kevin stephens   chief executive officer

kevin stephens has 17 years of experience in design and 24 years of experience in construction, managing complex projects in the fields of real estate development, building design, landscape design, interior design, site planning, and urban design. he has the unique ability to integrate complex visions, developing and managing a streamlined process to actualize his client's vision. he has created a menu of affordable sustainable systems that can be combined to create close to zero net energy buildings. kevin is intimately involved with each step of the creation process; including evaluating financial feasibility of a project, developing plans and construction documents, value engineering, material selection, construction management, permits, approvals, and completion.

kevin has worked on a variety of complex national and international projects. his experience ranges from the design of small scale residences to large scale urban master plans. kevin’s portfolio of work includes residential estates, residential and commercial developments, urban plazas, streetscapes, golf courses, resorts, ecological mitigation, private vineyards, park systems, native habitat restoration, and public open spaces. his experience also includes elementary through university level campus planning, museum planning, religious campus planning, mass-transit planning, neighborhood redevelopment, and urban mixed-use projects. having spent 16 years in the field of design and development, kevin has developed specialized knowledge in green building technologies and has demonstrated an interest in supporting public art and philanthropy in his projects.

ben parco   project manager · architecture & design

with 20 years in the profession, ben has established himself as a leader in the field of architectural design. he has acted as the chief designer on an unusually wide range of challenging project types ranging form high-rise office towers to performing arts theaters and five-star hotels. located just west of forbidden city, ben master planned the $1.5b, 16-city block beijing finance street project and designed a number of its more important buildings. benjamin has orchestrated a team of over 30 architects and engineers, delivering the 16 m square project to completion in less than six years. this project was named the best planning project in business week's 2007 china awards. in 2005 the knowledge and innovation community plaza project located in shanghai, for which ben was the lead designer, was exhibited at the museum of modern art in new york. in early 2009 ben was asked by former vice president al gore to present a white paper at one of gore's cloistered climate solutions summits. he was recently acknowledged in gore's new book, "our choice" for his contribution to gore's body of knowledge around the topic of low-carbon and carbon neutral buildings.

alicia dattner   director · marketing & human resources

Alicia has 12 years of experience in marketing strategy, television, graphic and web design, and social media. She has brought several companies to the first page of Google Search by communicating the company's unique core offering to the right market with integrity and clarity. Her area of expertise is helping companies align their core message with the highest good of the customer. She brings a rich knowledge of holistic thinking, international travel, and a life-long passion for ecology to her position. Alicia's work has appeared on CNN, ABC, TechTV, G4, and CurrentTV. She graduated with High Honors from Hampshire College with a B.A. in Filmmaking, Multimedia Studies and Performance. By night, she is a critically acclaimed standup comic.

heather davis   bookkeeping

Heather has a degree in English Literature from the University of Texas at Austin. Her first career began in small boutique bookstores as a book buyer and then graduated to editor at book publishing houses. After that she took a position at her favorite travel guide company, Lonely Planet, as a manager of digital travel content to other online travel companies. Heather's path to becoming a professional bookkeeper began in 2005, shortly after the birth of her first son. She obtained a position as a part-time assistant to a CPA in Corte Madera, California, working on client books as well as writing clients' SBA Loans & business plans. In 2006 she went out on her own, quickly securing a busy client list - primarily real estate businesses. Heather has enjoyed being the bookkeeper for KSDG since early 2007.

katie schroeder   project manager · on-site

katie brings two years of project management experience to the KSDG team, coupled with her b.s. in human environmental sciences and hospitality from oklahoma state university. on a daily basis she helps coordinate subcontractors, property viewings, and meetings. she also maintains contact with existing tenants to ensure they are satisfied and assists in helping them resolve any concerns. in addition to managing multiple projects, katie is also directly involved in the development of the new KSDG tulsa office. while working toward becoming a LEED certified assistant, she has also mastered the art of creating adobe walls to increase energy efficiency for the tulsa office.

Brian Schroeder   project manager · landscape construction

brian schroeder is an on-site project manager at KSDG with a focus on landscape construction. he has worked in landscape design and construction for over 10 years. he played ncaa baseball at northeastern state university before graduating from oklahoma state university with a b.s. in business administration and marketing.

jiselle liu   project manager · construction management & planning

jiselle graduated from the university of california, berkeley with a b.a. in political economy and a minor in city & regional planning. prior to KSDG, she worked with nonprofit organizations such as one economy corporation in san francisco and asian immigrant women advocates in oakland. she also interned for the department of trade and industry at the manila economic and cultural office in taipei. while in school, she was involved with the pilipino american alliance as well as other asian pacific american organizations on campus. at KSDG, she manages construction budgets and oversees the administration of various projects. she is fluent in english, mandarin, hokkien, and tagalog.

lisa espinosa   project manager · building & landscape design

lisa is a graduate from the university of california, berkeley with a b.a. in architecture. she previously worked at michael willis architects in san francisco where she assisted the design director on san francisco housing projects. her passion for architecture and design stems from her love and skill for the arts which she has been practicing for over 15 years. her artistic background has developed her creative design style and has contributed to her success with KSDG, where she project manages architectural and landscape construction documents for various types of design projects.

truman mak   project manager · sustainable systems

as a project manager, truman oversees sustainable technology research and administration at KSDG. previously, he worked for university of california, san diego's housing dining and hospitality as an econaut, where he help secured LEED credits for various LEED housing projects, created economic feasibility analysis of various sustainability programs, and conducted sustainability training workshops for staff and employees. truman also worked at the u.s. house of representatives, executing sustainability measures such as creating green leases for over 12,000 congressional district offices, sustainable renovation of historic buildings, and revamping the procurement and supply chain training programs. truman is a LEED green associate holding a b.s. in management science and a sustainable business practices certificate from the university of california, san diego.

Tu “Tracy” Nguyen   associate · finance & market research

tracy does finance and market research for the KSDG family, advocating for the economic benefits of implementing green technology into the built environment. prior to her interest in finance, tracy worked as a liaison for an import-export firm in Vietnam, negotiating contracts for purchase of inventory in terms of quantities and prices. during her undergraduate career, she led her teammates in a project to analyze the effect of trade barriers in contemporary world. tracy holds a b.a. in economics from the university of california, berkeley and is a candidate for the chartered financial analyst program.

alain diaz   project manager · graphic design

alain oversees all graphic design work for the KSDG family. a graphic illustration m.f.a. graduate of the academy of art university in san francisco, alain also graduated with a b.a. in studio art from the university of nebraska in omaha. after completing his education, alain has worked as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator, while also creating his independent graphic novel "cry of the coyote". his illustrative and graphic design work has been featured during the 2011 aau spring art show, as well the 2005 & 2006 bemus center uno art showings. alain's art can be found at www.amdiazart.com. aside from art, alain is an avid fan of soccer, theater and travel.

silvia robertson   project manager · building & landscape design

silvia grew up in colombia and came to the u.s. in 2005. she transferred to the university of california, berkeley in 2009 and traveled to madrid, spain for an internship opportunity for the summer before she graduated with a b.a in architecture in august 2011. she holds knowledge pertaining to different topics related to architecture such as planning, sustainable design, and landscape design. she is very interested in community and sustainable design and the effects that these two can have on cityscapes and people's lifestyle. at KSDG, silvia manages several design projects, where she administers architecture and landscape construction documents.

jonathan li   associate · structural engineering

jonathan was born and raised in the city of san francisco, where he graduated with a b.s. in civil engineering with an emphasis in structural engineering from san francisco state university. he has the ability to apply in-class knowledge to real life applications, work well in a team to achieve an overall goal, and think outside the box with creativity. he is active in several professional groups including tau beta pi, an engineering honoring society. he works as a structural engineering associate at KSDG. in his spare time, jonathan enjoys shooting photos of the fabulous landscapes of san francisco.

aung kyaw thant   associate · graphic design

a graphic design associate at KSDG, aung graduated from san francisco state university with a b.s. in industrial design. he also studied graphic design and animation at city college of san francisco and san francisco state university. among his hobbies include painting, traveling, and photography.

amanda shih   associate · marketing strategy

amanda has an m.s. in integrated marketing communications with a focus on public relations at golden gate university. she holds a b.a. in international business from a university in taiwan. during her undergraduate career, she was the spokesperson, social media manager and the drummer for her band. she loves to study and analyze speeches from various public figures and compare the differences between american and asian spokespersons. she is responsible for maintaining KSDG's social media presence and its overall marketing strategy. amanda enjoys spending her free time listening to jazz music while reading a book and sipping on a cup of black coffee.

soo jeong ahn   project manager · building design

a building design project manager at KSDG, soo focuses on design development with sustainability and zero-net energy components. she recently graduated from the university of california, berkeley with a b.a. in architecture and a minor in sustainable design. in her spare time, soo loves to draw and make miniature models. she is an active member of alpha rho chi, the only national co-ed professional-social fraternity for architecture and the allied arts. she is also involved with global architecture brigades, where she organized multiple fundraising events as well as participated in the design competition for building a health center in santa rosa, honduras. she has traveled to and lived in multiple countries, but is originally from korea. soo is fluent in korean and english.

melissa han   associate · building design

melissa is a design associate for KSDG and is currently pursuing a b.a. in architecture as well as minors in structural engineering and city and regional planning at the university of california, berkeley. she is responsible for the design development of KSDG’s projects with a focus on sustainability and zero-net energy technology in dense urban housing. her personal interests involve painting, classical music and dancing.

mischelle mulia   associate · building design

mischelle was born in jakarta, indonesia, and moved to the united states in high school. she is currently attending the university of california, berkeley with the intent to major in architecture and minor in both sustainable design and urbanism in third world countries. her interests in sustainability and development stemmed from having lived half her life in jakarta. she is interested in all types of design and does graphic design work on the side. mischelle is an active member of alpha rho chi, a professional architectural co-ed fraternity on campus. at KSDG, mischelle contributes to the design development of sustainable multi-family housing project. in her free time, she enjoys attending concerts and going jogging.

loan dao   associate · building design

Originally from southern california, loan studied architecture at orange coast college and was a member of the phi theta kappa honor society. she later transferred to the university of san francisco where she graduated with a degree in architecture and community design with a minor in architectural engineering. she recently completed a rain garden/ bioswale project with self-sustaining communities based in oakland. she brings her knowledge to KSDG as a building design associate. loan enjoys all things design, travel, and food related.

nancy banh-boudreau   associate · landscape design

nancy was born and raised in san francisco. she graduated from university of california, berkeley with a b.s. in environmental science with an emphasis in wildlife conservation and restoration ecology. she has worked as a wildlife biologist in the private and non-profit sector, and has a passion for native plants, open spaces, and habitat restoration. at KSDG, nancy assists in the creation of native, drought-tolerant, landscape designs. in her free time, nancy loves bringing her dog on hikes, camping, and eating.

jeremy pi   associate · urban planning

jeremy was born in sao paulo, brazil and raised in pretoria, south africa and later moved to san jose, california. he is currently pursuing dual degrees in cultural anthropology and urban studies at the university of california, berkeley where he is interested in the ways that different cultures and communities use space and design to accommodate their unique lifestyles and geographic area. an urban planning associate at KSDG, he believes that with the right tools and mindset, sustainable design and practices can be successfully applied to any environment and hopes to learn how such practices can be practically applied and encouraged. in his free time, jeremy enjoys reading comic books, watching movies, and drinking bottled sodas.

jennifer lee   associate · sustainable systems research

jennifer is a sustainable systems research associate at KSDG, where she works to enhance building performance by searching for ways to integrate sustainable technology and residential programming into KSDG projects. she also contributes to the company blog. in her free time, she volunteers as a lead chef for sprouts cooking club, where she teaches children how to creatively use local and sustainably grown ingredients. jennifer is in her third year at the university of california, berkeley, where she will graduate with a b.a. in environmental economics and policy and a minor in sustainable design.

andie larson   associate · building design

andie is a native of san diego and an architecture student at the university of california, berkeley. she has a passion for sustainable design and is a member of greening of the greeks, which promotes environmental awareness at the university of california. at KSDG, andie does design and development for urban infill, multi-family housing. andie is also a university of california cheerleader.

tony lau   associate · building design

tony grew up in hong kong and came to the u.s. in 1997. he transferred to the university of california, berkeley in 2011, where he is currently pursuing a b.a. in architecture. a design associate for KSDG, he aids in the design and development of sustainable and zero-net energy projects. he brings his experiences and knowledge in the building process and environmental design to the firm. tony is interested in green design, interior design and methods for maximizing space within each unit.

huy tran   associate · business development

huy was born in ho chi minh, vietnam. he moved to the united states in 2009 to pursue his bachelor's degree in business administration, with a double emphasis on international business & finance at san francisco state university. huy has strong interests in business planning and financial analysis, and works as the business development associate at KSDG. he has been on the dean's list of honors at his school for consecutives semesters. in his spare time, huy enjoys dancing and playing the violin.

emmanuel coloma   associate · sustainable systems research

emmanuel is a senior at the university of california, berkeley, pursuing majors in molecular environmental biology and urban studies with concentrations on human health and sustainable design. he started the design for america studio on campus and has worked on several research projects with the university of california, san francisco, stanford university, and university of california, berkeley. at KSDG, he does research on sustainable systems that can be implemented in various company projects. he believes in the positive influence human-centered design can have on the community. in addition, he loves cities and good food.

francesca sadikin   associate · building design

francesca was born and raised in san francisco. she currently attends the university of california, berkeley, where she is completing her b.a. in architecture as well as minors in sustainable design and city planning. she has a passion for sustainable renovation, which makes her a valuable asset as an building design associate at KSDG. in her free time, francesca loves going to open houses, building new computers, and making lotions.

natasha sadikin   associate · building design

natasha was born and raised in san francisco. she is pursuing degrees in architecture studies and fine arts with a minor in geography at the university of california, los angeles. she has had prior experience in servicing photography and video equipment for the film school at ucla. at KSDG, natasha is a building design associate, where she works on the development of mixed use buildings using sustainable concepts. in addition to her photography adventures and architectural design studies, natasha enjoys volunteering with underprivileged kids in the inner city district.

haruna matsumoto   project manager · building design

haruna matsumoto is a profound deaf graduate from the university of california, berkeley with a b.a. in architecture. she was born in japan and came to the u.s. in 2004 where there are better educational opportunities for the deaf. it was a challenge for her to learn english and american sign language at the same time, but she kept up the pace of learning new languages, as she knew that language is the most important tool to express emotions and communicate with other people. Her well-rounded background shaped her desire to design built environments to be effective and functional to everyone. through volunteering to provide aid for terminally ill patients and children with physical or mental disabilities, she came to realize that there are numerous architectural barriers in our built environment for people with disabilities. this challenges her to see the world in a different way and to think about the possibilities of using architectural design to enrich the lives of everyone. as a building design project manager at KSDG, haruna is able to put her unique perspective and expertise to work in KSDG projects and to blog about design solutions for the disabled.

yi "kevin" miao   associate · building design

yi (kevin) is a building design associate at KSDG. he is currently an undergraduate at the university of california, berkeley, where he is pursuing a b.a. in architecture and minors in urban planning and sustainable design. an environmentalist, he is interested in learning how to use new technology to improve the environment. he believes that architecture plays a leading role towards a more sustainable future. kevin is fluent in english, mandarin, and cantonese.

roandrick soriaga   associate · building & graphic design

roandrick grew up in the philiippines and recently graduated from the university of california, berkeley with a b.a. in architecture and a minor in sustainable design. he is also passionate about graphic design, and is able to integrate both interests at KSDG as an architecture & graphic design associate. he aims to expand his knowledge of sustainable design and contribute to the protection and conservation of the environment. roandrick embraces the idea of social sustainability through developing physical spaces that encourage a sense of community and providing accessibility to public parks and other open spaces. during his time at uc berkeley, he was involved with the pilipino american alliance and their pilipino cultural night. he is an avid basketball fan and enjoys playing the sport.

sam palfreyman   associate · building design

sam is a building design associate at KSDG. he graduated from the university of california, berkeley with a b.a. in both architecture and american studies. he strongly believes that it is important to encourage more sustainable lifestyles not by guilt or shame, but rather by positive incentives such as practical education and cultural transformation. he hopes to help shape the built environment in order to precipitate positive effects by better understanding the past and promoting a more sustainable future. it is to this hopeful view of a more sustainable and healthy future that he hopes to contribute as a member of the KSDG team through research and design. sam is a frequent contributor to the company blog.

tammie leung   project manager · graphic design

tammie was born in hong kong. a graphic design associate at KSDG, she is currently working towards a b.f.a. in graphic design at the academy of art university in san francisco, with graphic design and package design being her focuses. she draws inspiration from her prior educational experiences pursuing a business administration degree in shanghai. she strongly believes that a successful business is only possible with good marketing and branding that work together to communicate the company's story and values. the never-ending flow of creativity is her favorite thing about her field. her work has been featured at the 2012 aau spring art show.

maria khatri   associate · building design

maria recently graduated from the university of california, berkeley with a b.a. in architecture and a minor in sustainable design. she was part of the greening operations team concerned with waste management on campus during her college career. she was also involved with habitat for humanity east bay for 5 to 6 years, which stemmed from the organization's commitment to sustainable building design. there, she helped plan a sustainability event for homeowners and their families to attend. maria moved to the u.s. six years ago, and feels lucky to be in the bay area with many like-minded people. through her position as a building design associate at KSDG, she is focused on green issues as they pertain to the built environment and an overall lifestyle.

rachael neimand   associate · building design & marketing strategy

rachael was born and raised in california's bay area. she recently graduated from san francisco state university with a b.a. in art with an emphasis in conceptual information arts. her works are inspired by nature and recycled elements, and her love for design and the environment has fueled her desire to merge the two. she is a strong advocate for sustainable lifestyles and believes they are necessary in attaining a healthy future. through KSDG, she is learning more about environmental policy and how to apply that to design, and is an ongoing blog contributor. in her free time she can be found wandering through nature on foot mainly around san francisco's nutritious and delicious eateries.

seth parker   associate · sustainable systems research

seth is a sustainable systems research associate at KSDG. grounded by his b.a. in anthropology from wheaton college in massachusetts, he set out in the building industry in 2004 as an apprentice carpenter. it was at the ground level of the building process that seth grew interested in sustainability. his journey has led him from conventional and timber-frame building in vermont, to sustainable building in boston, and finally into sustainable material sales on both coasts. he believes that thoughtful, human-centric design in urban and suburban infill will help shape a future where people will be happier, healthier, have less financial burdens and more time for living. his passion for sustainability permeates his entire life and when he is not riding his bikes, surfing or hiking with his wife, reinee, and their boston terrier, xena, seth is furthering his understanding of sustainable planning and design. he holds a masters level certificate in sustainable design and community planning from boston architectural college.

cynthia bathgate   associate · building design

cynthia is from mill valley, california, and is interested in healthy and simple living, focusing on sustainable design and efficient space. she is currently a student at the university of california, berkeley where she is pursuing a b.a. in architecture. at school, she is involved in american Institute of architecture students, a national architecture student organization, and alpha rho chi, a professional co-ed architectural fraternity. at KSDG, cynthia contributes to the design development of urban, sustainable multi-family housing projects. in her spare time, she likes to hike, attend concerts, animate short films, and blog about travel experiences.

narin lorrungruangkul   associate · building design

bio coming soon!

kenya stabler   associate · interior design

although a southern california native, kenya was raised in asia and currently resides in san francisco. having studied photography, interior design and graphic design, she graduated from the university of san francisco with a b.a. in design. she is an avid traveler, drawing inspiration from her surroundings and life experiences. at KSDG, she explores sustainable and eco friendly design concepts through her position as an interior design associate. when not working, you can find her cooking, sewing, at the beach taking pictures (when the weather permits), or looking up flights for her next jaunt.

gabriela hanna   associate · building design

a building associate at KSDG, gabriela was born and raised in southern california. she recently graduated from the university of california, berkeley with a b.a. in both architecture and geography and a minor in sustainable design. during her undergraduate years, she was highly involved with the gamma phi beta sorority and the alpha rho chi professional co-ed architecture fraternity, as well as two intramural sports teams. in her free time, she enjoys drawing and traveling.

lia polizos   associate · building design

bio coming soon!