Top row (L-R): Ariel Birtley, Janet Stephenson, Laura Ovsak
Bottom row (L-R): Ashwin Kamath, and Franci Virgili

Seattle Design Festival (SDF) is pleased to announce our incoming slate of accomplished design leaders who were elected to fill seats on our Board of Directors beginning September 1, 2025.

Please join us in welcoming the incoming board members! They will be joining existing board members Erik Heironimus, Jake Woland, Kirsten Dahlquist, Matt Hutchins, Melissa Falcetti, Mitch Smith, Sarah Burk, Tyler Schaffer and Uwe Bergk.

Ariel Birtley

Ariel Birtley, a Northwest Native and mother of five, is a public sector executive with over 20 years of experience in architecture, construction, and operations. She holds a BARCH, MBA, and MEng. At DES, Ariel serves on the leadership team for EAS, overseeing 35 project managers and $1 billion in capital projects, ensuring strong financial oversight and client satisfaction. Previously, as an Executive Operations Manager in higher education, she helped manage a $70 million budget and prioritized operations for 1,000 staff and 10,000 students. As Chair of the Bainbridge Island Planning Commission, Ariel champions thoughtful planning, financial stewardship, and community resilience.

Janet Stephenson

A well-known AEC industry leader, Janet Stephenson’s reputation is synonymous with innovation and sustainability. With experience spanning architecture, engineering, construction and manufacturing, she has championed energy efficiency, mass timber, and industrialized construction. Currently VP of Sales for Modwall, her career ranges from leading $1B pipeline of multifamily housing at Katerra, to conceiving the AIA+2030 program while at AIA Seattle. She has served on Seattle’s Design Review Board, USGBC’s Greenbuild Program Working Group, and helped launch USGBC-LA. Janet blends business acumen, advocacy and joy to realize bold ideas grounded in human needs, environmental urgency, design excellence, and real-world feasibility.

Laura Ovsak

A native of upstate New York, Laura Ovsak is an Architect working as a Project Manager with GLY Construction. She has a combined 11 years of experience in architecture/design and construction management. The transition from design to construction management happened organically from wanting to spend more time in the field interacting with subtrades observing onsite work. She’s most passionate about building meaningful relationships and advancing the knowledge of the greater group. Laura holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Philadelphia University (now Thomas Jefferson University) and has been living in the Seattle region for 10 years. Outside of work, she is active within the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and ACE Mentoring.

Ashwin Kamath

Ashwin has previously been engaged in SDF in his role with VIA Architecture. In 2023, Ashwin was selected to be a speaker for the Virtual Mainstage- speaking to his shift from architectural design to game design. Ashwin has a unique perspective that could help the organization reach design sectors currently missing from the discussion.

Franci Virgili

Franci is a Senior Designer at Gensler in Seattle with over a decade of experience in the design industry. Her educational background includes degrees from the University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf and Yale University. Franci works at the intersection of architecture and interior design, creating experiences through signage, wayfinding, environmental graphics, installations, and branding. A self-described chameleon, she thrives in the blurred space between disciplines, collaborating closely with architects and interior designers to bring equitable, sustainable, and inclusive experiences to life. As a queer, Hispanic immigrant, Franci brings a deeply personal lens to questions of access and belonging. Their community work includes volunteering at Greg’s Garden and the Phinney Ridge woodshop, guest lecturing at WSU, and mentoring students through Gensler’s HBCU program. Their work explores co-creation, placemaking, and the power of design to build community.