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Regional Directors
 Christopher S. Morrison, AIA
Director, Middle Atlantic Region
Christopher Morrison, AIA, is a project architect with Cunningham | Quill Architects He has more than 15 years of
experience in architecture, historic preservation, environmental sustainability and adaptive reuse and planning. His practice areas include historic preservation, adaptive
reuse, multi- and single-family residential, commercial/mixed use, institutional, and urban design/master planning.
Projects of note in Washington, D.C., include First Congregational Church (2007), The Wormley School (2007),
Gallery Square and Gallery Tower (2006), Caton’s Walk (2005), and The Mather Building (2003). Chris is deeply committed to environmental
sustainability in design practice, serving the role of principal in the design and approval of The Alta, the first LEED-certified condominium in Washington, D.C. Chris’ projects have received
numerous design awards, including, most recently, The Catalyst Award and The Award of Excellence from AIA Washington Chapter, the D.C. Mayor’s Award for Excellence in Historic
Preservation, a Merit Award from the General Service Administration’s Design Excellence Program, and the Custom Home Award from Custom Home Magazine.
Chris earned a BA in chemistry and physics from St. Louis University, and went on to receive
his March from the University of Maryland at College Park. Prior to joining CQA, Chris was an associate at Shalom Baranes in Washington, D.C., and project architect at Skidmore,
Owings & Merrill in Washington, D.C. Chris is an Eagle Scout.
He was a member of the executive board of AIA Potomac Valley, having been elected its
treasurer (2006), president-elect (2007), and president (2008). Chris is a director on the state component’s board (2009), and is its secretary (2010). He is also a member of the DC
Preservation League (2008-present) and the US Green Buildings Council (2007-present). He continues to be committed to both the community process concerning architecture and the
development of young architects through mentorship and as visiting critic at the University of Maryland and Catholic University of America.
Chris lives in Hyattsville, MD, with his wife, Hillary, their two children Alexandra and Colin,
and their Newfoundland, Nellie.
 Steven L. Spurlock, AIA
Director, Middle Atlantic Region
Steven Spurlock is a principal of Wnuk Spurlock Architecture, an architecture, interiors and planning firm
located in Washington, D.C. His professional work includes commercial, institutional, religious, residential, and historic preservation projects. The firm’s work has
received numerous design awards and has been featured in local, national, and international publications.
Mr. Spurlock served as a member of the AIA|DC Board from 2007-2011. In 2009 he became Vice President and served as Chapter President in 2010. His major
accomplishment on the AIA|DC Board was to lead the effort to create and fund the District Architecture Center, the new home of the Chapter and the Washington Architectural Foundation. Additionally, Mr.
Spurlock is chairing the Legacy Committee for the 2012 AIA National Convention in Washington, DC.
For a number of years, he has also been an active member of the preservation community
serving as Chair of the Montgomery County MD Historic Preservation Commission, President of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Association of Historic District Commissions, and
as board member of Montgomery Preservation, Inc. He has acted as guest critic and lecturer at various local universities and regional preservation conferences.
Mr. Spurlock is dedicated to the notion of service beyond oneself. Leading by example, he
and his firm have designed several award winning pro-bono projects for community groups and are actively involved in Washington arts and cultural activities, including volunteering for the
Washington Cultural Alliance and the Washington Business Volunteers for the Arts. An avid amateur musician, he is immediate Past President of the Board of the Washington
Conservatory of Music and has served on committees for other organizations including the Washington Performing Arts Society. He has also donated considerable time to cultural
organizations including serving as Vice President for the Maritime Museum of America Project of the National Maritime Heritage Foundation.
Mr. Spurlock received his architectural training at the Architectural Association School of
Architecture in London, England, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute, from which he holds a Bachelor of Architecture with Distinction.
 Mandy Palasik, Assoc. AIA
Associate Director, Middle Atlantic Region
Mandy Palasik is an architectural intern at ArchPlan Inc., Philipsen Architects in her hometown of Baltimore. Mandy
graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2009, with a Bachelor of Architecture and a Minor in Construction Management from Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta,
Georgia. While in Atlanta, she served as Team Captain of her school’s Freedom by Design Chapter, Secretary and Treasurer of the Student Government, active member of
the AIAS, as well as the Atlanta Young Architect’s Forum. She received several architectural scholarships from the AIA Atlanta as well other local organizations to help fund
her schooling. In addition, she was awarded second place and faculty choice for her thesis and placed first in the senior focus studio competition at Southern Poly.
Her experiences as a young designer range from project manager of a historic
preservation/new construction commercial building to construction administrator of a residential townhome complex. Her interests lie greatly in sustainable design and adaptive
reuse. In 2009, she became a LEED Accredited professional, where she now works with Archplan to build a more sustainable Baltimore. As an environmentalist, she believes in
practicing what she preaches, and is an avid cyclist and advocate for environmental stewardship. Currently, Mandy serves as an active member of Baltimore’s Young Architects
Forum, while also volunteering her free time to several local organizations such as One Less Car, Neighborhood Design Center, and BARCS Animal Rescue and Care Shelter.
She resides in downtown Baltimore with her two rescued cats and a dog. She is in the process of completing her IDP and is preparing for the ARE Exams.
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