Trina Sandschafer, AIA

Biography

Trina Sandschafer, AIA, serves as Vice President and Design Principal at Kahler Slater, where she is responsible for establishing, inspiring, and directing the comprehensive development of the firm’s design process. She is passionate about architecture as a discipline and a craft.

Based in Chicago, Trina serves as a national leader for the residential, hospitality, and corporate practices. She is well known for her exemplary design skills, as well as her ability to build strong relationships and attract key collaborators.

Trina leads all projects with a user-focused approach, resulting in clear conceptual analysis and engaging results. As a critical thinker, she excels at bringing clarity to complex programs. Trina’s extensive experience spans a wide range of scales – creating opportunities for diverse clients.

A sought-after expert, Trina has served on professional design juries, speaks frequently on the topic of design thinking, and has contributed to multiple publications.

An alumnus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Trina is actively involved with the Illinois School of Architecture as a mentor, professional practice liaison, and design critic, working with students to address critical architectural design issues in today’s cities.
In 2020-2021. Trina was the Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Illinois School of Architecture, leading the Chicago Studio and addressing the paradigm shift in urban housing. In 2019, she was honored to deliver the Illinois School of Architecture Convocation Address.
Trina serves as Chair of the Illinois School of Architecture Alumni Advisory Board. She is the Director of the Kahler Slater Studio, a collaborative graduate studio bringing together the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.