Board member Dennis is a South Hills Pittsburgh native. He grew up in Brookline, surrounded by close-knit extended family, and only left the city to attend college in Cincinnati. Dennis returned to Pittsburgh with his wife Jill and established an architecture firm with his brother.
As a well-known architect, Dennis has designed some iconic Pittsburgh structures including the Trimont Condominiums on Mt Washington, PNC Park, and Consol Energy Center. His firm also designed PNC Firstside Center, the first LEED-certified bank in the country. Globally, he has designed hospitals in Italy and India and will be building a baseball stadium in South Korea soon.
One building Dennis is especially proud of is the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. He found the project incredibly rewarding, drawing on his experiences as a parent to create spaces that made children and parents feel more supported. Dennis recalls spending time in a hospital when his son was sick with croup and wishing it had been easier to stay close to him without getting in the way of the medical staff. He recalled the unease he felt when a nurse asked him to take a break in the cafeteria, which was multiple floors away from his son’s hospital room. As the lead architect for the Children’s Hospital, he advocated for family spaces on every floor to allow parents a waiting space that was close to their children’s hospital rooms. Dennis focused on designing the building to prioritize the welfare and healing of entire families, knowing the stress that family members experience while supporting their children in the hospital.
Dennis has always been involved in helping others. Raised in a culturally diverse household with Serbian and Italian parents, Dennis felt the importance of lending a hand when anyone needed assistance. Dennis’s grandparents came from Europe to the US with very little and built a life for their families. His parents each had seven siblings, so he grew up surrounded by uncles, aunts, and cousins. Everyone pitched in and felt connected to their shared cultures. His parents were hard workers who prioritized education for their sons. Dennis knew that if he studied and worked hard, he could achieve his dreams.
“We all need help, but no one owes me anything.”
As a parent of two sons and one daughter, Dennis passed along those lessons of working hard and helping others. As the CEO of DLA+ Architecture and Interior Design, he encourages his employees to get involved in their communities outside of work. Dennis participates on the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts and the Governor’s Residence Committee. He also sits on the board of a local Italian daycare.
“It’s rewarding. You get more out than you give.”
Dennis joined SHIM’s board of directors in 2022 after his neighbor Barbara suggested he get involved. As a resident of Upper St. Clair, Dennis was aware of SHIM as a neighborhood food pantry. He was surprised to find out that SHIM operates a family center with programming geared towards the refugee community. With parenting classes, support groups, youth programs, and case management, SHIM provides a welcoming center for foreign-born families to find assistance.
Growing up in a Serbian Italian household, Dennis became interested in conflicts such as those between Croatia and Serbia. He’s impressed that through multiple conflicts, ethnic groups have held onto their identities. Dennis laments that these conflicts tear people apart. Especially passionate about supporting refugees and immigrants, Dennis was excited to get more involved supporting the work SHIM does for foreign-born families in the South Hills of Pittsburgh.
“My Italian teacher taught me the phrase ‘Una faccia, una razza- one face, one race’, which I love.” 
Dennis recognizes that there is more that binds us than tears us apart. He encourages people to learn more about the people in their communities and around the world. The more we know, the more we understand one another.
Finding time to volunteer can be difficult, but Dennis sees firsthand the value of donating time and energy to important causes. He views his position on the board as a way for him to offer time and expertise to help open doors for others. From his experience working overseas, Dennis understands that people have different expectations and customs depending on where they grew up. He recognizes the ambition and commitment that refugees and immigrants bring to their new lives. As a SHIM board member, he brings people together to offer guidance and support.
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