GUND adds Dadagia and Puchades; promotes Westerberke

Boston, MA GUND Partnership has added Steve Dadagian, AIA, LEED AP BD+C as principal and Valerie Puchades, CPSM as director of marketing and the promotion of Scott Westerbeke, AIA, LEED AP to associate. 

Dadagian spent much of his early career at GUND. After managing his own practice and serving in a senior role at a local architecture firm, Dadagian returns as one of four principals of the firm. Working with the leadership team, he will focus on innovative learning environments that respond to changing pedagogies and ideals. With his background in independent school design, he will continue to grow GUND’s work on campuses across the US. Steve has over 25 years of experience designing buildings and spaces for independent school and higher education clients. His expertise includes designing modern buildings that are contextually sensitive to historic campus settings and designing athletic, learning and gathering spaces that emphasize creative thinking, collaboration and flexibility. 

Puchades brings 20 years of marketing experience to GUND. With her background in strategic planning, she will be helping GUND identify the challenges its clients are facing today and into the future. This knowledge will help GUND’s architects continue to deliver innovative buildings that solve their clients’ most pressing challenges. She will be working with the leadership team to find opportunities to tell client success stories through traditional and digital media, starting with fundraising efforts and continuing through post-occupancy. Puchades is an active member of Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) and serves as vice president/president-elect for SMPS Boston. 

Westerbeke joined GUND in 2004 and has worked on a large variety of project types during his tenure, including studio art facilities, dining halls and student housing for higher education institutions; art galleries; and high-end residential projects. Westerbeke brings a technical sensibility to his work, bolstered by his lengthy experience performing construction administration. He has administered projects to LEED Silver certification and led projects that went on to win design awards from the Society of College and University Planning and the Boston Society of Architects. “With the strengthening of our team we are positioning the firm to better serve our clients’ needs, expanding areas of expertise, and focusing on high level project delivery, with the continued goal of providing great design that is synonymous with GUND Partnership” said David Zenk, principal at GUND.