Our Team

Dan Craine
Principal

Dan Craine AIA NCARB

Eric Bottenhorn
Studio Director

Eric Bottenhorn AIA LEED AP

Brad Gassman
Studio Director

Brad Gassman AIA LEED AP

Linda Shuman
Director of Operations and Finance

Linda Shuman MBA

Orlando Rockwell
Project Manager

Orlando Rockwell

Megan Veeneman
Project Manager

Megan Veeneman RA

Fong Lee
Senior Designer

Fong Lee

Melanie Wood
Project Architect

Melanie Wood RA NCARB

Benjamin Champagne
Project Architect

Benjamin Champagne RA

Joe Mendoza
Project Designer

Joe Mendoza II

Senior Architect

Joshua Homer AIA Leed AP BD+C

Greg Lemon
Senior Manager

GREG LEMON LEED AP

Alex Asbury
Project Designer

Alex Asbury

Alex Hagen
Project Designer

Alex Hagen

Dan Craine

Principal

Dan Craine AIA NCARB

A New York native, Dan graduated from Colgate University and worked in the financial sector in Manhattan before engaging his passion for architecture through coursework at Harvard. This led him to Denver where he completed his Master of Architecture at the University of Colorado. Dan is a member of Historic Denver’s Board of Trustees, a member of the Congress of New Urbanism, a member of the Arapahoe Square Design Advisory Board and an active member of AIA Denver’s Urban Design Committee. With over twenty years of architectural experience, Dan prides himself on stepping outside of the typical architectural role, blending practicality and beauty while being cognizant of the financial considerations of each project. Dan retains clients because of his team approach to project design and his ability to synthesize client feedback into a final project that offers a superior design aesthetic. When not at work, Dan coaches a youth baseball team and wastes his time waiting for the New York Jets to have a winning season.

Boards and Committees:
Historic Denver Inc., Board of Trustees
Downtown Denver Advisory Board Member
National Western Center, Strategic Design Leadership (SADL) Committee
Five Points Design Review Committee
Arapahoe Square Design Advisory Board (past)

Additional Credentials:
Licensed in Colorado, Arizona & Utah

Eric Bottenhorn

Studio Director

Eric Bottenhorn AIA LEED AP

A New Englander, Eric earned his degree at Boston Architectural College and has over fifteen years of experience in the field of architecture. In Boston, Eric’s career began. He designed and managed numerous award winning projects throughout the country before moving to Colorado a decade ago. Outside of the office, Eric spends time with his family and pup, Brody. Additionally, Eric finds time to serve as a Planning Commissioner for the Town of Erie, Colorado. His political savvy, affable nature and incredible design capabilities make him an asset to any design team. While one may expect an abrasive demeanor from this Boston native, he is really wicked nice, especially when you support the Pats and Sox….and maybe drive him to the packie.

Boards and Committees:
Town of Erie Planning Commission
AIA Colorado Regional & Urban Design Committee

Additional Credentials:
Licensed in Colorado

Brad Gassman

Studio Director

Brad Gassman AIA LEED AP

Hailing from Illinois, Brad hightailed it out of the Midwest, earning his Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado, and his Master of Architecture from the University of Washington. The combination of his academic experience and international architectural studies has provided him with a depth of architectural knowledge and design capabilities. Brad has extensive experience in urban planning and worked for the city of Seattle in the Department of Planning and Development’s Urban Design office, helping craft a large scale urban design master plan for the Seattle Central Waterfront. Also while in Seattle, he honed his residential design talents while working at an award winning residential design firm. As if his pure design abilities weren’t enough, Brad is a true carnivore and considers Bacon to be a vegetable. Apart from vegetarians, who wouldn’t love that about him?

Boards and Committees:
Summit Sky Ranch Design Review Board

Additional Credentials:
Registered Architect in Colorado and Washington

Linda Shuman

Director of Operations and Finance

Linda Shuman MBA

Linda has a trifecta of degrees. She earned her Bachelor of Science, Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and holds two master’s degrees: Master of Business Administration and Master of Computer Information Systems.  She brings with her decades of experience in the world of finance and operations, and she is as detail-oriented as any architect I have ever met. Linda was born and raised in Illinois.  She possesses the quintessential Midwestern work ethic, and while incredibly talented and intelligent, she remains humble and kind. She enjoys Pilates, loves to travel (aspiring to get to the Great Wall of China!), and is extremely adept at throwing around the occasional sarcastic (and always on point) quip.  On any given morning, you can find Linda strolling into the office early, with a smile on her face and a Diet Coke in hand, ready to ensure this office is running on high octane.

Orlando Rockwell

Project Manager

Orlando Rockwell

After being raised all over the world, and settling for many years in Saudi Arabia, Orlando graduated from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Architecture. His international experience translates into his open-minded approach to diverse design challenges. Orlando has years of experience in high end residential design, master urban planning and acoustics. He has designed exquisite projects and is a valued team member because of his attentiveness to the client, the project, and the design process. He also has an uncanny ability to pick the right NCAA brackets and is a foodie at heart.
Megan Veeneman

Project Manager

Megan Veeneman RA

Megan graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Michigan before completing her Master of Architecture at the University of Colorado. Her experience in healthcare design, as well as higher education projects makes her an integral part of the design team at Craine Architecture. Megan has worked on high profile and renowned projects throughout the United States including projects on the medical campuses of Northwestern and Ohio State Universities. Her work on the Ohio State campus makes one wonder…Did this Wolverine sabotage the Buckeye design aesthetic?

Additional Credentials:
Registered Architect in Colorado

Fong Lee

Senior Designer

Fong Lee

Boasting the most delightful name to say in our firm, Fong comes to Craine after years of experience in project design and master planning. His work has merited numerous awards and praise from the design community and he is known for his exquisite design capabilities, as well as his capacity to quickly solve complex design challenges. Fong earned his Bachelor and Master of Architecture at the University of Wisconsin where he received numerous awards, scholarships and fellowships for his genuine talent. When not at work, Fong is frequently volunteering his time, working with the Hmong community here in Colorado and spending time with his family. What else does Fong do? Well, too many amazing things for us to mention here, but a quick overview: cooking, watching movies and avoiding caterpillars at all costs (They FREAK him out!). Yes, there is a Halloween prank in the works.

Boards and Committees:
Arvada Olde Town Design Review Committee
Arvada Land Development Code Advisory Committee

Melanie Wood

Project Architect

Melanie Wood RA NCARB

After completing Denmark’s International Study Program where she focused on urban planning and 20th century development of Danish cities Melanie graduated Cum Laude from Washington University in St. Louis. She earned her Master of Architecture with High Distinction at the University of Michigan. With almost a decade of experience in planning, design and project management, Melanie comes to Craine by way of the Lone Star State where she worked predominantly on multifamily and mixed-use projects. She is highly focused and attentive, while simultaneously able to sustain a macroscopic view of a project and its context. Outside of the office, Melanie spends time with her terrier mix, Eleanor, and you are apt to find her cooking, hiking or enjoying some science fiction. A little fact about Melanie…she was born in England and aspires to, one day, own an English narrowboat and travel the rivers of the world. Bloody brilliant, if you ask me!

Boards and Committees:
Downtown Denver Partnership – Leadership Program (2019)

Additional Credentials:
LEED Green Associate
Registered Architect in Texas

Benjamin Champagne

Project Architect

Benjamin Champagne RA

After calling Lafayette, Louisiana his home since birth, Benjamin and his fiancé recently relocated to Denver. Undoubtedly, his home state was despondent upon his departure, as Benjamin is not only affable and intelligent, but he is driven and passionate about the field of architecture. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Louisiana State University, where he was also awarded the Distinguished Communicator Medal and AIA Henry Adams Certificate. Additionally, while at LSU, he studied abroad in London and Rome. His love for timeless design and appreciation for a variety of cultures was perhaps cemented by his additional travels to Argentina, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, The Netherlands…okay, you get the picture. Benjamin’s love of music, coupled with his apparent need to be an overachiever has resulted in musical proficiency with the following instruments: piano, guitar, ukulele and djembe (Yes, I had to look that up too). When he meanders away from the office, you may find him kayaking, camping or hiking all the while crafting a plan to skydive over the Alps in Switzerland. I wonder if he will attempt to skydive while playing a musical instrument? I can totally see that.

Additional Credenials:
Registered Architect in Colorado

Joe Mendoza

Project Designer

Joe Mendoza II

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame’s School of Architecture, Joe spent a year in the Rome Studies program, which emphasized traditional building techniques, as well as urban planning and design. After graduation, he worked for nearly a decade in Santa Barbara, most recently as a Job Captain focused on high end residential and boutique resort projects. While he certainly shows reverence to classical architectural design, he is adept at blending traditional elements with modern concepts into a cohesive and timeless project. How does this polished designer express his wild Roman side? Well, for his 21st birthday he had a toga party in Rome and delivered a speech in front of the Pantheon. Now that is out of his system, he opts for more understated enjoyments, such as snowboarding, engaging in CrossFit, and cheering on the Fighting Irish. When he is feeling particularly pensive, you may find him lounging in a hammock with his kitten (Luna), daydreaming about snagging a ride in the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Festival. Need a co-pilot for the next dirigible gala in New Mexico? Joe is your man.

Senior Architect

Joshua Homer AIA Leed AP BD+C

Josh graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washington University in St. Louis and earned his Master of Architecture from Columbia University.  Subsequently, he spent twenty years living in Brooklyn and working in prestigious architectural firms, where his projects have been bestowed with numerous awards and showcased in magazines such as Architectural Record and Architect.  He is an exceptionally talented and driven architect and one of the most grounded people you will meet. His easy-going and affable nature, coupled with his passion for quality control and maintaining excellence in all areas of work, make him a true team leader and an asset to any project.  How does one retain such humility when overflowing with positive attributes?  Perhaps it is due to being born and raised in Wisconsin, which just happens to also be the home state of our very own Fong Lee (also a humble overachiever). Outside of work, Josh enjoys urban biking (he cycles to the office daily, doing his part to clean up this Denver air), singing, baking cookies, swimming in the ocean, working with Excel spreadsheets, and doing yard work. Yes, those last two were a bit unexpected, but we like those plot twists, don’t we? So I have another. While he is not the most avid sports follower, he still managed to catch a foul ball in Chicago and sang the national anthem (with a group) at an MLB game in New York! I am going to start working on his singing debut at Coors Field. A musical architect in our midst. We fa la la love it!!

Additional Credentials:
Registered Architect in New York

Greg Lemon

Senior Manager

GREG LEMON LEED AP

With over thirty years of experience and having overseen projects worth billions of dollars in construction, Greg is a highly skilled and experienced Senior Manager.  He holds three degrees: a Bachelor of Environmental Design, a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Architecture, and has the mental agility to quickly solve problems, as well as the decades of field experience to find trusted solutions to the unique challenges of every project.  He is confident in leading large teams of architects and consultants on diverse project types, and he has extraordinary expertise in multi-family and hospitality developments.  His handiwork can be seen in some of the most exclusive hotels and high-end multifamily projects in Vermont, Idaho, Las Vegas, Wyoming, and Colorado.  While he is unflappable and not overtly effusive, this restrained and perhaps even stoic presentation belies his bubbling sarcasm and quick-witted nature, as well as his thrill-seeking spirit.  He jumped out of an airplane (voluntarily) and navigated some of the most incredible white water rafting around including Hell’s Canyon, The Grand Canyon, and The Middle Fork of the Salmon River.  As if that is not enough, he has skied in Austria eight times and his brother happens to live in Switzerland, so there is probably a fair amount of adventure-seeking left to do in Europe. Interestingly, despite his ability to win a stare-down with Fear, he is intolerant of anyone attempting to use his driveway if it has snowed…something about having flipped his car a few years back and a 16% pitch…so that should let you know he is always looking out for others…yes, co-workers and clients included.  He is intelligent, creative, humble, and a total team player. Need I say more?   

Additional Credentials::
Registered Architect in Colorado

Alex Hagen

Project Designer

Alex Hagen

Colorado is home, but Alex took the scenic route back. Raised in Lafayette, he headed out of state to attend Cal Poly, where he began in architectural engineering before realizing that his sweet spot wasn’t more math, it was more making. He switched to architecture, falling hard for the hands-on craft of the work.

Alex spent a year studying abroad in Florence, learning Italian, soaking up classical architecture, and developing a lasting appreciation for proportion and structure. (He also took a History of the Italian Mafia elective. Strictly academic, of course.)

After earning his accredited Bachelor of Architecture, Alex returned to Denver and joined Craine, where he’s drawn to how systems, materials, and people come together to make a building work.

When he’s not with us, he is usually outdoors in the mountains skiing or hiking with his girlfriend and their dog, or at home chasing the perfect Neapolitan pizza with a very serious, very hot pizza oven. Una margherita, per piacere!