In 2023, Janet Marie Smith and Fran Weld, formed Baltimore based “Canopy”, a woman-led company devoted to the design and management of sports projects and their surrounding developments. Dedicated to urban revitalization and community enrichment, Canopy specializes in large-scale projects which seamlessly blend sports, design, and urban planning as well as intimate scales within museums, retail, and public parks.  

Trained as architect and urban planner Janet Marie Smith is well known for her work on Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, which set the standard for a new wave of ballparks after its opening in 1992. Smith worked for the Orioles from 1989-94 as Vice President of Planning and Development during the design and construction of the park. She later re-joined the club from 2009-12 to direct renovations and expansion of the Orioles’ spring training facility in Sarasota, FL., and upgrades to Camden Yards. 

For the past 12 years, Smith has overseen the large-scale improvement/expansion projects at Dodger Stadium and Campo Las Palmas (the club’s home in the Dominican Republic). From modernizing the stadium to incorporating the club’s rich history into the ballpark experience, Smith’s fan-friendly touches have helped keep Dodger Stadium – the third-oldest ballpark in baseball – one of the premier venues in all of sports. Smith initially joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as a Senior Vice President in 2012 and was promoted to her current role as Executive Vice President of Planning and Development in 2020. 

Additionally, Smith has recently completed the planning and design for Polar Park in Worcester, home of the Worcester Red Sox, the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. She has also conceived a series of short-term improvements to Stamford Bridge in London, the home of Chelsea Football Club, overseen the design of PNC Park improvements in Pittsburgh, and provided advisory services to Paris Basketball for their new home in Adidas Arena. 

From 2002-2009, Smith served as Senior Vice President of Planning and Development for the Boston Red Sox, overseeing the preservation and expansion of Fenway Park. Smith was President of Turner Sports and Entertainment Development and Vice President of Planning and Development for the Atlanta Braves from 1994-2000, when she helped transform the 1996 Olympic Stadium into Turner Field and guided the development of the Philips Arena (now State Farm Arena), home to the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. 

Outside of baseball, Smith has worked on development projects including Battery Park City in New York, unfulfilled plans for Pershing Square in LA, the redevelopment of former industrial buildings on Baltimore’s waterfront, as well as renovation plans for the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, CA.   

Smith was the Edward P. Bass Visiting Professor at Yale University School of Architecture during the Fall of 2017 and has served as a guest lecturer and critique for various other schools of architecture, including Harvard’s Graduate School of Design and Morgan State University’s School of Architecture & Planning. In 2014, Smith was named one of WISE LA’s Women of Inspiration, inducted into the Sports Business Journal “Class of Champions” in 2017, and cited as one of the most powerful women in sports in 2019 by Ad Week. 

A native of Jackson, Miss., Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Mississippi State University and a master’s degree in urban planning from City College of New York.  In 2020, she was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.  

“The three most important things that have happened in baseball since the Second World War were Jackie Robinson taking the field for Brooklyn in 1947, free agency arriving in 1975, and Orioles Park at Camden Yards opening in 1992… The last was an act of heroic nostalgia, but, then, baseball fans are disposed to live with cricks in their necks from looking backwards. Which is why Major League Baseball owes a debt to a willowy woman from Mississippi. To those who said, ‘You can’t turn back the clock,’ Janet Marie Smith responded with ‘Well, we’ll just see about that.’”

George Will, A Nice Little Place on the North Side – 2014

Fran Weld joins Canopy Team as CEO from a career bridging urban policy, sustainable development, and sports.

Most recently, as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Development for the San Francisco Giants, Fran managed the design, financing, and entitlements of Mission Rock – a $2.6 billion, 28-acre waterfront neighborhood adjacent to Oracle Park.  This public-private partnership between the Giants and the City and Port of SF features over 8 acres of parks and over 3.5 million square feet of mixed-use space, including VISA’s Global Headquarters, a range of local retail and restaurants, and 1,200 residential units (40% affordable).   In addition to her work on the Giants’ real estate portfolio, Fran served on the Executive Committee for the Giants, helping to guide long term planning efforts for the future growth of the overall organization, including new business opportunities and strategic investments.

Fran then led the creation of and served as CEO of Mission Rock Utilities, the first ever central heating, cooling, and wastewater treatment district in San Francisco, which allowed the neighborhood to be completely carbon neutral, with zero wastewater.   She founded the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program for the community, including the creation of the city’s first ever Women in Building Trades Training Program.

As CEO at Canopy, Fran is focused on organizational strategy, building teams and leaders, and helping set the vision for a growth mindset within the organization.  Fran also brings her planning and development experience to Canopy projects, notably the conversion of Qatar’s Education City World Cup Stadium to a woman-only sports training complex, and masterplanning for Camelback Ranch, the Dodgers Spring Training facility in Glendale, AZ.

Fran holds a B.S. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was an NCAA student-athlete in Cross Country and Track + Field, and a M.B.A. with a concentration in Public Management from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. She is a former Chair of the Board of Directors of SPUR, an urban policy think tank, and has been named one of Bay Area’s Most Influential Women and “40 Under 40” by the San Francisco Business Times. Weld has taught a master’s level Studio course in UC Berkeley’s Real Estate Development + Design program, and frequently guest lectures at the GSB. Fran is a proud founding investor of Bay FC, San Francisco’s NWSL team that will play its first game in 2024.

After almost 15 years in California, Fran recently returned to her east coast roots and now lives in Baltimore with her husband, Matthew and their son, Wylie.

Paul joins Canopy Team after over a decade in the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball.  As Senior Director of Ballpark Operations and Sustainability at MLB, Paul was responsible for overseeing the relationship between the thirty Club Ballpark Operators and the League Office.  This included the groups responsible for Security, Guest Services, Facility Management, Concessions, and Sustainability at all 30 teams.  Paul played a primary role in the management of all MLB Global Event operations including Postseason, All-Star Week, Field of Dreams, MLB London Series, and the World Baseball Classic. Prior to MLB, Paul spent a decade in the Boston Red Sox front office with time spent overseeing the Club’s Planning and Development, Facility, and Office Operation departments, as well as establishing the Historical Archives department and Fenway Park Living Museum. He was also the primary lead for the 2010 NHL Winter Classic at Fenway and had a major role in the operation of Fenway Park Concerts.

As COO at Canopy, Paul is a member of the executive and business operations leadership team with a focus on organizational strategy and business development. In his role, Paul serves a project executive over various Planning and Development client projects, as well as an operational lead for several client large scale events, including the 2023 MLB All-Star Game and 2023 MLB London Series.

Paul is a native of Waltham, Massachusetts, with his love of sports coming from watching and listening to every Red Sox game with his Mom from when he was three years old.  Paul loves music from the 60’s to the 90’s, Pop Culture and TV from all decades, seeking out historical sites in whatever city he’s traveling to, and seeing the world with his friends and family. Paul holds a bachelor’s degree from the Boston University College of Communication.  He is currently based in the Baltimore/DC area.

Derek joins Canopy Team as Managing Director with over 10 years of architecture, project management and sports experience. With a unique work history across adaptive reuse, technical historic preservation, and baseball operations, Derek is a hands-on design and project manager across every dimension of a project. Derek first started working with Janet Marie Smith in 2017 and was the LA Dodgers’ Project Director on the Centerfield Renovation at Dodger Stadium from design through finish construction in 2020. Derek has worked on a wide range of projects through his career ranging from a LEED Platinum science museum to the redevelopment of a historic television studio lot.

As Special Project Director for Canopy, Derek is responsible for leading an internal and external team to define, plan and execute complex projects for Canopy’s clients.

Though his scouting days are over, Derek still loves minor league and amateur baseball and exploring all scales of local sporting events around the world. Derek has a degree in Architecture from UC Berkeley with a minor in Sustainable Design. Derek lives and works in Los Angeles, CA.

Emily Walthouse is thrilled to be a member of Canopy Team as well as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ front office, where she has worked since 2016.  Originally joining the team as the Planning & Development department’s Administrative Assistant, Emily now serves as Director, Planning & Development.  During her time with the Dodgers, Emily has managed projects ranging in scale at Campo Las Palmas, the Dodgers’ home in the Dominican Republic, Camelback Ranch, the Dodgers’ Spring Training Facility in AZ, and Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, including the new $100 million Centerfield Plaza expansion.  Outside of the Dodgers, Emily has worked with teams (youth, collegiate, and professional; domestic and international) to design and build their homes for training, fans, and competition. As Sr. Project Director for Canopy, Emily is responsible for keeping the budgets for projects, managing schedules and workflow of vendors, contractors, and consultants, and overseeing integration of memorabilia, signage, furniture, fixtures, and equipment into larger capital improvement projects.

Emily was named the Dodgers’ selectee for Major League Baseball’s 2023 Katy Feeney cohort, an honor granted annually to one female employee working in the front office at each of the 30 MLB Clubs who is making a significant contribution and displaying exceptional initiative.  She is a member of LA’s chapter of WISE (Women In Sports and Events), as well as the Chair of the Dodgers’ branch of MLB’s HYPE (High-Potential Young Professional Employees) Business Resource Group.

Prior to starting with the Dodgers, Emily worked for the Pawtucket Red Sox, the then Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. A native of Western Massachusetts, Emily holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Humanities from Villanova University.  She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.

Thomas DeVoss, AIA comes to Canopy Team™ from a career in architecture, design, and real estate. As an architect, Thomas worked for Frank Gehry, Gensler, Leo Daly, and The Hettema Group before starting his own practice focused on environmental architecture and planning. Notable projects include the Barclays Center for the Brooklyn Nets, the Abu Dhabi Guggenheim, residences all over Southern California, and designs for theme parks in Orlando, Los Angeles, Prague, and Seoul.

As Senior Design Manager at Canopy, Thomas has contributed to upgrades to Dodger Stadium, the Angels Clubhouse Expansion at Tempe Diablo, master plans for Camelback Ranch, and renovation proposals for Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge and Qatar’s Education City Stadium.

Thomas received his Master of Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis, where he was awarded the Joe Chole Traveling Fellowship to study the bridges of Iberia and Japan. He earned his Bachelor in Classics from Georgetown University and studied architecture abroad at Cornell in Rome.

Born in Bangkok, raised in Los Angeles, and a lifelong Dodgers fan, Thomas brings a global perspective with deep local roots. Thomas previously served on the Echo Park Neighborhood Council and is a founding member of the Homeless and Housing Committee. He spends his free time golfing, gardening, off-roading and attending as many sporting events as possible. He is LEED Certified, a member of the Art Director’s Guild, CALBRE licensed, and AIA licensed in Texas and California.

John comes to Canopy Team from a career in construction project management and operations in the professional sports, college athletics, and commercial real estate industries. He directs projects by focusing on timelines and budgets, and advises clients on a range of aesthetic, operational, and revenue-generating venue improvements from feasibility through construction.

Before joining Canopy™, John served as Senior Stadium Project Manager for Krause Group/Pro Iowa, the USL franchise owner in Des Moines, IA, where he led the project feasibility and conceptual design stages for the Pro Iowa Stadium. Prior to that he was a development and construction project manager for Equinox, where he managed construction of luxury fitness clubs across Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and Chicago.

John started his career at the University of Notre Dame where he was the first Director of Operations for Notre Dame Softball, managing the team’s logistics and partnerships with the NCAA, the Atlantic Coast Conference, ESPN, and the ACC Network. He also led the planning and execution of Notre Dame Softball’s Wounded Warrior Celebrity Softball game featured on HBO Real Sports and was named an NCAA Emerging Leader in 2013. Before that, John oversaw Notre Dame’s premier athletics annual-giving scholarship program and assisted in capital project planning and fundraising.

A native of Des Moines, IA, John received an M.B.A. from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and a B.A. in Political Science from Notre Dame in 2010, where he was a Student Manager for the football and softball teams.

Jon Dienstag joins Canopy Team as Director of Strategic Operations, bringing two decades of elevating fan experience. Jon’s career in sports has focused on retail strategy, venue gameday operations, and mobile technology innovation. Jon’s work at Canopy is centered around the growth of the Experiences and Operations group in addition to organization-wide business development and strategy. 

Before joining Canopy, Jon was a sales and strategy leader at two sports tech startups. Most recently at Pushologies, a European-based martech platform built to elevate legacy DTC marketing. Prior to Pushologies, Jon was the fifth employee at Noble, an early stage mobile ordering consumer app built to enhance onsite F&B ecommerce. 

Before venturing into startups, Jon spent 15 years at the Boston Red Sox, starting in 2004 as a college summer intern, then as the Special Assistant to the President/CEO, Larry Lucchino. He later led strategy and operations for Fenway Park’s concessionaire and merchandise vendors, Aramark and Twins ‘47 Brand, through dramatic revenue growth and improvements in fan experience. Jon also led 175 gameday employees and ran the Red Sox internship program for seven years. 

Jon received an A.B. in History from Harvard in 2005 and lives in Cape Elizabeth, Maine with his wife and two children. He is a coach for and member of the Cape Elizabeth Little League Board and an avid golfer, skier, and biker. 

Michelle joins Canopy Team from a career in architecture, design, and commercial real estate development. Throughout her 8 years of professional experience, she has served as design manager and project manager for 30+ projects. She has been responsible for designing and delivering around 950,000 square feet of projects from varied asset classes, such as office TIs, for prominent clients like Microsoft and Johnson & Johnsons, healthcare spaces, retail spaces, community spaces, and entertainment venues.

Michelle received her master’s degree in Real Estate Development + Design from UC Berkeley in 2022, where she was awarded the Prologis Real Estate Scholarship, granted to top candidates in her program. In 2014 she graduated Cum Laude from a B.A in Architecture, back in Colombia, where she is originally from. Following her enthusiasm for sustainability, in 2017, she earned her LEED GA credentials.

Michelle played basketball and soccer all through high school, and today she is still very passionate about following the WNBA and the NWSL. She also loves going to the stadium to support her local soccer team whenever she visits Bogota, her hometown. She currently resides in the Bay Area, where she regularly visits Oracle Park to support the Giants.

Kristian brings to Canopy two decades of professional experience in the real estate industry, including development, design and construction. His passion for place-making and space activation combined with his ability to manage diverse teams of stakeholders have led to the successful execution of a portfolio of complex real estate projects across the country.

Prior to joining Canopy Team, Kristian was most recently a Senior Project Director managing the development, design, and construction of mixed-use, multi-family and senior living residential development projects from the Mid-Atlantic through the upper Northeast.

Kristian has been an active member of the Urban Land Institute since joining in 2011 – he is the current District Council Chair for ULI Baltimore and has been active on various ULI Americas Steering Committees. Kristian is also a longtime member of USGBC Maryland; he is passionate about enhancing the built environment, and our relationship with it, through thoughtful design and environmentally responsible building practices.

Kristian holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech, a Master’s in Business from Loyola University, is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Maryland, and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

Kristian and his wife live in the Butchers Hill community of Baltimore City. He is an active member of the community, having served on the Board of the Fells Prospect Community Association and now as an active member of the Butchers Hill Association. When he is not enjoying neighboring Patterson Park or live music in nearby Fells Point, he can be found somewhere off in nature – exploring, hiking, and skiing.

Caroline joins Canopy Team as a licensed architect with a passion for the planning, design and construction of sports and entertainment venues. Caroline is a champion for collegiate athletes and women’s sports, with over 5 years of experience participating in and managing projects related to NFL stadiums, NBA/NHL arenas, MLB ballparks, and collegiate athletic buildings.

A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Architecture, Caroline is based in Washington DC.

Anthony joins Canopy Team bringing nearly a decade’s worth of accounting and finance experience. Starting his career in public accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Anthony has gone on to work in a variety of industries including advertising technology, real estate development, and financial services. After owning and operating a small baking business in Baltimore City, his most recent experience includes helping scale and lead the accounting function of a fintech startup company.

As Canopy’s Controller, Anthony is tasked with overseeing accounting and finance operations for the entirety of the business. Working closely with internal stakeholders, he’s responsible for financial forecasting and reporting, treasury operations, and general month-end close.

Anthony is an accounting and finance dual degree recipient from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is an active CPA license holder in the state of Maryland. An avid Orioles & Ravens fan, he resides in the Baltimore area with his wife and son.

Sabriya joins Canopy Team after beginning her career in Minor League Baseball with the Worcester Red Sox, Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, where she served as Director of People & Culture and of the WooSox Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the team. While with the WooSox, Sabriya also spent several years working with Janet Marie Smith on the design and construction of Polar Park, the Team’s new home in Worcester, MA. Sabriya was primarily responsible for researching and curating the various 2-D and 3-D art displays around the ballpark, paying special attention to celebrating the rich history of the city and team.

As Special Projects Manager for Canopy, Sabriya assists with the organization’s business operations and is responsible for overseeing the team’s branding and marketing efforts.  She is also tasked with helping project teams conduct relevant historical and cultural research and integrate memorabilia, signage, graphics, furniture, and other placemaking elements into different projects.

Sabriya is a Connecticut native and grew up playing softball and basketball.  She loved attending Hartford Yard Goats (formerly the New Britain Rock Cats) games with her family, where she gained an appreciation for the MiLB atmosphere and fan experience.  Sabriya holds a bachelor’s degree in political communication from Emerson College and a master’s degree in business administration from Assumption University.  Sabriya is currently based in Massachusetts.

Prior to joining Canopy Team full time, Ben worked as ballpark design coordinator for the Worcester Red Sox, Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, where he played an integral role in the design and construction of Polar Park, the team’s new home in Worcester, MA. Ben worked with Janet Marie Smith on conceptualizing design elements for the Polar Park Ballpark Project, produced an accurate 3D model and project renderings for both the internal team and to share with consultants and the public, worked with architects and the graphics team to communicate design concepts to Worcester Red Sox leadership, coordinated the design and installation of ballpark signage, and assisted with overall contractor and vendor management throughout the project.

Since joining Canopy Team, Ben has worked on managing the design and implementation of a number of short-term and long-term improvement projects at venues like Polar Park, PNC Park, and Stamford Bridge.

Gianna joins Canopy after graduating from Columbia University’s Columbia College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Business Management Concentration. Her professional journey within sports began as a Planning & Development Intern at The Los Angeles Dodgers, contributing to Capital Improvement projects at Dodgers Stadium. She excelled in creating graphics, designing marketing materials, and coordinating signage and memorabilia. Gianna’s skills also shone in cross-functional team projects, showcasing her analytical, research, and presentation talents.

As a Midfielder/Attacker and senior Captain for Columbia University’s NCAA Division I Varsity Lacrosse Team, Gianna devoted well over 40 hours weekly to practice, competitions, rehab, and team meetings. Her community spirit led her to volunteer at schools, shelters, and sports camps within New York City, demonstrating her dedication beyond the field.

In her role as an Administrative Assistant, Gianna is responsible for supporting Canopy’s Founder and Chair, Janet Marie Smith, while also fulfilling various other responsibilities. With academic and athletic excellence, professional achievements, and a passion for leadership, Gianna brings dedication and expertise to Canopy’s success as an Administrative Assistant, further embodying the company’s spirit of excellence and dedication.

Sarah joins Canopy following the completion of her undergraduate studies at Smith College and a Fulbright grant to La Rioja, Spain. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in both Architecture & Urbanism and Spanish and spent her collegiate years participating in, and eventually captaining, Smith’s Swimming and Diving Team. Raised by a die-hard Red Sox fan in Maryland, Sarah’s MLB loyalties are split between the Boston team and the Baltimore Orioles. She enjoyed attending Camden Yards games as a child and is excited to be joining a team that played an integral role in its design success.

Carly brings a wealth of operations, design, sports, and marketing knowledge to the Canopy Team. Ranging in scale from her family’s high-end design build firm to the global Under Armour brand, Carly has been responsible for driving client relationships, elevating brand integrity, and improving internal operations at each stage of her career.  

Equally comfortable digging into a floorplan layout, nailing the details on a presentation, and leading a business operations session, Carly seamlessly keeps Canopy’s trains running. As the Operations Manager at Canopy, Carly oversees and manages various aspects of the company’s day-to-day operations. Carly also contributes to the company’s business development by assisting with assets for new business opportunities and strategizing marketing efforts. With a passion for brand, she leads the company’s social platforms, creating and publishing engaging content to build a strong presence in the industry. 

A Baltimore native, Carly has spent time in Philadelphia with an elite sports event company and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where she played lacrosse at Washington College, and was a two-time team captain, WLCA All-Metro Region and Centennial Conference First Team Selection. Graduating with cum laude with Departmental Honors and Thesis Honors, Carly holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a Minor in Art. If you ever need recommendations on the Baltimore food, lifestyle, art, or fashion scene, Carly’s got you covered.   

Kevin joins Canopy Team with several years of experience working on projects such as Polar Park in Worcester, MA, Riverfront Stadium in Wichita, KS, and Dunkin Donuts Park in Hartford, CT. He was formerly the Director of Construction for the Denver Broncos Football Club and currently serves as the Vice President for International Facilities Group.

As a Special Projects Consultant for Canopy, Kevin assists with a many different aspects of the construction and development process. His project management experience includes all phases of a project from conceptual planning through operations with particular knowledge in pre-design, cost reporting, scheduling, logistics planning, bidding, procurement, construction management and facility commissioning.

Kevin holds both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Swarthmore College. He also holds an MBA in Finance with a concentration in Operations Research and Marketing from the University of Texas. Kevin is currently based in Florida.