The LOEB Fellowship

John Peterson, Curator

Peterson is the founder of Public Architecture, a national nonprofit organization based in San Francisco. The organization’s work has been showcased at the Venice Architecture Biennale, MoMA, the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the Benaki Museum in Athens, and the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam. Public Architecture’s 1+ program challenges architecture and design firms to pledge a minimum of 1% of their time in pro bono services to nonprofits in need and has attracted participation from over 1600 firms nationwide. Public Architecture’s projects have been covered by national and international media; its ScrapHouse, a house built from only salvaged materials, was the subject of a National Geographic Channel documentary. The organization was a Harvard Business School case study in 2010 and has been supported by a long list of major funders.

Peterson’s work has appeared in several books and publications, including The Resilience Dividend: Being Strong in a World Where Things Go Wrong, the New York Times, Architectural Record, Architect, Metropolis, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. He has contributed to books such as Expanding Design, Urban Interventions, and The Power of Pro Bono. Peterson led the architectural practice Peterson Architects from 1993 to 2010 and has taught at the University of Texas at Austin and California College of the Arts. A recipient of numerous design and social innovation awards, Peterson has played an important part in defining the concept of “public interest design.” He holds degrees in fine arts and architecture from Rhode Island School of Design and was a Loeb Fellow in 2006.

Susan Ocitti Mahoney, Program Director

Susan brings a decade of Harvard University experience to this role. She oversees the administration of the Fellowship and helps develop and support the overall strategy for the Fellowship’s engagement, which includes helping develop the Fellowship’s outreach strategy and alumni engagement.

Prior to her role, Susan spent a year as an Assistant Director at the Harvard Business School, overseeing the pre-doctoral fellowship program. She also dedicated over six years at the Harvard Kennedy School, managing the administration, programming, and development of the Shorenstein Center’s midcareer fellowship program. Additionally, she spent two years in the University Marshal’s office, assisting with commencement and working on special projects.

Susan holds a Master’s degree in International Higher Education and Intercultural Relations from Lesley University and a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication from Franklin Pierce University.

Kweta Henry, Program Coordinator

Kweta manages administrative functions for the fellowships and serves as a point of contact for all Loeb Fellowship matters, supporting each current class of Fellows and the vibrant Loeb Alumni Network. Kweta is a conflict resolution specialist, brings nearly four years of experience in cross-cultural facilitation and conflict management coaching. Before joining the Loeb Fellowship team in 2019, Kweta designed Beacon2Beacon, a peer mentorship conflict resource at UMass Boston. She earned her bachelor of arts in psychology and philosophy from Fairfield University, and her master’s in conflict resolution from the University of Massachusetts Boston.