Our People at RGS

Our People

Leadership

  • Joel Snyder, RLA Managing Principal

    Joel, a registered landscape architect and one of two principal owners, has more than 25 years of experience in site planning and design. He is passionate about the power of well-designed communities and the implementation of effective land use planning tools to impact how communities take form. He provides leadership in the preparation of conceptual design alternatives, zoning approvals, site development plans, sewer and water facility layouts, and storm water management design solutions. He is also responsible for project administration, project schedules, and budgets, as well as supervision of design teams from the preparation and presentation of plans for agency approval through the contract document phase and into construction. As Managing Principal, he oversees our day-to-day operations and is rewarded by taking part in the growth and development of the firm’s younger design professionals.

  • MARK HACKENBURG, RLA Principal

    Mark, one of two principal owners of RGS, has more than 30 years of experience in site planning and design. He is passionate about the power of well-designed communities and implementing effective land use planning tools. He provides strategic direction and guidance to the overall project administration and provides client assurance that the project team adheres to budgets and schedules. Mark stays involved in key meetings with municipal and agency leaders at critical decision points throughout the course of a project. He feels fortunate to have found a career with opportunities to significantly influence the built environment while respecting natural systems. In his own words, “love what you do, and you’ll do what you love.”

  • K. CRAIG SMITH, RLA Principal

    Starting as an intern and working his way through every facet of the company, Craig enjoys guiding clients through the complicated site design and land development processes and helping them achieve regulatory approvals and successfully built projects. His vast design experience includes site feasibility studies; grading preparation; layout; storm water management; utility, erosion, and sedimentation control; landscape planting design; and LEED project coordination. His responsibilities span overseeing project design, budgeting, and schedules to management of his team of landscape architects and engineers. He is also responsible for communication and coordination with clients, municipal officials, and other agencies, including project representation at public meetings and delivery of project approvals through the municipal process. Craig’s communication skills are highly regarded by his clients as is his ability to control project costs.

  • ALEX PIEHL, RLA Principal

    With more than 20 years of experience, Alex works closely with client and project teams to provide vision and leadership from the initial scoping of a project through the completion of construction. He is ultimately responsible for the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective design solutions and representing clients and their goals throughout each project. Alex delivers these services by establishing close relationships and maintaining focus on the goals established for a project by the client. Arriving at the right design solutions and outcomes for the client is something that he is involved with throughout the entire project process by working with the project team and regulators. Building a strong relationship of respect and trust with the local, state, and federal regulators is a critical aspect of his role and the RGS team’s role to expedite the review and approval process.

  • CHRIS VENARCHICK, RLA Principal

    Throughout his 20+ year career, Chris has been committed to engaging clients to arrive at the optimal solution for their design and development challenges. He does this by encouraging early interaction with review agencies, various design disciplines, legal counsel, contractors, and the client. There’s no project Chris can’t handle. Through his professional experience, he’s managed residential subdivisions, retail centers, hotels, 55+ active adult, senior living communities, industrial use, and a mixed-use master plan containing more than 2,300 units and over 500,000 SF of commercial space. He also employs his extensive experience in the entitlement of redevelopment sites where he takes pride in transforming tired or abandoned properties into thriving destinations within a community. Chris enjoys working with clients to tap into what excites them about a project, then cultivates those ideas into dynamic places that creatively shape the natural and built environment.

  • Lisa Thomas

    LISA THOMAS, RLA, AICP, LEED AP Principal

    Lisa has extensive landscape architectural and land planning experience. She is responsible for the overall management and design of projects, coordination of project consultants, and provides testimony before municipal boards and commissions at public hearings. Her experience includes mixed-use developments, traditional neighborhood and open space developments, institutional, and commercial projects. She has broad experience in the development of site feasibility studies, environmental analysis studies, site design, reforestation plans, open space management plans, and detailed construction documentation plans. Lisa also provides consulting services to numerous municipalities. Her expertise includes site reviews, landscape plan reviews, testimony in public hearings, landscape installation inspections, and the preparation of park, playground, and trail designs.

  • Bern Panzak

    BERNARD PANZAK, JR., RLA, ASLA, LEED AP Principal

    Bernard is responsible for land planning and landscape architecture designs for large-scale residential and institutional planning projects. In addition, he provides testimony before municipal boards and commissions at public hearings. His project experience includes landscape architectural designs for corporate headquarters, national historic sites, colleges and universities, religious institutions, residential and commercial developments. Bernard has devoted significant professional attention to the art of estate and residential landscape architecture and garden design. He is also an expert in planting design, possessing the talent for combining the full spectrum of the planting palette. His specialty is combining both architectural and planting elements into dramatic and original outdoor spaces. He has designed multiple award-winning gardens at the Philadelphia Flower Show over the years.

  • Chris Garrity

    CHRIS GARRITY, RLA, LEED AP Principal

    Chris' project experience includes landscape architectural design for traditional neighborhoods, multi-family developments, town center projects, hospitals, and universities. He has extensive experience in all aspects of landscape design from concept plans to construction documents, encompassing projects of all sizes from small gardens to large residential developments. Chris regularly mentors’ production efforts with staff members and coordinates with project team members to efficiently deliver creative solutions which address municipal requirements and meet our client’s objectives. Chris focuses on addressing the desired outcome of the client’s vision to provide successful projects that people can enjoy.

Managers

  • JOYCE GERHART, RLA Client Manager / Associate

    With more than 30 years of experience, Joyce enjoys helping clients navigate the site design and land development process to achieve their goals. Her design experience includes conducting site feasibility studies; grading preparation; layout; storm water management; utility, erosion, and sedimentation control; and landscape planting design. She oversees project design, budgeting, and schedules through her management of a team of landscape architects and civil engineers. She is also responsible for communication and coordination with clients, municipal officials, and other agencies, including project representation at public meetings and delivery of project approvals through the municipal process. Joyce also finds great reward in mentoring younger design professionals and watching them blossom as they grow in their careers.

  • Bill Fredericks

    Bill Fredericks, PE Client Manager / Associate

    With more than 15 years of experience, Bill has participated on a number of projects ranging from senior living communities to commercial and industrial projects. He has worked through the full spectrum of phases including initial concept and sketch plans, to preliminary and final plans. Bill looks at stormwater design to try to serve multiple perspectives, not only achieving stormwater requirements as required by local and state regulations, but also serving as an aesthetic focal point, incorporated into an open space design, providing traffic calming measures, or even allowing parking within the stormwater areas. Bill is committed to producing projects which not only meet the client’s needs, but also meet the needs of the end user. Through extensive involvement in the development of a project, Bill has become adept at understanding the issues that drive the overall design, as well as being skilled at communicating these topics back to the client. This open communication between the client and designer is what he believes aids in the success of a project.

  • KATHY CONLEY, EIT Client Manager / Associate

    With more than 25 years of civil engineering experience, Kathy provides vision and leadership to our projects while effectively developing, leading, managing, and coaching a team of skilled professionals. She ensures the delivery of high-quality and cost-effective services by establishing close relationships with clients and maintaining a focus on serving their needs. Her experience includes site feasibility studies, grading, layout, stormwater, erosion control, and more across a wide range of markets, including commercial, institutional, municipal services, industrial and residential. She’s developed as a strong leader in the civil community thanks to her ability to clearly communicate with clients, the integrity she brings to each project, and her professional skills in site development, value engineering, renovation, and construction.

  • LEN BRADLEY, PE Supervisor of Engineering / Associate

    Len has over 15 years of practical engineering and design experience. He provides clients with considerable insight into the technical design, permitting, and construction aspects of commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential projects. He has extensive experience with stormwater management design, modeling, construction, and inspection, and is proficient in the most current Best Management Practices and stormwater approaches. He is a recognized authority in the current state and federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements, site inspection and reporting obligations, Natural Resources Conservative Service 378 Pond specifications and design, as well as Army Corps permitting requirements. Additionally, he provides clients with expert reports and testimony in the areas of land development, stormwater management, hydrology, and hydraulics for litigation. 2021 Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers Engineer of the Year

Operations

  • ANDY HIPPLE Information Technology Manager / Associate

    Pulling from his years of experience in the corporate and educational worlds, Andy ensures our information systems are always up-to-date and protecting RGS and our customers with the proper data security. Andy’s focus is on our network, applications, and servers, as well as managing our support and training initiatives. He has been a crucial part of our firm’s success with our engineering and architecture technologies and providing technology to support our client communications and access.

  • KAREN MUSSER Accounting Manager / HR Administrator / Associate

    Since joining RGS in 2005, Karen has served as both the Accounting Manager and Human Resource Administrator. She is also a Notary Public. She has been instrumental in refining processes and is dedicated to performing her work with accuracy. She provides leadership to our administration staff and has developed a team that executes our operations with precision and accountability.