Mark Kestner is a registered Architect with 25+ years of experience in design, management and technology. As part of the HKA leadership, Mark brings a strong sense of vision and a clear thought process. Mark has contributed to a wide range of project types including religious, historic, country club and resort, multi‐family, commercial office, retail, educational, governmental as well as residential projects of all scales. He also has a lengthy history of obtaining critical government approvals via Rezoning, Special Use Permits and Architectural Review Board approvals. Mark is highly committed to client satisfaction and strives to develop strong collaborative relationships that produce successful projects and repeat clients. Mark maintains a sensitivity to budget and schedule while ensuring project quality and long-term value.
Mark earned his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia in 1993 and his Bachelor of Architecture from North Carolina State University in 2001. He is a registered architect in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, and can obtain additional licenses in other jurisdictions through his NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) certificate. He is also a member of the (AIA) American Institute of Architects.
AIA I NCARB
CEO I Principal & Co-Founder
Chris Henningsen is a registered Architect with over 25 years of experience in a broad range of project types including resort, residential, commercial, governmental, educational, and health care projects, with direct involvement in all phases of the design and construction process. His areas of expertise include space planning, programming, renovation work, adaptive reuse, and building code interpretation.
Chris maintains a strong focus on client satisfaction and is proud of the high percentage of past and current repeat clients he has had the opportunity to serve. Chris earned his Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University in 1994. He is a registered architect in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and can obtain additional licenses in other jurisdictions through his NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) certificate. He is also a member of the American Institute of Architects, and is a U.S. Green Building Council LEED Accredited Professional.
AIA I NCARB I LEED A. P.
President I Principal & Co-Founder
Caitlin is a registered Architect with 15 years of experience in architecture, project management and graphic design. Caitlin joined HKA in early 2016, bringing five years of graphic design/build experience and residential design. She has worked on a wide range of project types from entitlement and density studies to schematic design through construction administration. Caitlin enjoys problem solving and working with clients to find the best solution for their use and quality of space. She also brings institutional project management experience in education and healthcare settings that aids in each project’s progression. Caitlin earned her Bachelor of Architecture in 2010 from Virginia Tech. She is a member of the American Institute of Architects.
AIA I NCARB
Registered Architect
Leah joined the firm in October 2015 after many years in the Orange County, Virginia school system. Before moving to central Virginia, Leah and her husband and two children called northern Virginia their home, where she worked in executive administration for two, large defense contractors.
Office Manager
Frankie moved to Charlottesville with her husband Quentin to join HKA in August 2021. After graduating with her BS in Architecture from Georgia Tech, she previously worked with a firm in Dalton GA. Most of her background there focused on educational and municipal work. Frankie has a passion for people which she believes should be at the core of good design. She sees architecture as the perfect means to impact individual and community quality of life. She is loving exploring Charlottesville, becoming part of such a thriving community, and being surrounded by so much natural beauty.
Architectural Associate
Quentin officially joined the HKA team in May of 2023 after interning while taking classes towards his Masters in Architecture at University of Virginia. Prior to working in Charlottesville, he worked with his wife Frankie at an architecture firm in Dalton, Georgia, where he focused on K-12 educational and municipal work. He currently is excited to be tackling commercial and residential projects across Charlottesville while working towards his licensure.
Architectural Associate
Madeline will be a Fourth Year B.S. in Architecture student at the University of Virginia. Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, she spent last summer in New York City gaining residential design experience, and she looks forward to exploring a wider range of project types at HKA. With a minor in Historic Preservation, Madeline is especially interested in how Virginia’s historic identity intersects with its urban future. Outside of work and school, she can be found running on Grounds or hosting dinners for her friends.
Architectural Intern
Daniel joined the HKA team in May of 2025 as a summer intern while pursuing his Bachelor's in Architecture at the University of Virginia, where he is also minoring in Real Estate through the Commerce School. Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, he moved to Orange, Virginia in 2020. He has enjoyed working alongside the HKA team and expanding his experience across residential and commercial projects. Daniel Looks forward to continuing to grow in the field as he enters his third year at UVA.
Architectural Intern
Devon Carville is a rising second year at the University of Virginia, majoring in architecture. She has lived in Orange County, Virginia her entire life. She has interned at Henningsen Kestner since her senior year of high school. She loves Charlottesville and the Blue Ridge Mountains, and hopes to continue working in those places.
Architectural Intern