Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

HMC Architects Appoints Three New Higher Education Leaders

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/28/24

HMC Architects recently announced the appointment of three new higher education leaders for its practice in California, according to a news release. James Sink, AIA, LEED AP, DBIA will serve as the firm’s new higher education practice leader, while Christina Mannion and Eric Skiba will serve as Principals-in-Charge.

Sink joined HMA in 2010 and has more than 23 years of experience in higher education design. Previous projects include student housing and a dining commons at Cal Poly Pomona and the University of California San Diego’s Ridge Walk North Living and Learning Neighborhood. His new position will place him in charge of the firm’s higher education practice’s strategic vision and overall performance. He received a Bachelor of Architecture from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and a Master of Architecture from Harvard.

“I am passionate about the intersection of creativity, intellectual pursuit, and the ability to positively impact people’s lives,” said Sink. “I look forward to engaging with the fantastic talent across the firm to continue to grow this practice and create lasting and positive impact through our work.”

Christina Mannion, RA, AIA, LEED, NCARB, will work out of the firm’s San Diego office as a principal-in-charge for the higher education practice. After drafting custom homes on Lake Tahoe, she earned a Master of Architecture in San Diego. Her experience also includes biotech projects, urban mixed-use multifamily residences, and client representation for the Capital Program Management Department at the University of California, San Diego. At HMC, she will focus largely on business development and expanding the firm’s education client base in Southern California.

“I have followed HMC since encountering the firm on interview panels at UCSD,” said Mannion. “I knew HMC was synonymous with design excellence and was looking for a workplace with focus, strategic goals, and genuine care for its employees.”

Erik Skiba, AIA, LEED AP, Associate DBIA, will work out of HMA’s San Francisco studio as a new principal-in-charge. During his 25-year career, his higher education experience includes recreation and wellness centers, libraries, classrooms, and labs. His projects of pride, according to the news release, are the University of California Santa Cruz Coastal Biology Building and the Sacramento State Recreation and Wellness Building. He’ll focus on business development and expanding the firm’s client base in Northern California.

“Public work is difficult to do successfully,” said Skiba. “The fact that HMC has succeeded in this repeatedly speaks volumes about its vision, management, and overall leadership.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • El Paso District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The Canutillo Independent School District in El Paso, Texas, recently announced that construction has begun on a 119,000-square-foot elementary school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects, Carl Daniel Architects, and LDCM Solutions on the new Davenport Elementary School, which has an expected completion date of 2027.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • Construction Begins on New University Research Vessel

    Boat-building company All American Marine recently announced that it has begun construction on a new catamaran research vessel for the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) in Port Aransas, Texas, according to a news release.