Underneath every successful design-build project lies a foundation of solid financial management and continual team support. Tanya Rucinski provides exactly that structure for TDS Design Build, ensuring our operations run seamlessly so our design and build teams can focus on creating enduring spaces for our clients.
Since joining TDS in 2019, Tanya has mastered the critical balance between fiscal responsibility and human-centered leadership. Her expertise spans financial operations, human resources, and office management—roles that directly support our commitment to transparent budgeting, professional team development, and the smooth project delivery our clients expect.
Practical Magic
Tanya brings a unique perspective shaped by both formal education and practical application. After completing her MBA and spending sixteen years managing complex payroll and operational systems in the hospitality industry, she discovered her calling at TDS. “The transition allowed me to finally use my degree in a way that aligned with my values,” she reflects.
Her management expertise extends beyond the professional realm—as mom to three boys, Tanya has mastered the art of juggling competing priorities with grace. “They deal with my weird ways and are my world outside of work,” she laughs. “A mother’s job is never done.” This experience managing a household across multiple life stages translates perfectly to her role supporting TDS team members at various career points.
Her approach to leadership reflects TDS’s core philosophy: meticulous attention to detail combined with genuine care for people.
Systems FTW (or Systems that Work)
Tanya’s role extends far beyond traditional accounting. She creates the financial and operational systems that enable TDS to deliver on our promise of transparent, stress-free project experiences. Her administrative and accounting expertise ensures the behind-the-scenes financial items have every i dotted and every t crossed, while her HR leadership supports the professional team environment that sets TDS apart in the industry.
Dependable systems create space for creativity and craftsmanship.”
Tanya Rucinski
Accounting & HR Manager
This philosophy aligns perfectly with TDS’s design-build approach, where defined processes serve both our team and our clients’ best interests.
Grounding in Nature
Away from the office, Tanya finds balance through outdoor pursuits—hiking local trails and exploring Wisconsin’s natural landscapes. This connection to nature reflects the thoughtful, grounded approach she brings to her work at TDS.
While out on the trails, Tanya collects rocks, twigs, leaves, and bones (yes, bones – she’s the office goth, after all) for her artwork. Her creative interests provide a counterbalance to analytical work, demonstrating the kind of well-rounded perspective that enriches our team culture.
A Balancing Act
On paper, Tanya owns finance, HR, and office operations. In practice, that means guardrails and guardianship: accurate job costing, payroll on time, benefits administered, policies clarified, and a watchful eye on any change that could ripple through the team. She prizes reliability over novelty—QuickBooks Desktop over glitchy experiment—because accuracy is the point. “Some things just don’t automate,” she notes. The value is cumulative: dependable systems, fewer fires, more mental space for the craft. It’s very much the TDS way—built by humans, for humans.
Fun Facts About Tanya
Rock Hound
She once hauled 50 pounds of South Dakota stones home—then bought more at a shop on the way out.
Nature Artist
Found materials > store-bought; the work is as much ritual as décor.
Dog Mom
Aria, her 55-pound “tornado,” has strong opinions about personal space.
Zodiac Rules
You want a Taurus in charge of your books.” Enough said
Why Tanya Embodies the TDS Vision
Tanya embodies TDS values through her commitment to professional excellence and genuine care for team members. Her behind-the-scenes work ensures that clients experience the seamless, professional service that defines the TDS difference. By maintaining precise financial controls and fostering a supportive work environment, she directly contributes to our ability to deliver exceptional design-build projects.
This Madison basement remodel includes a brand-new bathroom, guest bedroom, and flexible space for family life.
See how we transformed it from dark and dated to bright and functional
When past clients in Madison’s charming and historic Nakoma neighborhood sought to reimagine their home’s layout, they turned once again to TDS Design Build. Their goal: a remodel that would enhance the daily functionality and flow of their home while preserving its classic character.
The client, a sports and craft cocktail enthusiast, dreamed of a bespoke bar space within their home that could serve as a rathskeller-inspired sanctuary for gatherings during games. Their vision included a full bar with high-end finishes and appliances, capturing a warm yet refined aesthetic without compromising functionality.
Erika & Levi’s second-story addition allowed space for their growing family, making their house a home for the years ahead in the neighborhood they love.
Doug and Kate’s home addition and renovation gave them a functional space to grow their family in the neighborhood they love—making their space a home for years to come.
Our renovation for Joanna and Jack’s home has re-invigorated the space while preserving their personality. Remodeling their kitchen and living spaces has increased the enjoyment and functionality of their home – goals that TDS ensures for all of our clients.
TDS Design Build received the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2020 Award for Exceptional Interior Preservation for our restoration work on the Governor’s Mansion Inn and Café. Turning Madison’s original governor’s mansion into a charming bed and breakfast with modern amenities, while preserving historical details, was an epic undertaking that yielded stunning results.
This custom new home built just outside of Madison completed in 2018 was designed using passive house principles and building practices. The design features two bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, an open living room/kitchen, and a mudroom connector between the home and adjacent barn/living space built by the homeowner.
One of our more challenging space planning projects, TDS redesigned a portion of this home’s first floor to accommodate a primary suite, laundry/mudroom, and butler’s pantry.
The chief goal of this kitchen remodel was to create a space that would accommodate a busy family and allow for multiple cooks. The original u-shape kitchen with soffits and peninsula wall cabinets felt dark and cramped despite the large amount of windows. By installing new shorter windows in the dinette space, we were able to extend the counter into that area.
When David decided to add a garage to his backyard, he saw an opportunity to go beyond basic storage; he envisioned a true backyard retreat. TDS Design Build brought this vision to life with expert craftsmanship and precision finishing, creating a meticulously executed ADU. This purposeful addition not only provides additional living space but also increases the value of the property. It seamlessly combines a studio, office space, and garage, exemplifying the highest standards in new construction.
We embarked on the restoration of the third floor of this 1880’s Second Empire Victorian home. Originally the house had 10 dormers; a previous re-roofing had eliminated them altogether. We fully recreated 9 dormers guided by the evidence of the original framing found within the roof structure.
Designed with the future in mind, this super energy efficient high performance home incorporates a 5.4KW photovoltaic solar system, passive solar orientation, double exterior walls and super thick levels of insulation. All materials were selected for their durability and non-toxic quality. Universal/aging-in-place design standards are infused throughout the home–including an elevator– which will provide a truly sustainable, safe, and healthy home for generations to come.
This lower level family room and laundry room turned a previously small and dark walk-out basement area to a comfortable space for the entire family. The white-washed tongue-and-groove pine walls are inspired by the family historic Monona cottage, also remodeled by TDS Design Build. Daybeds with roll-out storage and built-in bookcases make this basement an appealing and cozy spot for plopping down with a book or having a sleep-over.
Fulfilling the homeowner’s objectives, a spacious primary bedroom with abundant closet space, an en suite bathroom, and a guest bedroom were delivered. The modern bathroom was universally designed and is accessible to guests through the second door opening to the hallway. The final result greatly improved the functionality and ambiance of the interior space.
This Madison remodel was designed to replace a dark and poorly planned kitchen which was ill-suited to the owners needs. By rebuilding the porch and pantry, the kitchen gained square footage and room for an island. The arch between the dining room and kitchen was widened to bring in more light and unite the two spaces.
This handsome brick home, a City of Madison Historic Landmark, received many restoration and upgrades after a chronic case of “deferred maintenance”. A historically sensitive, single-story addition, with an exposed basement, was added to increase living space while maximizing lake views. An additional half-bathroom was added over the new foundation, utilizing salvaged brick to maintain the historical essence of the home. Select interior walls were also removed for better flow and views.
In 2012, TDS designed and built a high-performance new home using Universal Design/Aging-in-place standards. The 2016 addition of a pool house, complete with a heated resistance pool by Endless Pools® and an underwater treadmill ensures a lifetime of low weight-bearing exercise any time of the year. The addition is a great feature for a home designed with the client’s long-term health in mind.
With preservation in mind, a living space was converted back to the original garage, the three-story spiral staircase was refinished, and the birds-eye maple, Brazilian cherry, and black walnut inlay floors were refinished. Updated bathrooms throughout and a new kitchen brought this home up to date without sacrificing its historic appeal.
A screened in porch offers the ‘best of both worlds’ living space in a home – both inside and out. The screen porch addition to this Frank Lloyd Wright inspired home gives this family a restful place to enjoy meals outdoors in the warmer months without the pesky intrusion of summer insects.
This Monona home is hardly recognizable after a whole house remodel! No additional square footage was added to this property, but an open floor plan and smart design make the 1,000 sq. foot home feel spacious.
Two bathrooms were remodeled in this Maple Bluff home; the ensuite bath off of the primary bedroom, and the family/kids bathroom. In both, the family of five was looking for additional storage and an updated look.
A family of four was feeling cramped in their 1930’s near east side home but loved their neighborhood—close to Lake Monona, many parks, restaurants, and just a stroll away from the grocery store. They contacted TDS to design and build an addition appropriate to the period and style of the home that would give them a first-floor bathroom and the additional space they needed without having to relocate.
The close-knit lots on the near west side give a great sense of community, but making adjustments to the small and often historically protected sites can be a challenge for builders. Hoping to design a new garage with their future home exterior updates in mind, the owners of this beautiful Wisconsin landmark home contacted TDS due to our reputation for working with historically sensitive homes.
A family of four purchased a small 1948 ranch in Nakoma, a desirable west side neighborhood. The home was in need of updates and creative solutions in an existing primary suite in the basement that would bring the room up to code.
A busy family of five was looking for ways to increase comfort for frequent guests. Like many younger families today, they decided to utilize the existing unfinished lower level of their home to gain living space without having to add on to their 1910 Swiss Chalet.
This near west-side, two-story, 1960’s home had been remodeled in the 1990s. The kitchen was comprised of cabinets in a strange and uncomfortable layout. The homeowners were eager to renovate the space to better fit their family’s needs. Working within the existing footprint, TDS gutted the area down to the studs and added a large picture window to make the kitchen feel roomy and open.
We restored the home with an open floor plan and two bedrooms to be energy efficient, very comfortable, and smartly designed. We rebuilt the existing rear “addition” as a combination entryway and sunny sitting room with new stairs to the basement. The result? This eastside bungalow got a much needed overhaul!
