Kurt Roessler, AIA, Chapter President

West Coast Director of Operations at New York based, SilverLining, Inc., Kurt has worked on a multitude of projects ranging from the Paris locations of the Ritz and Peninsula Hotels, and retail projects for Tiffany & Co., where he oversaw the construction of flagship stores across the globe.  Kurt is a registered architect in New York State, and holds a Master of Architecture degree from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Elizabeth Dinkel, Chapter Vice President

Elizabeth is President at Elizabeth Dinkel Design Associates, Inc. She is recognized by House Beautiful, Elle Décor, Veranda, and California Homes & Interiors as one of America’s leading interior designers. A graduate of Georgetown University, she has played a significant role in the Southern California design community, including serving on the Design Leadership Network (DLN).

John P. Margolis, Chapter Treasurer

John P. Margolis was born in Boston, Massachusetts into an academic family full of intellectual and artistic diversity. He holds a bachelor’s degree with a Major in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis, and a Master of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and is licensed in Massachusetts. His passion for classical and traditional architecture led him to the ICAA in 1990. Since then he has held numerous Board positions and also served as New England Chapter President of the ICAA for five years. He was recently elected to Fellow of the ICAA and has a Certificate in Classical Architecture. In 2019, John joined Appleton Partners as a Senior Project Manager in their Santa Barbara office where he interprets traditional approaches to the Southern California climate. John also enjoys sketching, watercolor painting and creating environments for timeless and harmonious living.

Kelley Jackson, Chapter Secretary

Kelley has been an active board member for the ICAA SoCal serving on the Education Committee and as a teaching assistant for New Heights. Upon graduating from The University of Texas in Austin with a degree in Interior Design, Jackson began her career in Manhattan apprenticing with some of the industry’s most legendary interior designers including Charlotte Moss and Stephen Shadley. She started drawing attention of her own early on and was featured in Architectural Digest for the design of her own West Village apartment, credited in Architectural Digest for her work on a Washington, DC residence and for the Green Room for the Emmy Awards 2 years in a row. Continuing the momentum she stepped out on her own, establishing Kelley Jackson Interior Design. Jackson’s diverse portfolio and experience includes a wide range of projects: from a 1930’s Spanish Colonial Revival in Bel Air to a 20,000 sq/ft contemporary home in rural Pennsylvania, a 1920’s Misner style restoration in Palm Beach to a Spanish Hacienda in Southern Texas, a South Hampton Shingle Style historical renovation to ground up construction in Aspen, as well as numerous projects in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Central Texas.

Patricia Benner

Patricia Benner is Principal of Patricia Benner Landscape Design, a landscape architectural practice with offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Ms. Benner is a graduate of Smith College (BA, Bachelor of Arts), Boston University (MBA, Masters of Business Administration) and University of Southern California (MLA, Masters in Landscape Architecture).

Ms. Benner’s residential designs have been featured in numerous publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Luxe, California Homes, Interiors California and Veranda.

Jim Coyle

Jim is a licensed architect in his home state of Florida and Senior Project Manager at Tim Barber Architects. He earned a B.Arch degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he participated in the Rome Studies Program. He worked in Winchester, England, and New York City before moving to LA in 2017. Jim was a member of the SoCal Neoclassicists from 2019 to 2023 and recently became co-chair of the chapter’s Events Committee. He has taught with New Heights, ICAA’s youth education program, since 2020. In 2023, Jim was awarded the Christopher H. Browne Scholarship and attended the ICAA Drawing Tour in Newport, RI. Jim previously participated in both the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Diversity Scholarship Program and the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Community Leadership Boot Camp. He is an active docent at both Hollyhock House and the Schindler House.

Dan Parish

Dan is the co-founder and CEO of Millworks By Design, an architectural carpentry and millwork firm, established in 2007. He is driven to build teams and processes that consistently deliver great architectural craftsmanship at scale while also making it increasingly more affordable. Under his leadership, Millworks By Design has collaborated with renowned classical architects, designers, and builders on hundreds of projects across the city and beyond. The company also launched MBD University, an innovative R&D lab dedicated to advancing carpentry best practices and a program for developing professional carpenters. Before founding Millworks By Design, Dan gained hands-on expertise as a carpenter, crafting everything from paneled rooms to complex radius staircases. He credits much of his development to the mentorship of Gary Katz and Jed Dixon, both prominent leaders in education and advocates for professionalism within the skilled trades community, as well as other older business leaders. Since 2009, Dan has been an active member and supporter of the ICAA SoCal chapter, reflecting his commitment to the architectural design community and the built environment in the Los Angeles area.

Brian Pinkett

Brian Pinkett is a partner at Landry Design Group where he has worked over 26 years. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University, which included studying in Rome with the late architectural historian, Colin Rowe. Brian also serves on the Board of Directors at The Legacy Kids Project and is a member of to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Los Angeles Conservancy. An avid photographer and athlete, he is active with the American Photographic Artists and has played some of the best golf courses around the world.

David Rinehart

David is an architect at Ruard Veltman Architecture + Interiors in Los Angeles.  Prior to joining RVAI, Mr. Rinehart worked at Moule & Polyzoides, Architects and Urbanists, in Pasadena, CA, and Robert A.M. Stern Architects in New York. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Environmental Design degree in the History, Theory, and Criticism of Architecture and Urbanism from Yale University, where he was awarded a Beinecke Rare Books & Manuscript Library Fellowship and served as a curatorial assistant for the Yale School of Architecture. Mr. Rinehart is a registered architect in the State of New York, a member of the Society of Architectural Historians, and a Fellow of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, where he has served as an Instructor since 2015.

Andrew Scott

Andrew is a Partner and Director of the Santa Monica offices of Appleton Partners. Raised in Pacific Palisades, he attended the University of Southern California School of Architecture, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture.  After college, he practiced in Los Angeles designing large retail centers in Denver, Southern California and Australia. In 2001, he completed his Master’s Degree of Architecture at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Urban Design and Architecture.
In 2000, Andrew joined Appleton Partners as a designer. Over the past 20 years, he has managed numerous successful residential and commercial projects in Santa Barbara, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Hermosa Beach, Santa Monica, Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar and Martha’s Vineyard.

Valerie Thomas

Valerie Thomas is an LA native and has worked with the design community for over 20 years. She’s guided a number of artisan-based companies, and has been at the helm of west coast projects for Remains Lighting since 2008. She joined the ICAA SoCal in 2009 after attending her first event, a tour of Casa del Herrero in Santa Barbara.  She has served on the Board since 2019 and joined the Executive Committee as Board Secretary (2020-2021).  She studied design at UCLA and the Design Institute of Dublin in Ireland. When she’s not immersed in design she’s likely to be outdoors, backpacking or rock climbing in the Sierra.

Sonya Adams, Chapter Director

Born and bred on the east coast, Sonya moved to the sunnier climes of California in 2015 from New York City.  Her eclectic career trajectory has taken her from tour manager, artist manager, and brand strategist; to decades-long event producer. Passionate about architecture and art, Sonya began working with ICAA in 2018 to produce the annual Legacy Awards.  She is now the Director of Southern California Chapter and brings her enthusiasm to membership outreach, and expanding the New Heights program.  Her favorite building in Los Angeles is Griffith Observatory, where you will often find her on the surrounding dusty trails.