ABOUT TAP
TAP is a private non-profit community design center governed by a board of directors. TAP provides design and planning services to low and moderate income property owners, neighborhood groups and other non-profit organizations wishing to improve their homes, buildings and neighborhoods.
TAP was founded in 1969 to provide professional technical assistance to disadvantaged citizens and others in need of affordable building design services. Among its far-seeing and idealistic founders were students and professors of architecture, local attorneys, religious leaders, neighborhood residents and activists concerned with the livability of urban neighborhoods.
OUR TEAM of Totally Awesome Professionals
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BARBARA L. NELSON, R.A | AIA
Ms. Nelson became Executive Director of TAP Inc. in 2015. She interned at TAP from 1980 to 1986 and just never got community development out of her system. While practicing architecture, over 37 years, she has remained an advocate for fair and affordable housing, architectural preservation, complete streets, participatory design and the reclamation of blighted public space through creative and sustainable urban planning. Barb has served several non-profit boards in the area, and Troy’s Planning Commission under three mayors. She oversees all aspects of TAP's operations and participates in design, grant writing, planning and feasibility study work.
PROJECT MANAGER, LICENSED ARCHITECT
Elizabeth Rodriguez, R.A. (Liza)
Ms. Rodriguez is a project architect, specializing in the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of existing buildings. She is responsible for the supervision and management, along with coordinating and production of construction documents. Since her start at TAP in 1986, Liza has guided many non-profits through the process of successful grant application to construction completion, on projects ranging from office space to special needs housing. TAP has received awards on many projects she has worked on for the sympathetic reuse of existing buildings.
Laura Ryder, R.A.
PROJECT MANAGER, LICENSED ARCHITECT
Ms. Ryder is a Project Architect, specializing in the rehabilitation of existing buildings, as well as the design of affordable infill housing. She is responsible for all aspects of a project, working with her clients’ ideas and budgets to create a satisfying and functional space. This includes supervision and management of staff and consultants, feasibility studies, preliminary design, code reviews, production of construction documents, bidding, and construction administration. Since joining TAP in 1990, Laura has worked with many non-profits and small businesses on such varied projects as affordable and special needs housing, libraries and daycares, and office and retail spaces.
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION SPECIALIST
Elizabeth Steckley (Beth)
Ms. Steckley has been with TAP over thirty years as our lead Construction Administrator, serving as the architect’s representative in the field with duties that include coordinating construction completion in accord with the project documents and facilitating communication between clients and contractors to ensure compliance. She also assists with the development of contract documents, including estimating, drafting, and product specifying. Beth is interested in working with senior citizen homeowners to assess and modify their living situation in areas such as safety and weatherization, so that they may remain in their homes as long as possible.
CONTROLLER
HANNAH CUSHING
Hannah has worked in large and small business accounting and financial management for over 15 years. Joining the TAP staff in 2023, Hannah brings her passion and commitment to sound and transparent financial practices in support of the mission.
DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY
Daniel Morrissey
Daniel was a community organizer involved in keeping hydraulic fracking out of New York State and a regional leader of the environmental/climate movement, Occupy Albany, and the Fight for $15 economic justice campaign. Daniel is passionate about political and economic change applied in product design, services, organizations, and social systems, emphasizing participatory design and ethnographic research, through which egalitarian work relations can manifest. Daniel is an avid cyclist, uses she and he pronouns, and has a cat named Azula.
LICENSE TRACK DESIGNER
Shayne Bornt
Shayne Bornt spent over 15 years as a Carpenter, framing roughly 140 homes in his career. He earned degrees in Technology, and Architectural Design & Building from the State University at Delhi. And is working toward his architectural license. Shayne is passionate about volunteering and giving back to the community. He volunteers with Joseph's house in Troy and at several of TAP's non-profit client projects.
OPERATIONS MANAGER
shawn mcann
Shawn made a career change from the professional audio-visual systems installation and live production industry to join TAP in July 2021.
DRAFTER, DESIGNER
A Vince Lepera Design Fellow
Jeremiah brathwaite
"Jerry" graduated from the School of Architecture at SUNY Delhi and joined the TAP staff in 2023 as a NYSERDA Clean Energy Intern. .
The Lepera Design Fellowship was establish to commemorate the accomplished career and extraordinary generosity of Vince Lepera. With the help of other student activists and faculty, Vince founded TAP in 1969.
DRAFTER, DESIGNER
JOnathon Brathwaite
"Johno" graduated from the School of Architecture at SUNY Dehli and joined the TAP staff in 2023 as a NYSERDA Clean Energy Intern.
LICENSE TRACK DESIGNER
Cole Ostwald
Cole joined TAP in January of 2022. He is working toward his architectural license designing and managing major capital projects.
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, DESIGN
Megumi Call
A NYSERDA Clean Energy Intern
Megumi joined TAP in June of 2022
SUSTAINABLE CITIES PLANNER
LAUREN OERTEL
A NYSERDA Sustainable Cities Planners
Lauren joined TAP in June of 2023. She is earning her Masters in Urban Planning from Cornell.
TAP PLLC Troy Architecture Practice, PLLC
In accordance with NYS law for the practice of architecture, the registered architects at TAP Inc are partners of Troy Architecture Practice PLLC. Tap Inc. and Troy Architecture Practice PLLC collaborate in order to make architectural services available and affordable to those in need.
TAP PLLC operates from 210 River St., Troy, NY 12180
Over the years, many dozens of people have worked or volunteered to advance TAP's mission. We are grateful to each and every one. See our HISTORY page to learn more about TAP's long history.
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Teamwork Advocacy Partnership
PRESIDENT
OLIVIA BRAZEE
Occupation: Architectural Preservationist
Olivia Brazee is a historic preservation professional with 12 years of experience working at the municipal and state levels. She began her career at the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, where she researched and wrote landmark and historic district designation reports and reviewed applications for work permits and Certificates of Appropriateness. Olivia continues working in a regulatory and technical capacity at the New York State Historic Preservation Office, doing Section 106 consultation and historic rehabilitation tax credit project reviews. Originally from Washington, DC, educated in Baltimore and New York City, she is now happy to call Troy, New York her home. Her favorite type of historic building is all of them.
VICE PRESIDENT
Nancy klepch
Occupation: Educator
Nancy Klepsch worked with TAP as a first-time homeowner, when she was involved in a program home buyers. Through that experience and her work in the arts and social justice, she has been involved in LGBT issues, housing issues and community organizing. She received a Troy Treasure award in 2006 for her work on the Troy Landlord Training Program and was again honored as a Troy Treasure Hall of Fame Honoree in 2016. She is a teacher and a poet. She is married, a proud aunt and the “mom” of two rescued dogs.
TREASURER
Michael bongiorni
Occupation: Engineer
Michael graduated from RPI in Troy with a degree in civil engineering. He has worked in various engineering, development, and project management roles. He is a creative and strategic minded professional focused on providing the integrated delivery of capital, development, and large capital projects. He has investments in Troy and visits often.
EXECUTIVE COUNSEL
kevin glasheen
Occupation: Lawyer
Kevin P. Glasheen – Kevin and his wife, Lee, are lifelong residents of Troy. Kevin received his B.A. degree from St. Joseph’s Seminary and College, Dunwoodie in 1968. He served as an officer in the U.S. Army from 1968 – 1971. He received his J.D. degree from Boston College Law School in 1975. He was admitted to the Bar of New York in 1976 and was a partner in the Albany firm of Pentak, Brown & Tobin until 1991. Kevin next served in several legal positions with the Niagara Mohawk Law Department from 1991 – 2009. Upon retirement from National Grid, he joined the law firm of Hiscock & Barclay,
LLP. Kevin also served as Corporation Counsel for the City of Troy, was President of the Rensselaer County Bar Association, and is currently serving on an Of Counsel basis with the Troy law firm of Martin, Shudt, Wallace, DiLorenzo & Johnson.
BOARD MEMBER
caroline nagy
Occupation: Lawyer
Caroline Nagy currently serves as Senior Policy Counsel for Housing, Corporate Power, and Climate Justice at Americans for Financial Reform, a nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition working to lay the foundation for a strong, stable, and ethical financial system. Caroline's research has been cited in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and she has provided expert testimony on housing policy issues to the New York City Council and New York State Legislature. She has also organized several coalitions, including United to End Homelessness, a coalition of more than 100 organizations created to highlight New York City’s homelessness crisis during the 2013 Mayoral election, and the Coalition for Affordable Homes, which works to prevent displacement in New York City’ working-class neighborhoods. Prior to joining the Center, Caroline served as a policy associate at Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York
and has also worked at the Center for Collaborative Change and the NYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. She received a JD from NYU School of Law and a BA and MA in Political Science from Ohio University.
BOARD MEMBER
michael mcdonough
Occupation: Builder
Growing up in a handmade house among the forests, fields, and abundant clean water of New York's finger lakes left a deep appreciation for the natural world, and a belief that humanity is capable of living in harmony with all creation. Michael studied chemistry, anthropology, and music at SUNY Cortland, and after graduating in 2006, spent a year building houses with volunteers at Atlanta Habitat for Humanity. Following a return to NY, he worked in horticulture research at Cornell University, but was compelled to continue building and apprenticed at the Cob Cottage Company's school of natural building in coastal Oregon in 2008. Continuing to work with various professional natural builders, he began to instruct natural building workshops with fellow cob cottage apprentice Greg Allen in 2009. Aside from a brief but valuable stint doing non-profit development at the Food Literacy Project in Louisville, he has been working as a contractor under Rising Earth Natural Building. He is currently based in Troy,
NY, and travels to teach workshops while keeping an eye out for particularly interesting work opportunities.
BOARD MEMBER
roberta singleton
Occupation: Community Engagement Manager
Mrs. Singleton has a background in Event Planning, Community Programming and Restaurant Management. She is a graduate from Brockport State University of New York for Communications and Recreation and Leisure Studies. She is a Co-Founder and creator of Power Breakfast Club which provides structure, accountability, and community to the Capital Region. Co-Founder of Collectiveffort a creative agency that works to build and bridge communities through professional development, media, marketing and coworking. The Community Liaison for Troy Community Land Bank, and a former Community
engagement manager of TAP Inc. Roberta’s main vision is to create spaces that bring unlikely people together in turn promoting social change. She has a passion for people, community, and advocating for accessibility in all forms, especially to untapped individuals who are not usually afforded, information, resources, and opportunities.
BOARD MEMBER
beverly hickman
Occupation: Community Outreach Advocate
Bev has been a resident of Troy and has been fighting for issues that improve the quality of life for those in need here since 2005. For Unity House she oversaw grant management for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and engaged in the outreach necessary to extend the benefits of those services to the community. Bev is now the Community Outreach Coordinator for TRIP. She is driven and proud to be part of a team reimagining housing development in her community; focused on not changing the individual, but improving the environment. She loves baking and living in the Troy Hillside neighborhood.