Stephen Backer
Stephen has worked as a designer and project manager incorporating sustainable strategies into large-scale mixed-use developments around the world. He has coordinated the work of multi-disciplinary consultants, including architects, engineers, ecologists, hydrologists, energy modelers, carbon profilers, and construction professionals.  He has also supervised the work of academics on research projects concerning the health and productivity effects of green buildings. 

As a project manager, researcher, and charrette facilitator, he oversaw the design of high performance buildings, on-site wastewater and stormwater treatment facilities, renewable energy installations, and mechanical solutions that dramatically cut energy consumption for building conditioning.

In 2008, Stephen moved to Dubai to advocate for sustainable design practice in a nation ranked among the highest per capita consumers of energy and natural resources in the world.  He guided creative teams on massive projects, incorporating environmental performance strategies into infrastructure, architectural, engineering, and landscape plans. 

Stephen has been a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and has been a LEED accredited professional since 2006.   He is a member of Urban Land Institute’s Young Leaders Group.

Stephen graduated Magna cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Brown University with a degree in Architectural Studies. 

Gonzalo Mosquera
Gonzalo “Gonzo” Mosquera brings 10 years of experience in urban planning and design, urban development, development consulting, and public sector planning experience.  Gonzo has focused his career on identifying progressive community design and planning strategies that create value through better real estate development. He has rigorously researched leading edge issues of sustainability, New Urbanism, LEED programs and processes, and Smart Growth techniques, to balance innovation with real world implementation in mainstream real estate.

As a project manager for Civica Development, he oversaw the planning and innovative entitlement of mixed use projects in Phoenix’s west valley.  As Senior Planner & Urban Designer at Quad Knopf, Gonzo worked in the design of master-planned communities, Specific Plans and Master EIRs.  From 1999 to 2004 he worked for the City of Phoenix Planning Department, which provides with a clear understanding of the public sector’s needs and approach to sustainability. Recently, he has focused his research on advancing the opportunities of green and mixed use development through Form-Based Codes and other progressive entitlement tools, as well as specific training in the measurement of energy and carbon associated with more responsible development.

Gonzo is a member of the Smart Growth Committee of the Arizona Chapter of the USGBC, and a member of the Urban Land Institute, Arizona Chapter. He has been on the Corresponding Committee of the LEED for Neighborhood Developments since 2005, and has been a LEED Accredited Professional since 2007. Gonzo is a native of Bogota Colombia.

Gonzalo holds a master’s degree in sustainable design and urban planning from the University of Arizona in Tucson. His Master’s Thesis in Architecture included a cost-benefit analysis on sustainable materials and energy-efficient design for the master planned community Civano in Tucson, 1998, as part of his work for the Trust for Sustainable Development.

Julia Wilk
Prior to working in real estate and sustainability consulting, Julia worked for six years as a producer and researcher in documentary film and television production for PBS, The Discovery Channel, The History Channel, and NBC.  

As a Senior Associate at RCLCO (Robert Charles Lesser & Co) she performed market, economic, and demographic analyses for consulting engagements nationwide on projects ranging from residential, mixed-use, retail, and hotel hospitality.  She served as an analyst on the real estate expert witness team for the successful bankruptcy litigation of TOUSA, a major U.S. homebuilder. The team valued the home building inventory for over 400 communities nationwide, from nearly finished MPCs to raw land holdings. For the project she analyzed current and historical micro- and macro-economic and housing data, forecasts, industry reports, company, and bank documents and wrote memos of her findings, created exhibits, and helped draft the expert report.

Julia has also worked as Development Associate for JDT International in Philadelphia on five green development and redevelopment urban infill projects.  For the projects she researched grants, below market rate loans, and tax incentives to subsidize costs and handled the Energy Star certification process.  She worked on the marketing campaign and performed comparables analysis to determine pricing.
She has been a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and ULI since 2006 and has been a LEED Accredited Professional since 2008.

Dana Brechwald
Dana joined UrbanGreen with experience in master planning, design, and construction documentation on mixed-use, health care, commercial, and institutional projects. Starting as an intern during her undergraduate studies as UC Berkeley, Dana provided research, green building knowledge, educational content on the sustainability of place and project evaluation services for a diversity of UrbanGreen clients. She is currently pursuing her masters degree at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.

Annie Arrasmith
Annie is a practicing fine art visual artist while also serving as the backbone of UrbanGreen’s day to day business operation.  She is a member of San Francisco ArtSpan, as well Mission Artists United and 1890 Bryant Street Group.

Annie came to UrbanGreen from the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national land conservation organization. During her eight years with TPL, Annie held several positions including Executive Assistant to the president and administrative coordinator for the western region project team. During her time with TPL, she refined her understanding and belief in the role of land conservation as an important component of sustainability at a regional and national scale.

Prior to TPL, Annie was program coordinator for the Drama Therapy Program at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) and executive assistant to the Dean of the School for Healing Arts. She also earned her BA degree from CIIS with an emphasis in women’s studies.

More information about her fine art and exhibition schedule can be found on her website at www.anniearrasmithstudio.com.