Stephen is the founder of Artspace, a non-profit that developed live/work space, childcare, educational facilities, and office space for other non-profit agencies. Artspace’s projects include the Pierpont Project, California Tire and Rubber, The Bridge Projects and the recently completed City Center in a historic warehouse in the city’s industrial district. Stephen is a sculptor, and his large-scale environmental works and water features can be found throughout Salt Lake City.

Stephen served as Director of the Frederick P. Rose Architectural Fellowship for Enterprise Community Partners after serving as the Planning Director for Salt Lake City under the progressive leadership of Mayor Rocky Anderson. As the first artist/planning director appointed in a major city in the U.S. he completed projects including new master plans for mixed-use residential neighborhoods, a guide titled, “Towards a Walkable Downtown: urban design strategies to improve the pedestrian environment in Downtown Salt Lake City” with Ann Forsyth; a project to develop high-performance, green building policies for the city; the development of the city’s first Transit Oriented Zoning districts, and a “Walkable Communities” ordinance. During the 2002 Olympics he produced an international symposium and exhibition titled, “The Physical Fitness of Cities: Vision and Ethics in City Building” with Moshe Safdie and Samina Quraeshi.

Stephen is an Associate Professor at the University of Utah’s College of Architecture + Planning, and Director of the Center for the Living City. He also works on community organization projects including the Katrina Furniture Project and The Temporary Museum of Permanent Change.

Stephen prefers to be called a homemaker.