We’re excited to share some big news from our Chapel Hill studio! On April 22, 2025, Ryan Cavanaugh, AIA, LEED AP, will officially join Strada as a Senior Associate and Studio Leader, bringing with him a deep well of experience, energy, and leadership.
Ryan comes to us from Gensler, where he served as a Senior Associate and Client Relationship Leader. Over the past 15 years, he has built a reputation for guiding multidisciplinary teams through complex, high-profile projects—both across the U.S. and internationally. His client roster includes major players like The Coca-Cola Company, Inspire Brands, Wayfair, Red Hat, Pfizer, and the American Tobacco Campus.
What sets Ryan apart is his ability to blend strategic thinking with design excellence. He leads with empathy and vision—values that align beautifully with Strada’s mission and culture. As Al Cuteri, one of Strada’s Founding Principals, put it:
“Ryan’s approach to design is rooted in empathy, strategy, and vision—all qualities that align seamlessly with our firm’s mission and culture. His experience building client relationships and leading diverse, high-performing teams makes him the perfect fit to grow our presence and impact in the region.
In his new role, Ryan will lead our Chapel Hill studio through its next chapter of growth and innovation. He’ll also play a key role in nurturing client relationships and advancing our integrated, cross-disciplinary design practice.
A bit more about Ryan: he holds a Bachelor of Architecture from The University of Tennessee and an Executive MBA from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. He’s a licensed architect, a LEED Accredited Professional, and has earned industry recognition including being named one of Design:Retail magazine’s “40 Under 40” and Gensler’s Southeastern Client Leader of the Year. He also gives back to the profession by serving on the NAIOP Raleigh-Durham Developing Leaders Board and as a past president of the Retail Design Institute’s Southeast Chapter.
We’re thrilled to welcome Ryan to the Strada family and can’t wait for the exciting journey ahead in Chapel Hill and beyond.