New Fire Native Design Group, a Native American-owned and operated architecture firm, today announced its new Vice President Cathleen Guthery. Guthery’s addition to the leadership group is a response to the firm’s steady, intentional growth since its 2017 founding. New Fire Native Design Group is focused on meeting the diverse and specialized needs of its Native American clients, producing work that supports the reemergence many tribes continue to experience while acknowledging specific culture, heritage and traditions. Guthery brings nineteen years of experience providing architectural and engineering services to primarily Native American clients.
“I am pleased to welcome Cathleen as our Vice President,” said New Fire Native Design Group President Jason Holuby. “We’ve worked together for many years, and I’ve admired her consistently excellent work product, as well as her passion for upholding and celebrating tribal culture. Since its founding, our firm has enjoyed a steady increase of projects in the Native American market, and our current and future clients will benefit from Cathleen’s enhanced leadership role.”
Over the years, Cathleen has been involved in many successful projects. She has contributed to the success of a diverse set of projects for Native American tribes including the Chickasaw Nation, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. Notable projects include the Chickasaw Nation’s Carl Albert Service Center, the Border and Megastar Casinos, the Cowboys Bar and Grill in the WinStar Casino, the Three Ponds Elder Housing Addition for the Creek Nation, the Lucky Star Watonga Casino-Hotel in partnership with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and many others.
“Tribal design projects are so diverse, from health and human services, to civic buildings to master planning and housing and more,” said Guthery. “Each Native American tribe we work with is different and has a unique history and perspective, and each makes Oklahoma stronger. I’m proud to join the leadership team as Vice President and look forward to bringing many more exciting projects to life for our clients.”
Guthery is a member of the American Institute of Architects and is a graduate of Leadership Native Oklahoma and Leadership Edmond. Guthery received her bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Oklahoma in 2001 and lives in Edmond with her family.
Oklahoma City-based New Fire Native Design Group was founded in 2017 on the idea of new beginnings, the emergence of a new direction and focus on supporting Native American clients. Today, tribes are experiencing a reemergence and new direction with improved opportunities for their people as well as a renewed passion for their culture, heritage and traditions. An affiliate of Oklahoma’s oldest and largest architecture and engineering firm, FSB, New Fire Native is focused on helping Native American communities reach their potential through thorough, forward-looking planning and design that maintains a strong reverence and respect for their past.
Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Petya Stefanoff, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Planning, Design & Construction (PDC) program, has been appointed the new role of Director of Community Development for the City of Shawnee, Oklahoma. She joined the city in 2024.
Gibbs College of Architecture is pleased to announce that Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., associate professor in the Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture and Design and director of the Institute for Quality Communities, has received national recognition for her book Model Schools in the Model City. The book has been named a finalist for the 2026 the PROSE Awards.
Gibbs College of Architecture Regional + City Planning Professor of Practice Vanessa Morrison and Associate Professor of Architecture Deborah Richards’ Open Design Collective received top honors at the inaugural BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Studio KIN Pitch Night Competition, held last month in Brooklyn, New York City.
