Alesa Rubendall, AIA, LEED BD+C, joins the Antoinette Westphal’s College of Media Arts + Design community as an Assistant Teaching Professor and the Associate Director of Student Placement in the Department of Architecture, Design + Urbanism. In her role a professor, she will focus on teaching various design studios and is excited to explore the intersections of design agency and the public realm through urban design, landscape urbanism, and architecture. As the Associate Director of Student Placement, she will assist students in bridging between the classroom and the workplace, provide guidance on their professional development and support their ultimate transition into the design profession; steward connections between the Philadelphia design community and the department; and be a liaison for firms seeking suitable Drexel candidates for employment.
In addition to teaching, Alesa is a registered architect with over 20 years’ experience in a wide array of project scale and types that include institutional, civic, educational, commercial, residential, and master planning. In 2016, Alesa started her own practice, Design Moxie Architecture + Planning, which primarily focuses on educational and residential projects.
In her free time, Alesa is an engaged advocate and leader in the Philadelphia region. She has recently served in numerous leadership positions and different organization at the city and state levels, including serving as a board member for AIA Philadelphia, AIA Pennsylvania, and Green Building United. She also served as co-chair for the Philadelphia AIA Women In Architecture (WIA) committee for nearly a decade. Currently, Alesa serves as the Founder and Co-Director of PATINA (Philadelphia Architects Teach Innovation Networking + Agency), a mentorship program and endowed scholarship that was designed to build a pipeline in the architecture profession for talented young ladies attending high school who often come from under- and unrepresented communities.
She received her Bachelor of Architecture from Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science (now Thomas Jefferson University) and then attended the University of Texas at Austin to complete her Master of Architecture with a concentration in sustainable design and planning.
Bachelor of Architecture from Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science
Master of Architecture from University of Texas at Austin, concentration in sustainable design and planning