Movin' on Up
Today we're proud to announce that Lorraine Kasznia and Amber Van Kley have been promoted to Director positions at Eastlake Studio. Both Lorraine and Amber bring a wealth of design and technical expertise that have significantly contributed to the firm’s success, including the recent relocation of the Chicago Tribune and multiple Make Offices coworking spaces around the city.
In its 30-year history, this is the first time Eastlake has ever recognized senior staff, but we look forward to promoting additional directors in the future. Hiring and retaining great people is critical to our success and with this change we hope to communicate to our clients and staff that Amber and Lorraine possess the values and skills that are held close to Eastlake’s heart.
LORRAINE KASZNIA, AIA
In 20+ years in the field, Lorraine has divided her time between practicing architecture and teaching it to future generations of architects. Eastlake has been lucky enough to have her breadth of expertise and infectious enthusiasm in the studio since 2015. In that time, Lorraine has designed and managed major projects including the expansion of Kimberly Clark's Chicago marketing office, multiple projects for Shorenstein at 1 N. State and three coworking spaces for Make Offices. She’s a licensed architect in the state of Illinois, with a Master of Architecture degree from UIUC.
As an award-winning college instructor, she taught a wide range of classes including architectural design, history, construction documentation and building materials. As a practicing architect, she has led the design and construction of spaces for residential, healthcare and restaurant environments, with a primary focus on workplace interiors. Prior to joining Eastlake, Lorraine has worked on projects throughout the Chicago metropolitan area as well as Cleveland, Minneapolis, and New York City.
Outside the office, Lorraine supports several children’s organizations. Most notably, she annually raises funds for Lurie Children’s Hospital and volunteers for AIA youth outreach programs. Lorraine is also an avid bicyclist, and is happiest when exploring a new bike trail to parts unknown.
AMBER RENAE VAN KLEY, IIDA
With over ten years of experience, Amber is a core member of Eastlake’s design team. Her diverse skill set and experience give her a savvy perspective on design and branding, with significant project management experience. She stays motivated by creating fresh, functional environments and is dedicated to nurturing professional relationships that help teams succeed.
Since joining Eastlake in 2015, she has worked on significant projects including headquarter offices for executive search agency Slayton Search Partners and software developer Strata Decision Technology. Previous to her time at Eastlake, Amber was involved in the design of numerous corporate, healthcare and hospitality interiors. Amber has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from The International Academy of Design + Technology.
Active in community outreach, Amber served as Secretary of the DIFFA Chicago Auxiliary Board for three years. She has also participated as the team captain for both the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s CANstruction competition and IIDA’s Stitch fashion design competition. Amber loves being outdoors, traveling to new cities and spending her free time cooking and cocktail tasting with friends and family.