Team

Caleb is the founder and Principal of Caleb Johnson Studio and Woodhull of Maine. He has been designing residential and commercial spaces since 2003. His organization is made up of talented architects, designers, craftspeople, builders, and supporting management. He is known best for spaces that are attuned to the Maine landscape, crafted of natural materials, and practical for today’s lifestyles.

As a 20-year woodworking veteran, Peter is the Director of Construction. He spearheads all program efforts, from client relations and project development to business management and scheduling. In his time with Woodhull Construction, he’s worked on a range of projects including simple interior renovations and complex new builds.

For Peter, establishing a strong level of trust with clients drives his work. “It’s not lost on me that for many people taking on a new project, it may be one of the most daunting and biggest investments they will make in their lifetime. It’s critical that there be that foundation of trust from day one. Being informative, transparent, and honest is where I like to start.”

With 37 years of experience, Scott Stuart leads as Director of Millwork at Woodhull with insight, artistry, and a dedication to his craft. He oversees all aspects of millwork projects, from initial design support through production. Scott started with Woodhull in 2016 after an already notable career as a professional woodworker, having worked on everything from classic New England homes to Maine built super yachts. A keeper of the craft, Scott belongs to one of the last generations who learned on an analog system, woodworking without automation. He appreciates and protects the original art, offering his team perspective and a commitment to thoroughly enjoying the work.

Michael Cleary brings 20 years of commercial construction experience in multi-family, hospitality, retail, medical, financial, and senior living facilities. After receiving his Undergraduate Degree in History and English from UVM, he went on to receive his Master of Education degree and taught high school English in downtown Brooklyn, NY. After several years of teaching, he pursued a position with a national construction management firm in Manhattan where he was a Project Manager for 8 years before moving to Maine. Michael strikes the right balance in understanding and navigating architect, client, and subcontractor relationships, business development, and job management with a direct but collaborative mindset.

An Indiana native but summer Mainer all her life, Amy Kronenthal took the first chance she had to make Maine her permanent home. After graduating from Southern New Hampshire University with a Masters in Organizational Leadership, she worked in finance for several years before gaining her CPA license. Amy joined Caleb Johnson Studio in 2016 as Chief Financial Officer and today guides the entrepreneurial vision while working directly with clients, partners, and the Studio staff on all financial matters. Amy thrives in a creative environment. She is inspired by a commitment to community and clients and says she is constantly in awe of the beauty that is developed by the talented team of Caleb Johnson Studio. 

Growing up in a family of contractors, Leon Genre never thought he’d work in any other industry for a minute. He admires the camaraderie and energy that exists on job sites. Leon received his degree in Business from the University of Southern Maine but feels most of his experience was gained doing the hands-on work of historic preservations at a Portland, Maine mill shop. As our Pre-Construction Manager, Leon aligns all that goes into a successful project. He works closely with the design team to help manage the design and budget for clients and puts together pricing at various design stages. Throughout the process, Leon consults with project managers, subcontractors, and vendors to ensure everyone has what they need to be successful.

As the first person clients interact with, Amanda Cleary’s focus is listening and understanding how they want their space to function and feel—what are the essentials, and what will make this space comfortable, beautiful, and well-suited for the site? Setting the expectations, she walks clients through the sometimes emotional and daunting design and build process with expertise and compassion. Aside from managing pre-contract coordination, Amanda works directly with the marketing team, defining vision, strategy, and company goals. Amanda is a graduate of St. Michael’s College in Vermont with training in art history, painting, ceramics, and graphic design.

Drawn to the complexities of building and construction, Keith Levan started studying carpentry as early as high school. He teamed up with a local carpentry outfit, apprenticing under the head carpenter upon graduation. As a Project Manager, Keith stays one step ahead while leading projects—from scheduling and budgeting to collaborating with the design team. With a focus on establishing a good rapport with clients and the carpentry team, Keith builds trust and loyalty between the two. Once that’s developed, the rest of the project falls into place. A Mainer through and through, Keith appreciates the rugged nature of the state’s landscape and the dedication its people show for their passions.

Dee Dee has been constructing and deconstructing anything and everything since she was a kid. Following in her carpenter grandfather’s footsteps, Dee Dee is the Construction Project Manager at Woodhull, ensuring everyone has what they need to make a project happen from start to finish, along with keeping close contact with clients. A primary focus on every project is understanding client expectations and putting together the right team for the job. Inspired by the details in Maine’s landscape—late afternoon light, the water, vast green spaces—Dee Dee sees buildings through nature’s lens and finds herself influenced by Maine’s unique blend of people, the work ethic, and passion baked into the DNA.

Energetic + Talented. He sees the big picture clearly and understands the sum of it’s parts and how they must fit together.

A graduate of Colorado State University with a B.S. in Construction Management, Jason Dill joined Woodhull in 2020. Jason works in pre-construction, developing budgets on preliminary designs for upcoming Woodhull projects.

Taking as many ceramic courses at Earlham College as possible, Nicky Sontag knew he wanted to continue exploring and bringing more designs to fruition. Finding woodworking and furniture making as the perfect outlet, he moved to Maine and began working as a cabinet maker in 2016. Nicky joined Woodhull in 2019. Doing a little bit of everything, Nicky may find himself cutting an entire kitchen’s worth of plywood one day and making face frames and door parts the next. Contributing a large amount of his love of craftsmanship to his father, a shoe repairman, Nicky’s inspired to continue Maine’s legacy of woodworking by bringing ideas inspired by his environment to the world.

After studying Public Policy and Urban Geography at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Thomas Strayhorn headed west, working as a Construction Crew Leader building affordable housing. There, he gained hands-on experience in new construction and home renovation. After years of working as an independent General Contractor, Thomas joined Woodhull in 2020. Today, he translates the designs from Caleb Johnson Studio into working construction and installation drawings, formulating a list of all the parts and pieces required for millwork. Thomas is strongly influenced by minimalism and soft colors and textures combined with unique components that shake up our expectations. 

As the daughter of an Architect, Gabi Lesch has been around the industry her entire life. She has a B.A. from McGill University and, after graduation, worked as a Real Estate Agent, a Program Manager at an organic farm, and an Office Manager at a landscape architecture firm. As the People Operations Manager of Caleb Johnson Studio and Woodhull, Gabi works at the intersection of human resources, IT, communications, and office administration, ensuring all runs smoothly for the entire team. With an endlessly optimistic attitude and outlook, she has an approachable energy genuinely valued by all.

As Project Manager and Director of Residential Operations at Caleb Johnson Studio and Woodhull, Teresa Telander brings a fresh perspective and diverse insight to each project. She expertly manages the design and building goals while maintaining client vision and expectations. A Swedish national born and raised on the south coast of Spain, Teresa found herself immersed in two different cultures—leading to a strong appreciation for balance, translating in her work as the harmony of functionality and visual appeal. After her architecture training in the UK at the University of Brighton, Teresa participated in a construction workshop at Arcosanti in Arizona. She contributed to Costa Rica and New Zealand construction projects before working with a high-end firm for nine years. She joined Caleb Johnson Studio in 2019 and today lives on the East End in Portland. 

Patrick is the Director of Commercial Design and Operations. He is the liaison between the studio and Woodhull. Patrick ensures operations run smoothly, recognizing perspectives of each and facilitating a streamline of information.

Patrick studied architecture at Miami University in Ohio before receiving his master’s at Washington University in St. Louis and spending a semester abroad in Argentina. In 2008, he took on work in Washington D.C. for a firm focused on boutique restaurants. He then progressed to Project Architect on large-scale developments, including the $300M City Center DC Apartments, a ten-acre site downtown. 

Patrick’s focus is on further building a portfolio of commercial projects with a great appreciation for design. He believes the best work occurs when there’s a collaboration between the owner, architect, contractor, and subcontractor.

As Director of Design, David Duncan Morris ensures that the goals and philosophy of the studio meet. Generating ideas and working in tandem with Caleb, David oversees each project from beginning to end. He instills the core principles of thoughtful materials, space, and character.

He received his B.R. in Architecture at the University of Tennessee and studied at Poland’s Warsaw Polytechnic Institute before moving to Washington D.C. David first worked for a firm focused on private schools. They designed everything from gymnasiums to classrooms and theaters. But his desire to work on homes never faded, so he took work with a boutique firm renovating houses in D.C.

After one visit to Portland, Maine, he moved in 2015, taking his position with the studio. “Appreciation for the experience of good architecture is really valued here. People experience their lives in a really meaningful way. And that’s what separates us from other firms. We focus on the experience that the materials, light, air, and sight contribute. And in Maine, people are naturally civilized. They care about their environment, they want to live in nice harmony.”

Project Manager Amit Oza started an ambitious career path at Boston’s Northeastern before receiving a master’s from the University of Texas at Austin. After working for ten years in Boston on residential and multi-family units, institutional buildings, libraries, and museums, Amit joined Caleb Johnson Studio in 2020. With a focus on residential projects, Amit manages and oversees the design of the studio’s homes and renovations—dealing with all aspects from client care to project drawing. He draws inspiration from quiet, natural simplicity and the varied Maine landscapes and finds the best solutions are often realized after time spent outside.

Josh is a licensed architect managing various residential and commercial projects within the firm. He currently holds a Bachelors of Science in Architecture from The Catholic University of America. Previously, he worked in Washington D.C. on projects ranging from renovations to large multi-family and mixed-use buildings. His devotion to the natural world brings along an honest and balanced design approach to all projects.

As early as the third grade, Bud Angst knew he wanted to be an Architect, and it was a high school architectural design course that sealed his fate. He received his B.S. in Architecture and a Masters of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology before working as a lead designer for a timber and frame design-build contractor in Maine. Bud joined Caleb Johnson Studio in 2017. Today he is an active designer and project manager, working on residential projects from the pre-design phases through construction. His goal for each home is to create a beautiful space that meets client needs and budget while pushing the design and construction quality in Maine higher with every project.