Ion Staff

ion is directed by a core staff with demonstrated successes in community development initiatives in the public, private and academic sectors. The staff’s diverse practice background includes completed projects for a broad range of clients including those at the Federal, State, County, Municipal, CDC and NGO levels as well as private entities and non-profit groups. The scale of projects range from smaller specific needs to larger initiatives including neighborhood, district, subarea and regional plans.

Allen Harlow; Co - Director

As Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (the University of Colorado College of Architecture and Planning- Boulder) Allen has been integral in the launch of several key initiatives related to the Program’s overall community outreach efforts. As Director of the Center for Innovation and Creativity Facility (CINC) which is the University’s state of the art imaging and design build facility - he continues to manage the implementation of the Program’s outreach. Most recently, Allen assisted in the further evolution of this outreach through the establishment of the “Praxis” studio as an academic component which places a focus upon community development assistance to Colorado Communities. Allen is a Registered Architect in Colorado.

Ray Kramer; Co - Director

Through a diverse set of experiences garnered in public, private and academic settings, Ray has acquired a special appreciation for the role of community as the core of our natural, social, cultural and physical environments. His professional experience in architecture, planning and urban design reflects a wide variety of issues and types including sustainable development, infill redevelopment, commercial and mixed use facilities, affordable housing, civic and cultural facilities, city planning, resort planning, campus planning and educational facilities, program planning, urban renewal, special districts, historic preservation, technical rehabilitation and recovery planning. He has also consulted on a variety of regulatory and policy documents for numerous communities across the United States and in Canada. Ray is a Registered Architect in Colorado.

Fong Lee; Urban Designer & Graphics

Fong Lee is an architectural designer specializing in urban design. He is also Vice President of Hmong American Association of Colorado. Born in Laos, Lee grew up in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He received his Bachelor of Science and Masters of Architecture degrees from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. Lee has participated with local community groups in city planning redevelopment throughout the Denver Metro Front Range area.As a Hmong-American, Lee has volunteered with non-profit organizations within the Hmong community as well as with other communities. He has been involved with youth mentorship programs in Milwaukee and in Denver. Lee also had served as staff member for the Hmong American Association of Colorado and other Hmong non-profit organizations in Wisconsin.

Executive advisors

For a full bio of the Executive advisors please click on their photo.

Each of our “Project Board/Executive Advisors has been selected based upon their understanding of ion’s core mission and purpose and the growing need for technical assistance. During the course of all of our projects, our executive advisors are called upon for input per their particular expertise, including real estate, employment opportunities, funding strategies, tax increment financing, urban renewal, etc.