Acentech announced the promotion of Jonah Sacks and Ioana N. Pieleanu to lead the firm’s Architectural Acoustics Group, one of the largest acoustics practices in the United States. Sacks and Pieleanu are both expert acousticians and highly trained musicians. Each brings proven project management and a rich portfolio of experience that has contributed to the significant growth of the practice across the AEC industry. 

Sacks and Pieleanu will take on dual leadership roles in the Architectural Acoustics Group: Sacks to serve as Group Director–Practice, and Pieleanu to serve as Group Director–Client Relations.

As Group Director–Practice, Sacks is responsible for overall practice operations, hiring and staff development, optimization of client deliverables, and practice innovation. As Group Director–Client Relations, Pieleanu is responsible for client development, pursuit implementation, and strategic efforts to expand Acentech’s national reach. These distinct roles will ensure continued project leadership, technical excellence, and focus on the firm’s national client development efforts. Each will continue to consult as Principal on select architectural acoustics projects.

Their diverse backgrounds and exceptional creativity make them ideal to take on future challenges and opportunities.

Sacks is an accomplished cellist, guitarist and bassist. His life-long passion for music and playing informs his acoustical practice, especially in performing arts facilities. He has authored and co-authored several technical articles for trade publications, and lectured at national and international symposia including the European Acoustics Association (EAA), The International Symposium on Room Acoustics, Inter-Noise, and the Acoustical Society of America. He earned his Master of Science in Architectural Acoustics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2004 and his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Harvard University in 1995. He is a member of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) and the International Society for Performing Arts. He has taught Architectural Acoustics as an Adjunct Faculty Rhode Island School of Design and has been a guest lecturer at Cornell University and several other institutions. He joined Acentech in 2004.

Pieleanu is a classically-trained musician, having built a substantial piano repertoire over the past four decades. She brings her musical ear to Acentech’s Architectural Acoustics practice, and is the Market Leader for Studio A, a team of acoustical, audiovisual and vibration specialists who focus on delivering excellent sound to performing arts spaces. She engages actively in numerous cultural and performing arts organizations to promote and market the value of performance-enhanced acoustics.

Pieleanu is the Co-Chair of the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) Cultural Facilities Network, and a member of the International Society for the Performing Arts and the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums, among others. She earned her Master of Science in Architectural Acoustics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2004, a Bachelor of Arts in Music Production and Sound Engineering at the Berklee College of Music, 2001, and studied Music Theory and Education from Universitatea de Muzica Bucharest from 1995 to 1998. She is an Assistant Professor of Music Acoustics at Berklee College of Music, and has presented on acoustics at national conferences and symposia, including the Acoustical Society of America and the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture. She joined Acentech in 2004.