Meet the team
Audrey Bauer
Sophie Ruf
Meredith Vlahakis
Sarah Bianchin
Eric Bauer
Sarah has been infusing Studio Maven with her can-do spirit since the very beginning. It started with Sarah planning Audrey’s wedding and evolved into a dynamic business partnership. As the administrative Wizard, her contributions have been crucial over the past 7 years.
In fact, Sarah has always been a helper-professionally and personally. Prior to Studio Maven she worked as a nanny for various families across the East and West Coast. She is a Certified Professional Governess, and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Illinois State University. Today she loves helping clients envision and actualize a more practical, personal, and beautiful place to live. She is the glue that holds Studio Maven together.
Studio Maven is founded and led by Audrey, a Licensed Architect in California. She is an accomplished project manager and designer who has worked on many diverse projects, from retail interiors to office spaces to home renovations. She was previously at the firms of Gensler; Valerio deWalt Train Associates; and a high-end residential firm in Marin. Originally from Chicago, she received her Master of Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology and her BA in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Audrey draws inspiration from the urban environment around her and commutes everywhere by bicycle. She enjoys exploring city streets she's never been to. She lives with her husband, daughter, and mother-in-law in San Francisco.
Meredith is a licensed architect who comes to Studio Maven with over a decade of experience working in this industry. Her career began in the Midwest where she graduated from Illinois Institute of Technology with a Master of Architecture. After that, she spent nearly a decade with a Chicago firm as a project manager extraordinaire - working with clients on both residential and commercial projects.
Her passion and drive as an Architect has helped her explore, think outside the box, and bring an attention to detail to her work. If she’s not helping clients or researching building codes, you might find her roaming the world of Skyrim or snuggling her cat.
Sophie is a crucial member of the Studio Maven Team. She joined the firm in 2018 and is on the path to becoming a licensed Architect in California. She completed her Bachelors in Architecture degree from the University of Michigan and received her Master of Architecture degree from the University of California, Berkeley. Previously, Sophie worked at a corporate workplace interior design firm, a residential architecture firm, and various installation design firms in Metro Detroit & Seattle.
Sophie found Studio Maven a few weeks before moving to the Bay Area. Everything fell perfectly into place so she could work during grad school. She has a love of Japanese architecture and enjoys computer gaming. "I have always loved making Origami; it's a very special thing for me and my Japanese family."
Eric is a retired Fuels Research Technician who enjoyed a 30+ year career for a major Midwestern oil company. He picked up Revit in his spare time while helping his daughter (Audrey) as she was building Studio Maven. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the firm from the many construction and home improvement projects he’s completed - everything from additions, renovations, bathrooms & furniture.
He enjoys all things mechanical and technical. He has driven semi-trucks for research, raced cars, and rode in hot air balloons and gliders. He is semi-retired and contributes to the Studio Maven team with drafting, measuring, detailing, and other special projects. He and his wife life in the East Bay and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.