George A. Ewart, AIA, Principal in Charge
As a principal, George manages the firm, determines design philosophy and maintains client relationships. His technical expertise and design background provide him with a unique perspective on architectural commissions, allowing him to accommodate all the various parameters involved.
Since 1981, George has provided programming, master planning and facility design for healthcare and medical facilities, religious, office, educational, industrial, retail and commercial building types.
George received a Bachelor of Architecture from The University of Tennessee and a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Technology from West Virginia State College. He is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and licensed in the states of Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
Stuart H. Anderson, AIA, LEED AP, Project Architect
Stuart’s position as a project architect brings with it the responsibilities of overall project management, including design and production coordination. With more than 35 years of technical and design experience, Stuart has worked on many unique and challenging projects of various scales and types. Stuart received his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Tennessee. He is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, licensed in the state of Tennessee, and is a LEED accredited professional.
Stuart is a huge Tennessee Volunteers sports fan, and cheers on the Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Reds as well. His hobbies include playing guitar, attending concerts, yoga, beer and brewing, and reading non-fiction. At home he is known as the sous chef of the kitchen, and his wife and two sons enjoy trying out various cuisines of the world. He also enjoys participating in the various activities with the Rotary Club of Bearden, of which he is a former Board member.
Cody W. Grooms, AIA, NCARB, Project Architect
A native East Tennessean, Cody is a highly driven architect who believes, first and foremost, design should be rooted in a meaningful way and can be inspiring to all people in a daily, practical way. He strives to create authentic, mindful, and sustainable projects that uniquely respond to the needs of people and place. A recognized team leader, he has been responsible for envisioning, designing and delivering award-winning projects of various scope and scale by engaging clients, communities and teams with a genuine passion for what he does and those who benefit. His recent focus has been on education, healthcare and civic projects as well as participation in community and professional organizations.
Cody received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Tennessee, where he was an active member of the Pride of the Southland Marching Band and Army ROTC.
When he’s out of the office, you can find Cody travelling, sitting by a campfire, spending time on a trail or the water, enjoying a concert, good book or cold drink, cooking, antiquing, and, as always, cheering on the Vols.
Greg Slack Jr., Business Development/Project Manager
Greg has worked within the architectural profession since 1998. With over 20 years of experience with George Armour Ewart Architect, he has helped design and manage a variety of projects ranging from medical, hospitality, educational, industrial, religious, office buildings, retail, and residential. Greg loves the process it takes to bring a client’s vision to reality from start to finish.
You can typically find him cooking on his smoker, golfing or watching the Vols play, but most all he just enjoys spending time with his wife Jaclyn and their son.
Alex Rigopoulos, Architectural Associate
Alex has brought a variety of Project Management and Design experience to our Architectural team with over 30 years of experience. He graduated with a Bachelors of Architecture from The Illinois Institute of Technology in 1992. He has worked in New York City, Chicago, Oshkosh Wisconsin, and East Tennessee. He has worked over a multitude of projects ranging from Churches, Schools, Office Buildings, Restaurants, Retail, Hospitality and Industrial buildings to Residential and Multifamily housing.
Alex has involved himself in historic restoration and preservation groups. He also is an artist and enjoys oil painting and sculpting. He has made a home for himself in the mountains of Gatlinburg, Tennessee where he loves nature and enjoys hiking trails as well as going to local theaters and live music venues.
Gisele Baaklini, Architectural Associate
Gisele studied architecture in her homeland Lebanon, France, and the United States of America, where she earned a Master’s in Architecture from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has extensive work experience with multidisciplinary and diverse teams in France and the G.C.C., namely Dubai and Doha.
Gisele likes Knoxville and enjoys spending time with her furry friends.
Aubrey White, Architectural Associate
Aubrey is an architecture intern from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She graduated from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Architecture and minors in Urban Studies, Entrepreneurial Studies, and Sustainability in 2022. Aubrey’s goal is to pursue her Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture at The University of Tennessee – Knoxville. She is passionate about creating environmentally conscious designs that harness the many benefits that nature and landscaping have to offer.
In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, hiking, and spending time with her 8 pets.
Karly O’Dell, Architectural Intern
Karly is an architectural intern from Charleston, West Virginia. She is entering her final semester at the University of Tennessee to complete a Bachelor of Architecture with a minor in Interior Architecture. As an aspiring Architect, she is eager to participate and learn from all project types. She believes the experiences and opportunities she has endured will allow her to be creatively curious and conscious in the ways she lives and designs.
Outside of the office, Karly enjoys anything related to the arts and will often be at home drawing or painting. On the weekends, you will find her traveling near and far to visit friends and family.
Abby VanFossen, Architectural Intern
Abby is an architecture intern from Cincinnati, Ohio. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 2021 and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Architecture at The University of Tennessee. Abby’s goal is to become a licensed architect as well as hold leadership positions in and outside of the office. She prides herself on her keen attention to detail and is passionate about sustainability in design. Abby also believes that architectural spaces play a vital role in the moods and attitudes of the people that inhabit them. Because of this, she pushes her own designs not only to fulfill mental wellbeing in a space but also encourage inclusiveness and varying degrees of comfort.
In her free time she enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, going to the gym and spending quality time with friends. She also likes Skyline Chili and Ohio State football (O-H…!).
Dakota Doolittle, Architectural Intern
Dakota is an architecture intern from Greenville Tennessee. He is in his final year of architecture school at the University of Tennessee, and will be graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in Architecture in Spring 2023. He has thoroughly enjoyed his time studying and learning all he can about the field. He has developed a deep passion for architecture and how it can be used to enhance the lives of those around it, as well as make an impact, both environmentally, and as a form of art.
In his free time, you will find Dakota with friends outside, whether it be hiking, skiing, or playing disc golf. Should it happen to be raining, he loves watching and learning about movies, reading, and cooking.
Eli Fox, Architectural Intern
Eli is an intern from Knoxville. He is in his fourth year of architecture as a student at the University of Tennessee. His passion for architecture began at a young age and continues to grow each day. He loves helping others and forming relationships with people through the process of design, believing that one day he will be able to lead a team of his own.
Christina Fehr Brooks, Interior Designer, NCIDQ, RID, IIDA
Christina graduated from Ryerson University, in Toronto Canada June 2014, with a Bachelors in Interior Design. Her unique travels have given her experience in the industry from both Canada and the U.S, some of which include restaurants, retail, institutional, office, commercial, and residential design.
As interior designer, Christina finds herself working and coordinating between architecture and interiors, balancing aesthetic with function. Whether it be selecting materials, space planning, or coordinating with vendors, attention to detail is key.
Christina loves travelling with her husband Daniel Brooks on mission trips, their favorite trip being to Thailand. In her spare time Christina loves being involved with her church, spending time with her family & pup Sophie, and being a member of Nucleus Knoxville.
Whitney White, Interior Designer, NCIDQ, RID, IIDA
Whitney graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Interior Architecture from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville College of Architecture and Design in 2019. Upon graduation, Whitney transitioned from her role as an intern and joined the GAEA team full time. She has since obtained her NCIDQ certification and her license as a registered Interior Designer in the State of Tennessee.
Blending interior design and architecture, Whitney aims to work with clients through every detail, no matter or how big and small, to transform a space into an environment that serves and engages all users both functionally and aesthetically.
When she is not designing, you can find Whitney walking all the dogs of Knoxville, exploring local breweries and coffee shops, or aiming to perfect the next recipe she discovers. She loves an adventure and is always looking around the corner to see what hobby or itinerary she can take up next!
Andrew Keys, Interior Design Intern
Andrew is an Interior Design intern from Johnson City, TN. He is in his final year as an interior architecture student at The University of Tennessee, where he will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture. In the Fall of 2022, Andrew will continue his education in the Master of Architecture program at The University of Tennessee. Andrew has a great sense of detail and design in all aspects of his life. He hopes to apply his passion for design to shape the built environment and create strong communities. By combining his skills in both interior architecture and architecture, Andrew aims to work in great detail, no matter the scale, to create space that will generate meaningful experiences for all users.
In his free time, he can be found shooting architectural and nature photography. He also enjoys hiking, snowboarding and soccer.
Cara Jones, CPA, Controller
Cara joined GAEA in April 2009 as the firm’s controller. She graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2003 with a B.S. in Business Administration (Accounting) and is a member of the American Institute of CPA’s. Cara loves her community where she serves on the board of The Children’s Center of Knoxville and is a member of Nucleus Knoxville and of Fellowship Church. You can often find Cara and her husband Dave cheering on their three kids at soccer fields and basketball courts all around the area.
Cindy Ewart, Office Administrator
Cindy’s experiences include insurance and account management, secretarial and reception duties. Her extensive working knowledge of various computer programs provides efficient services for the day-to-day operations of the office. Due to her management skills, you can be assured that any questions or concerns you may have will be directed to the appropriate person.
To take on the day, Cindy likes beginning with a barre3 class. In her off time, she enjoys spending time with her family, good friends, good food and especially good wine!