Who We Are

Brian A. Maxwell, RA  

President / Senior Project Architect

With more than 30 years of experience, Brian Maxwell brings extensive expertise in health care design to the MHAworks team. He specializes in leading project teams for health care clinics, hospital renovations, and medical office buildings throughout North Carolina. He is an expert in project management and creative design with strong attention to detail and client communication. Brian has significant experience in accessibility compliance and is sought after for his expertise in planning and design.

As a designer specializing in health care, Brian is inspired by creating environments that promote healing.

George Hining

Vice President / Business Development Director

George Hining has been with MHAworks since 2009. In his role, he focuses on developing overall firm strategies and fostering strong partnerships with clients and the community. George also concentrates on improving the economic development of North Carolina and the individual communities within the state.

George enjoys finding creative solutions to the diverse challenges he encounters every day in his role.

Jared L. Martinson, AIA, NCARB

Vice President / Durham Director / Senior Project Manager

Jared Martinson is the director of MHAworks’ multi-family and mixed-use studio as well as the director of our Durham office. With more than 20 years of experience, including time spent as an owner’s representative and construction manager, he has extensive knowledge of all phases of the design and construction process.

Jared believes in a project approach that is consistently collaborative and focused on partnership. This steady focus has delivered successful projects for a variety of stakeholders, clients, and communities.

Amy L. Spruill, RID, NCIDQ     

Vice President / Greenville Director / Senior Project Manager

In addition to being director of the Greenville Office, Amy Spruill has more than 15 years of industry experience and is particularly familiar with processes of the State Construction Office. Since joining MHAworks, Amy has played a critical role as the project manager on large-scale higher education projects that required complicated phasing and code compliance.

As a project manager, Amy enjoys coordinating many different user groups within an institution as well as with contractors and authorities having jurisdiction. As an interior designer, she measures a successful project in renovating unused, unattractive spaces to ones with new energy that encourages its users to be in the space and interact with others.

Peter Y. Alberice, NCARB

Asheville Director / Senior Project Architect

Peter Alberice has practiced in western North Carolina for more than 40 years and has served as a project architect and manager for many commercial, educational, and institutional projects. His specialty is designing mixed-use development projects in challenging urban environments.

As a designer, Peter is inspired by the opportunity to transform a site into an environment that not only meets the needs of the clients and users, but also the greater community

Eric R. Howell, Associate AIA, LEED Green Associate

Asheville Director / Project Manager

Since joining the Asheville office in 2016, Eric Howell has worked on a diverse collection of projects and has experience in project management, design, and production for all phases of architecture. One of his specialties is understanding and implementing the most effective way to obtain approval of a new commercial development in the local government.

Although he is driven to see each project completed successfully, Eric is most passionate about schematic design, general massing, and working closely with the owner to coordinate plans and material ideas.

Barry Hill, AIA

Senior Project Architect

Jeff Trussler, RA, NCARB

Technical Lead / Senior Project Architect

With more than 30 years of experience in the architecture industry, Jeff Trussler brings extensive expertise in health care, educational, commercial, municipal, and multifamily sectors. Over the years, Jeff has filled the role of designer, project architect, and project manager. These roles have provided Jeff with a deep understanding of the industry.

In his role, Jeff enjoys working as part of a project team to create thoughtful, well executed projects.

John Miliacca, AIA, NCARB

Senior Project Architect

With more than 35 years of experience as an architect and project manager, John Miliacca brings a diverse portfolio in education, health care, commercial, industrial, multifamily, and mixed-use design to the MHAworks team. In his role, John strives to create projects on time and within budget.

John is most passionate about elevating the quality of life through good design. The opportunity to shelter people beautifully is what inspires him as a project manager.

Yi Luo, RA, NCARB

Project Architect

Yi Luo has more than 15 years of experience in the field of architecture and design with a focus on life science, commercial, multifamily, and mixed-use projects and renovations. She brings a wealth of knowledge in her capacity as a project architect having worked in Florida, Louisiana, and New York prior to joining MHAworks. During her time at MHAworks, she has worked on numerous new construction and renovations projects.

As a designer, Yi believes that the most elegant solutions are often the simplest solutions to problems.

Julia Brewer, AIA, NCARB

Project Architect

Since beginning her career in architecture more than 10 years ago, Julia Brewer has worked in a variety of different areas of design ranging from residential interiors to commercial, medical, and historic renovations. Julia has experience in every project stage from predesign to construction administration.

As a project architect, Julia is constantly striving to improve others experience of the built environment through her designs.

Emily Burleson, AIA

Project Architect

Emily Burleson began her career in architecture in 2015 after receiving her Bachelor of Architecture at UT Knoxville. While at MHAworks, she has honed her expertise while working on many multifamily and mixed-use projects. Emily is a well-rounded designer with strengths in both concept and technical design.

Emily is a team-player who enjoys working alongside her co-workers at MHAworks to help bring our projects to life for clients.

Bill McCaffrey

Senior Project Manager

Kim Garbisch

Project Manager

Jeff Schmidt

Project Manager

Jeff Schmidt joined the MHAworks team in 2008 after receiving Bachelor degrees in Industrial Design and Building Science from Appalachian State University.  Although Jeff has worked on a wide array of projects while at MHAworks, his specialty is in health care design and life safety.

Jeff’s favorite aspect of his role is working with the health care design team to address the different challenges presented with each unique project.

Mandy Pittman, CHID

Project Manager / Interior Designer

Although she has worked on a variety of different projects since joining the MHAworks team in 2007, Mandy Pittman’s specialty is health care design. She is actively involved with the architectural process including space planning, construction administration, and selecting and coordinating interior finishes.

As a designer, Mandy is inspired by the health care industry. She strongly believes that patients deserve the safest, best care possible in an environment where the staff also feel safe, efficient, and productive.

Amber Idol, ADAC, DBIA

Project Manager / ADA Specialist

Amber Idol’s project experience with MHAworks has been for school systems, parks and recreation departments, and other municipal departments. She also has expertise with East Carolina University projects and especially enjoys those associated with athletics. One of Amber’s greatest strengths is her ability to organize information and orchestrate tasks not only on small projects but also on a large scale, which led her to spearhead MHAworks’ ADA survey of over 500 facilities across the state for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Amber actively maintains her ADA Coordinator certification to continue her understanding of ADA compliance and further MHAworks’ commitment to creating spaces that are accessible for everyone to enjoy. Amber is also passionate about being a good partner to her coworkers, to contractors, and to clients as seen in her commitment to well-coordinated construction documents and during construction administration.

Ally Gagliardo

Project Manager

Before completing her Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from East Carolina University in 2018, Ally Gagliardo was an interior design intern with MHAworks. After graduation, Ally joined our team full time, and her attention to detail and strong organizational skills benefit the projects to which she is assigned.

Ally excels at State Construction project-types, where her role of project manager lends to collaboration with co-workers, consultants, and clients to create successful projects. Other project types that Ally enjoys includes commercial kitchens and restaurant interiors, as well as projects for the Department of Transportation.   

Dana Herman, RID, NCIDQ

Project Manager

Johnathan Schmitt

Project Manager

Rachael Kelley, NCIDQ

Project Designer

Since graduating from Florida State University in 2015, Rachael Kelley has gained knowledge through a diverse range of projects including commercial, health care, industrial, hospitality, multifamily, educational, and even a few haunted houses. She specializes in inventing creative ways to utilize tools and programs to produce more realistic models and renderings.

Rachael is most passionate about protecting the health, safety, and welfare of users in our spaces through universal design and accessibility.

Alexandra Allen-Krabath, Assoc. AIA

Project Designer

Alexandra Allen-Krabath joined the MHAworks team in 2022 a few years after obtaining her Bachelor of Architecture at Syracuse University. Alexandra brings with her a diverse portfolio in multifamily, residential, educational, and mixed-use design.

As a designer, Alexandra is most inspired when visiting built projects in person and seeing how they are constructed in the field. She loves to travel and search for inspiring architecture on the trips.

Maria Fuentes

Project Designer

Maria Fuentes is a licensed architect in Colombia and is currently working towards obtaining her licensure in the United States. Since her career began, Maria has gained a wealth of experience in the different phases of design and construction with a focus on education, multifamily, and commercial projects.

As a project designer, Maria is inspired to design for the common good of all the people who are involved and impacted by the project. She uses her knowledge of construction methods to solve design challenges and enjoys working with teams to find the best solutions. 

Rachel Woolard

Interior Designer

Rachel Woolard’s career in interior design first started as an intern in MHAworks’ Greenville office. After graduating with her Bachelors in Interior Design from East Carolina University in 2024, Rachel joined our team full time as an interior designer.

As an interior designer, Rachel is passionate about creating functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces that enhance the experience of the building for the end users. She excels at using visual communication to effectively convey the client’s goals and unique vision into the spaces she creates.

Julianne Vance

Office Manager

Julianne Vance is the first person our visitors meet when they step inside the Durham office. Julianne carries out many of the clerical and organizational tasks that keep our office running smoothly. She is a team-player whose greatest strength is her customer service and ability to problem-solve.

Dasia Elswick

Marketing Proposal Coordinator

As MHAworks’ Marketing Proposal Coordinator, Dasia Elswick develops carefully crafted Request for Qualifications (RFQ) proposals, working closely alongside our marketing team to ensure professional and creative responses are delivered. As a graphic designer, she strives to develop unique digital and print content that clearly communicates ideas and brings users together.