Moderator

Donna Francis AIA, LEED AP, Principal, Clark Nexsen

Donna Francis has been a member of Clark Nexsen for more than 25 years. She has been a firm principal for the past 16 years. Donna has extensive experience with K-12 and higher education projects and is passionate about providing spaces that support and enhance student learning. Many of the schools she has been involved with are commissioned by repeat clients. Over the course of her career, she has developed expertise in educational master planning, design, development of construction documents, code compliance, green building construction and working with regulatory agencies. Donna is a member of NC Council of Educational Facility Planners. Through this organization she has conducted seminars on the development of prototype schools. She has served as an advisory member to the School Construction Support Committee of Wake County Public Schools, seeking ways to provide better school facilities in the face of economic challenges. She served as a juror for the 2011 South Carolina CEFPI School Awards program.

Panelists

Don Hughes, AIA - Director of Facilities, Union County Public Schools

Don graduated from Auburn University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Architecture. He has been a practicing architect since then in North Carolina, California, and Georgia and has focused on educational facilities since 1996.  He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and CEFPI. He is a Certified Construction Contract Administrator with CSI and is CPTED certified.  He joined Union County Public Schools as the Director of Facilities, Planning, and Construction in March 2006 and was in charge of providing for the planning, design,  and construction of new schools, additions, and renovations in one of the fastest growing counties in the country.  He has been the Director of Facilities since early 2009 with the added duties of school maintenance and operations.

Len Witke, AIA - Executive Director for Facilities Management, Cabarrus County Schools

During his career, Len has practiced architecture in his own firm, worked in the public sector for 25 years, been a consultant, expert witness and he has worked for two national A/E firms. He has been with Cabarrus County Schools for 4.5 years and is currently in charge of the maintenance, operations and construction at 50 school facilities. Len brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table through his understanding of what it takes to design and build energy efficient and functionally driven buildings that are easy to maintain and sustainable. He has been on the designer’s and contractor’s side of the table as well as the owner’s side and he strongly believes in applying an integrated design approach to the design and construction process whenever possible to gain buy-in and the best effort from all team members.

Guy Chamberlain, PE -  Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Guy Chamberlain is Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, a position he has held since November 2005. He was born and raised in suburban Washington, DC. He graduated from the. U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1973. He subsequently served in various tours with the Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps stateside and overseas including, Transportation Officer at the Charleston Naval Shipyard, Officer in Charge of Construction for Airfield projects on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, Executive Officer of Seabee Battalion 133 in Okinawa, Japan, Assistant Public Works Officer at the Washington Navy Yard, and Director of Public Works at the Louisville Naval Ordinance Station.

After leaving the Navy he served as the Capital Program Manager and Director of Facility Planning for the Gwinnett County (GA) Public Schools for nearly eight years, and was responsible for the planning, design and financial management of over $700 million in school construction projects including thirty-three (33) new schools and forty-two (42) major renovation projects.   

In 2001 he assumed the position of Assistant Superintendent for Building Services for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System. In 2005 he was promoted to the position of Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services. In this capacity he is responsible for construction, facility management, transportation, child nutrition, inventory and distribution, safety, and graphic production. During his tenure at CMS he has managed over $1.6 billion in school construction including thirty-six (36) new schools, nineteen (19) replacement schools, and seventy-five (75) major renovations. 

If you have any questions, please contact Blair Charlebois at 704.909.3540 or [email protected].

Thank you to our event sponsors, Stewart and Edifice. 

Cancellation/Refund Policy
Cancellations made 72-hours prior to the event will receive a refund. Due to our commitment with the meeting facility for food and beverage quantities, all other cancellations or no-shows will be invoiced for the full cost of the event.