Our Firm

ANDREW ERSTAD

Andy Erstad – who the hell is he?  Despite having his name on the door we do not really know who he is!  Besides, if you read all staff bios you will see that Cheryl is really the BOSS!

We do know his academic background includes degrees from the College of Idaho, the University of Arizona College of Architecture (with Honors and Distinction, an award or two, and scholarships – honest), and numerous other college experiences in Firenze, Italia and San Francisco, CA.  We don’t normally order those transcripts but if you need a tip for a good restaurant, museum, wine selection, or point of interest – he’s your guy!

That said, Andy really does exist and brings over twenty five years of national and international experience to his clients.  His firm associations include the likes of Albanese/Brooks Associates in Tucson, Venturi Scott Brown in Philadelphia, Bull Stockwell and Allen, and Reid & Tarics in San Francisco, and Hummel Architects in Boise before starting erstad ARCHITECTS.  He is a member of AIA, NCARB, USGBC, is licensed in numerous states to practice architecture, witchcraft, and low flame fire dancing.  He is an outspoken sustainablist and is credentialed as a LEED AP.

In Andy’s spare time he continues to live the life of community builder - participating on Commissions, Boards, and Committees including The Idaho State Capitol Commission, St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital Advisory Board and St. Luke’s Foundation Board; recent Chairman of the Boise City Design Review Committee, Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Association, and the Boise High School Lacrosse Club.  Andy tries to harass fish in the Boise River and has a goal this year to be able to fly cast further than he can jump!

The real word out there – Shannon his wife ROCKS!

RICHARD HONSINGER

Richard Honsinger graduated from the University of Idaho's School of Architecture in 1981. He is licensed in the states of Idaho and Washington. Richard has over 25 years of professional experience, had been the principal of his own firm for 5 years and was a consultant for erstad ARCHITECTS for 3 years before joining the firm full-time in 2002. Specializing in educational and institutional architecture, Richard has a wide range of experience in projects of all sizes, and places primary emphasis on clear, concise construction documents and construction administration services. Richard is a native of Rupert, Idaho and returned to Idaho from Seattle, Washington in 1994. No one knows what Richard does with his time off. He would like to keep it that way.

CHERYL S. PEARSE

Cheryl graduated from the University of Idaho in 1990 with a Bachelor in Architecture and a BFA in Interior Planning and Design. She is a member of the Idaho chapter of the American Institute of Architects and is licensed by the National Council for Interior Design. Cheryl's specialty is delivering complex projects on schedule and within budget. She pushes the team to strive for high quality and creative solutions that meet the customer's needs. The Veltex and the Horsethief YMCA Y-Camp are two projects that exemplify Cheryl's capability to deliver complex projects. Cheryl is committed to the Y-Camp and is excited to be part of a project that is so important to the community. Cheryl and her husband Troy enjoy spending time in the Idaho outdoors- rafting wild rivers, camping and fishing. Their latest hobby is making wine. They are part of RiverWoods Wineries- a local award winning amateur wine group. The real story? Nobody really knows who is in charge around erstad corporate headquarters. Andy calls me The BOSS and I call him The Chief. After all, his name is on the door, not mine! But that's o.k..... I have a life! And what's with the green egg? Who knows? I love working here! (Is it Friday yet?)

DAVE RUBY

David graduated from the University of Idaho with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture in the days his Vandals still had a winning football team (mid 90’s), and when the notion of sustainability was just gaining momentum.   He grew up in the large northern Idaho metropolis of St. Maries, but after graduation followed his wife Nicole back to her hometown here in Boise where they’ve lived ever since.   He has two wonderful children who keep him extremely busy, and he enjoys skiing, riding his mountain bike and relaxing with family/friends whenever he can.  David has over 14 years of experience, is licensed in Idaho and Washington, is NCARB Certified and has been a LEED Accredited Professional since 2002.  

BRIAN GARRETT

JASON SMITH

Jason is a graduate of the University of Idaho, holding both a Bachelor’s of Science and Master of Architecture Degrees.  Jason spent his youth in Sacramento, CA, but considers himself a native of Idaho.  Prior to graduating college, Jason worked for a few local architects and alongside his Italian mother in law at the family restaurant in Meridian, Idaho. Here, he honed his culinary skills on par with the likes of Mario Batali and Betty Crocker.  Jason lived briefly in Maryland after graduation, where he worked for a large firm, HCM, in downtown Baltimore.  His enjoyment of the outdoors, fishing, boating, four seasons (and his extreme dislike for humidity) brought him back to Boise.  Jason is married to his beautiful wife Rhiannon, a flight attendant, and they recently welcomed a most handsome baby boy into the world, little Oliver.  The family likes to spend their free time camping, traveling, frequenting happy hour with friends, doing Mad Libs and working on their 1950's house on the Boise Bench.  A great deal of the family's time is also spent eradicating the fur deposited all over the hardwood floors by their loving pets, Stella the insatiably hungry yellow lab, and feline nihilists, Dinky and Vincent the Terrible

KRISTEN CUNNINGHAM

MEGAN BURKE

Megan graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s of Architecture in 2008. As a Boise native, she left the tarantulas, cockroaches, and Arizona summers behind to come back to her family and the land of seasons [which she has questioned numerous times as she has frozen through the Idaho winter]. Luckily, her alma mater connections got her in touch with Andy […pretty much the only reason she got the job] and she finally found a Boise firm that fits her design ethic. While in Arizona, Megan developed a greater appreciation of how the environment can affect the design of a building and vice versa; and she strives to bring this design sensitivity back to the city of trees. As eAs’ newest intern, she takes pride in being the tallest, and can be seen occasionally wearing heels to make Brian and Weston feel extra short. In her free time, Megan loves to play soccer and basketball, polish her photography skills, take camping trips, and go running with her German shepherd [which is less of a run, and more of Bear pulling her towards the river]. Megan particularly enjoys traveling with friends, and her next great adventure is set in South Africa at the 2010 World Cup.

TEGAN BOHANNAN

Tegan graduated from Washington State University with a Masters of Arts in Interior Design. She grew up on the west side of Washington before traveling to WSU and discovering that just because you live in the northwest doesn’t mean you get rain every day. After graduation Tegan and her husband moved to central Texas, where when it rains cars get swept away and 10 minutes later it’s sunny and sauna-ish. While in Texas, when she wasn’t avoiding spiders, Tegan worked at a great firm located between Dallas and Austin specializing in educational, medical and religious facilities. In 2007 Tegan, her husband, cat and two crazy dogs piled into their little car and drove up to Boise to enjoy the beautiful seasons and sparse rain. Tegan enjoys her time at erstad ARCHITECTS working with a great group of professionals striving to better our community.

WESTON SCHUETTE

Weston is just a small town boy (Minnesota), liven in a lonely world (graduate of University of Minnesota, Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture), he took the midnight train going anywhere (Boise, Idaho). A singer in a Smokey room, surround by the smell of wine and cheap perfume, this is where he met Andy. When I explained my situation to him, of paying anything to roll the dice Andy informed me that “everybody wants a thrill”. One other thing he told me that fateful night that I will never forget was, “don’t stop believing, hold on to the feelin”. Held on is what I did. Shortly after I quite my career as a Streetlight person and joined erstad ARCHITECTS!

CHRISTINA WALTERS

Christina, a fourth generation University of Idaho Vandal, graduated from the U of I in 1991 with a B.S. in Accounting. She has not ventured far from home; she was raised on a ranch in Emmett and moved back to the area after graduation and has been here ever since. When she isn’t working, which is most of the time, she caters to her better half, and spoils her two wonderful daughters and two grand puppies.

KAY HARPER

Kay graduated from Orinda Union School, attended Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California and received her Masters Degree from the School of Hard Knocks. She is licensed to drive in the State of Idaho and is a member of the Idaho Chapter of Stubborn Women. Her experience working with sales reps and training circus animals prepared her for the job here at erstad ARCHITECTS. Kay spent several years living in Alaska until coming to her senses and returning to Boise to enjoy the good life. She is an incredibly patient person and makes a decent cup of coffee. When she is not working, she can generally be found as far away from the phone as possible.