TEAM

RAFI

President/ CEO
RID

Laura Jane Spina, RID, serves as principal-in-charge with RAFI: Planning, Architecture and Urban Design and its sister organization, Fielden & Partners: Space Planning and Interior Design. Spina is recognized as a planner throughout Nevada, specializing in community development and redevelopment issues. Clients with both firms rely heavily on Spina’s extensive practice knowledge and her experience with contract management and quality control. Her list of past and present public sector clients in Southern Nevada include the City of Mesquite, Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City, Clark County and the College of Southern Nevada as well as the Henderson District Public Libraries and the Clark County Museum. Spina has dedicated herself to building Nevada through volunteerism. Some of her pet organizations include Friends of Henderson Public Libraries, Positively Kids, Redevelopment Association of Nevada, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Frontier Girl Scouts, Ronald McDonald House and Down Syndrome Foundation. She was recently honored with a Woman of Distinction Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners.

LJSpina@RAFIArchitecture.com

Principal
Arch D., NCARB, FAIA

Dr. Robert Fielden, NCARB, FAIA is known across the architectural profession for his contributions to education, training, practice, and service. He is the recipient of national and international planning and design awards, including six medals for distinguished architectural contributions. Fielden is licensed for practice across the Intermountain Region, California, Texas, and Conneticut. He completed his undergraduate studies at Texas Tech; his master's degree is from UNLV and his doctoral work was completed at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. Dr Fielden is the author of Creating Place - Remaking American Green; he is a contributor to various professional journals and a frequent speaker and workshop facilitator. His hobby is being with his wife Jane, their two children and five grandchildren. He is also a painter and sculptor; he is a backyard container farmer and avid barbeque smoker - that enjoys good tequila - and wine with dinner!

RFielden@RAFIArchitecture.com

Director of Marketing and Communications

Aaron is experienced in almost every aspect of business management. Mr. Morgan processes a high degree of organizational skills and easily adapts to the various requirements of each client and their required forms and paperwork. Whether public, private or even federal projects, each requires a variety of record keeping. In his role with clients and project representatives, Mr. Morgan establishes and maintains strong bonds of communications insuring everyone involved in the work remains abreast of activities, scheduled events, and actions occurring throughout the project’s duration.

Aaron’s extensive background in communications and human relations provides consistency and stability to circumstances when unknowns arise and need immediate response and attention. With nearly a decade of experience in the business field he brings maturity to his judgment and work.

Mr. Morgan is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; Management at the University of Las Vegas, Nevada.

AMorgan@RAFIArchitecture.com

Project Director

Andreea Preda has a background in Mechanical Engineering Management and Construction. As a Project Director, she has managed many complex projects and has had a wide and varied set of experiences. Andreea responds successfully executing projects of all scopes and sizes, often managing multiple simultaneous project assignments.

Some of Ms. Preda’s special skills include creating detailed AutoCAD/Solidworks drawings for shop production and coordination with outside engineers. Ms. Preda develops and reviews building plans created by RAFI’s drafts people, and ensures the drawings are based on client needs often managing project internationally. With her bilingual skill sets she finds ease in understanding others and their cultures.

Andreea’s past work experiences, such as managing product design projects, has been a quality we incorporate and make great use of into our projects, always ensuring client needs and standards are met and constantly taking initiative to make sure work is done in an exceptional manner.

Andreea has great organization and technological abilities that enables her to successfully accomplish tangible results. Her service-oriented approach produces client satisfaction throughout the duration of the design process. Her attention to detail ensures quality and design integrity on each of her projects. Andreea’s public sector work has enabled her to design pleasant environments that are subject to heavy wear, but demand minimal maintenance and upkeep, while her corporate work is acclaimed for its stylistic appearance, attention to detail and classic timeless design.

APreda@RAFIArchitecture.com

Project Director

Mark Kua is a lifelong resident of Las Vegas, having called Las Vegas his home for the vast majority of his life. He graduated with his Masters in Architecture from the School of Architecture at UNLV in 2022, and also received his BS in Business Management with a minor in Art History from the Lee Business School at UNLV in 2013, as well. Having an interest in the arts, Mark was also a docent at The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art for several years, hosting gallery tours for the public and school students. During his time working in the hospitality industry, Mark was also a Concierge at the Bellagio, which allowed him to experience the world of hospitality firsthand. In his free time, Mark enjoys watching movies with friends, going to festivals, and hiking and exploring the outdoors around Las Vegas and beyond. Having been to almost 30 countries, traveling has also been one of Mark’s biggest passions and influences his work and views of the world and how we can work to create better places and spaces. If Architecture is Storytelling in built form, the World is but a book upon which we orchestrate our stories. Mark also really likes Jeep Wranglers and Electronic Dance Music.

Assistant Project Director

Andrew Wonnacott-Yahnke is a multi-cultural American from Costa Rica. Andrew graduated from high school in Costa Rica and his study of Architecture began at UNLV, where he received both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Architecture degrees. Prior to joining RAFI, Mr. Wonnacott-Yahnke assisted a project manager at a specialty construction firm preparing in-house detailed drawings used in manufacturing custom casework, cabinetry, and other specialty one-of-a-kind millwork items that required precise dimensioning and custom joinery. Earlier after completing graduate studies, he worked in an architectural office developing professional practice skills he would be tested on in his national architectural licensing examination. Andrew is fluent in speaking and translating Spanish to English and English to Spanish.

Project Director

Julio Chanaba manages and directs the work of staff associated with his project assignments. Mr. Chanaba works on major projects including those of the Federal Government, Local Government, and a few smaller commercial projects. Coming to RAFI from MGM where Mr. Chanaba lead a group of 6 drafters to upgrade and maintain all MGM properties with architectural projects to as built conditions.

Originally born in Ecuador, Chanaba comes from a long-line of architects and is very passionate about his career. While in Ecuador, Chanaba worked on a variety of construction projects utilizing 3D modeling programs (i.e. Sketch-Up, AutoCAD 3D, and Revit) as well as creating additional value to his clients to improve exterior and interior designs using Photoshop CC and Illustrator CC. Through the use of web animated final presentations using InDesign CC and Illustrator CC, his clients could easily visualize the final results.

Mr. Chanaba is well educated:
Master of Construction Management from Southern New Hampshire University
Bachelor of Architecture – Universidad De Las Americas Quito
General Studies – Universidad Internacional SEK Quito

Mr. Chanaba’s thesis project provided a Master Plan and Urban Planning for Quito’s Valley where he worked in a group of 20 interns and 6 architects to investigate, analyze and propose a new urban development plan with growth projections for the year 2040. Focused on designing a building that solves multiple urban problems, Chanaba was responsible for obtaining and organizing information on the area of urban intervention; through surveys, interviews, mapping and photographs for the investigative stage. This work included mapping city equipment, green spaces, roads, public areas, buildings, etc. using GIS software and AutoCAD 2D to prepare base maps. From an architectural perspective, Chanaba was responsible for the architectural and urban design using Sketch-Up, AutoCAD 2D and 3D, Photoshop and Illustrator.

Outside of his impeccable work ethic, Mr. Chanaba is an avid soccer player, enjoys traveling (to see architectural works world-wide), and makes keeping in shape a priority by visiting the gym.

JChanaba@RAFIArchitecture.com

About Us

RAFI is a nationally certified woman-owned business and equal opportunity employer. Its' sister corporation is Fielden and Partners that specializes in space planning, interior design, and providing clients with furnishings, finishes, fixtures and equipment when needed. The firms seek staff who are research oriented and scholarly; people that are engaged and committed to serving the community, and emerging professionals seeking mentorship, professional growth and opportunities to become leaders.

Corporate offices are located at 2850 W Horizon Ridge Pkwy, Suite 200, Henderson, NV 89052. The telephone number is 1.855.865.7234, or 702.435.7234. In addition to Henderson, Nevada the firms have project offices in Lake City, Colorado, Phoenix, Arizona and Del Mar, California that offer client assistance for work in those regions. RAFI principals are licensed to practice architecture in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas.

Mission

RAFI seeks to serve its diverse base of clientele successfully; helping clients achieve their goals and prosperity through excellence and the significant added value our assistance provides - and through meeting client deadlines and budgets – all within a context of using jurisdictional rules, regulations and codes as our friends - as we progress through each task and journey.

Vision

Through significant contributions to clients, communities and society, the planning and design professions, and through the protection of the fragile natural environment, RAFI makes life on Earth a better, healthier and safer Place where current and future generations can prosper universally. To meet these challenges RAFI’s strategic goals are:

Advancing knowledge, skills and abilities associated with the roles and assistance RAFI offers to those the firm serves;
Building and facilitating long-lasting relationships and communications amongst broad and diverse communities of people, businesses, organizations and clients;
Preparing highly qualified, competent, experienced, innovative and motivated professionals to guide and direct the firm’s contributions and its futures; and,
Managing the firm’s operations, processes and accomplishments objectively to continuously improve Quality Assurance and Quality Control – through services to clients.

Values

Successfully serving RAFI clientele is our highest priority and value in seeking excellence. We do this in concert with other professional associates in an open, engaging, transparent, and collaborative environment - where sharing knowledge, expertise, and wisdom is focused solely on producing successful client assignments.

Responsiveness and a sense of urgency is critical to addressing client needs effectively - as are open dialog, clear and straightforward communications;
Confidentiality is equally important; we’re committed to protecting clients’ privacy; and,
The use of academic research methodologies in tandem with technology and experience to extend scholarship - to uncover state-of-the-art information as a foundation for discussions, evaluations, and decision-making with clients.

Advancing clients and communities to help make each stronger, more sustainable, effective, economically successful, and healthy, allows RAFI to share in greater opportunities for continuing success and prosperity. As facilitators, this endeavor links needs, people and resources together, and provides:

Access to scholarly publications and information to members of RAFI’s communities with reliable resources as tools to expand knowledge, skills, and abilities in a variety of interest areas;
Two-way communications and community forums that link members with common interests together to increase access to broader and more diverse realms of discussions, thoughts and ideas; and,
As bridge-builders, RAFI promotes connectivity, networking and new partnerships between smaller communities and larger communities when mutual benefits exist.

RAFI also serves as a community of highly experienced, skilled professionals, each recognized for their scholarly endeavors, creativity, leadership and accomplishments. Each RAFI member participates in the decision-making process, guidance and directions the firm undertakes.

Each member is a major contributor towards achieving the firm’s mission, vision and in making our values exceptionally beneficial to everyone we serve;
Members as well are recognized for their unique identity, honesty, integrity, diligence and sense of responsibility towards clients and in protecting the health, safety and welfare of the greater public we serve; and,
All members of RAFI are being trained and prepared as future leaders within RAFI and other communities they wish to lead.