Meet the Board

Daniel Aley ('19, Graphic Design) is a user interface and product designer with a passion for cutting-edge technology and space exploration. Currently, Daniel Aley serves as a member of the team at Orbital Sidekick, a hyperspectral remote sensing startup based in San Francisco. Daniel plays a crucial role in designing intuitive and visually appealing products for their advanced remote sensing platforms.

Before joining Orbital Sidekick, Daniel gained experience at the NASA/JPL Deep Space Network Operations & Maintenance Program. During his time there, he focused on designing internal tools and services for mission assurance and program integration. His contributions played a significant role in enhancing the program's overall productivity and effectiveness.

Daniel's journey into the field of design began at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, where he earned his degree in 2019. His educational background provided him with a strong foundation in design principles and interdisciplinary problem-solving techniques.

Daniel continues to push the boundaries of design innovation. He would like to remind people that we all learn and grow in our own unique ways.

Stan Braden ('77, architecture) is a principal of KTGY Architecture + Planning, a nationally recognized residential and mixed-use architectural firm with six offices: Los Angeles, Irvine, Oakland, Denver, Chicago and Tysons, Virginia. He joined KTGY in 1992 shortly after the firm was established and became a shareholder in 1994.

Braden's expertise with a variety of project types, ability to build relationships and grow KTGY’s client base allowed him to participate in the firm’s leadership from a 25-person firm to over 400 total staff. He served as KTGY’s Chairman of the Board for 10 years, from 2006 to 2016.

Braden transferred from Fullerton College to Cal Poly Pomona in 1969, during the Ray Kappe years, but left to work in the profession in 1972. He returned in 1977 after becoming a licensed Architect to complete the requirements for his Bachelor of Science in Architecture. He served on Cal Poly Pomona’s Alumni Board for eight years and is a 2006 ENV Distinguished Alumnus. He currently serves on the Planning Commission and the Design Review Committee for the City of San Juan Capistrano.

Sam Cabrera (she/her) (’12, graphic design) is an award-winning experience designer, President of AIGA Los Angeles, and educator. With over a decade of designing award-winning experiences digital and physical, Sam enjoys partnering with client stakeholders and leading cross-discipline teams to solve complex business and customer challenges.

Danielle Takata Herring ('02, graphic design) developed and leads the national restaurant industry's premier creative time through DreamBox Creations, a Los Angeles based digitally-inspired, full-service advertising agency. Her creative work and direction can be seen daily on over 70 national and regional restaurant brands, as well as hundreds of other clients in various industries.

Takata Herring's specific expertise includes developing brand-positioning and executing on creative that builds true human-to-brand emotional connections to ultimately drive guest traffic. Her passion manifests itself in everything from small to large scale print collateral, styling food and lifestyle driven photography, motion graphics, and producing competitive promotional campaigns.

Takata Herring was the recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Alumna Award for the College of Environmental Design.

Lorena Matos’ (’10 Landscape Architecture) professional background includes work with private and government agencies in Southern California. She has worked across scales of environmental and landscape projects from small residential to urban park design. As a Landscape Architect at the City of Los

Angeles/LASAN, she works on developing projects that address water capture, reuse, conservation, and biodiversity.

Her work focuses on understanding and embracing the ever-changing urban landscape to provide projects that embrace, reveal, and establish connections between the project sites and the stakeholders. 

Lorena received a BS in Landscape Architecture with a minor in Regenerative Studies from Cal Poly Pomona and she also received an MS in Environmental Science from Loyola Marymount University. She is a licensed Landscape Architect with Certifications as a Construction Manager, LEED AP, ENVISION SP and QSP/D.

 Raymond Pan is an award-winning architect with 20 years of experience leading the design of significant projects in the U.S. and internationally. Recognized as a major design talent internationally, he has led design on global projects totaling more than 20 million square feet and USD $10 billion dollars in construction value on a wide spectrum of building types including hospitality, civic/museums, healthcare, education, biotech research and commercial developments. He was a recipient of the Engineering News Record “California Top 20 under 40” Award in 2011. Professionally, his projects have won more than 15 major design awards in U.S. and internationally.

Pan currently serves as the President and Design Director of Atelier R Design that he co-founded. The firm’s works for interior design, architecture design and urban planning projects. While at MIT, Pan was awarded the prestigious accolades of Takenaka traveling fellowship and Imre Halasz Award for best Master of Architectural Thesis Award. His works have been published and recognized by major award programs sponsored by the American Institute of Architects, World Architectural News, Modern Healthcare Magazine, Los Angeles Business Council, and Urban Land Institute.

Mike Riley (’82 Architecture) has over thirty years of experience in the architectural profession including education, training and professional practice.

Mike's responsibilities include project development and management from programming through design development and construction documents. He is also responsible for integration of all specifications, bid documents, and systems protocol relating to AutoCAD.

As the managing principal at HMC's Los Angeles studio, Kristina Singiser ('99, architecture) supports the growth and development of an exceptionally talented team to deliver design excellence to clients.

An experienced architect with over 20 years of experience, Singiser specializes in complex higher education projects at universities and colleges throughout California. She has led teams for both new construction and major renovations of multiple types of campus housing, libraries and performing arts centers. As a certified design-build professional, Singiser believes there is tremendous value in the interaction and knowledge that contractors can bring to the design process. 

Sanford Smith ('79, architecture) heads the departments responsible for the planning, development and operations of all facilities projects, performance improvement and laboratory and pathology services for Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. He received the prestigious Corporate Real Estate Leadership Award from the editors of Site Selection Magazine and was honored as the Corporate Real Estate Executive of the Year by the Los Angeles Chapter of CoreNet. He is also a Director Emeritus of Ability First where he served Chairman of their real estate and strategic planning committees.

Prior to joining Hoag, Smith was the Corporate Manager of Real Estate and Facilities for Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. In the 18 years he spent overseeing Toyota's North American expansion, his department's leading-edge work on environmental issues was recognized with many awards, including: the Global Innovators Award for Corporate Real Estate as well as honors from US Green Building Council, American Institute of Architects, Cal EPA, IFMA, and IIDA. Toyota's Real Estate and Facilities Department also received the Environmental Leadership Award from the State of California in both 2003 and 2007.

Smith is the chair of the Healthcare Design Initiative at the Department of Architecture, and was the recipient of the 2012 ENV Distinguished Alumnus. Smith was awarded the silver medal and inducted into the Tau Sigma Delta honor society for Architecture and the Allied Arts in 2018. He is a member of the CPP Philanthropic Board.

Nick Straabe ('05, Landscape Architecture, ASLA and PLA), is a licensed landscape architect in California and Arizona. As a Specification Manager at Hunter Industries, his work focuses on the design, specification, sales, implementation and management of low voltage lighting and irrigation systems. He is experienced in preparation of construction document packages as well as construction processes, site design and creative team management. He specializes in designing functionally and aesthetically please design with an emphasis on efficient irrigation and lighting applications. Nick also has a diverse understanding of plant species and their relationship to soil and water needs.

Juan Villalobos ('85, landscape architecture) served for two years as chairman of the Partners Circle Board (2014-2016) and jointly owns an Ontario-based environment consulting firm, Ruth Villalobos & Associates. He is recognized as an expert in the water resources arena and had 20 years of experience in the Planning and Engineering Divisions of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District and 12 years of experience in the private sector. Villalobos has led many multi-disciplinary teams through the planning, environmental and design phases which included the overall management and execution of projects for implementation. He has in-depth knowledge and experience in project ecosystem restoration, recreation master plans, multi-use trail systems, CEQA/NEPA, and public/stakeholder outreach.