Hames Sharley as an emerging leader and someone who will be an invaluable asset to the ongoing growth of Hames Sharley.
Liam Murphy
Liam has taken every opportunity to learn and grow in each of the portfolios he has worked in, and consequently has gone from strength to strength. Currently able to run entire components of the delivery of an extremely complex project, his ability to work with a diverse range of individuals has also set him apart and he understands what it is to achieve results through collective leadership. Liam works seamlessly and productively with all teammates and regularly shares his skills and learnings for the betterment of all.
Liam has a growth mindset, has set healthy boundaries for a balanced work relationship, and has the makings of a great mentor as sharing comes naturally. He applies design thinking to solve most issues both within and outside of projects and has become a key player in the SA studio. Liam’s ability to avoid blind spots in self-awareness, his demeanour and positive attitude, and his technical nous are all key ingredients to his ongoing success.
Tae Kang
Tae is a trusted pair of hands and a highly proficient Architect and Project Leader who has had a tremendous impact on the technicality of our profession across multiple studios. Tae has worked in both the QLD and VIC Studios and is a key contributor across Retail & Town Centres, Workplace, Health, and Defence.
Tae has a unique skillset that he deploys utilising our technology platforms to communicate early designs effectively and expediently to clients and client groups. Tae can reliably produce accurate conceptual models, plans, elevations, sections, and 3D photorealistic representations from fairly unrefined inception sketches to facilitate early client decisions and design direction.
Client and contractor feedback is consistently very complimentary of the design, documentation, and communication skills that Tae exhibits. Tae actively promotes Hames Sharley and has shown great strength in his ability to lead larger project teams by being highly effective in communication, delegation, and resolving complex issues on projects.
Aleisha Mason
Aleisha is a very dedicated individual who has consistently demonstrated a full commitment to project success, delivery and upholding Hames Sharley’s reputation. She has continued to develop a consistent working relationship with all of Hames Sharley’s studios. As well as being an active member of the National Design Forum (NDF), she is frequently in contact with staff across the Practice for advice related to Architecture and career progression.
Aleisha is a very organised individual who takes immense pride in her ability to document and communicate project details both externally and within the Hames Sharley team. She has grown in her abilities to lead project teams being highly effective in communication, delegation, accountability, and resolving complex issues on projects. Aleisha has a strong sense for actively seeking guidance and advice where she experiences her limits. This quality is further enhanced by her ability to unpack, translate, and implement to ensure that she and her team take on deeper knowledge and experience.
Isabel Tascon-Guillaume
Isabel made an immediate positive impact on joining Hames Sharley and throughout her time in the Practice she has worked across various projects and portfolios, both as a key member of large teams as well as designing and delivering projects on her own. Isabel maintained an admirably high level of determination, patience and resilience to remain calm and hold on to the initial design concept and vision throughout the Hames Sharley Perth Studio project.
Isabel shows great empathy and is an active mentor to many who look up to her for her strengths in concept design and determining design narratives. Isabel is co-chair of the HS RAP Committee and has worked tirelessly with the team to develop Hames Sharley’s RAP to progress it to the next stage, a great achievement.
Sussie Wang
Sussie is a loyal and highly regarded member of the Health team and both the QLD and VIC studios. Sussie has become a very meticulous and diligent Project Leader who can manage complex health projects as well as the complexities of client and consultant relationships. She has earned great respect from multiple clients and has assisted Hames Sharley in securing future prospects on a regular basis. Sussie’s project experience is tremendous and will only continue to build.
She truly cares for the betterment of the practice, working to mentor staff and develop more efficient approaches to enable Hames Sharley to deliver our projects more effectively. Her ability to understand and retain the complex information required to achieve effective outcomes is impressive and something that will continue to serve Hames Sharley well.
Rebecca Antos
Working across several portfolios, Rebecca has been a key contributor to the success of the Retail & Town Centres portfolio in particular with key project contributions across VIC, NT and WA. Rebecca is passionate about quality design outcomes and ensuring that Hames Sharley is delivering interior design outcomes that are not only on-trend but are contemporary and contributory to those who ultimately use the space.
Client and contractor feedback is consistently very complimentary of the design, documentation, and communication skills that Rebecca exhibits. Rebecca is a trusted pair of hands and has grown a lot in HSVIC. Her ability to lead projects and manage client and builder expectations has been the highlight of her current project efforts. Rebecca actively promotes Hames Sharley and has shown great strength in her ability to lead small project teams.
Senior Associates
Jerry Cherian
Jerry is a highly-skilled, knowledgeable, and competent project leader with a strong depth of experience, particularly within the Education, Science, and Research portfolio. He has taken the initiative to promote Hames Sharley’s expertise and opportunities in childcare and early learning and regularly pursues BD opportunities nationally. As a testament to the regard he is held in, he has recently negotiated Hames Sharley’s direct appointment through Lendlease on Stage Two of the TL Robertson Library project at Curtin.
Jerry is committed to the ongoing growth and development of the national Practice, providing guidance and mentorship to several of his colleagues. He is loyal and trustworthy and has consistently promoted Hames Sharley and represented the company with integrity.
Andy Ong
Andy has a near-infinite reserve of commitment and passion that he can pour into the many projects he works on. He has a tremendous ability to work across studios, portfolios, project phases, and client groups to ensure the best possible outcomes are achieved. Andy applies this determination to be the best to all elements of his role at Hames Sharley, as a keen mentor who also assists members of his local and other studios in achieving their Architectural registration as well as helping to establish their professional networks.
Andy is committed to the practice and actively contributes to several areas such as the Retail & Town Centres portfolio and the RAP committee. Andy is an active member of the NDF; he organises, records, and distributes all National Exchanges. He actively part takes in Big Yellow Book workshops and encourages his studio to do so. His projects were praised in our last audit as adhering to the Hames Sharley system correctly and clearly.
Associate Directors
Yaara Plaves
Yaara intrinsically understands the future of our profession and what this entails. She has a passion for sustainability, education and training, and building a diverse coalition of professionals to drive success. She can see the value that lies dormant within projects and staff and is skilled at bringing them to the forefront. Yaara builds lasting rapport with her humour, intelligence, and sincerity. Her interpersonal charm allows her to deliver tough feedback whilst keeping clients and colleagues on-side and achieve ‘feel good’ outcomes.
Yaara has immense perseverance and incredible grit for dealing with complicated and persistent problems. Yaara lives the Hames Sharley values and in particular exhibits an infectious passion for sustainability. She sees no benefit in an individualistic approach and serves on numerous committees and groups in Adelaide and nationally, currently heading up the National Sustainability Forum (NSF).
Yaara’s personal history contributes greatly to her approach to problem-solving. She comfortably shares stories of growing up in a kibbutz which impacts her levels of sharing which can be seen in her mentoring loop she has set up in the office where graduates get together for a fortnightly interactive ‘lessons learned’ session. She is a true delight to know and will be instrumental in our ongoing success.
Tony Lemme
Tony has doggedly driven the value of quality documentation across Hames Sharley for two decades and has been instrumental in ensuring we have a high-quality reputation with clients. Tony has been the leader of the BIM Bureau since its inception and takes responsibility for the running of this portion of the business very seriously. Tony strives for ways to improve Hames Sharley as a whole and regularly contributes ways to increase our methodology, quality, efficiency, and profitability, both through his role in the National Production Forum and within BIM.
Tony consistently represents Hames Sharley to a high standard in his interactions with clients, project managers, contractors, suppliers and consultants. He has a pre-emptive approach to resolving project issues, mediation, and tackling unforeseen scenarios. He has a selfless approach to leadership and commitment to the business. He is very trustworthy, reliable and professional and frequently mentors staff, particularly in the areas of construction documentation, site administration and detailing.
Tony’s construction lectures have taken on a life of their own, with ‘Tonys Tool Time’ being invaluable to the practice in terms of developing our construction and buildability knowledge and something that will continue to serve Hames Sharley well into the future.
Jessika Hames
Jessika’s commitment to quality architectural design outcomes, promotion of Hames Sharley through design, client relationships and industry events has always been at the highest level. She was involved in the design of the HSQLD studio relocation whilst located there and has more recently been central to the successful design and delivery of the new Hames Sharley Perth Studio - her involvement in the latter further demonstrating her absolute commitment to design and the ‘brand’ of Hames Sharley, together with her collaboration skills.
Jess is approachable in everyday situations, offering empathy and supportive advice that builds confidence. Jessika is a member of the NDF and is involved in a number of ‘Yellow Book’ design workshops, where she contributes valuable insight and design leadership. Additionally, she continues to develop her networks outside Hames Sharley with involvement in NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) and Wesley College Building and Works Committee. Jessika was also the most sought-after mentor nationally through Mentorloop which demonstrates the value and respect she has among her colleagues.
Iain Stewart
Iain has been instrumental in the development, implementation and fostering of our design methodology. His continued drive to achieve design excellence is combined with his championing of sustainable opportunities and knowledge sharing, allowing for an impactful contribution across his studio and the Practice.
Iain’s determined approach to high-level design outcomes has resulted in positive contributions throughout project design phases and resulted in new opportunities. His loyalty, compassion, and deep respect for his craft is a combination that allows his considered approach to be highly impactful. Iain’s immense contribution to projects not only delivers great outcomes for clients, communities, and Hames Sharley - he also often uses these as a vehicle to forge fruitful learning and mentoring opportunities for those he works alongside. His involvement in multiple Thought Leadership Groups, including NDF and NSF, is testament to the passion and care he demonstrates to the profession and the type of work Hames Sharley is able to produce now and in the future.
Elise Miles Simonovski
Elise is a dedicated and hard-working leader that strives for excellence in all her projects, colleagues, and team members. She has a diverse and successful background that has translated to a committed and skilled stewardship of the HSVIC Studio, and the ongoing management of Hames Sharley’s Canberra strategy, within an external context that was challenging at best.
Elise’s determination to represent Hames Sharley in all interactions is continuing to see the ongoing growth of HSVIC. A passionate advocate for training and development, Elise is eager to grow her team in terms of numbers and in terms of skills and experience. Her ability to forge strong working relationships with clients and colleagues alike will continue to serve her well as she has helped to drive a growth strategy with her East Coast peers.
