Louis earned his undergraduate degree in art history from Columbia University in 1980, after which he pursued graduate studies in historic preservation at Columbia’s School of Architecture and Planning while researching building histories for the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. He received his Masters of Architecture degree from Rice University in Houston, Texas in 1988, where he was a faculty member until moving with his late wife and 6 children and all their earthly possessions to the hills of Virginia in 2004. While in Houston, Louis worked as the lead designer on several award winning projects for notable Houston firms. Since beginning his own practice in 1995, he has focused primarily on custom residential solutions. He is presently licensed in Virginia and is eligible for reciprocal licensure in California with NCARB Certification.

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Louis served as president of the Charlottesville Area Christian Home Educators, a homeschool support group, from 2005 thru 2008. He has been a board member of Life House of Houston and Paladin Media Group in Charlottesville, Virginia. Most recently he has served as a teaching elder at Charlottesville Community Church from 2012 until 2019. He is also an ordained minister.