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  • Senior Partners
  • Partners
  • Senior Associates
  • Associates
  • Business Development
  • Kirk Horner
    Kirk Horner
    Senior Partner
  • John Southard
    John Southard
    Senior Partner
  • Chris Heinz
    Chris Heinz
    Senior Partner
  • John Brown
    John Brown
    Senior Partner
  • Scott Barton
    Scott Barton
    Senior Partner
  • Keegan Jackson
    Keegan Jackson
    Senior Partner
  • Michelle Chavey
    Michelle Chavey
    Senior Partner
  • Justin Durham
    Justin Durham
    Partner
  • Kevin Nelson
    Kevin Nelson
    Partner
  • Greg Porter
    Greg Porter
    Partner
  • Ryan Walters
    Ryan Walters
    Partner
  • Stephanie Keeton
    Stephanie Keeton
    Senior Associate
  • Nicole Young
    Nicole Young
    Senior Associate
  • Megan Barnes
    Megan Barnes
    Associate
  • Melissa Brown
    Melissa Brown
    Associate
  • Jill Claterbos-Clay
    Jill Claterbos-Clay
    Associate
  • Matt Keys
    Matt Keys
    Associate
  • Jenny Lake
    Jenny Lake
    Associate
  • Dennis Lee
    Dennis Lee
    Associate
  • Kevin Patterson
    Kevin Patterson
    Associate
  • Jeff Williamson
    Jeff Williamson
    Business Development
  • Mike Murphy
    Mike Murphy
    Business Development

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Kirk Horner
Senior Partner

Kirk is a planner.

By that, we don’t mean he keeps a clean calendar. We mean he’s got binders, color-coded systems, and 14 pages of goals, both personal and professional. Lucky for us and our clients, Kirk shares his planning skills with all of us. He quotes his proudest accomplishment in his 28 years at Hollis + Miller as honing our focus on learning environments.

Kirk has a passion to bring positive, measurable change to the families and communities he serves, both personally and professionally. This huge heart for family is what makes Kirk so successful. Even his wife, Kelly, and the three Horner children, all grown now, are familiar faces around the office. As an Eagle Scout, Kirk loves all things outdoors. This love has led to a dream to one day hike the Appalachian Trail. He says his ideal day starts with fishing on the lake behind his house.

Contact Kirk
John Southard
Senior Partner

John takes everything in stride.

No matter the situation, John is sure to stay calm, cool and collected. He’s been around the block a few times since his internship with Hollis + Miller Architects in 1983. He says he was blessed to be invited back after graduation, and we feel pretty blessed to have him here, too. These days, John’s our numbers guy – keeping our books in order and us all in line.

John’s roots run deep in Kansas City, with all his family being Kansas City natives. He and his wife, Patty, recently celebrated 30 years of marriage. Though they share a lot together, you won’t find Patty in the Southards’ garden. That’s Johnny’s baby. Their two sons are both in college – one after finishing a four-year tour with the Marines. John says his life is rich because of the people in it and the experiences he shares with them.

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Chris Heinz
Senior Partner

Chris’s philosophy is simple: Make work as comfortable as home.

On any given day, his office door is open, music streaming, and he’s sure to have a Diet Coke in hand. Chris says working at Hollis + Miller is always fun because of the educators and students he gets to work with. He inspires us all to be as passionate about our projects as they are. And, if you’re headed to Denver, you can probably snag a seat as his Southwest Companion. He’s racked up quite a few miles traveling between our Kansas City and Castle Rock, Colorado offices.

At home, Chris and his wife, Laura, are a team keeping up with their three, yes three, teenagers. As busy parents, they escape to the golf course when they can for a little break from their bustling home. Chris’s passion designing learning environments must spill over to home because his daughter is also considering architecture. So, we may just see another Heinz around the office someday.

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John Brown
Senior Partner

It started when he was a kid.

John stayed up until the wee hours of the morning working on his Lego models as a child, and his parents let him. If that doesn’t make them the coolest parents, we don’t know what does. It paid off – John knew early on he would be an architect. He’s known as the quiet, thoughtful guy. He’s sure to think everything through, which is what makes him perfect to lead project delivery and man power resources. John is very active in his Lee’s Summit community because he believes a community is more vibrant and alive when individuals give back. These strong Missouri ties naturally steered him toward leading our Missouri Public K-12 Education team.

At home, John and his wife, Terry, enjoy cheering on their three now grown children at their sporting events. John is an athlete himself, playing pickleball, soccer and trying to get out to the slopes to ski whenever he can.

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Scott Barton
Senior Partner

    Scott’s our resident professor.

    He’s even got the scholarly glasses. As the partner in charge of design, Scott leads our architects through the design process, focusing on growing our team members’ skills. He likes to say he no longer designs buildings, but instead inspires team members to push their design to the next level. His favorite moment is seeing people get to their “Ah Ha!” moment. Scott is taking this passion for mentorship to the next level and just received a master’s in education from Arizona State University. Architecture is a perfect profession for him because it marries art and science, and it takes both to design learning environments that are successful for students.

    Scott spends his free time woodworking – though, we’re still waiting for him to bring some of his handiwork in to the office. He loves getting out and cycling, and even goes on cycling vacations. Scott and his wife, Rebecca, are also fur-baby parents to a lovable dog and cat.

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    Keegan Jackson
    Senior Partner

      Keegan cares.

      His passion of providing engaging, nurturing learning environments for students brought him to Hollis + Miller 25 years ago. Keegan works with passion and purpose to deeply embed himself in communities and understand its members’ needs, so he can make a positive impact. As the partner who oversees Talent Relations, he channels that same empathy and compassion into ensuring our office is as comfortable and encouraging as the learning environments we design.

      If you need a recommendation for a truly unforgettable vacation, Keegan’s your guy. He takes his passion for community on the road when he and his wife, Beth, and their two children travel to locations off the beaten path, sampling the local cuisine and getting to know the local residents.

      Contact Keegan
      Michelle Chavey
      Senior Partner

      With Michelle, learning never stops.

      Driven by curiosity and her desire to understand learning, Michelle built a strong foundation in architecture that evolved into a total focus on education and the learning process. She doesn’t just talk about learning, she immerses herself in it. Michelle is an Accredited Learning Environment Planner, and graduated with her doctorate in Educational Leadership at Kansas State in 2021, all while researching educational advances and how spaces impact the way the brain learns. These topics drive our team to continue investigating how our brains develop, how social and emotional support is provided to students and how design can impact curriculum.

      When not at the office, Michelle can be found spending time with her husband and three daughters, starting her day with a yoga session and ending it whipping up something in the kitchen. Whether it’s cookies or cakes, baking treats for others is her jam, and when she can’t carve out the time in her own kitchen, she finds a bit of happy in a coffee shop watching other bakers work their magic.

      Contact Michelle
      Justin Durham
      Partner

      Justin pulls on his boots and gets to work.

      He spends a lot of time on site, up close and personal with the facilities we design. He’s never one to shy away from a challenge. Whether it’s a tricky renovation project or the construction of our new office, Justin tackles it head on, without hesitation. He employs this experience and insight to be the greatest advocate and champion for our educational partners. He really does rock those cowboy boots, too.

      Kevin Nelson
      Partner

      Kevin is always on the move.

      Whether he’s off to a design charrette, school board meeting or his daughter’s dance class, Kevin doesn’t slow down. But, he’s got a knack for giving those around him his full and undivided attention. It’s this never-ending empathy and compassion that makes him a remarkable Partner, putting our educational partners first and inspiring our design teams to do the same.

      Greg Porter
      Partner

      Greg is all about innovation.

      He spent three months traveling around the country learning all he could about digital fabrication and then came back and got everyone in the office excited about it. He loves finding ways to integrate traditional methods with innovative strategies. As a Partner in our Colorado office, Greg works with clients and design teams to find innovative solutions. He’s also got a home workshop most craftsmen would drool over.

      Ryan Walters
      Partner

      Ryan cares about wellness.

      He doesn’t just care about his own or his family’s, but rather the wellness of the students and communities we serve, as well as the world around us. So, it was fitting that he would craft sustainable design standards for the firm. As a Partner, Ryan leads project teams to think about the health and comfort of the learners in the environments we design. If you’ve ever wanted to know about the psychology of wellness, Ryan’s also got a degree in that.

      Stephanie Keeton
      Senior Associate

      Stephanie goes all in.

      She doesn’t hesitate to advocate for her clients. Channeling this same energy into mentoring her peers, she is always sure to stop and answer a question or share advice. Stephanie even once led a batting practice for some of her novice Hollis + Miller softball teammates. Though, we’re not sure if that’s more her helpful spirit or drive to win, but either way, she drove us to the championships.

      Nicole Young
      Senior Associate

      Nicole is drawn to the details.

      She brings her unique technical lens to projects. Her analytical and detail-oriented skills make Nicole the ideal Project Delivery Director, ensuring projects are delivered accurately and efficiently to our clients and construction partners. She balances this with maintaining relationships with long-standing educational partners. We’re always trying to crack the perfect joke to get her laughing because, around the office, she’s known for having the most infectious laugh.

      Megan Barnes
      Associate

      Megan is a powerhouse.

      Hustling from design meeting to client meeting and back again, we’re in awe of Megan’s ability to be everywhere at once while also meeting all her deadlines. As Client leader, her discipline inspires project teams to create designs inspired by our educational partners’ vision. To unplug, she once went on a two-week yoga retreat to Italy. We guess that’s how she keeps her Zen.

      Melissa Brown
      Associate

      Melissa is our eternally optimistic forward-thinker.

      She thrives on being able to empower others and advocate for equal rights and diversity. Paving the way by navigating difficult topics, Melissa views no dream as too big. In fact, she pushes those around her to think outside the box, no matter how small the task. She contributes her dedication to improving quality of life through design to her strong family roots. Ask Melissa what motivates her and she will whip out a photo of her two boys in no time.

      Jill Claterbos-Clay
      Associate

      Jill leads with her heart.

      She brings unparalleled excitement and joy to every project. With this level of passion, Jill puts her heart and soul in to making sure those around her thrive. As Creative Director, she inspires us all to push our creativity beyond what we thought it could be. She’s never without some colored Sharpies and a roll of trace paper – oh, and don’t forget her large to-go latte.

      Matt Keys
      Associate

      Matt brings his A-game 100% of the time.

      As our resident athletics specialist, Matt has a keen eye for innovation and design in the sports world. Whether it be visiting with a university’s athletics program or spending a Saturday afternoon at his kiddo’s soccer games, Matt loves constantly learning and growing in the industry. He’s also known to spontaneously break-dance — you never know how he might choose to lighten the mood. He knows how to have fun and accomplish goals at the same time, which is no easy feat.

      Jenny Lake
      Associate

      Jenny gives back.

      From leading a book drive for Kansas City-area students to serving as a volunteer with our educational partners, Jenny first thinks, “How can we help?” That’s what drew her to interior design and makes us thankful that she brings her talents and big heart to Hollis + Miller in an Interiors role, putting learner wellbeing first. We all love running into Jenny around the office. Her warm energy is just contagious.

      Dennis Lee
      Associate

      Dennis is by the book.

      We’re pretty happy about that because as our Financial Director, he keeps ours in order. For the past 25 years, Dennis has taught us all a thing or two about finance. He’s also pretty good with facts. You’ll likely find him working on the New York Times crossword puzzle in the café over lunch.

      Kevin Patterson
      Associate

      Kevin is an early bird.

      We mean he leaves for the office at 5 am every day. He gets more done before the sun’s up than some do all day. As our Specifications Director, he says his long, varied career in the construction industry prepared him to lead Hollis + Miller’s specifications team, not a typical department for an architecture firm. If you’re ever looking for a fly fishing partner, Kevin’s your guy. We guess that explains his love of early mornings.

      Jeff Williamson
      Business Development

      Jeff is up for anything.

      Not only is Jeff a distinguished business development professional with over 10 years of experience, but also is a trained architect who truly understands the ins and outs of designing innovative buildings. A Colorado native and avid sports fanatic, he brings a level of competitiveness to the team, but also knows how to bring levity to any situation. When not meeting with clients and strategic partners, he’s likely working on a woodworking or home improvement project for his honey-do list.

      Mike Murphy
      Business Development

      Mike’s a big sports guy.

      An accomplished professional with more than 25 years in the sports realm at the collegiate and professional levels, Mike has worked as an NFL scout, coach and recruiter. He has engaged with current and potential student-athletes, fans, coaches and decision makers at multiple levels, and understands the varying perspectives of each. Mike’s expertise and experience provides inside knowledge related to the intricacies of running and promoting an athletics department.