Julia Rousakis
Julia Rousakis co-founded APE Studio after more than a decade of work with Richter Spielgeräte on projects throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and sites in Canada. A native of Houston, Julia enjoyed a free-range childhood exploring the playgrounds and bayous of her hometown. As APE Studio’s director of sales and marketing, Julia aims to bring the same opportunities for self-directed play and nature discovery to play spaces across North America. Julia is a former journalist and writer for museums, a two-time graduate of Columbia University, and the parent of two playground enthusiasts.
Julia is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector.
Chelsea Hoffman
From a young age, Chelsea has been climbing trees and halyards in search of quality play. A co-founder of APE Studio, Chelsea oversees the firm’s special projects. Prior to working with Richter, her experiences with the exhibitions team at MoMA and leading outdoor adventures for children and communities have served to reinforce her current pursuit of challenging and meaningful play experiences that connect users to the natural environment.
Chelsea is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector.
William Larson
Will is APE Studio’s planner and designer bringing over 10 years of experience to playground projects. Having grown up in North Carolina he has always made time for the outdoors and even as a resident of New York City is still an avid hiker, skier, and general wildlife enthusiast. With a background in industrial design, specifically product design, spaces and human interaction with things designed to occupy those spaces has always been a passion of Will’s.
Will is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector.
Martha Hall
Martha joined APE Studio in 2020 and serves as Marketing Manager, bringing a passion for creativity, exploration, and play to her work. With a background in studio art and design, she is focused on communicating the value of engaging, thoughtful environments for children.
Martha is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector.
Hinali Shah
With a background in architecture and urban landscapes, Hinali joined APE Studio as Project Manager in 2020 to pursue a passion for creating spaces that bring people joy. Hinali’s previous experience in the field includes managing construction projects at a New York City design school and for a real estate non-profit and conducting community research as a volunteer in the Dominican Republic. As an editorial intern for Metropolis Magazine, she unearthed hidden stories about the architecture and planning fields.
Hinali is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector.
Max D’Aurizio
Max has extensive experience in the design of destination playgrounds, parks and gardens. Prior to graduating from Cornell University, he worked as a landscape contractor in the greater Rochester area for several years. Max grew up playing in a first-growth oak forest and splashing around in the local bay, where he learned that nature is the best playground. His focus is bringing that joy to urban settings, so that all children have the same opportunity to learn and grow through play.
Max is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector and licensed Landscape Architect.
Matt Resignola
Matt comes to APE Studio with over a decade of experience in food manufacturing operations and hospitality. He grew up playing in the backyard wilds and surrounding waters of South Louisiana. Two young children have reconnected him to the joys and challenges of playgrounds where he can be found now, both at work and at play.
Jake Gershenson
Jake joined APE Studio as Systems Coordinator after years in major motion pictures and major network television productions. At APE, Jake keeps data organized and efficiently managed, so the team can stay focused on designing play. As a child, Jake spent summers in Central Park’s verdant wooded landscape, where respite from the big city inspired a sense of wonder they now hope to share with others.
Beck Trebesch
From his undergrad days at UC Berkeley to San Francisco and North Brooklyn parks, Beck has consistently found himself out in the field, researching, drawing, and executing collaborative public space projects. Montana-raised, Beck grew up playing in the alpine backcountry of the Bridger and Gallatin mountain ranges. He brings a strong passion to the APE Studio team for planning and designing play spaces that center nature and self-expression as essential to growing up. You can usually find him on a skateboard, skis, or his bike.
Flo Peters
A dual Canadian-American, Flo grew up splashing through the rivers and red dirt of PEI, the vast forests of Ontario, and the bustle of NYC. After graduating from Pratt Institute with a degree in industrial design, she worked at DailyTLJ on musical swings and interactive art that create unexpected experiences and bring strangers together through play. At APE Studio, Flo brings a strong foundation in disability theory, a love of biophilic design, and a dedication to uplifting children’s perspectives and agency in their own childhood.
Sasha Detiger
Sasha comes to APE Studio with a background in architecture and sustainable design shaped by her studies at Wesleyan University. She previously worked in interior and furniture design and taught design classes to elementary school students. Growing up in New York City and spending time in Amsterdam, Sasha’s childhood was filled with long days of urban playground exploration. These early experiences were formative to her understanding of well-designed play spaces.
Julia Ross
Julia joined APE Studio in 2025 as a Special Initiatives Project Coordinator. Originally from New Mexico, Julia’s childhood play experiences involved hikes through the Sandia Mountains, walks along the banks of the Rio Grande river, and skiing trips in Santa Fe. With a background in journalism and urban studies, Julia connects her love for exploration and nature with a community-centric and sustainability-focused approach to urban design. She supports APE’s publications, business development, and outreach initiatives.