INOMA BOARD
Jason Pugh PRESIDENT
Jason Pugh, a non-native Chicago resident, was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. He received his B.A. in Architecture & Design from Howard University in Washington D.C., followed by a M.S. degree in Architecture & Urban Design from Columbia University in NYC. With an extensive professional base as both an Architect and Urban Planner, Jason considers himself first and foremost a designer. He is constantly exploring new methodologies, technical and abstract, which lead him towards creating stronger designs and solutions across multiple platforms and various scales. Jason also has a passion for developing underserved communities, which is translated beyond the scope of Architecture and Urban Planning. In his spare time, he is actively engaged in several community based programs and organizations on both a local and national level which are centered on education, mentorship, diversity, and community service.
Oswaldo Ortega VICE PRESIDENT
Oswaldo was born and raised in New York City and earned his B.A. in Architecture at Syracuse University, followed by a M.S. degree in Architecture & Urban Design from Columbia University. He later continued his education at Johns Hopkins University through the Leadership Development Program where he honed his project management and leadership skills. As a new resident to Chicago, Oswaldo has quickly dove in head first into local community engagement efforts and volunteer program services. He is dedicated to serving and developing underserved communities and mentoring the next generation of architects and designers. As the newly appointed Vice President for INOMA, Oswaldo will focus primarily on Project Pipeline and similar mentorship programs.
ElDante' Winston TREASURER
ElDante' is a Chicago native where he attended St. Ignatius College Prep. He matriculated on to The Ohio State University where he earned a B.S. in Architecture. He also holds a Masters in Architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Masters in Architectural History from the University of Virginia. He is passionate about architecure and architectural education. He spent five years teaching architectural drafting at a local high school and has plans of becoming a professor. ElDante' has been a member of NOMA since 1999 and served as the INOMA president from 2007-2009. His leadership, dedication, and history with the organization and local chapter are vital for the new incoming board.
Jennifer Johnson PARLIMENTARIAN
As a Chicago resident and former back-to-back high school award recipient of the Newhouse Competition for the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Jennifer immediately knew architecture was her calling from an early age. She received her B.A. of Architecture from Florida A&M, M.A. in Urban Planning from Jackson State University, followed by a Post Graduate Fellowship from Carnegie Mellon University. She currently works as a Project Assistant for Moody Nolan with an emphasis on delivering Construction Documentation and Construction Administration for focused Healthcare and Education projects. In her spare time Jennifer is an active volunteer for the Chicago Architecture Foundation and oversees the CAF Open House tours and AIA Architect Barbie Workshops
DeShawn Jackson SECRETARY
Born and raised on the Southside of Chicago, it was DeShawn’s fascination with the built environment and disparities within his own community at an early age which pushed him down a career path focused on Architecture and Urban Planning. He received his B.S. in Architecture from UIC, and is currently pursuing his Masters in Architecture at the School of the Art Institute at Chicago. As a former NOMAS president of the UIC chapter and Student Representative, he has continued his involvement and dedication to the organization, now serving on the local board as Secretary for a second term. DeShawn’s immediate interests and passions lie with Urban Design and Residential Community Housing as he pushes to develop creative ways to increase the efficiency and affordability of housing within underserved communities.
Darrin Triplett HISTORIAN
Darin Triplett is an artist and designer. He attained his professional degree in architecture from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he studied art, architecture, sociology, and sustainability. He currently works as a Project Manager for the Public Building Commission of Chicago and is a partner at SolQuest Design Unlimited. As an artist and designer, Darin strives to improve the quality of the built environment. He believes in the power of space to connect people to ideas and emotions, and that good design is essential to create effective relationships among spaces, materials, functions, resources and especially people. He also believes in honoring the broader goals of society by way of being a good citizen that is genial to the social and natural environment. .