Coffee with Fellows is an ongoing series centered around a conversation between one Fellow and one emerging professional, interviewing each other. This session will feature Shannon Christensen, FAIA, a Principal and Owner of Cushing Terrell and the Montana Representative to the AIA National Strategic Council. She is paired with Liz Mazzella, AIAS, a Master of Architecture Student at Kent State University and Former Head of Mentorship for the AIAS Kent Chapter. This virtual session will be hosted by Jack Alan Bialosky, Jr., FAIA and Josh Myers, AIA.

Shannon Christensen, FAIA, NCARB, LEED BD+C is an architect and principal with Cushing Terrell, a 85 year-old, 425-person architecture and engineering firm. She is principal-in-charge of architecture, guiding vision, strategy, and growth of the firm’s architecture team. Shannon serves as the Billings, Montana Location Director and provides strategic leadership for local business development and community engagement. Additionally, she leads the project management initiative, which works to develop new resources, coordinate training, implement standards to ensure continuous process improvement. 

Shannon was recognized in 2017 with the AIA Young Architects Award, the first person to receive the award in Montana. She was also featured as an AIAS 60th: Legacy Alumni and told her story at the AIA 2019 Women’s Leadership Summit. Today, Shannon serves as the 2024 chair of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Construction Contract Administration Knowledge Community and on the AIA Strategic Council as the first councilor appointed by AIA Montana. Shannon was elevated to Fellowship in 2024 under Object 3, Led a Related Organization, recognizing her leadership within NCARB and support of future and emerging architects by ensuring that licensure, AIA engagement, and education opportunities are accessible, relevant, and equitable, recognizing each individual’s unique experience and continually examining and improving the profession’s essential structures.

Liz Mazzella is a Kent State student who has recently completed a Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a minor in Construction Management. She is actively pursuing a Masters of Architecture at Kent with a career path towards licensure. She was the previous Head of Mentorship for the AIAS Kent Chapter, and her studio work was selected for Kent State’s X Gallery (exhibition of student projects) for three semesters. Liz has also completed internships in Pennsylvania and Virginia and has an interest in commercial architecture. She enjoys the design process, especially design development. In her free time, she enjoys sketching, photography, and spending time with her family. Moving forward in her academic career, she will be a Graduate Assistant in Fall 2024 and wants to continue roles in mentorship for Kent State.