Name: Jim Copeland SE Region President Vice President Moseley Architects E-mail: jcopeland@moseleyarchitects.com Member Since: 1988 City & State: Richmond, VA Birthplace: Richmond, Virginia

Why did you join CEFPI?
Thanks to Dave Boddy and Glen Earthman's encouragement, I became a member of CEFPI in 1988 and have enjoyed the involvement and fellowship of CEFPI. I believe my involvement in CEFPI has helped me develop professionally in my career as an educational planner and architect, and the friendships that I have formed over these years have been an unexpected reward.

What is the major benefit you have gained from being a CEFPI member?
Although I have benefited from my membership in many ways, I believe the development of personal friends, who share a common purpose that I can call and rely upon at any time, is what I value the most from my involvement in CEFPI.

What do you like most about what you do?
I enjoy facilitating and involving groups of educators in the mission of designing schools so that on dedication day we can watch the excitement in the faces of the children who are eager to go to school and learn.

What is your greatest professional accomplishment?
I am currently involved in the planning of a 2500 student school, in an urban context, that will be Silver or Gold certified LEED School, which is situated on a 24-acre site where the existing high school also sits. The challenges of this project are many and I look forward to its successful completion. I was also the Managing Principal of the first LEED certified school in the Country, Third Creek Elementary School for Iredell-Statesville Public Schools, North Carolina. It was certified at Gold.

Describe the biggest asset you bring to your job:
I've been told that my biggest asset is my ability to listen and be calm under trying circumstances.

What is your second choice as an occupation and why?
To be a pilot. Don't have a clue why. Maybe it's to have a heavenly perspective about life.

Tell us about the most motivating meeting you have attended:
Probably none. I don't like meeting too much because there usually too long and don't accomplish too much.

What is your greatest personal accomplishment?
My family. I have a wonderful wife that loves and supports me, and 3 great kids. I believe that a man's biggest responsibility is his wife and family. Part of the problem with our society and schools today is that schools have had to take on the responsibility of raising our children. I think it's time that we as parents start fulfilling that obligation. Enough of the soapbox.

Complete this sentence..."I wish I knew how to..."
Play golf better. I'm usually fairly athletic but golf has been a challenge.

Family:
See above comment. Although, I'm way too young, I will be grandfather in October.

Favorite thing to do on your day off:
Go to the mountains to recharge my batteries and sharpen my saw.

If you could have any person (alive or dead) to your home for dinner, who would it be? Why? What would you talk about?
The apostle John. He got the true message of Jesus Christ while on earth. He was chosen with the revelation of the future, and I would like to pick his memory of those days that Christ walked this earth.

Best book you have read:
The Bible...although I must admit I have not gotten through all of it.

Do you have a favorite quote? What is it?
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I should, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Any other comment you would like to make?
Nope.

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Name: Christina H. Lighthall 2004 North Carolina Chapter President 2001 CEFP-SE Regional Planner of the Year Sr. Director Facility and Planning Wake County Public School System E-mail: clighthall@wcpss.net Member Since: 1990 City & State: Raleigh, NC Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii

Why did you join CEFPI?
My boss recommended it as it best organization to be associated with in the educational facility-planning field.

What is the major benefit you have gained from being a CEFPI member?
My affiliation with this organization has allowed me to continue my learning curve and keep appraised of the latest in industry initiatives and issues.

What do you like most about what you do?
Impacting our citizens, of the future in a positive manner; empowering others to do the same.

What is your greatest professional accomplishment?
Being instrumental in reversing a failed bond referendum in 1999 by passing a successful one the next year for $450M.

Describe the biggest asset you bring to your job:
Long range planning. An aptitude for anticipating future issues and concerns and proactively addressing them.

What is your second choice as an occupation and why?
It would be to consult other school systems regarding their building program initiatives that they may benefit from the successes we have experienced.

Tell us about the most motivating meeting you have attended:
I have always left the Pre-design Project Analysis (PDPA) meetings with much excitement and anticipation. If I have to pick a particular one, it would be the meeting that facilitated the eventual design and construction of a magnet middle school in collaboration with our local university.

What is your greatest personal accomplishment?
Providing a loving, stable environment for our two children and seeing them become self-assured and confident young adults.

Complete this sentence..."I wish I knew how to..."
...Overcome my fear of heights and learn how to parachute out of a plane.

Family:
I am a product of the "Brady Bunch", only in reverse. When I was 10, my father married a widow with three boys. Two families of four became one family of eight; we are all very close today. My husband's name is John and we have been married 28 years. We have two children. Alison, 21, a senior majoring in Management, at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. Eric, 18, a freshman at Louisburg Junior College in Louisburg, NC We are CAROLINA fans, have a daughter at STATE, and a dog named DUKE! Go figure! (These are local universities)

Favorite thing to do on your day off:
Walk our dog along the Greenways of Raleigh, particularly around two lakes in the area. Go see a movie at the $1.50 a ticket theater. Read and embroider; I am currently recovering my dining room chairs and am working on the fourth one.

If you could have any person (alive or dead) to your home for dinner, who would it be?
It would be my mother.

Why?
Because she died when I was young.

What would you talk about?
I would like to understand how she became an alcoholic and drug user. What it meant to her to lose everything: her family, her beauty, her talent, and eventually her life. I would tell her I forgave her long ago and regret she could not be a part of watching her daughters grow up and have children of their own. As my father said, "She hurt many people who loved her, but she hurt herself the most."

Best book you have read:
The Bible. What else would come even close?

Do you have a favorite quote? What is it?
It really is an excerpt from a poem, "A thing of beauty is a joy for ever; its loveliness increases, it will never pass into nothingness. But still will keep; a bower quiet for us..." John Keats

If you really want a quote... "This above all, to thine own self be true." William Shakespeare My own quote that I often refer to...
"In private industry, I used to throw pebbles into the water and watch the rippled effect. Now, I throw boulders and create tidal waves."

Any other comment you would like to make?
Our educational system is in crisis and in desperate need of help at the local, state, and national levels. The appropriate resources need to be applied to our educational programs and facilities for us to be competitive in tomorrow's international market. We all have a commitment in the success of our future community's stakeholders.

The best advice I ever received was from my father, who was a management consultant. "You can not control other people's actions, you can only control your reaction to their actions."

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Name: Don Van Ollefen North Carolina Chapter Sr. Associate The FWA Group E-mail: d.vanollefen@fwagroup.com Member Since: 1998 City & State: Durham, NC Birthplace: New Jersey

Why did you join CEFPI?
In 1996 I joined Fanning/Howey and realized how much I didn't know about designing schools. Ron Fanning encouraged me to join and get involved as a way to learn about schools. I have carried that enthusiasm to my present position with The FWA Group.

What is the major benefit you have gained from being a CEFPI member?
CEFPI offers numerous continuing education opportunities to learn about educational issues and their effect on school design. The information available directly through CEFPI along with sharing experiences with other school planning professionals from other regions has been invaluable.

What do you like most about what you do?
When I see the kids walking around a new or renovated school with wide-eyed smiles, it pulls hard on my emotions. If you don't get a charge out of the kids, you are in the wrong business!

What is your greatest professional accomplishment?
Passing the exams to earn my Architecture license. I almost abandoned architecture a few years out of college to pursue a "high-tech" career. The first architect I worked for, Herb Staruch, told me to "get your license first". It was sound advice and I'm glad I did.

Describe the biggest asset you bring to your job:
Balance. Most people that know me have heard me talk a lot about balance. There are no easy solutions, you can't make everyone happy, and there are always limited resources. But I believe that with proper communication, honesty, integrity, and by truly listening, you can bring a winning balance to most situations and projects. I also believe there is room for fun and humor in professional situations. I have found that a little levity and a sincere smile at the right time eases tense situations. It also helps if you don't wait until the situation is too tense!

What is your second choice as an occupation and why?
I always wished I could have played baseball professionally. To be able to combine a game with a profession would be great. Baseball is a team sport with a lot of individual effort. You can't win alone but you have to work and perform every day.

Tell us about the most motivating meeting you have attended:
I'd have to say Rocky Bleier's presentation at CEFPI in Vancouver. Of course that is a little prejudiced since I am a Steeler fan and knew Rocky when I lived in Pittsburgh. (Rocky had done some promotional work for a school where I was teaching.) At the Vancouver CEFPI convention I realized how hard he worked at and improved his presentation skills. While he talked a lot about the Steelers and reaching his goal of 1000 yards in a season, I was impressed with his delivery - he was relatively awkward back when he worked with our school.

What is your greatest personal accomplishment?
Tough question. I guess really questioning myself and getting a real handle on my abilities and strengths while recognizing my weaknesses. It makes it much easier to understand my personal and professional relationships.

Complete this sentence..."I wish I knew how to..."
Surf.

Family:
Wife: Theresa
Daughter: Samantha (15)
Son: Jake (11)

Favorite thing to do on your day off:
Vegetating at the beach. Or maybe home-brewing beer.

If you could have any person (alive or dead) to your home for dinner, who would it be? Why? What would you talk about?
It's hard to pick one person. I would love to have a table including Ben Franklin, Albert Einstein, Harry Nilsson, and Dr. Seuss. I can only imagine the roller coaster of topics and opinions that would come out of that conversation! I have always admired people who have a keen sense of reality and are able to generate creative ideas from that foundation.

Best book you have read:
A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe by Douglas Adams. Great fun, humor, and imagination.

Do you have a favorite quote? What is it?
6'-8"! I once worked with an architect that claimed that "6'-8"" is the answer to most questions in an architect's office. So whenever anyone asked... "Mr. Wurmb, Can I ask you a question?" He always answered with "6'-8"". I guess I pretty much picked up on that.

Any other comment you would like to make?
No.

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