John is a passionate advocate for the transformative power of interior architecture. With over 20 years of professional experience and more than 13 years of leadership and service to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), his career reflects a deep belief that interior spaces are far more than functional—they are catalysts for inspiration, connection, and well-being.
As Architecture Director at ZAPATA, a Charlotte-based architecture and engineering firm, John leads a team of architects and designers dedicated to crafting thoughtful, efficient spaces that positively impact the lives of those who experience them. Before joining ZAPATA, John was a senior project manager in Little’s Charlotte office, where he led over one million square feet of corporate interior renovations and new construction projects, most notably for Bank of America.
He is also a dedicated mentor, deeply committed to fostering the next generation of architects and designers, creating an environment where young professionals are empowered to innovate, collaborate, and grow.
John’s impact stretches beyond his firm. He has served as President of AIA North Carolina and AIA Charlotte and as Regional Co-Chair of the ASPIRE conference, roles through which he’s championed forward-thinking design discourse and community engagement. Nationally, he has contributed his voice to the profession as a juror for the National Interior Architecture Awards and speaker at AIA Leadership Summits, inspiring peers to think bigger and design with greater purpose.
John’s journey into architecture was shaped by a lifelong fascination with storytelling through space. Before formally entering the field, he spent years designing lighting and sets for more than 100 mainstage theater productions, an experience that revealed how light, texture, and atmosphere can shape emotion and bring stories to life in ephemeral environments.
That same sense of spatial wonder was reinforced during visits to his uncle’s mid-century modern home in Rhode Island. Designed by his uncle, an architect and professor at RISD, the house—with its open plan, generous glass, and deep connection to the landscape—embodied a quiet elegance that profoundly influenced John. These early encounters with both performance and place sparked his belief that interior architecture, much like theater, can uniquely shape how we feel, connect, and experience the world around us.
For John, interior architecture isn’t just about spaces—it’s about telling stories, shaping human experience, and creating spaces that enrich everyday life in powerful, lasting ways.