design:retail - May 2019 - 34

CHRISTINA TAYMAN
Principal/Accessibility Specialist
Jencen Architecture

GUILTY PLEASURE:
PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM.

AGE 39

From intern architect to principal, Tayman's career in retail design has flourished at
Jencen Architecture. She is a registered architect in Ohio, California, Missouri and
Hawaii, and a certified member of the International Code Council (as accessibility inspector/plans examiner). She is deeply committed to accessible design and those it liberates, and maintains her accessibility credentials in order to apply this distinct lens on
every project the firm touches. And she has touched many of the firm's projects, including managing some of its biggest national accounts. She is recognized for her genuine
passion for design detail and her unparalleled work ethic, which help her masterfully
navigate the ever-hectic demands of retail design. She recently orchestrated a 67-store
prototype update effort on a wildly ambitious eight-week production schedule. Needless to say, her client was pleased. In fact, clients love to work with her. She skillfully balances the competing interests of
design criterion, unique site conditions, building codes, etc. all while advocating their brands. Her client list includes Kay
Jewelers, Alex and Ani and Johnston & Murphy. When she is not advocating for her clients, she is looking out for small, furry
creatures. She's been fostering rescue kittens for 10 years, and sometimes they serve as the perfect inspiration for the studio.
The best advice I ever received: To stop over-thinking.
Pet peeve: Slow drivers in the left lanes.

MARIE YATES
Experience Design Manager
REI
AGE 36

AIREEN Q. WONG
Senior Designer
MG2
AGE 37

Wong designs stories-spaces that inspire beyond
function and delight beyond expectations. Her experience ranges from designing mega mall interiors in
China to crafting subtle details for restaurants and
boutique retail in the United States and Canada. She
understands the importance of fulfilling creative,
business and consumer experience objectives in order
to deliver a successful retail project. Wong is a trusted
team member recognized as a thoughtful design leader and a solid partner to account and project managers. Her role as designer and storyteller has been a key
factor in the growth of MG2's Retail and Commercial
Studios. She is directly responsible for several retail
design projects for SSP America, including Terminal
One in LAX (Chick-fil-A, Pei Wei, Trejo's, Cassell's),
Hopworks Urban Brewery at Portland, Ore.'s PDX
Airport, and several bespoke and local brand F&B
concepts in development at Sea-Tac International
Airport and YVR, Vancouver's International hub. In
addition to her airport concepts, she has designed
for White Castle, Tommy Bahama, several food hall
concepts and a myriad of specialty retail brands. Wong
understands the complexities of interior storytelling.
She encourages her team to create new standards
in presentation, materials, finishes and sourcing in
order to create layered and detailed spaces that tell the
broader experiential story for the consumer.
Favorite hobby: Fishing local rivers for salmon and steelhead and tinkering with anything that has a motor.
Most amazing place I've traveled: Thailand; I loved the
culture and saturated sensory experience of sights
and smells.
The best advice I ever received: It isn't about being strong
and pretending everything's okay; it's about finding
joy where you can.

Yates has been honing her
skills as a multidisciplinary
designer over the last 14
years, creating engaging
experiences for iconic
brands like Starbucks and
Nike. Her work ranges
from environments to objects, but the design solutions
consistently deliver rich narratives, amplify brand experiences and elevate the customer journey. As experience
design manager for REI, she is responsible for curating
engaging experiences across the fleet. Her impact was felt
immediately with work on the company's first apparel
fall collection. She transformed a typical community
room into a unique space that told the story of the Wallace
Lake Fall Apparel collection. She coordinated a team of installers, stylists and graphic artists to transform the SoHo
location in New York for a one-day private event and then
relocated the assets and design elements to a storefront
for all customers to experience. With this one project,
Yates was recognized for elevating the product collection
experience and representing the brand on a new level.
Yates is excited to bring her expertise together with her
passion for the outdoors at REI, as she believes that a life
outdoors is a life well lived. She wants to help increase
REI's product education, amplify the brand narrative and
elevate the customer journey in order to inspire future
generations to opt outside.
Guilty pleasure: Social media.
Favorite hobby: Exploring the Pacific Northwest.

MARY LYNN WAITE
Creative Director
Chute Gerdeman
AGE 35

Waite has an innate ability for developing and expressing brand stories through visual communication
strategies and is always ready to take on what's next
for retail's top brands. She is a key leader and integral
member of the brand communications team at Chute
Gerdeman, recognized for her optimism and incredible work ethic. Her work has defined many of the
firm's most successful projects, and she has shared
her insights and expertise at industry events. She is
adept at bringing digital and physical communications
together and understanding how online interactions
influence the in-store journey. Her ideas have helped
direct multiple brand engagements, and her skills have
been utilized across firm disciplines. Waite's impressive portfolio includes work with Target, Lilly Pulitzer,
Toy Kingdom, C&A Brazil, Cooper's Hawk, Dylan's
Candy Bar, Lids, Luxottica and Hanesbrands Inc. She
is recognized for developing effective communications
systems that offer a fine design aesthetic while motivating customers on the retail floor. Waite is always
on top of trends, looking for what is new, effective and
relevant in order to stay a step ahead when creating
unique brand stories.
Proudest moment:
Personally: Teaching my dog to high five.
Professionally: Anytime the client says our new
design has increased sales.
What I love most about retail: Watching how trends
evolve into physical experiences.
Favorite hobby: Baking. I make an incredible oatmeal
cream pie.

MY HAPPY PLACE:
ON A TRAIL WITH MY DOG.

ALEXANDER ZILBERMAN
Principal/Founder
Alexander Zilberman Architecture P.C., "AZA"
AGE 39

At the age of 31, Zilberman launched an architecture firm that specializes in retail design. Over the
past seven years, he has led the firm in completing more than 400 projects, making him a shining
star in the industry. He is recognized for his innovative approach to problem solving and precise
attention to detail, which is evident by his list of notable brands, including Victoria's Secret,
Michael Kors, Theory and rag & bone. He has tackled a variety of architectural challenges for
clients, including converting a landmarked original JCPenney into a Victoria's Secret in Savannah,
Ga., as well as converting a bank on 86th Street in Brooklyn, N.Y., into a three-story Victoria's
Secret retail experience. He has also developed multiple generations of storefront prototypes for
Victoria's Secret, PINK and Bath & Body Works. While delivering exceptional project work has
established a name for the firm in the industry, Zilberman is also known for his commitment to
employing and mentoring young design talent.
Latest obsession: Heli-skiing.
Pet peeve: Plastic bags-the sound they make, carrying them.
Biggest hurdle I've overcome: Starting a business from scratch and not knowing anything about business.

design:retail - May 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of design:retail - May 2019