Teaching & Mentoring

Ross is committed to supporting the next generation of designers, architects, land planners, developers, and community builders—as well as seasoned professionals seeking to reconnect with the heart of their work. Through teaching and mentoring, he offers a grounded, human-centered approach that integrates design principles with deeper purpose.

Teaching opportunities may take many forms, including:

• • • Focused seminars and interactive webinars

    • Guest lectures and university studio critiques

    • Small group discussions and design firm sessions

    • “Small-bite” learning modules

    • In-person tours and site-based explorations

Topics may include:

• • • Designing for community and connection

    • The role of pattern language in placemaking

    • Human-scaled housing and the pocket neighborhood model

    • Working with unfolding processes in design

    • Integrating beauty, equity, and practicality in neighborhood planning

Mentoring may involve one-on-one conversations, collaborative critiques, or ongoing guidance to support personal and professional development. Whether you’re navigating early career choices, refining your design sense, or exploring how to bring more meaning into your work, Ross brings a seasoned perspective rooted in real-world experience and a desire to help others grow.

This work is less about offering answers and more about cultivating insight—creating space for honest dialogue, shared learning, and deepened understanding.