Congratulations, Matt! BarberMcMurry has promoted Matt Jordan, AIA, LFA, LEED AP, WELL AP to Director of Design and Partner.

Matt joined the firm in 2008. Since that time, he has been a project designer, project architect, and project manager on a variety of projects, particularly in higher education and healthcare. He has led internal initiatives as an Associate and Senior Associate — including efforts in sustainability and virtual reality, as well as being integral in BarberMcMurry’s annual Day of Service, (PARK)ing Day and design competitions. He was promoted to Design Manager and Senior Associate in 2023.

“We’re pleased to announce Matt’s appointment as Director of Design and Partner, leading the firm’s design vision. His exceptional design talent, coupled with his ability to guide and mentor others, has been — and will continue to be — instrumental in elevating the quality of our work and strengthening our team,” said Ryan Dobbs, AIA, NCARB, BarberMcMurry’s President.

Matt is highly involved in the community and in supporting emerging design professionals. He has served on a number of AIA East Tennessee committees, is currently the 2026 President of AIA East Tennessee, and was the AIA Tennessee Conference Chair in 2024. He has served on the PechaKucha Night Knoxville Committee since 2016 and frequently serves on design juries for UT’s College of Architecture + Design. 

He has received numerous commendations for his designs and impact on the profession and community, including receiving the AIA Tennessee Presidential Award of Excellence twice, in 2018 and 2024, and the AIA East Tennessee Presidential Citation in 2024.

“The process and culture of design at BarberMcMurry is a living thing — it constantly evolves to incorporate new technologies and address new challenges,” Matt said. “Our task is to produce sophisticated designs that preserve unique places and perform better than ever before, while maintaining our dedication to the people we’re privileged to serve. I’m honored to help shape the future of this company with our incredible team as we continue this work.”

Congratulations to Alison Notation, AIA, and John Michael Worsham, AIA, BarberMcMurry's new Stewardship Coordinators!

Alison and John Michael will guide the firm’s sustainable design and stewardship efforts, including leading internal education, guiding research and development initiatives and leading goal-setting charettes. They will also be responsible for stewarding annual Sustainability Action Plans in support of the AIA 2030 Commitment, a voluntary program guiding design firms toward net-zero emissions in the built environment.

Both joined BarberMcMurry in 2023. 

John Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Sustainability Science from Furman University and his Master of Architecture from the University of Tennessee. Prior to earning his architecture degree, John Michael was a wilderness education course director and instructor in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, California and Costa Rica. His article “Hybrid Bending Active Systems: A Novel Application of Carbon Fiber in Lightweight Structures” was published in Inspiring the Next Generation: Proceedings from the International Conference on Spatial Structures 2021.

Alison is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she earned for Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Science in Architectural Sciences with a specialization in Architectural Acoustics. She completed undergraduate research at the Center for Architecture, Science and Ecology in Brooklyn, and was recognized with numerous awards and honors during her education at RPI, including the Founder’s Award of Excellence and Rensselaer Medal for Excellence in Mathematics and Science.