Oxbow Design Build is committed to a set of guiding principles that direct our business decisions and policies. We refer to these ideologies as ARCS, representing Aesthetics, Resiliency, Community, and Sustainability.
Aesthetics
We pride ourselves on our craftsmanship and attention to detail. Our shop is a creative and innovative environment, where the quality of our work is held in the highest regard.
Resiliency
As a small business that has transitioned into a worker-owned co-op, we are devoted to creating a just and equitable workplace. This gives us a strong sense of ownership and commitment to our work.
Community
We are devoted to supporting, serving, and empowering the many communities in which we are a part in accordance with co-operative values and principles. Our principles are rooted in the ideals of co-operation, mutuality. and solidarity.
Sustainability
As part of our commitment to the continued health of the environment, we take a holistic approach to sustainable building and fabrication practices to reduce our environmental impact.
Easthampton Mill Buildings
We are a worker owned cooperative working out of the revitalized Easthampton Mill District.
Our Staff
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Carl Woodruff
Member-Owner, Project Manager
Carl has over fifteen years of professional experience working as a builder, fabricator, and project manager. Prior to the founding of Oxbow in 2015, Carl developed advanced fabrication experience by managing high-budget, singular projects in New York City as a lead fabricator. He spent much of his time in NYC working with CNC machinery and other advanced fabrication techniques. Prior to and while residing in NYC, Carl was instrumental in projects ranging from conventional residential construction to the installation of large scale commercial alternative energy systems. Most of these projects have been community-driven endeavors with a clear focus on sustainable, efficient, and ethical building. His experience with advanced fabrication techniques, material properties, and project management are all valuable assets to our partnership. In addition to his work at Oxbow, Carl currently is a board member for the Valley Alliance of Worker Cooperatives, of which Oxbow is a member. Carl is a licensed Home Improvement Contractor and a licensed Construction Supervisor.
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Chris Millette
Member-Owner, Designer
Chris Millette was born and raised in Northampton, right here in the Pioneer Valley. He brings over fifteen years of experience in design and construction to our team. Chris received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Alfred University in 2008, and a Master of Science degree in Design & Historic Preservation from UMass Amherst in 2016. To learn more about sustainable lifestyles and construction, Chris lived in Italy for a number of years where he worked on organic farms and studied traditional building techniques. His artistic background, creative problem-solving, and attention to detail are all valuable assets to our coop. Chris performs several roles at Oxbow Design Build, including architectural design, project management and estimation, fabrication, and construction.
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Noah Modie
Member-Owner, Architect
Noah is a New York and Massachusetts Registered Architect who has geared his practice towards advanced digital fabrication, building information modeling, and prefabrication, all with an eye toward creating a more sustainable and aesthetically pleasing built environment at a lower cost. He has designed at a wide variety of scales and for an extremely diverse array of programs and received his Master of Architecture degree at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
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Meng Hok
Member-Owner, Site Supervisor
Meng grew up locally in Florence, MA. He has been working with Oxbow since they originally formed as an LLC. Once the company transitioned to a Worker-Owned Cooperative, he was among the first to be added as a member owner. Meng mostly works on site doing housing renovations, but has been known to help with just about any project that comes along.
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Charity Zielony
Member-Owner, Office Manager
Charity has an Associates Degree in Science Information and Technology from Holyoke Community College. She has been attempting to herd the cats at Oxbow Design Build for some time now and she loves her job. As a member-owner she knows her contributions to the cooperative are valued and her administrative expertise is respected. She also creates art in various mediums when not working.
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Tiffany K.
Member Owner, Junior Project Manager
Tiffany was locally born & raised. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics from Smith College in 2010, and her Associate of Science degree in Engineering from Greenfield Community College in 2014. Tiffany started at Oxbow in March 2022 after five years working for a large corporation, and greatly appreciates the learning opportunities and personal recognition of being part of a small business. “It’s great to work for people who care about more than just making money.” She appreciates the flexible schedule and opportunity to work from home, and has embraced the pandemic-hermit lifestyle. Outside of work, Tiffany enjoys making things and loving on her two cats.
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Justin Smith
Shop Project Manager
Justin is a longtime Easthampton resident and UMass Amherst alum. As a former small business owner Justin’s background is in project management, creative development, and team training and coordination. Outside of work, you might catch him gardening or winning an ice cream eating contest. Justin serves a variety of functions as Shop Project Manager including estimating, modeling, design implementation, and occasionally swinging a hammer.
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Ben Bowman
Sustainability Development Coordinator – Site Carpenter
Ben grew up in North Carolina and Connecticut and has a BA in Philosophy. After college, he spent some beautiful and formative years in the rust belt cities of St. Louis and Cleveland – farming, working in Catholic Worker communities, and joyfully scraping by. He cut his teeth in construction with Chris Magwood at the Endeavour Centre in Peterborough, Ontario and at Kent Hicks Construction here in western Mass. His days in the field keep him limber and humble. As Sustainable Development Coordinator, he aspires to wrangle a wholesome dream out of the construction industry: provision of great housing to poor and working class people, and building techniques that nurture both our local ecologies and our increasingly fragile climate.
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Frédéric Siegel
Construction Crew Manager
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Emily Berge
Site Supervisor
Emily has a BFA in Sculpture from UMass Amherst. She has always been interested in making things and getting dirty, which led her to construction. She has a passion for finished concrete, a skill learned from a previous job. Emily has her Construction Supervisor License and is excited to continue to grow with the company.
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Cole Lanier
Lead Carpenter
Cole has worked for over a decade in residential and commercial building, with a primary background in traditional mortise and tenon timber framing. While studying agriculture at UMass Amherst, he discovered the cooperative model through the student businesses and ended up studying worker cooperatives through the economics department. He is thrilled to be in a democratic workplace again. After the jobsite Cole likes cooking and stomping around in the woods with his two kids.
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Aaron Woodruff
Site & Millwork Carpenter
Aaron is a native of north country New York, born in 1985. A traveling tradesman, he has worked throughout North America. Aaron enjoys being in nature and changing landscapes, as well as working with his hands and listening to audio books.
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Wendy Vanos
Shop Finisher & Carpenter
Wendy grew up on a Massachusetts farm, nurturing her love of nature, the beauty of wood and working with her hands. Choosing wood shop over home economics in school, she was often the sole girl in her class. Her first job was in the finishing department of a high end furniture manufacturer, where she became the youngest Finishing Foreman in company history at the age of 18. Over the years Wendy has worked at large and small furniture and cabinet shops, with private work published in a national magazine. In 2011, she spent 5 yrs in precision tool manufacturing, once again the only woman in her department. With over 35 yrs finishing experience, her experience includes millwork and assembly, and occasionally leaves her dungeon for site work. Wendy joined the Oxbow family in 2019 as a temporary employee and is now a full time member.
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Eric Parham
Designer
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Jeff Haigler
Millwork Carpenter
Jeff is a NH native and came to woodworking through a lifelong love of the tactile and the harmonious. He joined Oxbow in early 2023 after apprenticing for several years under a gentleman carpenter in Providence, where he developed a taste for finish work and historic home restoration. Jeff is loving working as part of a larger team and exploring the Happy Valley through the lens of local design and construction old and new. A natural family man who recently welcomed his first child, a baby girl, into his family this fall!
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Jean Sifrin
Site Carpenter
Jean is a true “Jack of all trades,” transitioning from professional sports and youth mentorship to a burgeoning career in woodworking and carpentry at Oxbow Design Build. His self-taught skill set includes an array of handcrafted projects, from unique live edge shelves to complex structural work with LVL beams. Jean’s diverse background fuels his passion for craftsmanship, showcasing his commitment to quality and design.
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Dara Schenck
Millwork Assistant & Draftsperson
Originally from Colorado, Dara grew up learning basic woodworking from their Dad in his workshop. Having worked in Admin for three years after graduating from CU Boulder, they are excited to be back in the shop helping out wherever needed!
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David Bates
Millwork Carpenter
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Cole Cataneo
Junior Designer
Originally from Cape Cod, Cole is an alum of both Hampshire College and Princeton University where he received his Master of Architecture. After beginning his career in New York and New Jersey, he is excited to be back in the Pioneer Valley. His interest in architecture is driven by his passion for providing thoughtful design solutions to address our changing climate. He is currently pursuing his architecture license.
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Maebh Kosuta
Site Carpenter
Maebh grew up playing around shops and job sites, realizing from an early age the joy of building something with their own hands. Since then they’ve grown into a bit of a dilettante, adventuring down lots of different paths, but always coming back to construction. When they’re not working Maebh loves to draw, hike, sculpt, read, and fuss. They live to learn new things and grow their skills, drinking in knowledge whenever and wherever they can.
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Marty P.
Millwork Carpenter Assistant
Marty is a recent graduate of Dean Tech High School where he focused fully on carpentry. During his senior year, Marty participated in a work study program in which he came to work for Oxbow in the millwork department. Upon graduation, he was offered a permanent position. A native and current resident of Holyoke, Marty also enjoys playing football, baseball, and other sports.
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Dylan Ray
Project Manager Assistant
Dylan grew up in Vermont and recently graduated from UVM’s Grossman School of Business with a focus on Business Analytics and Statistics. His interest in project management and the growth of small, sustainable businesses led him to Oxbow, where he is excited to gain valuable experience and to grow. Outside of work he can be found playing or hiking with his dog, or tending to his ever expanding collection of houseplants.
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Ella Condon
Site & Millwork Assistant
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Anupama S.
Intern – Sustainable Development & Millwork Assistant
Anupama was born and raised in Eastern MA. They grew up being involved in all things fine art. They completed two years of a studio art degree at Eckerd College before the pandemic disrupted their education. During their time off from school, they discovered a passion for permaculture and sustainable living as well as gained some familiarity with our unjust housing system. They combined their interest in sustainable affordable housing with their penchant for hand skills and returned to school at UMass Amherst, where they currently study Building and Construction Technology. When they are not experimenting in the kitchen or trying and failing to play jazz guitar, they can be found wandering the forests of Western MA with their beloved dog, Lucy. Anupama believes strongly in the value of time spent with trees.