Our office is bustling with new faces and we are excited about opportunities to collaborate as we grow. We interviewed our newest freshman class and asked each of them to give us a brief introduction:
Christopher Faulhammer
Born in Florida and raised in Ohio, Christopher has always had a passion for technology and finding ways of automating or streamlining the ways tasks are performed. With over 10 years of BIM knowledge and management, Christopher charges forward to find better ways to handle today’s demanding project information. In his free time (mostly after the kids go to bed), you will find him photographing architecture, coding a new application, or learning new software. Christopher is a member of NCARB and the AIA.
Chuck Barnes
Chuck began his relationship with KFA as a member of the architectural staff in 1994. He is responsible for technological and human information systems in the service of KFA’s mission. He is interested not so much in the new as in the effective and the delightful. He mentors homeless youth at p:ear in Portland, and enjoys singing and playing the banjo.
Corinne Leo
As she grew up outside of Philadelphia and went to school in Southwest Virginia, Corinne yearned to live in a city by the ocean. Her fascination with urban metropolitan areas and obsession with all things marine life compelled her to move to Santa Monica, and she has no plans to return back East. From the beachy haven of Santa Monica where she lives and works, to the mountains of Malibu where you can find her hiking on the weekends, and to the hustle and bustle of downtown LA where she explores the adaptive reuse projects KFA has completed in the past, she appreciates Los Angeles’ many distinct environments. New on the KFA team, Corinne is extremely excited to leave her mark on a city she has come to love in such a short period of time!
Daniel Lee
Daniel’s ideal built environment engages progressive architecture, technical detailing, society, community, and place in equal measure. His commitment to addressing issues of social inequality has led him to work in urban revitalization in Downtown Los Angeles with the former Community Redevelopment Agency, affordable housing development in the Bay Area in partnership with AmeriCorps, and international development as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Balkan Peninsula. Daniel can be found drinking as much wondrous coffee as he can and appreciating California’s bountiful food and landscapes.
Daniel Silver
Daniel brings over two decades of full-service accounting expertise to KFA and its clients. His position is vital to making sure that all project billing is timely processed and that the firm is fiscally sound. Daniel also brings focus and dedication to his work. His experience includes being the controller for mechanical and electrical engineering firms where he gained a thorough knowledge of construction accounting procedures. He also has worked with companies that provide services to Federal and local government agencies. What Daniel loves about KFA is that the people love their work. When he’s not looking for patterns in KFA’s financial statements, he can be found making floral patterns in his paintings.
Dara Haagens
Having recently joined the KFA team, Dara values sustainability, innovation and user centered design. For her, successful designs confer a feeling of authenticity, sensory impact, and the connection of the user to the greater social and ecological context. Dara has worked on the design and development of single and multi-family residential, commercial and retail building and renovation projects. She also brings a knowledge of interior design, lighting, and landscaping, and graphic design to her work. Dara seeks to make the communities that she lives in better places, and takes her involvement in projects and passion for design beyond the walls of the office. Previously, she has volunteered with the Center for the Advancement of Sustainable Living and the Junior League; she is always looking for a good cause to get behind.
David Takahashi
After growing up in Las Vegas, David returned to Los Angeles, his birthplace, to attend the USC School of Architecture. He is a recent graduate excited to hit the ground running. He joined the team already hard at work on the Anita May Rosenstein LGBT Center located in Hollywood, and is eager to see the project come to fruition. David is a LEED Green Associate and is actively studying for the ARE. He is passionate about reshaping Los Angeles’ architectural landscape. When not hard at work, David is reading the latest best seller, working on his Japanese skills, or hiking LA’s local trails.
Kevin Ford
Kevin takes a holistic approach to architecture, considering technical and sustainability issues in design while respecting a project’s surrounding context. He seeks opportunities to create a more equitable, functional and beautiful city. While at KFA, he has been working on multifamily and urban infill projects; his previous experience includes complex higher education and medical campus planning. He plants trees in and around LA as a volunteer for Tree People, and is a Friend of the Los Angeles River. He loves music and running (particularly in combination); you may see him in your neighborhood.
Ismar Enriguez, AIA
Ismar has been passionate about drawing since he was a toddler; his creative energies are currently channeled into creating the built environment. While in college, he obtained a diverse background, which prepared him for a career in architecture. Those experiences included working for a press company, a residential contractor, a civil engineer, and an interior architecture firm. He continues to reflect upon these experiences when approaching each project. As an advocate of sustainability, his decisions are guided by a sense of the future of our environment. His sense of community has led him to serve non-profit organizations, and he has been involved in several local AIA chapters. Ismar has visited over 20 national parks, as well as many national monuments and state parks. When not at KFA, you’ll find him hiking, camping, and backpacking with Mochi his loyal basset hound.
Jared Subler
Jared has worked on a variety of new construction and adaptive reuse projects, including office, retail, restaurant, and multi and single family residential. With a knowledge of commercial real estate valuation, he has a holistic understanding of KFA’s market rate housing projects and clients. On the weekends, he enjoys exploring L.A and playing guitar. If he’s not on a beach or mountain, you might find him at a local taco truck or brewery.
Lydia Chambers, AIA
Lydia sees problems as opportunities to answer the question, “What is the best product that we can deliver?” Before coming to KFA, Lydia worked in healthcare architecture; she completed projects for small medical clinic tenant improvements, mid-size clinic renovations, the development of a new 250,000 SF medical office building, and the St. Luke’s Replacement Hospital project in San Francisco. Her former architectural employers include Gruen Associates and Boulder Associates. She has an eclectic background: before graduate school in architecture she studied American Sign Language, working as an interpreter while completing a degree in biomedical photography, and then as a photographer for a retinal specialist, before exploring Alaska and driving ski buses in Colorado. Lydia is an active member of a fitness organization called November Project, and completed her first full Ironman last year. She is also a member of the AIA and The Living Building Futures Institute.
Megan Lynch
Megan loves being a part of the cross-pollination of minds that leads to a beautiful built form. As a designer, she participates in schematic design and planning, design development, and preparation of construction documents. She was drawn to KFA for its leadership in addressing the urgent need for affordable housing in Los Angeles. Megan finds that participating in this process is a rewarding way to combine a love of advocacy and a passion for design. Her inherent urge to be useful in society serves her in efforts towards licensure, in researching sustainable systems and materials, and in her personal life: outside of the office Megan advocates for urban agriculture, and has volunteered at Enrich LA, Food Forward, and other like-minded organizations.
Nicole Violani
A Brazilian native, Nicole Violani moved to Los Angeles in her late teens, the result of her father’s passion to be a pilot. Between her undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture, she worked on high-end, multiple lot residential projects. Since joining the KFA family in early 2016, Nicole has played an important role in the WHCHC Rampart affordable housing project and collaborated on others like the 4000 Sunset Hotel in Silverlake and NEXT on Sixth project in Koreatown. Nicole’s passion for ocean swimming keeps her competing in open water races and triathlons year round; when she’s not at work, she’s in the Pacific Ocean with dolphins and other sea creatures.
Sara Mears
Originally from Council Bluffs, Iowa, Sara moved to California in 1994, and received a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Humboldt State University in 2004. After college, she spent two years volunteering full-time with AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America), and in June 2011, she received a certification in Holistic Nutrition from Bauman College. Sara is ambitious, outgoing, creative, and enjoys organizing and planning events with thorough detail. When not at KFA, you can find her taking classes in voice acting and improv; she periodically works as a voice actor for indie game developers and other projects. Drop the mic…
Tyler Stark
Passionate about art, music, furniture, architecture, and all things design, Tyler brings a creative perspective to KFA projects. Born and raised in an artistic environment in Northern California, Tyler’s natural design sense drew him to a career in architecture at the age of 18. After graduation, Tyler began designing fire stations, multi-family residential developments, and other planning projects in San Luis Obispo. He can be found drawing at a drafting table, on stage with a bass guitar, in the seat of a bike, and home at KFA.
Wu Ji
Wu Ji is a sincere, friendly, detail-oriented project designer. She understands the value of effectively managing time in delivering high quality and well-executed designs. Having recently joined the KFA family, Ji has enthusiastically fit into the firm’s culture. Most of her experience has been focused on designing residential components for mixed-use projects. She is currently working on the senior housing units for the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s new Anita May Rosenstein Campus. Originally from Beijing, Wu Ji received her Bachelor of Architecture degree from Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, and earned her Master of Architecture from USC. Since 2014, she has been an active participant in the USC Architectural Guild mentorship program.
