Our People


	Barbara Heller Barbara Heller began the firm as Heller & Associates in 1982. She has been responsible for the preparation of over 300 Project Manuals for a wide range of building types which include commercial, residential, military, institutional, restoration and retail projects. Significant projects include: National Museum of the American Indian, Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery of Art in London, FDR Memorial, Ronald Reagan Building, World Bank Headquarters, Oberlin Environmental Sciences Center, the first building to be awarded LEED Platinum certification. Ms. Heller was 2003 - 2005 Chair of the AIA Documents Committee, and former Chair of the Specification and Building Technology PIA. Ms. Heller has lectured at Yale University and Catholic University and made presentations at three AIA Conventions. She was elevated to Fellow in the American Institute of Architects in 2001.
	David Metzger Prior to joining Heller & Metzger in 1989, David Metzger spent 19 years practicing or teaching architecture. Previously, he was an associate with Hellmuth Obata & Kassabaum and with Perkins & Will, and Director of Production for Swanke Hayden Connell in their DC office. He has been a Senior Lecturer at Thames Polytechnic School of Architecture in London and Assistant Professor at the Oklahoma State University School of Architecture. Mr. Metzger was a contributing author to Architectural Graphic Standards, 7th Edition, and has authored articles about specifications in national industry publications. He was chair of the AIA Masterspec Architectural Review Committee for 2002 and 2003, and has served on this Committee since 1991. He was elevated to Fellow in the American Institute of Architects in 2001, and in the Construction Specifications Institute in 2006.
	Kathy Alberding After 24 years of practicing architecture in large corporate firms, Kathy Alberding joined Heller & Metzger in early 2004, becoming a principal in 2006. Previously, Ms. Alberding was Senior Project Manager – Design Leader with the DC office of Ellerbe Becket involved in federal and higher education work. She has managed project teams for the Washington, DC offices of Shalom Baranes Associates and HOK for federal, corporate, and developer clients. She received a 1998 GSA Design Excellence Honor Award for the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center and a 2000 GSA Design Excellence Citation Award for the Pittsburg Post Office and Courthouse. At Heller & Metzger Ms. Alberding has been involved in the preparation of Project Manuals for Federal, State, and local projects including residential and commercial work. As a LEED Accredited Professional, Ms. Alberding also provides Sustainable Design Consulting Services for Heller & Metzger clients.
	Julian Master Prior to joining Heller and Metzger, Julian Master was the National Specifications Group Leader for SmithGroup, based in the Washington, DC office. In addition to writing technical specifications for SmithGroup projects, in his role as Specifications Group leader he led SmithGroup’s efforts to develop in-house master specifications and created and implemented specifications standards and policies for staff in all SmithGroup offices. Before becoming a dedicated specifier, Mr. Master was also a Project Manager and Project Architect for SmithGroup, Tobey + Davis and Noritake Associates and has practiced architecture in Washington, DC for more than twenty years. He graduated from Virginia Tech with a Master of Architecture and holds a Bachelor of Science in geology from Rider University. Mr. Master is a CSI Certified Construction Specifier and a LEED Accredited Professional.
	Anne Stenger Anne brings with her 17 years of architectural experience focused on construction administration for large-scale corporate and multi-family mixed-use projects, as well as small to medium scale single-family and commercial projects. A graduate of Clemson University (MA) and University of Maryland (BS), Anne has previously worked with Ai, The RKtects Studio, David Jones Architects, and the Lessard Group, where she managed several large housing construction projects. Most recently, Anne ran her own architectural design firm, which specialized in custom residential projects. Anne is licensed to practice architecture in Virginia, and is a LEED Accredited Professional.
	Sara Stewart Sara Stewart joined Heller & Metzger in 2004 in the role of technical writer. She previously worked at the American Institute of Architects as an editor/writer, where she covered topics ranging from practice management to the latest in hospital design. Ms. Malone holds an M.A. in art history with a specialization in 20th century American architecture from Penn State University, 2001, and she holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Maryland, 1992. Ms. Stewart assists the senior specification writers at Heller & Metzger, in the reviewing, editing, and compiling of specifications for all project types. She interacts with architects and manufacturers as needed to obtain product literature and clarify requirements.
	Jake Bebee Jake Bebee joined the Heller & Metzger team in October 2009. Jake’s primary work involves providing guidance to Heller & Metzger clients with their LEED implementation measures on a project-by-project basis. Currently, Jake is helping manage several federal sustainable design projects, and was also an integral part of the teams that saw Wedge 2 and Wedge 3 of the Pentagon achieve Certification from the USGBC. Jake also assists with marketing efforts and specification writing at Heller & Metzger. Prior to joining Heller & Metzger, Jake worked as a marketing coordinator for Design + Construction Strategies (DCS), Heller & Metzger’s sister company. At DCS, Jake created various marketing materials, edited white papers, and assisted in the proposal development process. Jake graduated from Geneseo State University in 2006, and is a LEED Accredited Professional.
	Laurie Thorwart Laurie Thorwart joined Heller & Metzger in 2004 as Office Manager. In addition to the daily tasks of managing a fast-paced office and providing a wide breadth of administrative support, Laurie handles the group’s IT infrastructure. Laurie assists each member of the Heller & Metzger team with the coordination of project manuals, quality control and managing consultant sections. She also handles the firm’s marketing and web design. Laurie has previously worked as an Administrative Assistant at Ellerbe Becket and as a Customer Service Rep for Dans Co., a regional manufacturer's representative. She received honors from the Computer Learning Center in Computer Programming.