Designing for Dignity

Daniel Brisson, PhD, MSW is a Professor and the Director of the Center for Housing and Homelessness Research (CHHR) at the Graduate School of Social Work, University of Denver. His research focuses on poverty, high-poverty neighborhoods, affordable housing, and homelessness.

Chad Holtzinger, AIA has practiced architecture for more than 20 years and has been licensed in Colorado since 2001. His career has primarily consisted of affordable housing design and urban mixed-use development in Colorado and the Mountain West region of the US.

Rachelle Macur, MCA is the Director of Sustainable Design and Social Impact at Shopworks Architecture and co-leads research in Dignified Design. As a social scientist with a deep background in ecological and social sustainability, her focus is on the cross-section of humans, nature, and the built environment. Rachelle works with evidence-based research in trauma, health, neuroscience, and biophilia to further the industry’s knowledge and impact in designing spaces that are healing, people-centered, and dignified.

Tom Otteson, AIA studied architecture at Lawrence Technological University and the University of Oregon and is a licensed architect with experience across a broad range of professional roles and project types. Since joining Shopworks, Tom’s focus has been on serving his local community through the design of people-centered affordable housing and community serving projects and using this work to advance the theory and practice of housing design.

Laura Rossbert, MDiv has been leading non-profits and organizations for the last decade with a commitment to her communities. As Shopworks’ COO, she brings her expertise and knowledge in best practices in homelessness and supportive housing to inform building design and find solutions to barriers to affordable housing, with special attention to trauma, resiliency, and equity.

Rachel Speer, PhD, LCSW, MSW is a licensed clinical social worker with over 10 years of experience in clinical practice, research, and teaching. She is an assistant professor at Bryn Mawr College where her work focuses on healing trauma through trauma-informed, equity-centered approaches.

Stacey Twigg, NCIDQ is an architectural designer specializing in housing and community-based projects that prioritize trauma-informed and inclusive design principles. Stacey works closely with communities to create environments that foster connection and well-being, blending functionality with thoughtful aesthetics that emphasize local context and materiality.

Jennifer Wilson, PhD, MSW is the Director of Research and Impact at Shopworks Architecture where she coleads research on Dignified Design as a trauma-informed approach to housing, shelter, and service environments. As a trained social worker and social scientist, her direct practice experience informs a commitment to end user engagement and a holistic examination of the relationship between health and the built environment.

Other Contributors
Graphic Design: Matt Brozovich
Editing: Chelsey Baker-Hauck
Art & Graphic Images: Catalina Lopez
Architectural Drawings: Jamie Wallace & Steph Pham
Photography: Matthew Staver Photography (all images feature projects designed by Shopworks)

Size: 9” x 9.25” Portrait
ISBN: 978-1-961856-95-0
Binding: Hardbound
Pages: 200pp
Publication Date: Fall 2025
World Rights: Available