About Verdant Studio
Who We Are
Jessica Hester founded Verdant Studio for two reasons: to create places people love; and to make sure every person feels valued where they work.
During her senior year of college, Jessica was thrilled to be accepted into a top graduate program. At the firm where she was interning, the owner publicly questioned her decision, remarking dismissively that her place was “in the kitchen.” Jessica’s resolve only grew, turning this painful moment into a source of strength and determination—one that would shape the culture of Verdant and inspire other women in the industry.
Today, Verdant Studio continues to grow and aims to be the largest solely women-owned firm in Arkansas. We are a collective of designers, consultants, project managers, administrators, and creatives who work together every day to realize the vision of creating places people love in Northwest Arkansas and beyond.
Our Team
Verdant Studio is fond of Arthur Gensler’s “constellation of stars” approach to team-building. Our successes are collective, and our projects reflect the diverse expertise of our team. We value strong client relationships, we enjoy creating together, and we live deliberately. Meet our team of brilliant stars!
Jessica Hester
CEO + Principal Architect
AIA | NCARB | LEED AP
Dayton Castleman
Director of Creative Placemaking + Artist Lead
Kevin L. Cooper
Program Lead, Proto
AIA | NCARB
Randy Gentz
Senior Project Manager
A native of Northwest Arkansas, Jessica loves shaping the built environment in ways that elevate the quality of life for the many communities Verdant Studio serves. A Placemaker at heart, she is a licensed Realtor and an active member of the NWA chapter of the Urban Land Institute focused on building a Women’s Leadership Initiative. In the studio, she thrives at the collaborative intersection of research, analysis, design, and technical expertise.
After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Architecture she earned a Master of Science in Design Research at the University of Michigan's Taubman College of Architecture and Design. She co-founded an architecture practice in Rome, Georgia selling that in 2016 to return Northwest Arkansas. After a brief stint as the University of Arkansas Community Design Center's staff architect, she founded Verdant Studio.
Jessica’s creative entrepreneurial vision is driven by her love of critical thinking, organizational management, and the communication strategies necessary to deliver superb, on-budget solutions for Verdant Studio’s clients. Jessica is a registered architect in Arkansas and Oklahoma and her professional affiliations include the American Institute of Architects (AIA), The National Association of Realtors, The Urban Land Institute (ULI) - NWA Board Member, and the Congress for New Urbanism.
When she’s not at the office you can find her on the back porch with her dog Lucy, drinking wine and listening to folk music, or cooking dinner with her husband Chris.
Jessica Hester
CEO + Principal Architect, AIA | NCARB | LEED AP
Dayton loves spaces where humans, art, and built environments interact, and he enjoys discovering ways to amplify those interactions and deepen their meaning. Growing up in New Orleans he enjoyed the urban theatricality of the Crescent City, and since then his educational and professional pursuits in visual art have taken him to Mississippi, Philadelphia, Chicago, and finally to northwest Arkansas.
Dayton holds his Bachelors of Art in Art with a painting concentration from Belhaven University and a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. While in Philadelphia he founded a collective studio space for artists, and he was on the art and design faculty at a small suburban Chicago college for four years following grad school. In 2012 he moved to Bentonville, Arkansas, working in a bike shop, as a museum educator, museum manager, independent curator, and artist. His artwork and installations in both galleries and public spaces have been presented across the United States and in Europe.
He brings a keen historical knowledge, an interest in research, and wide-ranging experiences is the visual arts ecosystem to the integration of art and architecture, as well as the application of creative thinking strategies to site-branding, experience architecture, visual design, and art consultation.
An avid cyclist, Dayton lives in Rogers, Arkansas with his wife of 24 years and their three children.
Dayton Castleman
Director of Creative Placemaking + Artist Lead
Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science and Architectural Studies from Oklahoma State University, and a Master of Architecture from the University of Texas.
Working as a licensed architect across the country for over 28 years, he has a wide array of experience on thousands of projects. This time in the field has allowed him to gain an excellent working knowledge of the IBC and ADAAG. He is highly skilled in the design process, from residential alterations to moderately sized commercial and institutional ground-up buildings.
Kevin holds licensure in every state excluding Alaska but including Washington D.C., and his professional affiliations include the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and The National Council of Architectural Review Board (NCARB).
His love of architecture was born helping his father design and build an addition on their Ozark cabin that would become the family home. Kevin still loves looking and listening carefully in order to apply thoughtful solutions to project design challenges. He is a gardener, an amateur landscaper, enjoys hiking, looking at maps, sports, and doodling, among many other pursuits.
Kevin L. Cooper
Program Lead, Proto,
AIA | NCARB
Kaily initially joined our team in January 2023 as our Executive Administrator. With a proven commitment to the growth and development of others, Kaily brings a unique mix of experience, including servant leadership, organizational management, process improvement, and change management. Kaily also lends her creative skills to the team to support collaboration and downright fun.
Originally from Phoenix, AZ, Kaily graduated Summa Cum Laude from Grand Canyon University with her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Before Verdant, she was in analytics at PepsiCo, where she gained extensive knowledge in Supply Chain, but learned that the corporate environment was not where she wanted her career to continue. At Verdant, she is most excited to learn more about design to satisfy her creative side, and to contribute to the team in a big way.
Recently married in October 2022, she met her husband in Phoenix, who convinced her that NWA was the place to be, so they relocated in 2019 and haven't looked back. Kaily enjoys NWA so much, she convinced her parents to retire here, with her siblings trailing right behind. Kaily and her husband welcomed their first baby girl in July 2023.
In her downtime, Kaily enjoys watching her daughter learn and grow, exploring all that NWA has to offer with her husband, hiking, reading, hosting themed parties, shopping, and enjoying a glass of mead. She also contributes to charitable events for such organizations as the NWA Children's Shelter and Junior League of NWA by providing her skills in bespoke balloon installations.
Kaily Tran
Director of Finance + Human Resources
Randy Gentz is a native of Minnesota, but has called Northwest Arkansas home for nearly 30 years. He has over 24 years of experience in project management in the architecture / retail design industry.
Randy started his career in engineering, but was drawn to the creative, fast-paced side of architecture project management. He enjoys thinking on his feet and problem-solving. One of Randy’s strengths is juggling many things at once, and he is fueled by the challenge of overseeing multiple projects at different stages.
Randy and his wife Karen have a blended family of five adult kids. He enjoys running, biking, hiking, hunting, and working outdoors with family and friends.
Randy Gentz
Senior Project Manager
Abby grew up in Memphis, Tennessee where historic sites, live music and great food were the backdrop to her childhood. Through sitting at the dining table drawing houses in her neighborhood and rebuilding homes affected by Hurricane Katrina one summer, her mind was set on pursuing an education in Architecture. This brought her to the University of Arkansas where she graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from the Fay Jones School of Architecture & Design. There, she evolved her passion for emergency architecture and cultivated an appreciation for regionalism and implementing inclusive practices in the design world. She strives to utilize sustainable practices in her designs and is constantly looking towards new and innovative ways to produce new ideas.
Her love for design expands beyond the realm of Architecture and bleeds into any creative form possible: fabrication, art installations, drawing & painting, graphic design, cinematography, and music. In her free time she is usually reading, baking, or starting another design project for her home.
In the summer of 2020 she joined Verdant Studio, where her primary tasks are design and documentation of projects, ranging from single-family residential to commercial projects, and coordination with clients and consultants. She also works on competitions and installation/placemaking projects, and when she can, helps with marketing and graphic design for the company.
Abby Critselous
Project Manager
Vera is based in Simpsonville, South Carolina. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, she has lived across the United States and abroad in La Rochelle, France, where she became fluent in French. Cantonese is her first language, learned during her upbringing. With a diverse background in retail, clothing, and costume design, Vera brings a wealth of experience to Verdant Studio. She holds a degree in Consumer Economics from Cornell University and a degree in Retail Merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Outside of work, Vera enjoys tennis, achieving State-level success with her team this past Spring, and recently took up Pickleball with her husband, Phillip. They also indulge in Shag dancing weekly. Vera is enthusiastic about collaborating with the talented team at Verdant Studio, aiming to inspire others with her positive outlook and attitude.