Our Board of Directors

JAMIE SORMANN,  Chair, Secretary. Insurance.

Jamie is a director of Foomann Architects, which he and Jo Foong established in 2008. Their practice is devoted to realising beautifully simple, sensitive spaces that are underpinned by utility, context and sustainability. Jamie is committed to collaboration and to sharing ideas with students, clients, colleagues and the architecture community.

Jamie graduated from University of Melbourne where he is a regular guest critic. He has been a jury member for the Victorian Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects and a committee member for the AIA Emerging Architecture Graduates Network.

Jamie is involved with Advocacy as a committee member, host of the ArchiTeam Awards and featured with Foomann in The Naked Architect series. Jamie joined the ArchiTeam Board in 2019 to support and celebrate architectural practitioners for the betterment of the built environment. Jamie was the Director in charge of the ArchiTeam Awards and Partnerships portfolios in 2020 and 2021. At the 2021 AGM Jamie was reelected to the Board and is currently the Chair and in charge of the Insurance Portfolio. 

Jamie likes to impose his musical taste on others and maintains an active interest in pretentious films.

SONIA SARANGI,  Treasurer. Finance & Research

Sonia is a director of Atelier Red+Black, a tenacious thinker and problem solver. A highly capable project lead, her collaborative approach and strong negotiation skills bring a fresh perspective to the table.

Sonia is a strong advocate for diversity in the profession and has been involved in a number of mentoring programs, a guest critic and tutor at University of Melbourne - Melbourne School of Design and is a frequent contributor to Parlour.

Sonia has been a member of the ArchiTeam since 2017 and the (Continuing Professional Development CPD) committee since 2018 and co-convenors of the 2021 ArchiTeam Virtual Conference  - Trajectories. Sonia joined the Board in 2019 and was reelected at the 2021 AGM. In 2021-22 Sonia will be the Director in charge of the Finance and Research Portfolios.  

Sonia is a keen photographer and often drives around the block a little bit longer just so she can finish listening to a podcast episode.

KALLIOPI VARKAS, Advocacy & Member Services

Kalliopi Vakras is the director of Kalliopi Vakras Architects, a small architecture practice established in 2009.  

Kalliopi is a registered architect with over 20 years experience both locally and internationally, have worked in Vienna. Her background lies in residential, low scale multi residential, commercial and early learning architecture.  She has also taught various design studios for 8+ years.

Kalliopi joined the Board in 2020 and is the Director in charge of Advocacy and Member Services Portfolios.

She has recently completed an off-grid tiny home with her husband their rescue greyhound Dennis who plays an important role in the office.

DELIA TESCHENDORFF,  Awards & Partnerships

Delia founded Delia Teschendorff Architecture in 2009. A registered architect in Victoria, she received her architecture degree from RMIT University. Her architecture studies included 12 months in the Masters Program at Sci-Arc, the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles, USA.

An award-winning architect with a diverse career spanning over 20 years, she has worked in Los Angeles, USA for Narduli Grinstein Architects and in Berlin, Germany for renowned architect Daniel Libeskind. Prior to establishing her own practice, she worked with several leading design practices in Melbourne.

Delia is actively involved with the profession, including teaching, invited talks, jury panels and professional appointments. She has taught design and construction studios at Swinburne University, RMIT University and the MSD (Melbourne School of Design) at Melbourne University. Delia has been an examiner for the ARBV and has been involved in the development of Acumen Practice Notes for the AIA. Her work has featured in the Robin Boyd Open Day Series, and more recently in The Naked Architect Series, a collaboration between Open House Melbourne, Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV) and ArchiTeam.

Delia joined the Board in 2020 and has been the Director in charge of the Insurance Portfolio and Co Director in charge of Member Services, in 2022 Delia will be in charge of the ArchiTeam Awards and Partnership portfolios.  

JOHN LIU,  CPD & Conference 

John is the director of Inbetween Architecture. He is passionate about architecture that delights and endures. Inbetween Architecture’s work thrives to amplify the simple joys found in everyday life – spaces that nurture ‘being’ and ‘being together’.

Before establishing Inbetween Architecture, John worked 10 years for some locally well-known practices with strong focus in sustainability, on projects from small home renovation to university building refurbishment. The invaluable training laid the foundation for Inbetween Architecture, that good design is inherent from inception, not bolt-on.

John joined the CPD Committee in 2020 and was elected to the Board in 2021, where he is the Director in charge of the CPD and Conference Portfolios.

John owns an Instagram account of vending machines he encountered on his travels. John looks forward to the day when he can share new posts again.