Andrew Grote
Boston – The Boston studio of Perkins and Will has strengthened its leadership team through five internal promotions and a strategic hire. Andrew Grote and Gautam Sundaram have been promoted to principal, Jeremy Dearborn and Derek Johnson have been promoted to associate principal, Abby Gillespie has been promoted to director of marketing, and Emily Klein has joined the practice as an associate principal and director of workplace strategy.
As director of operations, Grote plays an essential role in the smooth functioning of the Boston studio. He previously served as the studio’s technical director before his appointment to director of operations.
Gautam Sundaram
In both roles, Grote has been committed to the integration of design and technology in delivering innovative projects to clients. He has also served as a designer, project manager, and project architect for higher education and cultural institutions, leading national and international projects of considerable size and complexity.
Sundaram joined the studio in 2019 as an associate principal and the urban design practice leader. His promotion to principal reflects a growing demand for Sundaram’s urban design leadership regionally and nationally. He has collaborated with teams across sectors – from corporate and commercial to life sciences and education – to lend a holistic urban design and planning perspective.
Jeremy Dearborn
Sundaram draws on more than 20 years of experience in landscape architecture, urban design, and academic planning in the Boston area and the broader New England region.
Along with his promotion to associate principal, Dearborn will become the corporate science practice leader, building on his many trusted relationships with clients and project teams. Dearborn has been a key member of the practice for more than 20 years, and has served as project manager for some of its largest and most notable projects, including the headquarters for Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Indigo Agriculture.
Derek Johnson
With more than two decades of experience as a designer and project manager, Johnson joins the leadership team as an associate principal. In his current role as the studio’s technical director, Johnson ensures quality of documentation across all active projects and oversees the effective use of design technology. He is also a key member of the corporate and commercial practice, most recently completing the Exchange at 100 Federal, which earned the Harleston Parker People’s Choice Award from the Boston Society of Architects.
Klein joins the Boston studio as an associate principal and the director of workplace strategy, bringing experience in operational efficiency, process improvement, and change management. She’s passionate about helping clients understand and prepare for the future of work.
Emily Klein
She’s also a speaker and writer, having co-authored the 2013 book Workshift: Future Proof Your Organization for the 21st Century. Klein services clients across sectors – including corporate and commercial, science and technology, and education – to help them create the optimal employee experience for their workforce.
As director of marketing, Gillespie will lead the studio in communicating the value of good design to clients. Drawing on nearly 20 years of experience in the industry, she will continue to align the firm’s strengths with the needs of current and prospective clients.
Abby Gillespie
She is a passionate advocate for the firm’s values-driven work and ensures clarity and consistency of messaging across the studio’s client-facing communications, digital platforms, and media relations. In this role, she will continue to engage in strategic planning and deliver innovative and interdisciplinary service offerings to clients.
