As part of Grisafe Architecture’s 20th anniversary celebration, we wanted to take the time to highlight our team members, who are a huge part of what makes Grisafe Architecture great!
Stephanie Struckus joined the Grisafe Architecture team in 2019 after graduating from Mt. San Antonio College with an Associates Degree in Interior Design. (She also has a Bachelors Degree in Anthropology from Cal State University, Fullerton.) Prior to coming to Grisafe Architecture, Stephanie spent several years designing residential kitchens and bathrooms. She also spent a year with the AmeriCorps, renovating homes for low-income homeowners, aging adults, and veterans. During that time, she earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
Like every team member at Grisafe Architecture (and the employees at pretty much any small business), Stephanie wears multiple hats. She often handles tasks, such as measuring and drafting existing buildings, preliminary design development, producing construction documents, and submitting documents and plans to the various municipalities. She works directly with clients, contractors, and various outside consultants to achieve our clients’ visions. In addition, Stephanie manages the company’s Instagram account and coordinates the photography of finished projects.
Owner Mark Grisafe had this to say about Stephanie and her contributions to the Grisafe Architecture team:
“From the moment that Stephanie started working with us, the firm began to change. Stephanie could see that the firm was growing and becoming more competitive, and she took an interest in encouraging this growth, as well as in helping to make us more efficient and raising our online profile. In addition, Stephanie is a talented designer and a very competent project leader. Stephanie’s contributions and accomplishments are numerous, and her example of grace and professionalism set the bar high for the whole office.”
Stephanie enjoys working at Grisafe Architecture because she gets to have an active part in the design process and regularly gets the opportunity to come up with creative solutions to clients’ needs, which she calls a “fun challenge.” She finds Grisafe Architecture a place that embraces new ideas and allows her to grow as a designer. She says, “Coming from a background in interior design, working at Grisafe Architecture has made me more proficient in all of the different facets of our industry. Most of my job relates to the architecture and how the various building systems work together (structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing). Although I got exposure to these things in my education and previous experiences, my understanding has deepened greatly with my time at Grisafe Architecture.”
Outside of Grisafe Architecture, Stephanie has also worked as an adjunct professor of interior design at Mt. San Antonio College, teaching the Kitchen and Bath Studios and Intro to Interior Design. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, backpacking, reading, and traveling.
