About

Chapter Officers

President

Punit Jain, Cannon Design

Punit Jain, AIA, LEED Fellow, and Senior Vice President at CannonDesign, is a leader in the science, technology and sustainability practices and brings extensive experience in the integration of systems, spaces and experiences for higher education, corporate and federal clients. Having designed more than 25 LEED projects in the life sciences, engineering and physical sciences, he is responsible for generating innovative solutions in regenerative and net zero design for complex scientific facilities at a campus and building scale.

A graduate of Washington University in St. Louis with a Master’s in Architecture and Construction Management, Punit frequently presents at national and international conferences. He has served on the national board of the U.S. Green Building Council and was honored with the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL)’s Go Beyond Award for his sustainable laboratory design efforts. Punit serves on the national board of the I2SL, the advisory board of the Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association (SEFA), and is the founding president of the I2SL St. Louis Chapter.

Vice President

Jake Franklin, Mack McClain

Jake Franklin is a manufacturers’ rep with Mack McClain & Associates. He has over 15-years’ experience in the plumbing industry, including time at the wholesaler, contractor, and rep levels.  He has technical training on trouble shooting and installing products produced by more than 30 manufactures in the plumbing industry.  He regularly works with engineers and contractors to design, layout, and troubleshoot domestic water systems.  He has taught continuing education classes at the Local St. Louis Plumbing Union since 2016.  Additionally, he works with the Environmental Resources Training Center to help educate plumbers on backflow prevention, cross connection, potable water treatment & filtration, stainless-steel drainage systems, water tempering devices, dangers associated with bacteria in domestic water systems, and scolding related injuries.  Manufacturers Jake represents with products applicable to laboratories are:  Guardian Safety Equipment, Powers Mixing Valves, Watts, Blucher Stainless-Steel Drainage, Orion Acid Waste, Highland Tank, PVI, & OmegaFlex.

Treasurer

Chad Coker, Ross & Baruzzini

Chad Coker, P.E., LEED AP BD+C, and Director of Operations for Higher Education and Research at Ross & Baruzzini. He has over 10 years of experience analyzing and designing mechanical systems with a focus on managing projects for science & technology facilities for the higher education, healthcare, and commercial markets. He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is an active member of the USGBC Missouri Gateway Chapter, International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories, and ASHRAE.

Secretary

Erin Riley, BR+A Consulting Engineers

Erin Riley began her career with BR+A Consulting Engineers in 2017 after graduating from University of Missouri-Columbia with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. As a mechanical engineer for BR+A, she has been involved in the design and construction administration of several large and complex lab and healthcare projects and is an active member of the USGBC Missouri Gateway Chapter, International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories, and the Student Activities Chair for the St. Louis ASHRAE Chapter.

Committee Chairs

Membership

Bryan Lampe, DAI Scientific Equipment

Bryan Lampe is a lab equipment consultant with DAI Scientific Equipment.  He has over 20 years of experience working with research labs to ensure they are getting the most effective equipment for their needs.  Bryan has helped many institutions develop sustainable lab equipment programs and has worked to educate labs on the importance and viability of more sustainable lab equipment.

Program

Ken Mohr, HERA laboratory planners

A nationally-recognized expert on laboratory design with a specialty in forensic labs, Ken Mohr serves as principal of HERA laboratory planners and its forensic arm Crime Lab Design. Ken has 30 years of programming and planning expertise focused on research and highly technical laboratories for clients around the globe. He has collaborated with numerous forensic, government, university, corporate and healthcare clients collecting years of lessons learned from specialty laboratory projects. Ken has authored special guideline publications for laboratory design, has published numerous articles and led webinar discussions to help educate others. As a veteran speaker of conferences and workshops, Ken most recently presented at the 2019 AIA National Conference about how robotics, simulators and automation can influence a building’s design and operational functionality.

Sponsorship

Rowena Amelung, McCarthy

As Director of Business Development for McCarthy’s 28-state Central Region, Rowena is focused on the Advanced Technology and Manufacturing market, encompassing pharmaceutical, food and beverage, general manufacturing and lab facilities. Through 16+ years of industry experience, she has helped expand the company’s geographic reach, develop the industrial division’s quality management program and connect women with construction career opportunities. She was recognized as a “40 under 40” business and community leader by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2020.

Publicity

Justin Nagy, Friemellove

Justin Nagy graduated from the University of Missouri Columbia with a Degree in Mechanical Engineering and has been a Manufacturers’ rep with Friemellove for the last three years. In the past Justin has worked on several lab projects and assisted engineers in updating hazardous drug handling in healthcare to be compliant with USP 800. The manufactures Friemellove represents are used in laboratories all over the world are Phoenix, Strobic, and Aircuity.

Website Co-Chair

Alicia Hubert, Washington University School of Medicine

Alicia Hubert is the Sustainability Coordinator for the Washington University School of Medicine. She leads the Green Lab Program for WashU and has several years of experience working in labs. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a Master of Science in Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics. Alicia is interested in promoting change at the user level by educating and assisting researchers in making sustainable choices in their daily lab practices and experimental design.

Website Co-Chair

Rachel Henken, University of Missouri St. Louis

Rachel Henken is the Laboratory Safety Coordinator for the Environmental Health and Safety Department at UMSL. She holds a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Truman State University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Louisiana State University. She is an advocate for sustainability in UMSL labs and through her volunteer work with Gateway Greening.