MICHAEL FRANKS | Principal
Michael Franks brings his award-winning design experience and creative problem-solving abilities to each of his projects. He prides himself on his conceptual grasp of architectural design issues and transforming user requirements into successful architectural solutions. As the firm’s managing partner, he is responsible for client development and overall project management, as well as leading several design teams developing a range of project types, including restaurants, churches, schools, casinos, luxury residences and large-scale hotel projects. A registered architect in several states in addition to Arizona, as well as a native Tucsonan, Michael holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Arizona State University and has been in practice for 35 years. He is NCARB certified, a member of the American Institute of Architects, and involved in many community organizations both in and around Tucson.
RICHARD W. HUCH, LEED-AP | Senior Project Architect
As a proud graduate of the University of Arizona, the thirty three years of experience Richard has in designing projects in the Southwest have given him a broad vocabulary of design styles from the traditional to the contemporary to the regional. He has considerable experience in managing projects of all sizes as well as a good technical and construction background. His last 30 years have been spent at Seaver Franks Architects working on a variety of project types including industrial, retail, casinos, hotels, fitness centers, office buildings, churches, and spas.
PAM KEYES | Registered Architect
Pamela Keyes is a Registered Architect in the state of Arizona, and has worked in architecture since 1987. She received her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and her Masters of Architecture at the University of Washington in Seattle. She has worked in Arizona, Washington, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, and the Virgin Islands. In addition to architecture, Pam also handles the finances at Seaver Franks, and is a published author of young adult fiction.
HILLARY GRIGEL | Project Coordinator
Hillary Grigel is a Registered Architect in the state of Arizona. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Arizona. With more than 10 years of experience, she is well-versed in project management, design, planning and construction management. Hillary has experience in medical, dental, commercial, luxury residential, hospitality, churches, and educational design. As a LEED Accredited Professional she has a thorough understanding of green building practices and the LEED certification process. Hillary served on the Governing Council of the U.S. Green Building Council Southern Arizona Branch for 4 years. She is also experienced with BIM, playing a key role in its early implementation at multiple offices, and participated in the Southern Arizona Revit User’s Group for 6 years. In her spare time she enjoys the company of her husband, three children, and dog, as well as, free-lance writing and speaking.
ANA VICTORIA VALENZUELA | Project Coordinator
Ana was born in Mexico and was raised in Tucson. She is a mom of two energetic boys and welcomed a new baby boy in November 2020. Ana has a bachelors from the University of Arizona and previous experience in mechanical engineering as well as software development. She has been at Seaver Franks Architects since 2018. Her experience spans from Custom Residential Homes to National Retail Buildings. Ana materializes projects from start to finish, assists on ongoing projects and partakes on construction administration. She is currently pursuing an NCARB certification and intends to get licensed in the future.
FÁTIMA VALDEZ | Project Coordinator
Fátima moved from the Dominican Republic at the age of 11 to Tucson, Arizona. Being the daughter of a structural engineer, she initially studied engineering and attained in 2010 a Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering at the University of Arizona. However, not only was she interested on how structural elements could transfer and withstand loads, but also the aesthetics of a building and how it can convey a fulfilling feeling to the user. Consequently, she decided to attend graduate school and in 2014 she earned a Masters in Architecture at the University of Arizona. As the project coordinator, she is responsible of communicating with the design team and ensuring the client’s desires are being presented within the construction documents. In addition, she has had experience in construction administration and has worked in an assortment of projects which include commercial, industrial, educational, and institutional.
EMILY MILLER | Project Coordinator
Emily graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Arizona. She was an active member in the University of Arizona AIAS chapter, holding the treasurer chair during her fifth year of school. Emily has experience in commercial, healthcare, education, and religious projects, with varying participation from presentation and graphics to construction document sets. Through her work with Seaver Franks Architects, she has advanced her skills in BIM modeling and knowledge of a project from start to finish.
NURLAN | Draftsman
Nurlan was born in Almaty, Kazakhstan where he was then adopted and grew up in New Jersey. Nurlan graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering + Technology from the University of Hartford where he was also a 4 year member of the university’s cross country/track + field program. Following his bachelor's degree, Nurlan graduated from the University of Arizona with a Master of Architecture in 2021 where he then joined Seaver Franks Architects the following month. Nurlan has experience working on mainly residential projects but looks forward to contributing on a variety of project types as his experience grows. Nurlan is currently pursuing an NCARB certification and is looking to attain his architectural license.
Matt Scherer | Project Coordinator
As a native Tucsonan, Matt has grown to love the architectural aesthetic and culture of the southwest. He maintains a deep love for the outdoors; often hiking, camping, biking and in the winters heading north in search of snow to ski. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Architecture and enjoys BIM modeling and rendering. He is currently in the process of licensure and looks forward to his career as an architect here in the desert.