We are excited to welcome all of our Spring New Hires to join our Lionakis team! Here are some getting to know you questions we asked Alex, Alison, Andrew, Ann, Bianca, Brian, Curtis, Jacey, Ej, Jim, Keith, Laya, Nicolas, Sarah, and Steve.

Alex Brower is our Designer in our Healthcare Studio in Newport Beach.
What’s your favorite food?
After living in Italy for 5 months, I have a weakness for pizza, pasta, bread and cheese even though I try my best to avoid them!
What’s your favorite TV show?
Scandal.

 

Alison Blessing is our Project Manager in our Interiors Studio in San Francisco.
What’s your favorite food?
While generally I try to subscribe to a low carb diet for good health I unfortunately have a real sweet tooth.  So my favorite food is anything with flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.
What are your favorite hobbies?
Photography, gardening, and making art such as Ikebana, or Japanese floral arranging.

 

Andrew Tang is our Senior Project Manager in our Hawaii Office.
What’s your favorite food?
Chinese Food but in China, they call it just “Food”. And rice is good – a billion people can’t be wrong.
What is the best or worst gift you’ve ever received? 
Office Christmas 2013 party anonymous gift: Slightly “used” toilet seat – you be the judge if that was good or bad. Good for laughter but bad for my therapy sessions for years to come. I think I am still paying for it.

 

Ann Wright is our Senior Architect in our Civic Studio in Sacramento.
What are your favorite hobbies?
Favorite hobbies are traveling, quilting and gardening.
If you were stranded on a desert island for one year and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
If I would be stranded on a desert island for a year, I would take a good friend.
What’s your favorite food?
My favorite food is chocolate.

 

Bianca Dyke is our Student Intern in our Interiors Studio in Sacramento.
What are your favorite hobbies?
When I have free time, I typically engage in either physical or artistic activities.  I play roller derby for the Sacred City Derby Girls, who are like a second family to me.  I also paint and sculpt in several mediums to feed my love of the arts.
Would you rather live in the mountains or near the ocean? Why?
I would love to live near the ocean, preferably with terrain like the Monterey Bay. Areas like this have a combination of beautiful beaches, wildlife, and forest-like qualities that have always fascinated me.

 

Brian Nakamura is our Designer in our Healthcare Studio in Newport.
Tell us about your pets.
I have two lop eared bunnies named Mimi and Thumper. I share my entire room with them and they are the cutest things ever! Many many pictures and videos can be found on my phone.
Would you rather live in the mountains or near the ocean? Why?
I would rather live in the mountains because one of my favorite places to go is Yosemite. I love the fresh mountain air, especially because I was born and raised in Southern California.

 

Cutris Lockwood is our Principal in our Healthcare Studio in Newport.
What is your favorite vacation destination and activity?
Southern Oregon Coast.
What is your favorite band or musician?
John Lennon.
What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?
Disconnect my phone.
Tell us about your pets.
6 dogs, a cat and a squirrel.

 

 

Jacey Wu is our Staff Designer in our Interiors Studio in Newport.
If you were stranded on a desert island for one year and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
A solar powered drone! Hope the drone can scout around the island for me, maybe also bring me snacks, or water, or clothes, or everything?
Tell us about your pets.
My husband and I don’t have any pets yet, but we do have a list of dream dogs that we hope to have. To mention a few from the list: corgi, golden retriever, shiba inu, German shepherd, so basically those with floppy ears, round faces, and innocent eyes when they’re little puppies.

 

Ej Deasis is our Student Intern in our Design Technology Studio in Sacramento.
What are your favorite hobbies?
My favorite hobbies include film photography and writing music.
Would you rather live in the mountains or near the ocean? Why?
I would much rather live in the mountains because (1) the views are nicer from up there and (2) I don’t know how to swim.

 

Jim Raver is our Senior Project Manager in our Education Studio in Newport.
What is your favorite vacation destination and activity?  
Sailing anywhere in the world
Tell us about your pets.  
14 Koi now 5 years old in my patio pond

 

Keith Demaray is our Senior Associate in our Healthcare Studio in Sacramento.

 

Laya Hague is our Project Manager in our Education Studio in Newport.
What is your favorite vacation destination and activity?
I love going to Europe and swimming in St Marteen white sandy beaches.
Who would you invite to a dinner party?
Jason Statham, but if he is not available then everyone is welcome. The more the merrier.
If you were stranded on a desert island for one year and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
It would be Jason Statham
What is your favorite band or musician?
Kitaro, Pink Floyd
What are your favorite hobbies?
TaeKwonDo
What’s your favorite movie?
I watch Korean subtitled movies
Would you rather live in the mountains or near the ocean? Why?
Ocean…love water

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nicolas Pauli is our Staff Engineer in our Structural Studio in Sacramento.
What is your favorite vacation destination and activity?
My favorite trip was going to El Calafate, Argentina and hiking on glaciers.
Tell us about your pets.
I have a dog (mini schnauzer) named Smokey and a turtle named Dale Earnhardt Jr.

 

Sarah Molina is our Project Coordinator in our Civic Studio in Sacramento.

 

Steve Ellenburg is our Director of Information Technology.
What are your favorite hobbies?
My favorite hobbies besides vacationing with my wife would be that I am a pastel artist and musician. I am in a band called “The NoBS” playing good old rock and roll.
Tell us about your pets.
Hmm I am going to have to go with my dog “Toulouse” She is our new puppy and is a darling, hyper little puppy.  Very smart and will be outsmarting us very soon, if she is not already.