Meet the Team
Meet the Team
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Since its 2011 inception, The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Cultural Sustainability (UTSA-CCS) has explored the continuity of the cultural systems of human existence—people’s relationship to places and the built environment.
Amid a global push for clean and renewable energy, efficient utilization of natural resources, and the overall care of the natural environment, the UTSA-CCS asserts sustainability’s full meaning and value includes more.
Historically, communities choose to maintain what they value—it’s people who make places truly sustainable and truly resilient. By empowering historic houses of worship to better-withstand increasingly frequent and powerful storms, allowing them to continue serving their communities, Disaster-Proof Texas Heritage fully aligns with our mission.
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Since its 2011 inception, The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Cultural Sustainability (UTSA-CCS) has explored the continuity of the cultural systems of human existence—people’s relationship to places and the built environment.
Amid a global push for clean and renewable energy, efficient utilization of natural resources, and the overall care of the natural environment, the UTSA-CCS asserts sustainability’s full meaning and value includes more.
Historically, communities choose to maintain what they value—it’s people who make places truly sustainable and truly resilient. By empowering historic houses of worship to better-withstand increasingly frequent and powerful storms, allowing them to continue serving their communities, Disaster-Proof Texas Heritage fully aligns with our mission.
Partners for Sacred Places
Partners for Sacred Places is a national nonprofit dedicated to the active community use and sound stewardship of historic sacred places in the United States.
Through training curricula, grant-funded programs, research, and consulting services, Partners helps congregations maximize their potential as community assets—identifying new resources for maintenance and preservation of the buildings along the way.
Partners is coordinating the public involvement phase of the Sacred Places Heritage Network project, convening congregational leaders and building stewards for conversations to uncover their vital role in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, as well as identify challenges and opportunities that they face in building stewardship.
Partners for Sacred Places
Partners for Sacred Places is a national nonprofit dedicated to the active community use and sound stewardship of historic sacred places in the United States.
Through training curricula, grant-funded programs, research, and consulting services, Partners helps congregations maximize their potential as community assets—identifying new resources for maintenance and preservation of the buildings along the way.
Partners is coordinating the public involvement phase of the Sacred Places Heritage Network project, convening congregational leaders and building stewards for conversations to uncover their vital role in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, as well as identify challenges and opportunities that they face in building stewardship.
Team Members
William Dupont, FAIA
Principal Investigator
UTSA – School of Architecture + Planning,
Conservation Society of San Antonio Endowed Professor
Center for Cultural Sustainability, Director
Expertise: Historic Preservation, Cultural Heritage
william.dupont@utsa.edu
Faculty Researchers and Staff
Dr. Saadet Beeson
UTSA – School of Architecture + Planning,
Associate Dean for Community Engagement,
Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design
Expertise: Finite Element Analysis
saadet.beeson@utsa.edu
Dr. Sedef Doganer
Wentworth Institute of Technology – School of Architecture and Design, Dean
Expertise: Historic Preservation, Heritage Tourism
doganers@wit.edu
Dr. Jie Huang
UTSA – Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, Associate Professor
Expertise: Soil Analysis
jie.huang@utsa.edu
Sarah Jones
Partners for Sacred Places, Project Manager
Expertise: Community Development, Congregational Capacity-Building
sjones@sacredplaces.org
Dr. Kasim Korkmaz
Eastern Michigan University – College of Engineering, Associate Professor
Expertise: Finite Element Analysis
kkorkmaz@emich.edu
Dr. Sandeep Langar
UTSA – School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management, Assistant Professor
Expertise: Construction Science
sandeep.langar@utsa.edu
Dr. Angela Lombardi
UTSA – School of Architecture + Planning, Associate Professor
Expertise: Historic Preservation, Cultural Heritage, Materials Conservation
angela.lombardi@utsa.edu
Anthony Vannette
UTSA – Center for Cultural Sustainability, Heritage Resilience Fellow
Expertise: Architecture, Historic Preservation
anthony.vannette@utsa.edu
Tracie Quinn
UTSA – Center for Cultural Sustainability, Marketing Associate
Expertise: Communications, Project Coordination
tracie.quinn@utsa.edu
Graduate Research Students
Kelsey Brown
UTSA – School of Architecture + Planning & Center for Cultural Sustainability, Graduate Assistant
Expertise: Historic Preservation
Emre Gani
Istanbul Technical University (Istanbul, Turkey) – Civil Engineering Department, PhD Candidate
Expertise: Structural Modelling and Finite Element Analysis
Akshata Prakash Hiremath
Eastern Michigan University, Graduate Assistant
Expertise: Historic Preservation
Jesus Perez Tonches
UTSA – School of Architecture + Planning, Graduate Assistant
Expertise: Structural Engineering
Team Members
William Dupont, FAIA
Principal Investigator
UTSA School of Architecture + Planning, Conservation Society of San Antonio Endowed Professor
Center for Cultural Sustainability, Director
Expertise: Historic Preservation, Cultural Heritage
william.dupont@utsa.edu
Faculty Researchers and Staff
Dr. Saadet Beeson
UTSA – School of Architecture + Planning,
Associate Dean for Community Engagement,
Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design
Expertise: Finite Element Analysis
saadet.beeson@utsa.edu
Dr. Sedef Doganer
Wentworth Institute of Technology – School of Architecture and Design, Dean
Expertise: Historic Preservation, Heritage Tourism
doganers@wit.edu
Dr. Jie Huang
UTSA – Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design, Associate Professor
Expertise: Soil Analysis
jie.huang@utsa.edu
Sarah Jones
Partners for Sacred Places, Project Manager
Expertise: Community Development, Congregational Capacity-Building
sjones@sacredplaces.org
Dr. Kasim Korkmaz
Eastern Michigan University – College of Engineering, Associate Professor
Expertise: Finite Element Analysis
kkorkmaz@emich.edu
Dr. Sandeep Langar
UTSA – School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management, Assistant Professor
Expertise: Construction Science
sandeep.langar@utsa.edu
Dr. Angela Lombardi
UTSA – School of Architecture + Planning, Associate Professor
Expertise: Historic Preservation, Cultural Heritage, Materials Conservation
angela.lombardi@utsa.edu
Anthony Vannette
UTSA – Center for Cultural Sustainability, Heritage Resilience Fellow
Expertise: Architecture, Historic Preservation
anthony.vannette@utsa.edu
Tracie Quinn
UTSA – Center for Cultural Sustainability, Marketing Associate
Expertise: Communications, Project Coordination
tracie.quinn@utsa.edu
Graduate Research Students
Kelsey Brown
UTSA – School of Architecture + Planning & Center for Cultural Sustainability, Graduate Assistant
Expertise: Historic Preservation
Emre Gani
Istanbul Technical University (Istanbul, Turkey) – Civil Engineering Department, PhD Candidate
Expertise: Structural Modelling and Finite Element Analysis
Akshata Prakash Hiremath
Eastern Michigan University, Graduate Assistant
Expertise: Historic Preservation
Jesus Perez Tonches
UTSA – School of Architecture + Planning, Graduate Assistant
Expertise: Structural Engineering
Peer Reviewers
Killis Almond, FAIA
Killis Almond Architects, PC (San Antonio)
https://www.almondarchitects.com/
James R Nader, FAIA
Principal, Urban Bobcat (Fort Worth)
https://www.urbanbobcat.com/about-us
Ronald Staley
Senior Vice President, Christman (Detroit, MI)
https://www.christmanco.com/
James J. Stein
Professor Emeritus, Construction Management
Eastern Michigan University
https://www.emich.edu/
Andres Zornosa
Principal, Studio Forma (Houston)
https://www.studio4ma.com/
Peer Reviewers
Killis Almond, FAIA
Killis Almond Architects, PC (San Antonio)
https://www.almondarchitects.com/
James R Nader, FAIA
Principal, Urban Bobcat (Fort Worth)
https://www.urbanbobcat.com/about-us
Ronald Staley
Senior Vice President, Christman (Detroit, MI)
https://www.christmanco.com/
James J. Stein
Professor Emeritus, Construction Management
Eastern Michigan University
https://www.emich.edu/
Andres Zornosa
Principal, Studio Forma (Houston)
https://www.studio4ma.com/