Director - Architecture & Engineering

Many people think architecture is about bricks, windows, massing, energy efficiency, and an impressive façade. For Stephanie Bandzak – a registered architect and member of the American Institute of Architects – people and programming are where it begins.

Because form follows function. This is at the heart of Bandzak’s work at Gro. She confers with clients, largely YMCAs, to determine the project scope and then guides the project development through programming and conceptual and schematic design. Once the client lands on what they need – and what is financially prudent – she consults with the local architects and engineers of record. 

A graduate of Roger Williams University – with a bachelor’s degree in architecture – and a member of the Boston Society of Architects, Bandzak spent two decades in a mid-size architectural firm that specialized in YMCA projects and multifamily housing. “Having worked on multiple building types with a range of clients, I quickly realized I gained the most satisfaction working with nonprofit clients who dedicate themselves to bettering their communities,” she says.

By her own description, this is a low-ego pursuit: “I consider myself a very good listener. I value putting the client before myself, meeting them where they are to help them with a challenge.”

The people served by her work with the Ys includes her own family. “My kids have been involved with the YMCA since birth,” she says. “I’ve seen firsthand the impact and benefits of quality childcare, enriching camp experiences, and exposure to the diversity community the YMCA offers.” Her values include elevating the built environment, particularly one that serves the full community regardless of ethnic or religious backgrounds, age, or financial wherewithal. 

“I hope the inclusive spirit and the connection we work to foster in our YMCA’s centers moves beyond the walls of our buildings and helps bridge the ever growing divides in our society,” she says. “If my involvement helps in even the smallest way, that gives me peace.”