Founding Principal John Chipman began creating a new direction for his father’s retail interior design firm in 1979 when he joined the small Chicago design practice. Building upon an existing base of regional main-street retail clients, John led the firm into a position of national recognition.

Along with speaking appearances and writing for trade publications, he authored a nationally distributed retail planning workbook. At his father’s retirement in 1984, John re-directed his architecture firm’s focus when he boldly utilized developing computer technology to keep up with unprecedented expansion of corporate clients.

John earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Illinois/Urbana reinforcing his studies at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Versailles, France, and at the Nacionale d’Art Decoratif de Nice, France. Throughout his professional life, he has traveled extensively for both business and research throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Certified by NCARB, he is a registered Architect in states throughout the country, maintains professional membership in the AIA and IIDA, holding LEED AP professional registration for sustainable design.

With an architecture career spanning more than two decades, Dan Tessarolo brings an invaluable presence to the firm. He oversees national accounts for several significant corporate entities, directing project teams that consistently demonstrate uncompromising commitment to clients’ vision as well as their budgetary and schedule constraints

A Principal since 2008, he has successfully guided concurrent multi-unit retail and restaurant accounts, and excels at complex corporate project management. With this practiced perspective on national expansions, Dan is in a unique position to play a significant role in the firm’s evolving direction.

Dan earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Illinois/Chicago, enhancing his architectural education by attending the Ecole d’Architecture in Versailles, France. He holds professional membership in the AIA and is licensed in numerous states across the country as well as the Canadian Provinces. Certified with NCARB, Dan also earned his LEED AP professional registration. Responding to the needs of special local projects, Dan has been qualified for Self-Certification with the City of Chicago Building Department and is also certified as a Registered City of Chicago Energy Consultant.

Lauren Chipman brings a compelling background in design and performing arts innovation to her position as Chief Executive Officer. Recognizing the significance of design in today’s hospitality, retail and restaurant markets, she delivers a distinct perspective. Her entrepreneurial vision influences the fresh, unconventional direction of the architecture and design firm, and she champions creative applications of evolving technology into the conceptual design process.

A driving force behind the firm’s incomparable Visualization Studio, Lauren leads the team creating experimental applications using VR head-mounted devices. Building out fully immersive and interactive environments for corporate clientele, this technology is reinterpreting hospitality, retail and restaurant where buildouts of traditional, physical models become increasingly archaic.

Lauren reaffirms this inevitable change by speaking on design technology at conferences, recently Austin’s MUFES 2016 where she presented on Virtual Reality in commercial kitchen design titled “The 3D Modeling Software Revolution.” A member of such industry organizations as ICSC, she is a regular participant at events including IRDC, HD Summit, ALIS, The Lodging Conference as well as a HiConnect presenter and director at Google Zeitgeist.

Throughout years immersed in the Los Angeles art scene, Lauren became a champion of community-based arts and design outreach. Performing professionally as a string instrumentalist, she was as comfortable in classical settings as on a Hollywood soundstage. Experimenting with sound electronics, visual imagery and live performance, she recorded for television, film and top Billboard artists. While on an international rock tour, Lauren created and trademarked a concept line of Swarovski-studded string-instrument accessories and went on to design a jewelry line still distributed internationally.

A graduate of the University of Southern California, Lauren earned a Bachelor of Music in Viola Performance and went on to pursue graduate studies in music, design and business.

During the past 14 years with the firm, Bob has managed high-profile retail client accounts nationally for expansion throughout the United States and Canada. These corporate programs have incorporated complex series of prototype designs as well as their regional interpretations.

Guiding retail accounts throughout his tenure, Bob now directs his largest retail team addressing comprehensive programming for the continuing expansion of Ulta Beauty. When the firm was first commissioned for store planning and prototype design with Ulta, corporate had only 32 locations. Chipman Design’s collaboration took corporate through its IPO, and continues to support its aggressive growth.

Previous to joining the firm, Bob served as a key member on a major corporate retail team at its Michigan headquarters. At that level, Bob managed feasibility and site development studies for their expansion program, a position which now lends a unique perspective to his current work on retail design and implementation. Bob holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from Lawrence Technological University/Michigan. As an expression of his regard for sustainable design and its interpretations to retail space and operations, he earned LEED AP credentials focusing on interior design and construction.

Jay Miranda lends his striking design talents to the Chipman design studio. Joining the firm 15 years ago, he has brought a unique intensity to the studio’s design interpretations, and his unparalleled hand-rendering techniques are sought-after as presentation works of art.

Taking lead on directing the firm’s restaurant and retail design prototypes on a national scale, Jay has been responsible for concept development on expanding corporate programs. These have included branded design programming for such clients as Houlihan’s, Chick-fil-A and Cucinova as well as the newly imagined food court dining at O’Hare’s International Terminal.

His work abroad on previous professional assignments has involved hospitality projects for international expansions that included such brands as Hilton, Hyatt, Holiday Inn, Marco Polo and Supreme Pretoria. Jay earned his degree in Architecture from the University of the Assumption in the Philippines. Augmenting his architectural and art studies with numerous international seminars, Jay has been invited to appear on design panels presenting at national conferences.

Ariel’s breadth of experience ranging from code research to surveys, kitchen design layouts to restaurant site and space planning, assures the client of well-directed project execution. His competence with codes and municipal regulations extends beyond domestic municipalities to Canada.

During his tenure with the firm, Ariel has worked with corporate clients on their expansion programs including Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews, Chick-fil-A, Epic Burger, Boston Market, Mongolian Barbecue, Kinko’s, Gateway Computers and Blockbuster Video. Programming including management of complex renovations from mall tenant conversions to free-standing buildings.

Earning his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Ariel has augmented his degree program with continuing professional studies and international travel.

Gary Metzger actively leads all corporate client programs throughout the Eastern United States regions. Directing Chipman Design’s New York office, he is particularly noted for moving complex projects through the City’s permitting process, aptly addressing potential issues before there’s an opportunity to interrupt aggressive project progress. On a continuing basis, he works closely with the Chicago corporate office as an invaluable asset to studio teams.

With more than three decades as an architect and design professional, Gary utilizes his expertise as a basis for ensuring that all New York and East Coast projects are scheduled within efficient parameters of both timeline and budget.

This is initiated from the first coordination of site surveys, following through to successful project completions. Gary graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University with a Bachelor of Architecture, remaining active throughout his career as a professional member of the American Institute of Architects.

Throughout her 19 years with Chipman Design, Janina has been responsible for coordinating several of the firm’s major national expansion programs. Elevated to a Principal of the firm in 2013, she currently directs the aggressive national expansion program for Noodles & Company, overseeing the firm’s architectural project team that can have as many as 50 projects in production annually.

Based on her comprehensive abilities for conducting prototypical site surveys, Janina was responsible for developing the firm’s current in-house protocol under which national client surveys are now executed.

Enhancing her innate ability to direct national corporate retail and restaurant programs, Janina has traveled extensively as she pursues an adventurous first-hand overview of the world’s architecture. She has trekked in the Himalayas’ Katmandu as well as Patagonia, walked the Inca Trail in Peru’s Machu Picchu, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa and toured both New Zealand and Australia as well as Europe. Janina was awarded a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology and went on to earn her Master of Architecture.

Throughout 15 years with the firm, Matt has demonstrated intelligent project management on complex national restaurant programs. He has become a proven constant throughout his years as a client manager, and during that period helped create a host of innovative prototypical designs.

Providing unparalleled prototype management services, he has worked with both corporate and franchisee groups on aggressive program expansions throughout the United States and Canada. Overseeing the firm’s restaurant accounts, Matt has responsibly managed projects at all phases and levels of development.

Among the most complex are several innovative flagship restaurants throughout the country, most recently including sites in downtown Chicago and Manhattan. Matt holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology as well as a diversified background in the construction industry. Committed to sustainable building practices, Matt is LEED AP registered.

At the very core of the firm’s enterprise, Kate Kerin responds with a formulated plan that addresses not only the range of architectural licensing but supports extensive corporate registrations both domestic and international.

Personally directing this program for the last five years, she has enhanced the firm’s continuing expansion by developing an agile approach to its integrated corporate base. Kate also guides the firm’s professional contracts and agreements, remaining sensitive to principled processes at all times.

In her lead role mentoring Corporate Culture, Kate is pivotal in assuring that the firm’s founding objective endures, guiding it toward the intrinsic inclusion and support of its valued staff. This translates to overseeing the firm’s philanthropic endeavors as well, a capacity for giving that stems from her own personal lifework as a volunteer and mentor. With a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services from National Louis University in Evanston, Illinois, Kate has held positions as Executive Directors of both the Park Ridge Community Fund and Teen Center. Among Kate’s many volunteer efforts, her dedication to the organization “Global Alliance for Africa” has led to several personal visits to East Africa, with fundraising efforts supporting her on-site building of several local libraries.

Integral to Chipman Design since its founding, Deborah has contributed her communications background and business development insight to the presence of the architecture side of operations as it expanded onto a national stage. Together with architect-husband John Chipman, they set the original groundwork for Chipman Design when they first moved to Chicago in 1979.Entering the design field with a staff of only three, they drew upon their experience with the Phoenix-based firm where they first met, working together on projects at both the domestic and international offices. Graduating cum laude from Duquesne University/Pittsburgh, Deborah earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and national awards for feature writing.

Arts appreciation from performance to digital has become a special interest of her support and commitment over the years. Past contributions have included active board positions with Midwest Young Artists Youth Symphony as well as the Illinois Council of Orchestras. In 2013, Deborah was elected to a three-year term serving on the Board of Directors of Boston-based From the Top. This organization features outstanding young classical musicians on its live NPR radio shows as well as its Emmy-winning From the Top at Carnegie Hall, all while fostering a nationwide commitment to inspiring music engagement programs.