Curiosity drives us to explore and learn. It opens the door for our imaginations and our technical expertise to work together, and it allows us to wonder, “What if?” As we gathered to celebrate 2025 and welcome the adventures of 2026, we challenged our team to engage their creative curiosity on a familiar object.
The task: reimagine the Mayer/Reed logo as a holiday gift—in just two hours.
The activity encouraged us to flex our creative talents and experiment with materials and processes available in and around the studio. The instructions were purposely ambiguous: be curious and play.
The studio was soon buzzing with energy as our team, fueled by sugary holiday treats and music, began sketching, painting, building, filming, photographing and animating. Exploration awakens a bit of joy in us all.
Cheers to a prosperous year filled with abundant curiosity and moments of discovery.
Mayer/Reed is pleased to announce the promotion of four team members whose leadership and dedication continue to elevate our firm.
Landscape Architect Shannon Simms has been promoted to principal. In this role, she co-leads the firm’s urban design and landscape architecture group alongside Principal Jeramie Shane. Known for her big-picture thinking and ability to bring clarity to complexity, Shannon is a respected voice in public open space design with particular expertise in multimodal streetscapes. She is currently engaged in efforts to reimagine downtown Portland as a livable neighborhood and strengthen its relationship with the Willamette River. Her recent projects include the Green Loop Concepts and West End Street Plazas in Portland, Oregon, and the Riverwalk in St. Helens, Oregon.
Landscape Architect Michael O’Brien has been promoted to associate. With more than 30 years of professional experience, Michael brings finely honed design and management expertise and is valued for his mentorship of emerging landscape architects. His sensitivity to site context, ecological function and human experience informs all of his work. Michael’s recent projects include OHSU’s Doernbecher Children’s Hospital expansion and Errol Heights Park in Southeast Portland.
Senior Visual Communications Designer Margaret Drew has been promoted to associate. Margaret is recognized for her approach to planning and designing inclusive wayfinding systems that inform, guide and connect people across differences in language and ability. Her recent work includes leading signage standards for Multnomah County Library’s 15-branch system.
Content Coordinator/Editor Stefanie Warmouth has been named associate in recognition of her vital role in quality control and promoting Mayer/Reed’s story and culture. Her copyediting and communications expertise upholds the firm’s standard of excellence. Stefanie’s recent initiatives include managing the firm’s social media presence and project-managing our 2025 Portland Winter Light Festival installation at Mill Ends Park.
We are proud to recognize growth from within and grateful for the contributions of these four individuals.
“A brilliant collision of community, typography, language, and identity, all in a single plane of metal. Bravo!” — Juror
The art gate at Washington School for the Deaf received a Merit Award at the 2025 SEGD Global Design Awards. Mayer/Reed Senior Designer and Associate Debbie Shaw attended the November 13 ceremony in San Francisco to accept the honor. The awards recognize innovation in experiential design, celebrating projects that shape how people experience the built environment. The Mayer/Reed-designed art gate was one of 30 winners out of nearly 300 submissions at the international awards program this year.
The 72-foot gate, laser-cut with custom hand-lettering, is a focal point of the campus redesign by Mithun and Skanska. The jury praised the art gate’s “…beautifully crafted design that marries sophisticated metal work with the youthfulness of primary education and the building blocks of learning language. The best part of this installation is the shadows it projects on the ground, making the ASL signs a multidimensional fabric of the campus.”
Mayer/Reed Principal Shannon Simms, ASLA, has been named a 2025 Women of Vision Honoree by the Oregon Daily Journal of Commerce (DJC). Each year, the DJC recognizes an esteemed roster of women who are shaping the built environment in Oregon and Southwest Washington with their leadership, mentorship, technical skill and community involvement.
“This award is a reflection of the incredible teams and communities I’ve had the privilege to work with,” says Shannon. “I’m honored to be recognized alongside others who are dedicated to designing spaces that foster connection, sustainability and a sense of belonging.”
As co-leader of Mayer/Reed’s urban design and landscape architecture disciplines, Shannon is known for her big-picture thinking and ability to bring clarity to complexity. She is a respected voice in public space design, inspiring clients, students and colleagues to view streets as vital landscapes that support a healthy, connected urban life. Her talent lies in reframing challenges and reimagining possibilities. Clients and design partners value her extraordinary ability to help them see their projects in a new light and her knowledge of the technical requirements necessary to bring these ambitious ideas to life.
Shannon’s work is guided by a deep commitment to community. Whether through leadership in professional organizations or volunteering locally, she brings people together with creativity, passion and purpose. Recently, she helped organize and facilitate Streets of Possibility II: Downtown to the River—a workshop that brought nearly 40 urban designers and civic leaders together to reimagine downtown Portland’s connections to the Willamette riverfront. Her efforts are changing the conversation about how our city reaches the long-term goal of transforming Portland’s urban core into a series of livable neighborhoods.
As a mentor and advocate, Shannon supports emerging designers within Mayer/Reed, across the profession and in academic programs. She uplifts colleagues, making time to mentor and creating space for quiet voices—especially supporting women navigating careers in the built environment. Outside of work, Shannon finds joy in giving back and fostering meaningful connections throughout the region. She has volunteered with the Portland Parks Foundation Paseo, Portland Winter Light Festival, Cycle Oregon Gravel Ride and Friends of Trees.
At the DJC’s Women of Vision celebration on October 23, Shannon shared the stage with an inspiring cohort. While the evening recognized individual achievements, it also served as a reminder of the collective progress happening across our industry and an inspiration for the next generation of leaders, many of whom were in the room that night—watching, learning and envisioning what comes next.
