Leadership

Sloan S. Harris

CEO | Partner

Innovative CEO with Expertise in Strategy and Organizational Excellence

A as a leading visionary, Sloan is an innovative and forward-thinking executive who combines strategic foresight with a strong ability to inspire and guide teams toward ambitious goals. He possesses an exceptional capacity to identify emerging trends, harness opportunities, and redefine industry standards. His unique blend of leadership, creative problem-solving, and relentless focus on results makes him a driving force behind sustainable growth and long-term success for VLK.

Characterized by resilience, adaptability, and a passion for transformation, Sloan excels in crafting a compelling vision for VLK while fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. His leadership balances strategic risk-taking with a commitment to long-term growth, making the entire firm influential drivers of change and success. He prioritizes empathy, clear communication, and purpose-driven decision-making, ensuring all teams remain motivated and aligned with the VLK mission, which is to always put the client first, delivering uncompromising excellence in service and solutions.

Todd J. Lien, AIA

Managing Partner

Managing Partner Todd Lien has devoted his career to building VLK Architects to be the industry frontrunner it is today. A true servant leader, Todd’s dedication to VLK’s clients, combined with his extraordinary depth and breadth of experience and insight, has indelibly imprinted on VLK’s DNA as an exceptional and loyal service provider. Todd’s wisdom and guidance are vital elements of the firm’s success in the education sector and its growth in new markets. With a keen ability to deliver tailored solutions to solve each client’s unique set of priorities, Todd leads by example, continuously proving the strategies that best serve the client’s interest are also best for VLK.

Jonathan Aldis, AIA

Chief Operations Officer (COO)

Jonathan Aldis has devoted his career to serving public schools. Authentic and forthright, Jonathan operates as a thoughtfully candid partner and resource for his clients. Committed to delivering results that exceed expectations, he oversees all of VLK’s architecture operations and project teams as Chief Operations Officer. Jonathan’s approach is bolstered by his depth of experience, wisdom, and a meaningful understanding of the client’s needs gained through the strength of his connections with clients and employees.

Dr. Dalane E. Bouillion

Chief Development Officer (CDO)

As Chief Development Officer, Dalane Bouillion leads strategic groups and catalyzes firm-wide improvements to create a positive and productive culture. Her responsibilities include empowering departments and other leaders to solve problems, simplify complexity, and turn the unfamiliar into the familiar. She listens, asks essential and complex questions, and helps to improve relationships between staff and leadership. As a born educator, Dalane also oversees VLK’s Educational Planning team. Dalane has devoted her career to serving public education, first as a teacher, then as an assistant superintendent, and chief academic officer before joining VLK. Her work with VLK and scholarly research intersects in the study of learning environments that impact student engagement. Serving our public education clients with an extraordinary depth of experience and firsthand knowledge, Dalane leads in uniting the priorities of the district’s curricula with our design strategies. When architects and educators work together, Dalane contends, the most dynamic and innovative educational environments are born.

Linsy Grozdanich

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Linsy Grozdanich serves as VLK’s Chief Financial Officer, responsible for its primary business functions, including accounting, finance, human resources, and facilities operations. Since joining the firm more than 20 years ago, Linsy has adapted and expanded the business office to meet the needs of the firm’s consistent growth and evolution. In tandem with her department’s daily business and administrative functions, Linsy oversees the financial forecasting processes that guide its strategic decisions. Her regular insight informs the recommendations that support the long-term business and financial strategies of the firm.

Justin S. Hiles, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C

Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Serving as Chief Information Officer, Justin Hiles is responsible for VLK’s defining and executing the firm’s information technology strategy across the firm’s five offices. An exceptional critical thinker and planner, Justin stewards the firm’s technology and data systems, ensuring the proper systems and controls empower each team to deliver superior quality design and service to clients. With more than 20 years’ experience, Justin is an award-winning architect who has overseen many notable VLK projects. The depth of Justin’s project and industry knowledge helps shape the policies and strategies that guide VLK through today’s evolving tech landscape.

Daniel Pitcock

Chief Experience Officer (CXO)

As Chief Experience Officer (CXO) of VLK Architects, Daniel is responsible for VLK’s overall experience. He activates client experience strategies to deliver differentiated experiences that build client loyalty and advocacy. His role also includes monitoring employee experience to ensure employees embody the firm’s client promise and deliver brand expectations; delivering best in class experiences all around. Daniel spent 27 years in public education where he served many roles from teacher and coach all the way up to Deputy Superintendent. His experience as an educator and past VLK client provides a unique skill-set, perfectly suited to cultivate a personalized experience for employees and clients.

Dr. Jim F. Chadwell

Senior Associate

Dr. Lizzy Johnson

Senior Associate