Our Team

Todd Smith, AIA
Principal Architect
FOUNDING PARTNER

  • Born and raised in Leavenworth, Todd chose to leave the Bavarian Village to attend the University of Washington School of Architecture (Class of 2002). He spent 8 years at Johnston Architects in Seattle, with both Ray and Mary Johnston as great mentors. Syndicate Smith LLC was founded in 2010. His wife, Julie, and children, Kate and Miles, all agreed that Leavenworth should be called home in 2012.

    Piano, art, furniture, photography, skiing, biking, literature and design all collectively inform the direction of each project Todd pursues.

Steven Booher, AIA
Principal Architect
PARTNER

  • Holding a Bachelor of Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago (2009), Steven has been focused on single and multi-family housing for over 6 years.

    Born and raised in Anchorage, AK, he found his way to Leavenworth to be close to his family and take full advantage of the surroundings and community. In his spare time he enjoys exploring the mountains, all things science-fiction and spending time with his family. Steven was made Principal Architect in October 2017.

Matt Porter
Director
BUSINESS OPERATIONS

  • An East Coast native, Matt was born in Maine and raised in Georgia. He earned a Liberal Arts Degree from the University of Georgia before making his way to Washington State in 1999. Having spent the majority of his career leading sales and marketing teams in the ski industry, Matt now applies his experience in organizational development, strategy and execution through his role at Syndicate Smith.

    His favorite things in life include running on trails, non-fiction audiobooks and exploring the wilderness with his family.

Sam Stanfield Wade, LEED Green Associate
Architect
Project Manager

  • Samantha holds both her B.S. in Architecture and Masters of Architecture from Washington State University (Go Cougs!). She joined the team in July of 2015 and has enjoyed being part of a growing firm which not only values great design but also prioritizes a strong and positive office culture. In 2020, Sam became a licensed architect in the state of Washington.

    A native Washingtonian originally from the West Side, she is an avid reader and music/movie enthusiast who feels that architecture is much more than just a job, but a passion.

Evan VanSandt, NCARB
Architect
Project Manager

  • Originally from central Illinois, Evan attended architecture school at the University of Oregon and has since practiced architecture along the West Coast in California, Oregon and Washington. Craftsmanship and nature are driving inspirations in his life – he strives to channel these inspirations into his work as an architect through creating sophisticated designs which respond to the environment.

    In his free time Evan enjoys rock climbing, trail running, backpacking, drawing and making things with his hands.

Brian Hackworth
Project Manager

  • Brian was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest in a family with a distinguished background in architecture, design and construction. Graduating from Washington State University, his passion for residential design is rooted in creating unique solutions with the natural environment and designing each new home as though it were his own.

    Brian is keen on alpine climbing, impressionistic landscape painting, world travel, making ice cream and cooking unique meals with close friends and family.

Laurel Podlich
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER

  • Laurel joined Syndicate Smith in January 2021. Laurel grew up in Orondo and attended Montana State University, receiving a B.A. in Environmental Design in 2010 and Master’s of Architecture in 2016. Although Laurel enjoyed her time hiking and snowboarding in Montana, after graduate school she decided that moving back to Washington fit her lifestyle and career intentions. Laurel is pursuing her architectural license and is excited to be a part of the Syndicate Smith team. She appreciates well thought out design that subtly achieves the goals of architecture.

    Laurel enjoys snowboarding, skiing, biking, hiking, camping, baking bread and spending time with her dog.

Hannah Hering
INTERIOR Designer

  • New to the Pacific Northwest, Hannah recently graduated with a BA in Interior Design from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 2021. Born and raised in Wisconsin, Hannah moved out west to fulfill her dreams of living, playing and designing in the mountains. She strives to produce unique and thoughtful designs that turn each space into an experience.

    Some things that Hannah loves the most in life include farmers markets, spending time outdoors with family and friends, relief printmaking, really ripe peaches and her two cats.

Luis Servin Madrigal
Architectural Designer

  • Luis joined Syndicate Smith in 2022. Born in Mexico and raised in Tacoma, WA, where he discovered his passion and love for architecture, Luis attended Washington State University and received his B.S. in Architecture and a minor in Construction Management.

    During his free time Luis enjoys spending time with his wife and bulldogs, exploring the Pacific Northwest, hiking, snowboarding, paddle boarding, biking and overall spending time outdoors.