Community Projects Coordinator, Center for Community Engagement in Over-the-Rhine
Instructor
203H Alumni Hall
(513) 529-7097
(513) 330-1712
blakeja@miamioh.edu

Courses Taught (past two academic years)

ARC 102 Beginning Design Studio
ARC 202 Architecture Studio
ARC 3/401 Architecture Studio
ARC 309 Furniture Design and Construction
ARC 405Z Designing for Social Change

Educational Credentials

Masters of Architecture, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, 2000
Bachelor of Arts, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, 1992

Teaching Experience

Community Projects Coordinator, Center for Community Engagement in Over-the-Rhine, Miami University, 2006–present
Instructor, Design-Build Studio in Over-the-Rhine, Miami University, 2000-2003, 2006-Present
Instructor, Miami University, 2000-2001

Professional Experience

Project Manager, APIX Design, LTD, Oxford, OH, 2007-2009
Project Manager, Woolpert, LLC, Cincinnati, OH, 2003-2006
Project Manager, Beckwith Chapman Associates, 1999-2003
Intern Architect, VOA Associates Architects, Chicago, IL, 1998

Significant Publications, Creative Projects, Paper Presentations

Installation. “People Moving: Stories and Action from 50 years of the Over-the-Rhine People’s Movement”.  Community-generated installation in the curated exhibition Artist-Run-Spaces at the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art, Cincinnati, OH, May- September 2022. (With Storefronts Community Artists June Alexander, Key Beck, Jeremy Neff, Elisabeth Burnside, Janet Albright-Captain, Mary Clare Rietz and Miami faculty Elizabeth Keslacy and Jeff Kruth, and students Isabella Ramos Rearden, Cole Masse, Niko Rajani).   https://www.contemporaryartscenter.org/experience/exhibitions/2022/05/artist-run-spaces”

Online Article: “Reimagining the Modern Urban Interior” with Patrizio Martinelli.   interiors+sources magazine February 19, 2020 https://www.interiorsandsources.com/article-details/articleid/22871/title/re-imagining-modern-urban-interior    

Conference Proceedings: “Community-University Partnerships in the Pursuit of Justice & Equity”9th International Conference on Education and Social Justice: Critical Conversations about Movement Building for Equity and Justice in Education, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, November 2019. (With Tammy Schwartz & Raquel Radina, Miami University Urban Cohort and Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR); Jennifer Summers, Peaslee Neighborhood Center; Mona Jenkins, Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition; Mary Delaney, Community Matters/Education Matters).

Conference Presentation. “Keep our Courts/Do Development Differently: A Community-Based Approach to Equitable and Inclusive Development.”  Alternatives to the Present. A Conference on Architecture, Urbanism, Sociology, Development & Planning. Kent State University Urban Design Collaborative, Cleveland, OH, November 2018.

Conference Presentation. “Vigil: Miami Center for Community Engagement Social Practice Art Installations.”  Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed 2018 Conference: Disrupting the Politics of Place, Building Inclusive Communities for the Future; Reports on Social Justice Theatre in the US.  Indiana University, PA, June 2018.  (With Dionna Flowers, DeAngela Weakley, Mary Clare Rietz).

Design/Build work in Over-the-Rhine Cincinnati, OH: 1324 Race Street, UNIT 2:  Renovation of affordable housing unit. 2018-2022, 1512 Elm Street:  Interior build-out and renovation of exterior court for Contact Center advocacy group. 2016-18, 215 E. 14th Street:  Peaslee Neighborhood Center:  Renovation of lobby/gathering and performance space. 2015, 1400 Republic Street:  Commercial kitchen and “gourmet community grocery”, Extensive renovation of vacant storefront, including structural interventions and build-out of the space for tenant. 2015. 

Awards, Recognitions, Grants, Competitions

Peaslee Neighborhood Center Distinguished Partnership Award. Miami University Center for Community Engagement, 2016.
Ohio Community Development Corporation Association, CDC Project of the Year.  Beasley Place, 1405-07 Republic Street. (presented to project leader Over-the-Rhine Community Housing) 2015.
Cincinnati Preservation Association, Rehabilitation Award.  Beasley Place, 1405-07 Republic Street. (presented to partners Over-the-Rhine Community Housing and CR architecture + design) 2015.

Professional Memberships, Service

Registered Architect, State of Ohio
National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) Certificate Holder.
US Green Building Council “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED®) 2.0 Accredited Professional.
Peaslee Neighborhood Center: Facilities Committee. 2015-present.
American Institute of Architects (AIA): University liaison to AIA Cincinnati Board of Directors. 2018-present.
Faculty Collaborative for Maximizing Cross Cultural Experiences:  A project designed to enhance impact of university faculty-led study abroad programs, and to intentionally incorporate intercultural competency development and global learning.  2018-2019.

Professional Development 

American Institute of Architects: Various continuing education events, conferences, local forums 2015-present. 9th International Conference on Education and Social Justice: Honolulu, Hawai‘i, November 2019.