DLR Group’s Campus Planning Studio defines new leadership

Phoenix, Ariz., March 13, 2023 – After five years heading DLR Group’s campus planning practice, Principal and Campus Planning Leader Krisan Osterby, MLA, RLA, SCUP, ITGA, is transitioning to Senior Planner to focus her efforts as a thought leader, subject matter expert, and mentor in major projects.

Her current co-leader, Principal and Senior Campus Planner Linsey Graff, SCUP, has been named Campus Planning Leader. Graff will guide the continuing expansion of the Campus Planning studio within the firm’s growing global Higher Education practice.

GRAFF: 'EXCITING GROWTH OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS'

Graff began her career at DLR Group as Associate in 2018 and quickly rose to Principal. She has collaborated with colleges and universities worldwide to develop integrated campus plans, sustainability plans, and strategic visioning.

She supports campus and community engagement that defines goals and objectives with user groups, prioritizes planning solutions, and encourages participatory decision-making.

Graff’s leadership and innovation in DLR Group’s 360 Engagement Process has elevated the Campus Planning studio and led to such projects as the California State University Long Beach Campus Master Plan, Riverside Community College District Sustainability and Climate Action Plan, and the Northern Arizona University Smart Campus Master Plan.  

“We’ve seen so much exciting growth in the campus planning team and portfolio over the past five years,” said Graff.

Graff held a three-year term on the AIA National Diversity and Inclusion Council, where she focused on increasing attention and resources for K–12 pipeline programs. She was one of 22 architects and educators to be invited to join the Equity in Architecture Commission and was featured on the Design is Everywhere podcast, discussing equity, wellness, and engagement.

At DLR Group, Graff is a leader in our Equity Forum, advocating for equity initiatives companywide. Graff is a leader within the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) Pacific Regional Council. In her role as Membership Chair, she is working on initiatives to increase membership at both the local and national levels. 

OSTERBY: 'EVERY CAMPUS TELLS A STORY'

In her role as Senior Planner, Osterby will continue to usher in a new generation of planners and designers, while advising, deepening relationships with institutions, and continuing to expand campus planning in the worldwide market.  

“This transition allows me to return to clients and projects that seek a deeper connection between strategic and physical planning,” said Osterby. “Every campus tells a story. I’m excited to focus on the educational, environmental, and operational changes required to support that story.”

Osterby’s expertise includes comprehensive campus plans, academic health center facility plans, and landscape master plans. Her decades-long institutional relationships span from Alaska to Florida, working with community college districts, liberal arts colleges, HBCUs, public and private universities, and land grant institutions.

Osterby has contributed to campus and plans in Canada, Great Britain, Hong Kong, India, and Iraq, stemming from her studies as an IES Scholar and Fulbright/ITT Fellow.

She is a licensed Landscape Architect and a member of the Gustavus Adolphus College Arboretum Advisory Board and the Society for College and University Planning Academy, and is a Director of the International Town Gown Association.  

“Krisan has been vitally instrumental in building our Campus Planning studio over the past five years,” said Senior Principal and Global Higher Education Leader Stu Rothenberger.

ABOUT DLR GROUP

DLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse. Our promise is to elevate the human experience through design. This promise inspires sustainable design for a diverse group of public and private sector clients and local communities.

DLR Group is 100% employee-owned and supports the initiatives and goals of the 2030 Challenge, and is an initial signatory to the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.