Meet the Team
We are a collective of practitioners with lived experience working in small communities, specifically rural, Indigenous, and remote places.
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Co-Founder / Director
Omar Hakeem, AIA (To Be Done Studio)
Award-winning architect Omar Hakeem uses design to address social and environmental issues in underserved areas including housing, disaster relief, and infrastructure. He was recently awarded Grist 50 Fixer recognition and a DC AIA's Wiebenson Award. He is a licensed architect and the Founder/Principal of To Be Done Studio.
Co-Founder / Director
Matthew Smith (Mazzetti)
As an advisor, board member, and coach, Matt Smith focuses on organizational operations, systems, and strategy. He is currently a Loeb Fellow at Harvard University and previously served as Managing Director of MASS Design Group, an award-winning nonprofit architecture, engineering, and construction firm.
Co-Founder / Director
Maria Sykes (Epicenter)
Maria Sykes, designer, non-profit leader, board member, and coach, has been working in rural investment for over a decade. Her work has been honored many times, including by the Utah Governor. She is currently the Executive Director of Epicenter, an award-winning rural community design center in Green River, Utah.
Advisor
Ren Hatt, JD
Ren Hatt is an educator, attorney, civic leader, and consultant in Green River, Utah. He is dedicated to rural causes and grew up in Green River, a town with a population of around 1,000. Ren currently serves as mayor of Green River, works on his family ranch, and leads several nonprofit and municipal boards focused on rural investment.
Advisor
Alyssa Kreikemeier, PhD
Dr. Alyssa Kreikemeier is an Assistant Professor of Environmental History at the University of Idaho. Her research areas include: environmental humanities, public history, Indigenous studies, visual culture, and cultural landscapes. Prior to earning her PhD, Alyssa worked in education and nonprofits in the arts, engagement, and transformational learning.
Advisor
Joseph Kunkel (Mass Design Group)
A citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, Joseph Kunkel is a community designer and educator, focused on sustainable development practices within Indigenous communities. As a Principal at MASS Design Group, Joseph directs the Sustainable Native Communities Design Lab in O’ghe P’oghe (Santa Fe, New Mexico).
Fieldwork Program Manager
Courtney Spearman
Courtney Spearman (she/her) is a passionate advocate for the power of design, arts, and culture in rural and tribal communities. For 11 years she served as Design Specialist at the National Endowment for the Arts, overseeing the agency’s engagement with the design field nationwide. Through the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design, Courtney was privileged to work with small town, rural and tribal community leaders who are seeking to enhance the quality of life and economic vitality of their communities through planning, design, and creative placemaking. She has a background in landscape architecture and art and architectural history.
Fieldwork Design Manager
Caitlin MacKenzie (To Be Done Studio)
Caitlin MacKenzie, M.Arch., is a community and program development strategist helping rural and Tribal communities turn locally driven ideas into funded, buildable projects. She brings deep experience in rural affordable housing, nonprofit fundraising, and architectural practice—having led technical assistance teams, managed grant programs and capital campaigns, and supported complex public and private financing pathways. Caitlin blends capital strategy, facilitation, and program design to support projects from early vision through implementation, always grounded in listening and shared momentum with local leadership. Currently a Project Manager at To Be Done Studio, she supports Fieldwork communities with practical guidance, clear coordination, and follow-through that helps projects move forward
Architect
Mika Yamaguchi (To Be Done Studio)
Mika Yamaguchi is an architect from the island of Maui with experience in residential, mixed-use, non-profit, and urban design. Through her work, she has supported community leadership utilizing engagement and visioning, focused on sustainable building practices, and cultivated meaningful relationships with collaborators and clients in the U.S. and Pacific. Mika is committed to process and participatory design and is always looking for new ways to facilitate future-forward projects that enhance people's lives and challenge social and environmental systems. With a background in psychology, careful listening, consensus-building, and cultural awareness are integral to her practice.