In alphabetical order
Maria Diven, MFA
Associate Professor, Interior Design
Maria Diven has been teaching for the past 8 years as an Associate Professor of Interior Design at La Roche University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She holds an MFA from the George Washington University in Interior Design, and a BA from the Pennsylvania State University in Integrative Arts with an Architectural Restoration focus. Maria has taught design courses at the freshmen through senior level, consisting of interior graphics, design studios, lighting, capstone and portfolio. Her research interests focus on the role interior design has on healthy and sustainable environments.
Lisa Kamphaus, MSIA, ASID, LEED-AP ID+C
Chair, Design Division
Professor, Interior Design
Lisa Kamphaus received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from University of Michigan, majoring in Interior Design. In 2010, she received her Master of Science in Interior Architecture from Chatham University. She has held the LEED AP ID+C certification since 2011 and is a member of GBA and IDLCPA.
Lisa began her teaching career at La Roche University in 1996, as an adjunct professor. In 2009, she became a Visiting Professor and in 2010 she became an Assistant Professor. Along with her full-time teaching responsibilities, she is currently the Chair of the Design Division, which comprises both the Interior Design and Graphic Design programs. She recently was recognized for her service, at La Roche University, when she received the “Brother Gregory Nugent Award for Excellence in Teaching”. This annual award is presented to a faculty member who, in the estimation of the students, is an outstanding teacher and dedicated mentor.
Lisa joined ASID in 1989 and is currently an ASID Professional Member. Lisa has received three Presidential Citations from ASID PA West. In1997, Lisa accepted the position of ASID Faculty Advisor for the Interior Design department and continues to hold the position today. Lisa strongly believes that student membership in the La Roche Student ASID Chapter is an important component of an interior design education and becomes a rewarding experience for the students. It also fosters important connections between the students and the PA-West Chapter’s professional members.
Lisa is involved in two Design Division programs introduce the Interior Design program to high school students. Meet Design at La Roche invites prospective students and their parents, to spend a day at the University and take part in many design-related activities, both Graphic Design and Interior Design. They also meet current students and professional in both fields, during a panel discussion. The Interior Design and Graphic Design departments join forces again during the 4-day Summer Studio for prospective high school students. This comprehensive design “experience” allow students to have a college “experience”; living in the dorms, eating in the cafeteria, taking field trips to design firms, and interacting with current design faculty and students. They complete a team project and present the designs to their parents on the final evening.
Michelle L. Kirkpatrick, MSIA
Department Chair, Interior Architecture & Design
Assistant Professor
Michelle Kirkpatrick earned her Master of Science in Interior Architecture from Chatham University with concentrations in historic preservation and higher education. She received her Bachelor of Science in Interior Design degree from La Roche College. Michelle has held a variety of positions in Pittsburgh at architectural, design and historic preservation firms as well as custom home builders.
Michelle first began her teaching career as an adjunct professor at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh in 2007. From 2009 – 2019, she was an Assistant Professor in the Interior Design Department. Michelle has also held a part-time teaching position at Seminole State College of Florida and worked as an instructional designer to develop new programmatic courses for the online modality. In 2019, Michelle joined the Design Division at La Roche University as an adjunct professor. In 2021, she became a Visiting Professor and was promoted to Assistant Professor of Interior Architecture & Design in 2022. She teaches both studio and lecture-based classes, including Design Studio I, II, and III, Building Tech (Construction and Finish Materials & Textiles), Foundations II, Interior Graphics, Professional Practices, Kitchen & Bath Design and Study of Great American Houses.
Outside of the classroom, Michelle takes on residential projects as an independent consultant. She is a wife, a mother of two, an avid photographer and gardener, and a novice tennis player.
Lauren P. Lampe, MFA
Professor, Graphic Design
Professor, designer, artist, traveler, adventurer, Lauren was born and raised in New Jersey. She attended the University of Delaware where she studied Design and graduated with a degree in Visual Communications. Her life’s travels have taken her far and wide for both work and pleasure. After living in England, Switzerland, France and the Caribbean, Lauren returned to the States to pursue graduate studies and received her M.F.A. from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.
Lauren has been a teacher her whole life and lives by the mantra: what we have to give, to others, is the summary of our lives’ experience. In addition to teaching at La Roche University since 1997, the universities that Lauren has taught at include East Carolina University, University of Delaware, and S.N.D.T. Women’s University, Mumbai, India. Lauren also enjoys teaching workshops and has taught at Touchstone Center for Craft in Pennsylvania, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, The Society for Contemporary Craft, and most recently for a fibers retreat in Nevada.
In addition to a career teaching design, Lauren makes new creative work daily. Lauren’s work includes mixed media sculpture, metalsmithing, fibers, and digital designing and photography. She is an industry trained metalsmith and jewelry designer who also worked as a typesetter in London, England. Lauren enjoys learning new things and finds wonder in learning and teaching new topics.
At the beginning of her recent sabbatical (2014-2015), Lauren was the recipient of a Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Grant, which assisted, in her trip to Greece to study marble carving under a classically trained master carver. Laurens sabbatical incorporated a wide range of investigations into rendering 3D objects both by hand, marble carving, and digitally on the computer and working with a 3D printer and laser cutter.
As a full-professor at La Roche University Lauren brings valuable teaching experience along with her life’s experience to her classroom.
Dev Nagar, M.Ed
Professor, Emeritus, Interior Design
Dev Nagar earned B.Arch/GD.Arch degree from University of Bombay, India in 1969.
He worked as associate partner with William Netter a well-known Interior Designer from US on a number of Interior Design Projects in India until 1975 when he immigrated to US.
He started his professional career working as an Associate for Gerard Associate Architects, Pittsburgh. In 1980 after becoming a Registered Architect in Pennsylvania, he became a Partner and the firms name changed to Gerard-Nagar Associates Architects.
In 1981/82 He also joined as an adjunct Lecturer of Pittsburgh Technical Institute. In 1983 he joined LaRoche University as an Instructor and later promoted to Assistant Professor after completing his M.Ed. from University of Pittsburgh in Higher Education in 1986. During his tenure of 30+ years Dev who is now a Professor has maintained both active professional practice and teaching.
At LaRoche he has been involved with relocation of the Department twice, Curriculum revisions, Accreditation process, University committees and many departmental and university events .He has also developed designs for the redesign of Providence Hall as Design Division Building and a Cultural Center which never materialized. Dev has taught over 30+ years at LaRoche taught almost all coursed at all levels.
Andy Schwanbeck, MFA
Associate Professor, Graphic Design
Andy Schwanbeck is an Assistant Professor in the Graphic Design department of La Roche University. In his twelve-year career, he has worked in a variety of design disciplines. Upon earning his degree in industrial design, he began his professional experience as a product designer for a small industrial design firm in Lyon, France. His ongoing interest in graphic design led him to his career in experiential graphic design. His professional career has covered working signage and wayfinding, web design, branding, marketing, and exhibition design. After earning his MFA in Visual Communication Design from Kent State University, his current work has taken on a strategic research-focused approach.
Andy has served as an adjunct faculty member for American University and Kent State University and as an Assistant Professor of Media Art + Design at Westminster College. As an educator at La Roche University, he focuses on leveraging his diverse experience and research skills to empower students to be better thinkers and more well-rounded designers.
In addition, Andy also enjoys success as a co-owner of a small letterpress printing business, Big Press Little Press. He serves as a board member on the Pittsburgh chapter of AIGA. Outside of his professional practice, Andy is an active outdoorsman, seeking adventure and relaxation in the beauty of our amazing national parks system.
