FEATURE 

U.S. Capitol Cleanup 

COOL TOOLS 

The Architect of the Capitol 

Sweeps Up the Past 

SPOTLIGHT 

ON SAFETY 

Why Consider a 

COVID Vaccine? 
 

6

TABLE OF 

CONTENTS

COOL TOOLS SEASONAL HIGHLIGHT 

4 11

4 COOL TOOLS: THE ARCHITECT OF 

THE CAPITOL SWEEPS UP THE PAST 

7 ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION: 

A SEASON FOR TRANSFORMATION, A 

SEASON FOR CHANGE 

11 SEASONAL HIGHLIGHT: 

COLLECTING AND GROWING 

TEXAS NATIVE PLANTS FOR 

CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE 

CHANGE ADAPTATION 

2 
 

14 14

14

14

TABLE OF 

CONTENTS

FEATURE PROJECT UPDATES 

17 32

17 FEATURE: U.S. CAPITOL CLEANUP 32 PROJECT UPDATES: AT THE AOC, IT’S 

ALWAYS HOME IMPROVEMENT TIME 

24 DOING GOOD: HONORING OUR 

HEROES 38 SPOTLIGHT ON SAFETY: WHY 

CONSIDER A COVID VACCINE? 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 3 
 

COOL TOOLS 

THE ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL 

SWEEPS UP THE PAST 

WRITTEN BY MORGAN GREEN 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KALEENA DWYER 

When Jim Kaufmann, Capitol Grounds and 

Arboretum Director, happened across an 1891 

street-sweeping map while going through cultural 

landscape reports, he had no idea how simple an old 

map could make caring for the U.S. Capitol Grounds. 

“We use our cultural landscape reports in a number 

of different aspects to guide our management of the 

grounds and this was a unique feature that we 

wouldn’t think would be relevant today. It goes to 

show how the tradition of caring for the grounds in a 

professional manner has been around for over 130 

years,” said Kaufmann. 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 4 
“IT GOES TO SHOW HOW THE TRADITION 

OF CARING FOR THE GROUNDS IN A 

PROFESSIONAL MANNER HAS BEEN 

AROUND FOR OVER 130 YEARS.” 

Jim Kaufmann, Capitol Grounds and Arboretum Director, pictured with a copy of the 1891 street sweeping map. 

5 COOL TOOLS 
 

Kaufmann assigned Lee Dennis, Supervisory Facility 

Operations Specialist, to oversee the new Fiscal Year 

2021 street-sweeping operation at the Capitol complex. 

Dennis studied the 130-year-old map and realized with 

some modifications the map could still be followed in 2021. 

There are more aspects to street maintenance than the 

original map addressed. In the 1890s, the Capitol 

complex was much smaller and saw significantly less 

traffic. The 1891 street sweeper was no modern technological wonder — the sweeper was a groundskeeper 

with a broom, dustpan, horse and buggy. 

“The map really simplifies the importance of each area 

back then,” said Dennis. The 1890s map, conveniently 

color coded by frequency of sweeping, will serve as a 

guideline for Capitol Grounds and Arboretum 

groundskeepers. For now, with COVID-19 limiting 

operations to an as-needed basis, Capitol Grounds and 

Arboretum runs the street sweeper a few times a week 

with a focus on Capitol Square. When things return to 

normal, Capitol Square will be color coded green to 

indicate it will be swept daily. Areas swept three times a 

week are coded yellow, areas swept twice a week are 

coded light blue, and areas swept once a week are 

coded dark blue. 

Not only does street sweeping keep the U.S. Capitol 

Grounds looking pristine, the technology behind today’s 

street sweeper has a sustainable and environmental 

focus as well. The street sweeper is a more efficient way 

of cleaning the sidewalks and curb lines to keep debris 

from building up in the catch basins of the storm sewers. 

“I can’t help but wonder if any of the recommendations 

of the street sweeping plans were supported or directed 

by Frederick Law Olmsted,” Dennis added. Olmsted, 

regarded as the founder of American landscape architecture, designed the U.S. Capitol Grounds and could 

have very well overseen a project of this nature. 

With millions of visitors each year, caring for the grounds 

is no easy feat and takes months of expert planning. The 

history and tradition of caring for the U.S. Capitol 

Grounds is a celebrated ritual that will continue for 

generations to come. 

THE HISTORY AND TRADITION OF 

CARING FOR THE U.S. CAPITOL GROUNDS 

IS A CELEBRATED RITUAL THAT WILL 

CONTINUE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 6 
ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION 

a season for 

transformation, 

a season 

for change

WRITTEN BY DR. GANELLA SMITH 
THOLOS | VOLUME 19 

-

There is a sense of change that comes as winter turns into spring and flowers begin to bud. With longer 

days and more sunshine, it feels like a time for new possibilities and a fresh start. That sums up what it 

feels like for me right now at the Architect of the Capitol (AOC). We are setting conditions for success by 

transforming into something new and powerful, something inspiring and enduring. One example is 

our approach to the agency’s core values. With our organizational transformation and Big Rock agency 

initiatives underway, we have an opportunity to leverage and continue to strengthen our core values 

with a renewed emphasis on respect, integrity, safety and empowerment (RISE). If you would like more 

information on RISE, please check out Tholos, Volume 17 or Compass as new information is released. 

Speaking of the organizational transformation, I can already see things blossoming all across the AOC. 

Here are some highlights of the work that has recently begun: 

VISION 2100 AND THE CAPITOL COMPLEX MASTER PLAN 

Together, Vision 2100 and the Capitol Complex Master Plan (CCMP) will support the AOC’s role in 

securing and preserving the Capitol campus. Vision 2100 will be our road map for the next century, 

helping us continue to inspire and educate all who visit and work here. The plans established in Vision 

2100 will include innovative ideas and best practices from futurists, visionaries and urban planning 

experts who will help us establish full-sized goals that will guide us in developing our CCMP and our 

future Strategic Plan. Without an extraordinary vision and successful implementation of that vision 

through the CCMP and Strategic Plan, many other enterprise initiatives will suffer. We will count on all 

our stakeholders, which includes you, to help us create the Capitol campus of the future. 

BUILDING OFFICIAL PROGRAM 

We have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for our customers and ourselves. Our facilities 

and grounds host people from around the world; we want this to be a place of safety. To do this, the 

AOC has launched a Building Official Program to minimize and manage risk. This program will improve 

our safety and code compliance to keep our iconic buildings maintained for future generations. A 

formal Building Official Program centralizes building code supervision and ensures that infrastructure 

and construction work being performed at AOC managed facilities and grounds consistently meet 

established building code standards. 

8 
ENTERPRISE ASSET MANAGEMENT 

Connected closely with the Building Official Program is another initiative designed to help us manage and maintain 

our assets. This effort is called Enterprise Asset Management (EAM). When this initiative is fully in place, we will be 

able to monitor usage of all our buildings, plants, machinery, vehicles and construction equipment. This can guide 

our understanding of what must be upgraded or replaced, and where we may need to make adjustments for the future. 

EAM will help us better care for what we have and will save countless dollars by improving the way we do things. 

CULTURAL BEHAVIORS, HUMAN CAPITAL STRATEGY AND AOC UNIVERSITY 

Three additional Big Rock initiatives reaffirm the AOC’s commitment to and investment in each one of us. Our 

workplace culture is at the heart of who we are as people and as an agency. The cultural behaviors transformation 

Big Rock will help us become the best version of ourselves expressed in how we work together, treat one another 

and engage with those we serve. Built around the four core values of RISE, the AOC will have a culture where all are 

valued and our workplace is free from harassment and/or discrimination of any type, where there is diversity and 

inclusion, and where we are all respected regardless of where we sit in the agency. We want all employees to help 

us understand what’s happening in the AOC’s current culture so we can take meaningful action. Keep an eye out for 

opportunities to participate in employee engagement sessions; help us shape the cultural transformation. 

The AOC’s customers are the reason we are here, but AOC employees are the agency’s greatest strength and 

resource. The beauty and grandeur of the buildings are only a reflection of the beauty and dignity of the people 

who work here. The Human Capital Strategy is an investment in providing the best service to our employees. It will 

create opportunities to recruit new employees who will partner with our current dedicated staff, secure the best 

benefits and advancement opportunities for our employees, and ensure that employees are cared for professionally 

and personally. 

AOC University is an organizationwide innovation that will provide opportunities for training, education, 

professional development and career advancement. This initiative will create fresh possibilities for all employees; it 

will build on the already impressive gifts and talents of each one of you. The Human Capital Strategy in coordination 

with AOC University will continue to build partnerships with educational and vocational institutions to help provide 

opportunities for employees by creating a workforce with the skills to continue serving, preserving and inspiring for 

years to come. Additionally, the Human Capital Strategy, in partnership with the cultural behaviors transformation, 

will work to foster improved employee well-being through employee engagement efforts aimed at improving the 

lives of our workforce in a meaningful way. We are setting the foundation for these efforts now. Stay tuned! 

We are creating an organizational transformation that will result in an inspiring vision for the future, satisfied 

customers, and employees who consistently excel and prosper in their work — and are recognized for their efforts. 

These Big Rock initiatives create the opportunity for us all to be a part of building the AOC of the future. As the 

seasons change, let us RISE. 

9 ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION 
as the 

seasons 

change,

let us 

rise
 
 

SEASONAL HIGHLIGHT 

COLLECTING AND GROWING TEXAS NATIVE 

PLANTS FOR CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE 

CHANGE ADAPTATION 

WRITTEN BY DEVIN DOTSON 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE U.S. BOTANIC GARDEN 

For 200 years, the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) has grown and shared 

thousands of plants with the public. While seasonal plants like poinsettias 

delight and inspire, the USBG’s biggest treasure is the approximately 10,000 

plants that form a permanent collection — a basis for the USBG’s status as a 

living museum. These plants include rare and endangered plants, orchids, 

medicinal and food plants, U.S. native plants and others from around the world. 

Throughout 2020 while the USBG was closed to the public, the Horticulture 

team continued stewarding its plant collection. Several Horticulture team 

members were paying special attention to a new batch of plants grown from 

seeds harvested during a plant-collecting trip to Texas. 

Left: The blooms of drought-tolerant redwhisker clammyweed (Polanisia dodecandra) now 

successfully growing at the U.S. Botanic Garden attract many pollinators. 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 12 
The team found and collected seeds from the rare Glen Rose yucca (Yucca necopina), native only in a few counties in Texas. 

In 2018, the USBG’s former Plant Curator Bill McLaughlin 

(now retired) joined colleagues on a collecting trip 

organized by the Plant Collecting Collaborative, a group 

of public gardens dedicated to propagating wild-collected 

plants from around the world for the purposes of 

increasing diversity in horticultural displays and collections and contributing to plant conservation. The 2018 

trip sought to find and collect seeds from several 

locations in central Texas. 

You might wonder why a garden in the mid-Atlantic 

would be interested in gathering plants native to Texas. 

According to McLaughlin, some areas of Texas have 

similar climates to Washington, D.C. “I was surprised 

because we started pretty far west in Texas, where I 

expected the plant life to be much more adapted to dry 

air,” said McLaughlin. “But we woke up to 70 percent 

humidity that didn’t burn off until afternoon. I saw 

immediately that many plants there could live in D.C.” 

A major goal for the USBG was to locate Texas native 

plants that could grow well in an urban heat island like 

downtown Washington, D.C. and be part of adapted 

planting designs in response to a changing climate. 

“Many Texas plants, if they have a modicum of cold 

hardiness, can make great garden plants,” said 

McLaughlin. Some plants from Texas display heat and 

frost tolerance, as well as drought tolerance, which 

could be very useful into the future. 

13 SEASONAL HIGHLIGHT 
 

After participating in a successful collecting trip 

to the Philippines in 2017 that supplemented 

the USBG’s indoor Conservatory collection, 

McLaughlin was excited for this domestic trip 

where he could gather plants to grow and 

showcase outdoors. “Plants like wild sunflowers 

and blanketflowers — I love when the Garden 

can show the straight species and exactly 

where it came from,” said McLaughlin. The 

provenance data indicating when and where a 

plant was acquired makes it valuable for 

conservation and breeding. 

The Plant Collecting Collaborative team had 

some specific plants they were hoping to find 

but were also keeping their eyes out for other 

opportunities as they arose. Partners on the trip 

included Chicago Botanic Garden, Chanticleer 

Garden, The John Fairey Garden and the 

Botanical Research Institute of Texas. It wasn’t 

always glamorous, McLaughlin reported 

— there were several 100-degree days. “You 

don’t have to worry about ticks and chiggers in 

those scorching temperatures. They recede!” 

said McLaughlin. 

This prairie fameleaf sumac (Rhus lanceolata) is one of many the U.S. 

Botanic Garden has successully grown from seeds collected on this trip. 

The plant demonstrates the target heat, cold and drought tolerance. 

DESPITE THE LONG, HOT DAYS, THE

 GROUP WAS SUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING 

MANY PLANTS FITTING THE HEAT- AND 

DROUGHT-TOLERANT, COLD-HARDY TARGET. 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 14 
Despite the long, hot days, the group was successful in 

locating many plants fitting the heat- and drought-tolerant, cold-hardy target. The USBG has added seeds from 

more than 150 plants collected during this Texas trip 

into the plant collection. The Horticulture team has 

been determining the best courses for getting those 

seeds to germinate and then growing them into strong 

plants that can be planted in the outdoor gardens. 

Gardener Anna Mische John is a member of the Gardens 

and Grounds team and is one of the key people responsible for growing the Texas plants. “I am really excited 

for the potential drought tolerance,” Mische John said. 

“We need plants that can handle climate change and 

areas like the rain gardens in Bartholdi Park where plants 

need to be able to handle both inundation but also the 

long periods of dryness in between.” 

The Horticulture team plans to incorporate some of the 

plants into current garden areas like the rain gardens 

and dry, full-sun areas, but also plans to swap out 

current plants that might have come from a horticultural 

greenhouse with unknown provenance with these new 

wild-collected plants. Mische John already has one such 

swap out planned — replacing a Texas persimmon in 

the Southern Exposure courtyard in the Conservatory 

with one brought back from the trip. 

Every day, the team had to clean the seeds gathered to provide the best conditions for storing and future germination. Former USBG Plant 

Curator Bill McLaughlin is shown second from left. 

15 SEASONAL HIGHLIGHT 
 

The team gathered seeds from these wild sunfowers (Helianthus annuus) at the Cedar Hill State Park south of Dallas, Texas. 

A number of the plants were exciting for the 

Horticulture team for a variety of reasons. Texas milkweed (Asclepias texana), was Mische John’s favorite. “It’s 

a beautiful garden plant with a great size and flowers for 

a long time,” she said. “It’s not a plant that I’ve really 

seen growing in other gardens or in the horticulture 

industry to purchase.” 

Some plants like halberdleaf rose mallow (Hibiscus laevis) 

and lemon beebalm (Monarda citriodora) are already 

large enough and have been planted outdoors. Try 

finding them on a future visit! Other plants like a little 

prickly pear cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri) 

that germinated this winter is only the size of a pea. 

Cacti typically are slow growing, so the gardeners will 

have to care for it for many years before it reaches a size 

that can be displayed in the public gardens. 

Caring for special plants is one of the things public 

gardens do best. The USBG is newly focused on updating its plant collection to replace unknown-origin plants 

with wild-collected ones, continuing to make the plant 

collection available for research, and expanding partnerships to further support science and conservation. 

People rely on plants for food, clean air, medicine and so 

much more. These vital organisms are facing threats 

such as climate change, a growing human population, 

and land loss due to development and agriculture. 

Bringing native plants into cultivation and expanding 

the genetic diversity of living collections is a critical 

component of ensuring plants survive these challenges. 

The USBG is proud to be part of the public garden 

community that is at the forefront of American native 

plant conservation. 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 16 
 

 

FEATURE 

U.S. CAPITOL CLEANUP 

WRITTEN BY REBECCA CHILLRUD 

The events of January 6, 2021, left most of the 

nation at a standstill, but Architect of the Capitol 

(AOC) employees immediately went to work, 

restoring the building and grounds to their proper 

condition so that Congress could safely reconvene 

and inaugural preparations could get back on 

track. In this article, you’ll hear from a few 

employees about the incredible effort they and 

their teams put forward in the aftermath of the 

U.S. Capitol breach. 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 17 
INSIDE THE U.S. CAPITOL 

The HVAC Shop took on an unexpected role during the 

breach, providing access to their eyewash stations to 

U.S. Capitol Police officers who were affected by 

pepper spray or tear gas. The team also reversed air 

flows to get the pepper spray cleared from the building. “In that moment, it was kind of unbelievable what 

was unfolding. But as it’s unfolding, you just want to 

make sure everybody was okay,” said Clinton Johnson. 

“It felt good to be able to help, but I just wanted to get 

through it.” 

As an AOC employee for nearly 15 years, Johnson said it 

was hard to see the building in that condition. “But I know 

that the AOC has a great staff and I know that we can 

restore it back to what it was,” he said. “We’ll persevere.” 

Ricardo Mitchell, with the AOC’s Labor Division, was 

also on-site that day with his team. “We were here that 

day of the event. We got evacuated out of the building 

just like everybody else,” he said. “Once they got 

everything under control, we had to come back in the 

building and clean up the mess, because the Members 

were going to return to finish voting. We had to go into 

the chambers and prepare them so they would be able 

to come back.” 

“It was a lot of masks and a lot of broken glass, some 

broken furniture. They had to barricade the doors,” he 

said. There was a lot of heavy lifting to get the House 

and Senate chambers back in shape. 

Mitchell found it appalling to see the state the U.S. 

Capitol was in. “We put hard effort in every day to keep 

this building maintained. It was a lot of debris, you 

know? And we had a short time to clean it up. But we 

just got it done. I have a hardworking team,” he said. 

”I applaud my team for being so dedicated,” Mitchell 

said. “We had to stay here and work extra hours in order 

to get the job done. We knew how important it was.” 

“WE HAD TO STAY HERE AND 

WORK EXTRA HOURS IN ORDER 

TO GET THE JOB DONE. WE KNEW 

HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS.” 

18 FEATURE 
 

AOC carpenter Jeremy Lauer boards up broken windows in the Senate corridor. Photo by Thomas Hatzenbuhler 

SECURING THE BUILDING 

The Carpentry Shop was also involved in the immediate 

aftermath. “That night, we went around and assessed 

the broken windows and some of the broken doors 

and tried to make sure the building was secure,” said 

Jeff Walters. 

Many of the windows that were broken weren’t historic, 

but some of the interior, historic doors were damaged 

beyond repair. 

“A lot of our job comes with unexpected challenges. 

There’s not a whole lot that surprises us anymore, but 

seeing the overall condition of the building that night, 

that, I would have to say, was a bit shocking. I’ve been 

with the Architect of the Capitol for maybe 22, 23 years. 

So I’ve seen a lot of the things that have gone on here, but 

I’ve never seen the building in such disarray,” said Walters. 

Fortunately, Walters said, “I’ve got a crew that was with 

me that worked tirelessly to go out and get the things 

done that we knew had to be done. When we go around 

and look at something that needs to be repaired, we’re 

always looking at the solution part of it and not really 

standing back saying ‘Wow, I never thought that would 

happen.’ We just look at it as something that needs to 

be done.” 

The Carpentry Shop took immediate steps to secure the 

building, but there were also longer-term repairs 

required. In the months since January 6, almost all the 

broken windows have been replaced and interim repairs 

have been made to all the damaged doors. Fortunately, 

the U.S. Forest Service was able to provide the AOC with 

priceless 100-year-old mahogany, which will be used to 

repair some of the damaged historic furniture. 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 19 
“IT’S DEFINITELY DISHEARTENING 

TO WITNESS THAT. IT’S SOMETHING 

WE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT.” 

THE U.S. CAPITOL GROUNDS 

The grounds around the U.S. Capitol were also in need 

of serious cleanup by the Capitol Grounds and 

Arboretum team. “We understand that the landscape is 

the first thing that everybody sees when they come to 

Capitol Hill,” said Jim Kaufmann. “Regardless of where 

they’re going, what building they’re going to, they’re 

coming on to the landscape first, and that’s their first 

impression of Capitol Hill.” 

On the morning of January 7, the assessment of the 

grounds began. “Our team of arborists, masons, gardeners, laborers, mechanics, they were all involved in the 

cleanup effort, to try to clean as fast as possible,” said 

Katie Serock. 

PREPARING FOR THE INAUGURATION 

“It was tough for the crew because these are the areas, 

our grounds, that we preserve. That’s why we’re here,” 

said Kaufmann. 

Serock agreed, “It’s definitely disheartening to witness 

that. It’s something that we care so much about. We are 

creating this vision for the entire country of having this 

pristine and organized U.S. Capitol. And when you see it 

go into disarray, it kind of sinks your heart a bit.” 

“We have great employees that step up to the plate and 

get the work done,” said Serock. “That’s our job and we 

want it to be as beautiful as possible.” 

With the inauguration scheduled for January 20, the 

AOC’s preparations were already well underway. This 

included the inaugural platform on the West Front, 

which the AOC builds from scratch for each 

inauguration. 

“When I left there Wednesday, January 6, I was real 

happy and proud of our team,” said Kevin Grooms, who 

works in the Paint Shop. The white paint on the inaugural stands was completely finished, and they had made 

it through nearly three-quarters of the blue detail work. 

“We worked until probably 12 o’clock Wednesday. And 

the blue paint that was on the deck was actually still wet.” 

“We came back on Thursday morning, and I mean, it was 

completely destroyed,” he said. “It was just totally 

demolished. The blue wet paint, they tracked it all over.” 

There was also trash and debris covering the stands. 

“Besides the stands having a lot of debris on them, there 

was a lot of broken glass. And there was a significant 

amount of residue from the tear gas. It was very difficult 

20 FEATURE 
 

Tim Herr repairs a door frame damaged in the U.S. Capitol breach. 

Photo by Sean Greene 

cleaning up that area,” said Serock, who noted that 

the U.S. Capitol Police provided important guidance 

on how to safely handle these items. 

“It was a real mess, it was unbelievable. You just 

can’t imagine,” said Grooms. “We’re still in shock 

over it.” But his team worked hard through the 

weekend. “When I left there Sunday afternoon, that 

deck looked like it did Wednesday.” 

This was a tremendous amount of work in a short 

amount of time for the team, but “that’s just a small 

part,” said Grooms, who pointed out that these 

efforts are going on across the AOC. “Everyone’s 

doing the same type of thing, you know, everybody 

just wants to get everything done. We didn’t want 

this to affect us.” 

Thanks to the hard work of these AOC employees, 

the U.S. Capitol was back in great condition for 

Inauguration Day, and many viewers were struck by 

the contrast from the scene just a couple of weeks 

before. One note we received said, “The Capitol 

looked beautiful today for the inauguration of a 

new president. When we think back to two weeks 

ago and remember the broken glass and the 

overturned furniture, we appreciate you, the people 

who restored the halls and chambers to their 

pristine condition.” 

“...WE APPRECIATE YOU, THE PEOPLE WHO 

RESTORED THE HALLS AND CHAMBERS 

TO THEIR PRISTINE CONDITION.” 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 21 
EXPRESSING GRATITUDE 

The incredible efforts of employees across the AOC 

have not gone unnoticed. People all across America 

were able to take solace in seeing order restored to the 

U.S. Capitol by our hardworking employees. 

Morgan Green helps monitor the AOC’s web feedback 

inbox. Typically, she receives a slow trickle of logistical 

emails throughout the day, but in the weeks following 

the breach, the inbox was flooded with thousands of 

messages of appreciation and offers of support. 

“We’ve been sharing many of the messages with 

employees, and it has really helped raise the spirits 

of our staff to know that their work is appreciated,” 

Green said. 

In March, we published a special edition of Tholos with 

a selection of the notes of appreciation we have 

received. Many of those who wrote letters expressed 

their thanks not just for the work AOC employees did in 

the aftermath of January 6, but also for the work we do 

every day to serve, preserve and inspire. 

One note resonated with our team: “As an American 

citizen, I thank you for cleaning the Capitol and allowing our government to continue their work. You have 

been the bright spot in the story that I explain to my 

young kids about what happened. I have been able to 

explain to them that citizens like you are who they 

should strive to be — dedicated keepers of democracy, 

even in uncertain times.” 

Signs were placed at the Peace Monument in memory of U.S. Capitol Police ofcer Brian Sicknick. Photo by Thomas Hatzenbuhler 

22 FEATURE 
 

 “As an American citizen, I 

thank you for cleaning the 

Capitol and allowing our 

government to continue 

their work. You have been 

the bright spot in the 

story that I explain to my 

young kids about what 

happened. I have been 

able to explain to them 

that citizens like you are 

who they should strive to 

be — dedicated keepers 

of democracy, even in 

uncertain times.” 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 23
 

DOING GOOD 

HONORING OUR HEROES 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES ROSENTHAL 

& THOMAS HATZENBUHLER 

Architect of the Capitol employees that were on-site when the U.S. Capitol was breached January 6, 

2021, recently received an award from Architect of the Capitol J. Brett Blanton. The employees were 

recognized for their heroic efforts that day and for persevering to fulfill our mission to serve, 

preserve and inspire when it mattered the most to so many across the country. 

Jose Acosta James Adams 

24 
 

Brandon Armstrong William Arrindell 

Robert Baker Kevin Brown 

Gary Bullis Junius Butler 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 25 
Terrance Cardwell Teri Cartridge 

Douglas Chiles Joshua Collinson 

Glenn Davidson Rina Diaz 

26 DOING GOOD 
 

Mark Emerman Bennie Frazier 

Robert Gatewood Michael Gonzales 

Abe Gray Raphael Herring 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 27 
Timothy Hinton David Holmes 

Clinton Johnson Gregory Johnson 

Jason Jones Andrew King 

28 DOING GOOD 
 

Michael Lash Wayne Leeman 

Edgar Lopez Dale Mathis 

Ricardo Mitchell Robert Money 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 29 
Joseph Okes Robert Petruska 

Daren Pirner David Rines 

Alvaro Sanchez Demond Stanley 

30 DOING GOOD 
 

Thomas Swann Bradley Turner 

Ernestina Uben-Reyes Jefrey Walters 

Darryl Whited Clarence Wise 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 31 
 

PROJEC T UPDATES 

AT THE AOC, IT’S ALWAYS HOME 

IMPROVEMENT TIME 

WRITTEN BY JUSTIN KIEFFER 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AOC PHOTO BRANCH 

At the beginning of 2020, as the country started to 

experience the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, people 

began to stay at home more often to help stop the spread of 

the virus. While people made their offices at kitchen tables or 

in their backyards, many started to see their home as a 

project, or really, as a series of projects, such as remodeling 

the kitchen, installing new carpet, painting, adding a deck, 

etc. Their goal was to take the time to make where they live 

perfect. They wanted to enjoy their home to the fullest and, 

when the pandemic finally ended, to invite their loved ones 

to visit and observe all the work done to beautify their space, 

which had served as their one safe place. 

32 
 

While most people have one structure to take care of, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is hard at work on multiple 

projects to care for the buildings across Capitol Hill. With the U.S. Capitol, House and Senate office buildings, Library 

of Congress and Supreme Court buildings, garages, and gardens, the AOC will never check off all of the items on its 

to-do list; taking care of the Capitol campus is an unending process. Most of the projects take years to complete and 

include studies, designs and finally construction and completion. Checking off one item on the AOC’s to-do list is 

usually reward enough for all the people involved with these projects...and then it is on to the next one. 

U.S. CAPITOL STONE AND METAL PRESERVATION 

A worker carves a marble replacement leaf for a column capital. 

There is also a little difference between completing a task at home and working on a 

building like the U.S. Capitol. Tove Anderson, an 

architect by trade, is the Project Manager of the 

U.S. Capitol Stone and Metal Preservation 

Project. This is a phased project, meaning it is 

broken up into sections — think of painting the 

different sides of a house in four parts and each 

part is a phase in the project. In this case, the 

task at hand is cleaning, repairing and restoring 

the original stone of the U.S. Capitol. 

The AOC recently completed Phase 2 of the 

project, which encompassed the south, or 

House, side of the building. Time and weather 

have taken their toll on the U.S. Capitol’s stone. 

One focus of Phase 2 was the pediment, the 

triangular upper portion, which features 

multiple marble sculptures. While hard to see 

from the ground, these sculptures add to the 

true beauty of the U.S. Capitol. The workers on 

the pediment had to follow strict guidance and 

carefully mind their surroundings. They were 

required to wear hard hats with chin straps and 

no loose clothing or dangling tools to avoid 

further damaging the marble sculptures with 

an unintended bump or graze. 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 33 
Top: Application of the shelter coat. 

Middle: Application of stone consolidation. 

Bottom: A worker carves a replica of the Genius’s torch. 

To properly preserve this portion of the building, a 

sculpture assessment was performed to determine 

the requirements and then a detailed plan was laid 

out and conducted, starting with removing an old 

bird deterrent system. Workers then performed 

several types of cleaning to remove surface soil and 

copper staining before they began the conservation 

work on the figures, which included repairing cracks 

and replacing or rebuilding deteriorated stone to 

restore the figures, such as the faces. 

No project is smooth sailing all the way, especially 

with buildings as old as these. A specific hurdle for 

the pediment work involved seasonal temperature 

changes. For example, in the winter, the temperature 

and humidity were too low for the chemicals used to 

treat the stone to work properly — so the team 

isolated the work area and introduced heat and a 

mister system to increase humidity. This design 

created an ideal environment for successful restoration work. 

Completing Phase 2 on time, even through a pandemic, which limited the number of people on-site, 

was a major success. “The pride and professionalism 

of all of the workers and the incredible quality of 

work is something I am most proud of on this 

project,” said Anderson. 

Phase 3 of the project was recently awarded and 

work on the West Front (the center portion of the 

U.S. Capitol that faces the Washington Monument) 

will begin this year. After the fourth and final phase 

of the project (the East Front) is complete, Anderson 

will move on to the next project on the AOC’s list. 

34 PROJECT UPDATES 
 

SENATE UNDERGROUND GARAGE AND LANDSCAPE RESTORATION 

Top: Joe Smith, Construction Manager, and Nate Smith, Inspector, team up 

to review progress of punch-list items at Upper Senate Park. 

Bottom: Laura Cameron, Assistant Director of the Project Management 

Branch, and Joy Jordan, Senate Jurisdiction Executive, share their project 

management and AOC experience with Margi Bergamini, Project Manager. 

Down the street from the U.S. Capitol, Margi 

Bergamini, a general engineer, serves as the 

Project Manager for the Senate Underground 

Garage and Landscape Restoration Project. 

Bergamini oversees the restoration and waterproofing of the garage and pedestrian tunnel, and 

more visibly, the Senate Park Plaza, fountain and 

landscaping located above the garage. 

Historic preservation is a critical part of almost 

every AOC project and the team’s efforts on this 

have been successful in preserving the original 

granite, light standards and stone benches. 

Additionally, beautiful new landscaping was 

planted, honoring the original design while 

occasionally using species more suited to the 

current environment and climate. For example, 

some of the heritage red oaks near the end of their 

life spans were replaced with saplings to accommodate the construction, and more importantly, to 

maintain the safety of the park. 

A project team that would normally share sketches, 

brainstorm and problem solve in person, relocated 

its collaboration into the remote world of phone 

calls, emails and sometimes video chats. “I am 

proud of the perseverance as we kept pressing 

forward through obstacles like this,” states 

Bergamini. “The team is pleased that we maintained and restored Senate Park and brought it 

back to its original 1932 splendor.” 

As spring and summer arrive, the public can enjoy 

a newly restored area that brings more beauty to 

the Capitol campus. 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 35 
RAYBURN GARAGE INTERIOR REHABILITATION AND CENTER COURTYARD 

AND WEST PLAZA WATERPROOFING RESTORATION 

Some house projects are less glamorous than others, but they are still vital and necessary to your home. Alex 

Santos, a mechanical engineer, spent the last several years working on garages (in addition to other types of 

projects) in the House Office Buildings, and currently manages the Rayburn Garage Interior Rehabilitation — 

another phased project. “The project includes heavy demolition and renovation activities while maintaining 

building operations without limiting Congress and their staff to conduct the nation’s business,” Santos says. “I am 

proud to be a part of a diverse team of disciplines, each dedicated to ensuring the success of the project through 

rigorous and effective communication and coordination protocols.” 

Concurrently, he’s also managing the upcoming Center Courtyard and West Plaza Waterproofing Restoration, 

which will eliminate water leaks affecting the interior of the Rayburn House Office Building and its garage. The 

project is still in the construction procurement phase. Once it is finished, people will see the same beautiful plaza 

they see now, but the completed project will restrict water from seeping into the Rayburn Building and its 

rehabilitated garage. 

Top Left: Workers apply high-strength, durable concrete on top of 

epoxy-coated reinforcement bars. 

Top Right: Debris removal and recycling after hydrodemolition of the 

old concrete slab. 

Bottom: A worker cuts an old concrete slab around columns that 

cannot be reached by hydrodemolition. 

36 PROJECT UPDATES 
 

CANNON RENEWAL 

When it comes to a mega house project, where you renovate all the old rooms, look no further than the Cannon 

Renewal Project for a perfect comparison (although not many people live in a 100-year-old building). Every 

Member’s suite, hearing room, elevator, bathroom and more in this building will be completely overhauled. 

The Cannon Renewal team, managed by Donna Klee, a Capital Projects Administrator, recently moved in all the 

Members and their staff into the Phase 2 portion of the building, which is located on the Independence Avenue side 

of the building. The project team did not take a breath before starting Phase 3, which is on the First Street, SE side of 

the building. This phase will be almost the same work as the previous phases and will include construction of a 

completely new fifth floor. 

“A multi-phased project, in an occupied building like the Cannon is an amazing endeavor and takes a dedicated 

team to make it work. As each phase is completed, we garner more lessons learned and the team grows stronger in 

our mission,” said Klee. 

Left: Donna Klee, Capital Projects Administrator for the Cannon Renewal, speaks to workers during Phase 2 of the Cannon Renewal. 

Right: Work on Phase 3 of the Cannon Renewal begins on all foors of the building. 

The AOC may have hundreds of skilled workers maintaining dozens of buildings, but it shares a sentiment with each 

family across this country that has spent a year in lockdown working on home improvement projects: We all look forward 

to having people visit again to enjoy the beautiful work we’ve done. 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 37 
SPOTLIGHT ON SAFETY 

WHY CONSIDER A COVID VACCINE? 

WRITTEN BY CRISTIN O’BRIEN 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THOMAS HATZENBUHLER 

Vaccines offer hope against severe disease and death from the SARSCoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. Here are the stories of five Architect 

of the Capitol (AOC) employees and their thoughts on the vaccine. 

WHY WOULD YOU CONSIDER TAKING A COVID-19 VACCINE? 

“I’ve heard your concerns about getting a COVID vaccine, now tell me 

why you would consider taking it,” Sean’s doctor asked him. Skeptical 

of the vaccine because of the history of medical experiments on black 

and brown Americans, Sean Parrish, Electronics Mechanic Supervisor 

for the Senate Office Buildings, decided to consult his doctor before 

making a final decision. 
 

“I would take it for my wife, my family, my grandbabies, my coworkers and their families and all the people I interact 

with every day,” Sean replied. 

“What about yourself?” she asked. “You ought to consider doing it for yourself, you need to love yourself, too.” 

Sean thought about this, and then made the decision to get the COVID-19 vaccine. “I never ask people to do something I’m not willing to do. I lead by example, and I believe respect is a two-way street. When my coworkers and I 

were offered the vaccine because of our close work with senators, I wanted to be the first one.” Sean described 

being back in the shop after his first shot and listening to several coworkers talk about their own concerns and why 

they didn’t think they would get vaccinated. He listened to every reason, then rolled up his sleeve to reveal the tiny 

bandage confirming he’d already gotten the first shot. 

“As a supervisor, I need to listen to what employees have to say and get their perspective. I told them they should 

speak to their doctor like I did, get advice and answers from a medical professional, then make a decision. After my 

conversation with them, they chose to get vaccinated, too. The more people who get the vaccine, the faster we can 

conquer the virus.” 

“I WOULD TAKE IT FOR

 MY WIFE, MY FAMILY, 

MY GRANDBABIES, MY 

COWORKERS AND THEIR 

FAMILIES AND ALL THE 

PEOPLE I INTERACT WITH 

EVERY DAY.” 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 39 
IN A TRIAL HELPING SCIENCE 

Brian Klein, Assistant Director for Operations at the Capitol Power Plant, has been a strong advocate for following 

pandemic guidelines and is now an even stronger advocate for the vaccine. He and his wife and daughter are 

extremely careful; they have groceries and household items delivered to avoid going out to stores. From the time 

the first lockdowns started in March 2020 they have only gone out to socialize twice: Fourth of July and New 

Year’s. Both were small gatherings that followed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for 

size and social distancing. That second outing on New Year’s, however, gave them more than memories. “My wife 

and daughter started feeling ill three days after New Year’s, and I got sick a day later. By midweek we were down 

for the count.” 

The first COVID tests came back negative. Based on their symptoms their doctor said the virus was probably not 

yet detectable to the rapid test, instructed them to assume they were positive and retest in a few days. The second 

set of tests came back positive, and the next few weeks were a blur. “I was the sickest I have ever been in my life,” 

Brian said. “I don’t remember those first two weeks well. I don’t recall eating or drinking, but thankfully we did 

enough to get by.” 

No one in Brian’s family required hospitalization, but the experience has led Brian to further champion caution to 

others. “I tell people to stay safe and follow the procedures. I remember lying in bed trying to decide if I needed to 

go to the hospital because my blood oxygen levels were low and remembering the horror stories of the people 

that didn’t go to the hospital in time and didn’t survive . . . I don’t want anyone else to have to face those thoughts 

and decisions.” 

And Brian has taken it one step further — he volunteered to participate in a trial. “When I was filling out paperwork to get tested, there was a check box: ‘Are you interested in a vaccine trial?’ I hit yes.” 

“I WAS THE SICKEST I HAVE EVER BEEN IN MY 

LIFE,” BRIAN SAID. “I DON’T REMEMBER THOSE 

FIRST TWO WEEKS WELL. I DON’T RECALL 

EATING OR DRINKING, BUT THANKFULLY WE 

DID ENOUGH TO GET BY.” 

40 SPOTLIGHT ON SAFETY 
 

“I REMEMBER LYING IN BED TRYING TO DECIDE IF I 

NEEDED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE MY BLOOD 

OXYGEN LEVELS WERE LOW AND REMEMBERING THE 

HORROR STORIES OF THE PEOPLE THAT DIDN’T GO TO 

THE HOSPITAL IN TIME AND DIDN’T SURVIVE . . . I 

DON’T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO HAVE TO FACE THOSE 

THOUGHTS AND DECISIONS.” 

Brian got a call a month later about a Johnson & 

Johnson vaccine trial testing the effectiveness of 

one shot versus two shots. “I work in utilities, so I 

qualified for a vaccine already, but I had mixed 

feelings about pursuing one because I didn’t 

want to take a dose away from someone who 

needed it more than me — I had already had the 

virus and am younger and healthy, while neither 

my parents nor my in-laws had been able to get 

the vaccine and they are in high-risk age groups. 

This was an opportunity to potentially get a 

vaccine while also helping research. The trial was 

a no-brainer.” Brian received his first shot in the 

double-blind study in February and suspects he 

got the vaccine instead of saline because he felt 

flushed and had a headache the next day. He 

won’t know for sure until the study is unblinded. 

“Even if I didn’t get the vaccine, I’m in the study 

helping contribute to the science.” 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 41 
GETTING A VACCINE WILL HELP MY COWORKERS 

For Jay Jones, Cannon Labor Shop Supervisor in the 

House Office Buildings, the pandemic precautions are 

just one more part of being safe on the job. “I advocate 

for my team to work safely. We have to have safety 

shoes, wear proper PPE for handling chemicals, use 

proper lifting techniques. We have to do all that, this is 

just another attribute. Wear your mask, social distance, 

watch out and tell others to put the mask up if they 

don’t have it on. It’s part of your job.” 

Jay sees getting a vaccine as another layer of safety, 

and he got a vaccine as soon as it was available to him. 

“People are sick and too many are dying. I don’t want to 

get sick and getting the vaccine helps out my coworkers. After my vaccine I am less likely to be a carrier for 

the virus. I did my part and took it when it was my turn. 

And now I am waiting and prepared for my third shot if 

we need boosters.” 

JAY SEES GETTING A 

VACCINE AS ANOTHER 

LAYER OF SAFETY, 

AND HE GOT A 

VACCINE AS SOON AS 

IT WAS AVAILABLE TO 

HIM. “PEOPLE ARE 

SICK AND TOO MANY 

ARE DYING. I DON’T 

WANT TO GET SICK 

AND GETTING THE 

VACCINE HELPS OUT 

MY COWORKERS. 

AFTER MY VACCINE I 

AM LESS LIKELY TO BE 

A CARRIER FOR THE 

VIRUS. I DID MY PART 

AND TOOK IT WHEN 

IT WAS MY TURN.” 

42 SPOTLIGHT ON SAFETY 
THOLOS | VOLUME 19 

-

— 

- - - -

— 

WHY WOULD YOU GET A COVID-19 VACCINE? 

“I was debating about whether or not to get the vaccine, then I talked with some people who 

had had COVID. Their trials and tribulations with the virus were horror stories. I would never 

want to endanger anyone! That is why I got the vaccine.” — Gabrielle Stanton, Human 

Resources Specialist, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

“I see the vaccine as an opportunity to regain some form of normalcy. Particularly, so that I can 

spend time with extended family and travel again.” — Deatra Trinidad, Deputy Facility 

Manager, Supreme Court Building and Grounds 

“The pandemic has effectively shut down our society for a year. The COVID 19 vaccine will let 

us move forward. This is a great relief to many people, including myself and my family.” 

Dave Barber, Day Cleaning Shop, Laborer/Recycler, House Office Buildings 

“I want to take my wife to restaurants again, safely.” — Michael Lewis, Acting Superintendent, 

Library Buildings and Grounds 

“I got the vaccine because I believe science is real and so that I can see my family, hug my 

84 year old mother, travel to see my dying father in law, go to museums and not wear a mask 

outside.” — Margaret Atwell, Advanced Gardener Leader, U.S. Botanic Garden

 “I miss so many things — seeing family, seeing my coworkers and seeing their work. Getting 

my vaccine was a huge relief and it feels like getting closer to normal.” — Lee Dennis, Facilities 

Operations Supervisor, Capitol Grounds and Arboretum

 “I want to take my mom on one last trip to see her sisters and create some wonderful 

memories for all of us without putting anyone at increased risk.” — Laura Cameron, Assistant 

Director, Office of the Chief Engineer 

“I decided to get the vaccine to protect myself, my family and fellow coworkers.” — Kris Foote, 

Assistant Facility Manager, Supreme Court Building and Grounds 

“As the Vice Chair of the JOSH committee I always think safety first, better safe than sorry!” 

Diana Phillinganes, Project Manager, Library Buildings and Grounds 

43 
“I COULDN’T GO 

AROUND MY NEW 

GRANDBABY 

BECAUSE I DIDN’T 

WANT TO RISK 

INFECTING HER.” 

I TRUST THE SCIENTISTS 

“I can talk to people over the phone, so I didn’t 

meet people in person,” said Glenn Davidson, 

Electrician in the Capitol Building. Glenn 

follows the recommended precautions at work. 

“I only spent time outside work with my 

immediate family at home. We canceled all 

plans for birthdays, etcetera.” 

When Glenn was offered a vaccine because he 

would be working the day of the inauguration, 

“I was among the first to say yes and I got my 

first injection that day. The injection site stung 

for maybe 30 minutes.” After his second shot 

Glenn said his arm was sore and he felt hot for 

a few hours the next day, though his temperature was normal. He views these side effects as 

insignificant compared to the disease itself. He 

now fields questions from coworkers about the 

side effects and about his thoughts on the 

vaccines. “I believe in science; I trust the 

scientists. I am like a car salesman for the 

vaccine, and I sell it. In this country, 500,000 

people did not have the opportunity to get 

vaccinated and they are no longer here with us. 

I want to be here for a long time.” 

Glenn said he got his shot to protect himself 

and his family. “I couldn’t go around my new 

grandbaby because I didn’t want to risk 

infecting her.” After receiving his second shot 

Glenn said he got to go hold his granddaughter 

and play with her for the first time since she 

was born last June. “It felt so good, and I am 

happy to do my part. If it weren’t for my job, I 

wouldn’t have been in line to get it yet. I am 

grateful for the opportunity.” 

44 SPOTLIGHT ON SAFETY 
 

WE NEED TO PROTECT THE KIDS 

Bonnie Holod, Acting Assistant Superintendent for Client Services in the Senate Office Buildings, has two children 

under the age of 10. They are both learning remotely this year. Several months ago, when some schools in the area 

began welcoming back some students part-time her youngest said, “Mommy, I’m not going back to school until I 

have a vaccine.” At that time, Bonnie recalls, the news was predicting that vaccines might be approved for kids in 

the fall, but the likelihood of kids being vaccinated by then was slim. 

“Thinking about it made me pay more attention to the science and Dr. Fauci when he talked about immunity. I 

looked into the numbers and realized we aren’t going to reach herd immunity in the U.S. without immunizing kids. 

Even if every adult says yes, give me a vaccine, we can’t get there without including some of the kids.” [Children 

make up about 24 percent of the U.S. population, and herd immunity for COVID-19 is estimated between 70 and 90 

percent.] “I had this strong visual in my head of adult elephants on the savannah surrounding the smaller ones, 

fulfilling an obligation to protect their young from danger. When I was unexpectedly offered a vaccine dose, that 

image of the elephants immediately came back to my mind. I was nervous about getting a vaccine, we don’t know 

the long-term effects, but we need to protect the children. I said yes and got my first dose.” Bonnie received the 

Pfizer vaccine and said she had a sore arm after the first shot. After the second shot she had a fever, chills and heavy 

fatigue for the first night, but the next day she felt great. 

Bonnie reflected that getting the vaccine was part maternal, part analytical. “My motivation to get a vaccine is the 

mom in me, as well as the analyst. I made the decision with my right and left brain, looking at the science and doing 

the analysis with the numbers. I also listened to my heart — as a mom, I have an obligation to do it.” 

Bonnie’s children are comforted by the fact that she has been vaccinated. “I go into the office twice a week. When I 

come home, they are still frustrated that they have to wait while I change and wash my hands before I let them hug 

me. They understand that the vaccine is an extra layer of protection on top of the other precautions we still have to 

take. And while they’re not excited by the idea of getting a shot, they accept that a vaccine is in their future. They 

know it is for the good of society, but the real reward will be getting to see their grandma.” 

“MY MOTIVATION TO 

GET A VACCINE IS THE 

MOM IN ME, AS WELL 

AS THE ANALYST.” 

THOLOS | VOLUME 19 45 
 

Legislative and Public Affairs

U.S. Capitol, Room SB-16

Washington, DC 20515 

Tholos Spring 2021 

The Architect of the Capitol strives 

to meet its mission 24 hours a day, 

365 days a year to serve Congress 

and the Supreme Court, preserve 

America’s Capitol, and inspire 

memorable experiences for all who 

visit the buildings and grounds. 

Tholos is distributed by the Architect 

of the Capitol primarily for AOC 

employees. Questions regarding 

content and publication should be 

directed to AOC Legislative and Public 

Affairs at communications@aoc.gov, 

202.228.1793, or U.S. Capitol, Room 

SB-16, Washington, DC 20515. 

JOIN AOC ONLINE: 

Twitter.com/uscapitol 

Facebook.com/architectofthecapitol 

Instagram.com/uscapitol 

YouTube.com/uscapitol 

www.aoc.gov 

FRONT COVER PHOTO BY: 

KALEENA DWYER 

BACK COVER PHOTO BY: 

SEAN GREENE