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 them to give us a brief introduction:

Ashkan Afshari is an architect with diverse experience including educational, hospitality, residential, and mixed-use projects.  His goal is to combine sustainability, culture, and aesthetics in all his designs. Ashkan’s passion is to explore nature either on the ground by foot or in the sky via glider.

Dulce De La Paz earned a BA in Architecture from UNLV and then moved to L.A. to attend the M. Arch. Program at USC.  While working on her graduate degree, Dulce began to appreciate L.A.’s beauty and culture diversity, which attracted her to stay and explore the City further. She enjoys little pockets of nature found in urban settings that create a beautiful mixture of textures and colors.  As a new KFA team member, she looks forward to working on projects that improve L.A.’s landscape.

James Hwangbo received his Bachelor of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology. As a versatile designer, James creates opportunities from constraints and reveals the extraordinary in the ordinary. During his free time, James enjoys spending time with friends and family, as well as reading books.

Natalie Park is of Korean descent, born in Brazil, and raised in the U.S. She earned her Bachelor of Architecture from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Natalie loves nature, but enjoys living in an urban city. Traveling and climbing are a big part of her life. It keeps her honest and humbled, while constantly challenging herself. Her philosophy is to work hard, play even harder. A quote that she holds dear: “Happiness only real when shared.” – Christopher McCandless

Emmanuel Sandoval is a native Angeleno whose passion for all things L.A. continues to intensify as he pursues his commitment to inspire and create a socially sustainable city through art and architecture. Being a world traveler, foodie, art enthusiast, and a local tourist are a few things he enjoys away from the office.

Min Shuai came to the U.S. to pursue a second degree in architecture from USC about twenty years ago. Being very detail oriented, she loves the technical side of architecture, particularly putting buildings together. Currently, she is in the process of completing the construction of her own dream house in Monterey Park.

Jeffrey Tseng grew up in the Bay Area and came down to UCLA for his undergraduate in Civil Engineering. While studying structures, he developed a love for well-designed buildings and environments and pursued this passion further at Cal Poly Pomona’s M. Arch program. When away from the office, he likes to ride his bike around L.A., sketch sceneries, and struggle with his golf swing.

Yining Wang is originally from Hangzhou, China. She received her undergraduate architecture degree from Zhejiang University during which she studied in Madrid, Spain on a six-month student exchange program. Soon after graduating, Yining moved to L.A. to attend UCLA’s M. Arch program. When she is not designing buildings, she enjoys dining at nice restaurants as well as L.A.’s warm weather. One of her favorite activities is going wine tasting in Napa Valley.

Chad Yussman is KFA’s new marketing director and is excited to be a part of such a special firm with so many talented individuals.  Originally from Louisville, KY, he earned his BSBA in International Business from Wash U in St. Louis and received an MBA in Marketing from LMU. Chad’s marketing journey has taken him from international film and art festivals in England and Los Angeles to high-end video production in Hollywood.  He is a performing bassoonist, an avid Louisville Cardinals fan, and loves playing on the beach with his kids.