Adan Aspericueta
Job Captain
Adan Aspericueta
Job Captain
A proud Bay Area native, Adan was born and raised in San Jose. The time he spent growing up watching his father—a longtime construction worker—build and maintain their family home inspired Adan to pursue a career that involved shaping the built environment.
Adan graduated from the University of San Francisco, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture & Community Design with minors in Architectural Engineering & Latin American Studies.
His prior professional experience includes a range of multi-family residential, mixed-use development, affordable housing, and airport tenant improvement projects.
Outside the office, Adan’s hobbies include shooting black-and-white photography on his 35 mm camera, traveling, and playing basketball.
Alex Croft
Designer
Alex Croft
Designer
A native of the Bay Area, Alex is interested in both the region’s rich history and its future as San Francisco continues to grow and evolve. She brings to WDA a collaborative attitude and an eagerness to learn from more experienced design professionals.
Previously, she worked at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, where she developed her familiarity with the world of contemporary and modern art. She gravitated to architecture because she’s most fulfilled by work with potential for cultural impact and endurance beyond her immediate involvement.
Alex recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from UC Berkeley, where she also minored in Art History. She studied abroad in Florence, Italy, taking classes taught on-site in art and architectural history at the Florence University of the Arts. The historic sites she’s studied in her travels have both enhanced her design education and inspired her own projects. In her spare time, Alex enjoys reading, spin classes, visiting San Francisco’s museums, and spending time with friends
Anastasia Bespalova
Project Manager
Anastasia Bespalova
Project Manager
In her work, Anastasia strives for clean simplicity and a strong connection to the project’s site. Whether coordinating layers of project requirements or resolving small details, she aspires to deliver the highest quality in everything she does.
Anastasia began her journey in architecture in Moscow, Russia, where she received her bachelor’s degree.
For a decade, she worked at Dumican Mosey Architects and Mark English Architects, honing her experience in designing high-end single-family residences and navigating the projects through San Francisco Planning and Building Departments.
Anastasia spends her time outside the office enjoying the outdoors with her husband and son, practicing yoga and capoeira, and creating whimsical felted wool sculptures.
Andres Johnson
Project Manager
Andres Johnson
Project Manager
AIA
Andres Johnson started his architectural career in Valparaiso, Chile, working on multi-family residential projects in the coastal resort of Vina del Mar. To build on this initial professional experience, he left Chile to pursue a Master of Architecture at Tulane University.
Andres spent eight years in New Orleans as part of the design community helping the city rebuild from the devastation following Hurricane Katrina. While there, he developed an expertise in commercial architecture, designing several administrative buildings.
After frequent travels to the West Coast, Andres relocated to Seattle to apply his skills to large-scale corporate campuses. He managed several projects and earned a Washington architectural license before moving to San Francisco to join WDA. As a WDA Project Manager, Andres is excited to contribute his design ideas and commercial expertise to our growing firm.
When not at work, Andres seeks to satisfy his curiosity by exploring new realms—including visual art, music, and travel.
Ankit Solanki
Job Captain
Ankit Solanki
Job Captain
Ankit’s interest in architecture began early, as he was fascinated by the drawings at his father’s boutique residential firm in India. After moving to United States in 1999, he settled with his family in San Jose, and later earned a Bachelor of Interior Architecture & Design Degree from Academy of Arts University in San Francisco.
Ankit started his career in interior design at Artistic Design for Living with Tineke Triggs, focusing on kitchen and bathroom remodel projects.
Outside of architecture, Ankit loves to explore the region’s restaurants, trails, and wineries with his wife and family. He also participates in various recreational sports leagues in Bay Area including cricket, football and softball.
Brenna Daugherty
Office/Marketing Assistant
Brenna Daugherty
Office/Marketing Assistant
Brenna brings both an artistic and administrative background to her position as the Administrative/Marketing Assistant at WDA.
She uses attention to detail and organizational skills to help keep the office running smoothly, and employs her creativity within marketing initiatives—from executing social media campaigns to helping with event planning and graphic design-related projects.
Brenna, a Sonoma County native, received her Bachelor of Arts in Art Practice with a focus on painting from UC Berkeley. In addition to prior administrative and marketing experience working at the City of Santa Rosa and SF Media Co., she spent a year as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. Now, she enjoys combining her organizational and communication skills with her arts training within the driven, creative environment at WDA.
She spends much of her free time drawing, painting, and exploring her colorful neighborhood, North Beach.
Chris Telles
Associate, Project Manager AIA
Chris Telles
Associate, Project Manager AIA
RA
Chris brings strong problem solving and management skills to WDA’s retail, restaurant, and commercial practices. He works closely with our Principals and Project Managers to efficiently execute the design intent. From an early age, Chris has been fascinated by building and the process of design; he’s continually developing his creativity through a combination of experimentation and observation.
Although born in the Bay Area, Chris primarily grew up in Phoenix before heading south to Tucson to earn his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Arizona.
Having spent most of his life in the dry desert, Chris is anxious to explore his new home. He enjoys being adventurous–hiking, traveling, playing sports, and looks forward to trying Bay Area activities not available in Arizona, such as sailing or surfing. Other interests include golfing, cooking, and cheering on his Arizona Wildcats.
Clair Ryu
Designer
Clair Ryu
Designer
A Bay Area native, Clair completed her Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California. Raised in a household that values the art of handcrafting, she is very passionate about creating a sense of place and one’s identity within it.
During her time at USC, Clair studied abroad in Italy and learned to see how design, from objects to space making, is a lived-in experience. Her studies in Italy influenced her views on the role of architecture and design in our everyday lives.
Outside of work, Clair enjoys knitting and exploring cities on foot.
David K. Plotkin
Principal - Commercial
David K. Plotkin
Principal - Commercial
AIA, LEED AP, NCARB
David brings to WDA his expertise in sustainable, forward-thinking architecture. As a leader in our commercial practice area, David adeptly formulates responsible modern design solutions. He thrives on negotiating challenges arising from codes, budgets, or environments, and prefers to practice conservation by blending old and new in existing buildings.
Most recently, David founded and operated his own Tucson, Arizona firm, where he concentrated on envisioning and implementing commercial and residential projects built with environmentally responsible practices.
A California and Arizona Registered Architect and a LEED Accredited Professional, David has been practicing and researching sustainable architecture since earning his Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Cincinnati. He has previously served as a Board Member for the U. S. Green Building Council, Southern Arizona Branch. His passion for sustainable design comes from a sense of personal responsibility which he believes should be inherent in contemporary architecture. David’s family shares his enthusiasm for the environment, and together they enjoy exploring the Bay Area’s inspiring natural landscapes.
Dillon Parker
Associate, Senior Project Architect
Dillon Parker
Associate, Senior Project Architect
AIA
In his over 17 years of professional experience, Dillon’s keenest interests have been the thoughtful development of design detailing and the intense collaborative coordination of building systems with engineers, general contractors, and other associated design professionals. He’s been party to all phases of design and construction in a variety of sectors, including Commercial TI, Resort Hospitality, Multi-Family Residential, and Skilled Nursing Facilities.
Prior to joining WDA, Dillon managed, designed, and detailed a variety of projects for Bull Stockwell Allen, including snow country projects in Vermont, Colorado and California, hotel projects on the California coast and central valley, and health care projects in Massachusetts, Georgia, Virginia, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Earlier in his career he designed, detailed, and observed construction of projects while at ADD Inc.
A California licensed Architect since 2009, Dillon received his Master of Architecture from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and his Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University, participating as an undergraduate in Columbia University’s “Shape of Two Cities – New York / Paris” Architecture program. Outside of the office Dillon is an avid road cyclist who typically logs five to eight thousand miles per year on his bike, and has completed dozens of century touring rides.
Dustin Foster
Project Manager
Dustin Foster
Project Manager
Dustin has cultivated a passion for the built environment through a variety of experiences. A summer as a teenager on a job site provided his introduction to construction. Later, an extended visit exploring the architecture of Spain and Italy became the springboard for his academic pursuits.
Dustin received his BA in Architecture with a focus in structural engineering and urban studies from UC Berkeley. While pursuing his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon, Dustin focused on sustainable design and urban planning and spent the summer between semesters developing valuable building experience by working in construction.
A native Californian, Dustin returned home to the Bay Area and spent several years working for Backen Gillam Kroeger Architects on luxury estates.
Dustin believes in sharing his professional experience to better his community and inspire the next generation. In the fall of 2017 he completed a 10-week residency with Youth in Arts San Rafael’s Architects in Schools program. Dustin taught 4th graders design thinking as a method to approach the challenges of climate change, and demonstrated how to organize and present the culminating project—the students’ proposed redesign of their campus in response to sea level rise.
When he’s not practicing architecture or teaching, Dustin spends time with friends and family at the beach, mountains or skatepark in pursuit of adventure and laughter.
Eunice Lin
Project Manager
Eunice Lin
Project Manager
RA, LEED AP
Eunice brings a strong interest in creating meaningful architecture strongly tied to its site. This perspective stems from her love of learning about the San Francisco Bay Area’s history and cultures and her deep appreciation of its beauty. She is a Bay Area native and has spent most of her life here. Her design interests are supported by her careful attention to detail and coordination, and being a natural born problem solver.
She has a long background in residential projects and has worked on a variety of projects throughout the SF bay area, from Carmel to San Francisco to the Napa/Sonoma Wine country regions.
Eunice received her BA degree in Architecture from University of California, Berkeley, and a Masters in Architecture from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While at MIT, she pursued her interests in studying the connections between architecture, history and culture with summer studies at the L’Ecole des Beaux Arts program at Fontainebleau, and classes focused on travel to case studies in Italy, Egypt, and Costa Rica. She is a licensed architect in the state of California, and a LEED-accredited professional.
Outside of the office, Eunice enjoys hiking, skiing, photography, and travel. Together with her husband she can also be found exploring the area’s amazing restaurant scene and the Bay Area’s many trails with their adorable dog.
Garrett Wehan
Job Captain
Garrett Wehan
Job Captain
Garrett’s childhood love of Legos drew him to explore the possibilities of the world of architecture and design from an early age. A native of Southern California, he graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 2012 with a Bachelor of Architecture. After college, Garrett refined his professional skills at McClean Design in Orange County, where he worked on high-end custom modern residences.
At WDA, Garrett’s focus includes harmonizing the relationship between indoor and outside and designing architectural solutions that highlight the amazing California climate. He loves the world of residential architecture and the satisfaction that can be gained by working collaboratively with clients to help them build their dream homes.
Outside the office, Garrett’s life tends to revolve around rooting for his favorite sports teams. If he isn’t watching one of them, he’s most likely out on the golf course or the soccer field trying to hone those skills. After living in southern California his whole life, he is looking forward to exploring all that the San Francisco Bay Area has to offer.
Giorgia Sala White
Project Manager
Giorgia Sala White
Project Manager
Born and raised in Milan, Italy, Giorgia hails from a very creative family full of architects, engineers, and graphic designers. Given these artistic origins her study of architecture was a natural path.
After completing her formal studies, Giorgia landed an internship with a residential architecture studio in Berkeley, CA. What was meant to be a brief summer experience turned into a life-changing one as she fell in love with the lightness of wood-framed construction typical of North American residential projects and the possibilities this form offered over the brick-and-concrete construction standard in Europe.
Professionally, Giorgia has worked on multiple types of projects—from institutional to commercial to offices to retail spaces. This broad exposure and in-depth experience further solidified Giorgia’s passion for residential projects. For the past 12 years, she has worked mostly on single family residential buildings. She enjoys designing with a special attention to details and fulfilling her clients’ wishes with exceptional projects.
Giorgia loves spending her free time with her husband and kids or with friends, preferably outdoors. She’s also an avid designer of jewelry she creates from Japanese glass seed beads.
Glorimar Irizarry Delgado
Job Captain
Glorimar Irizarry Delgado
Job Captain
For Glorimar Irizarry Delgado, architecture is both an art and a science; it is the balanced integration of sensible imagery with a systematic and structured understanding of the physical and natural world.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Glorimar received a Bachelor of Architecture from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. During her architectural studies, coursework abroad in Chile and Spain furthered her delight in the richness of learning from different cultures. Before she was called to a career in architecture, Glorimar also earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with studies in film. She now approaches her design work with an eye towards ways of integrating biology and architecture.
Glorimar is also passionate about the possibilities for outdoor cinema as a means of building community in cities. In Puerto Rico, she founded and ran a non-profit, Cine Urbano, which promoted the use of urban public space in while educating about the art of film.
Glorimar was drawn to WDA’s aesthetic of innovative, yet down to earth, design, and its culture of participating in its surrounding community and fostering a team-oriented work environment. An eager learner new to the city of San Francisco, she looks forward to discovering everything about the Bay Area. A student of the world, Glorimar enjoys traveling and exploring other cultures. Her hobbies include: dancing, yoga, painting and going to museums.
Jim Westover
Principal - Residential
Jim Westover
Principal - Residential
AIA, LEED AP
As Principal, Jim provides direct oversight of all of WDA’s residential projects, preparing a strategy to achieve each of our client’s unique goals, and personally manages select high-end residential projects. He meets weekly with the firm’s project managers to review milestones, discuss technical issues and provide quality control for completed drawings.
With a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley, Jim is a California state licensed architect, a LEED accredited professional, and has over 30 years of experience in architecture and interiors.
Prior to joining WDA, Jim had his own practice focusing on residential projects, preceded by 17 years as an associate and senior project manager at FME Architecture + Design in San Francisco, where he managed a variety of projects including corporate campuses, churches, schools, gymnasiums and private residences. For seven years, he served as the pro bono Project Architect for the renovation of San Francisco’s Lincoln Park Steps.
Jonathan Tsurui
Associate Principal - Retail
Jonathan Tsurui
Associate Principal - Retail
Jonathan works closely with William Duff to manage the retail practice. Jonathan’s project experience ranges from concept and original one-off designs to well-established brands, where strict standards must be followed.
Jonathan completed his Bachelor of Architecture with a Minor in Sustainable Environments from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. His interests include golf, foosball, and maintaining his humidor.
Karen Chang
Project Manager
Karen Chang
Project Manager
RA
A San Francisco native, Karen has over 20+ years of experience working on high-end, custom residential projects in the Bay Area. After working with millworkers at a local mill shop for nearly 3 years, she also has a deep appreciation for and unique experience in the craft of woodworking.
For Karen, participating in the creative process on a daily basis is a career blessing, and finds being part of a supportive team environment and learning something new daily to be the most rewarding.
She is a proud graduate of San Francisco public schools and the University of California, Berkeley. And while she enjoys all sports, she counts the days until football season begins to cheer on her local team – go Niners! A nature lover and hiker, she often escapes the city, civilization and technology with the occasional outdoor excursion. If she isn’t spinning her Big Band or Jazz records from a bygone era, you might find her with a good book beneath a shady tree.
Katerina Leung
Designer
Katerina Leung
Designer
Katerina, grew up in the South Bay and moved to San Francisco for its vibrant city life. Her professional experience designing large-scale high-end commercial projects helped refine her skills involving precision and close coordination. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
Time spent getting to know people—whether catching up at coffee shops or trying out new restaurants—has fueled Katerina’s desire to design and shape environments in which relationships are built. During her free time you can find her exploring the city, traveling, making music on the piano, or designing cards.
Mary Bray Erickson
Job Captain
Ming Michelle Chen
Designer
Ming Michelle Chen
Designer
RA
Born in China and raised outside of New York City, Michelle moved to the sunnier coast for university. She graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Architecture and a minor in Sustainable Environments, and found her passion for designing spaces with surprising and unexpected experiences, that make people smile.
Before WDA, Michelle worked at a smaller firm where she was exposed to the entire life cycle of architecture, from project conception to development and construction.
Michelle enjoys the creative process in all its forms, including photography, bookbinding, jewelry making, and bread baking. She also spends her time wandering around the city, eating pastries, practicing yoga or kickboxing.
Neil Ginty
Project Architect
Neil Ginty
Project Architect
Neil completed his architectural studies at the Dublin School of Architecture and brings a strong background in residential and mixed-use sectors from his work in Chicago, the UK, and back home in Ireland.
Neil finds that his organization and communications skills have proven valuable assets in his career to-date.
An avid Gaelic football and rugby fan, Neil reconnects with home by watching early morning matches in Ireland on the weekends. His teams’ frequent near-misses mean he has become accustomed to spending the remainders of his weekends reflecting on how those games went, and lifting his spirits by going for a run or exploring the beauty of Northern California.
Parvathy Nair
Job Captain
Parvathy Nair
Job Captain
RA
Parvathy contributes her strong visualization skills and passion for design to the team at WDA. As a Job Captain, she believes that it is her responsibility to create thoughtfully designed spaces that fit their environment while enhancing social interaction.
With a Bachelor of Architecture and minor in Architectural Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Parvathy is drawn to the interdisciplinary nature of architecture.
Outside of architecture and design, Parvathy pursues life drawing and enjoys discovering new music at live shows and concerts in San Francisco.
Phoebe Lam
Associate, Director of Operations
Phoebe Lam
Associate, Director of Operations
AIA
A licensed architect, Phoebe’s project management skills align well with her role as Director of Operations. She excels at organization and critical thinking, and brings an objective, yet balanced point of view to problem solving. As a former project manager, she understands first-hand the rewards and challenges of architectural work, attuning her to the needs of our technical staff.
Phoebe most enjoys the people aspect of her role. Driven by the idea that we can go further together than apart, she is passionate about helping to steer the firm towards common long-term goals.
Some of her achievements in this role include qualifying WDA as a Best Places to Work and 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies as ranked by the San Francisco Business Times. She managed our recent office move and orchestrated our transition to working from home during the pandemic. As a shareholder in our company, Phoebe is also proud to be a part-owner of the firm.
Phoebe received her BA in Architecture from UC Berkeley. Previously she worked as a residential project manager with WDA, and prior – as a job captain with Field Paoli in San Francisco, managing teams on large outdoor retail centers and civic projects. When away from the office you can find her snowboarding on the slopes, indulging her inner foodie and doing her best to live sustainably.
Sarah Mergy
Associate, Director of Business Development & Marketing
Sarah Mergy
Associate, Director of Business Development & Marketing
As Director of Business Development & Marketing, Sarah Mergy is excited to bring to WDA her passion for finding solutions and connecting people with design. She believes that good design should be accessible to everyone, bring delight, and elevate our daily lives. Sarah also takes a deep interest in architectural and demographic trends that drive client decision making, and how design innovations resonate with users.
Like all WDA team members, Sarah is a creative at heart.
Sarah considers herself lucky to live in San Francisco’s Miraloma Park, where she shares a home with her husband and their Boston terrier Mabel. When not at WDA, you can find her running the urban trails and observing our diverse 7 x 7 for the next nugget of inspiration.
Steven Lovell
Senior Project Manager
Steven Lovell
Senior Project Manager
RA
With over 30 years of design experience, Steve has worn many hats through the entire process of design, from concept through collaboration to construction.
From designing libraries to high-end hospitality projects, Steve’s seasoned career is focused on innovative, responsive and industry-spanning projects. He unites his passion for new ideas with his open-mindedness to lead community-building projects ranging in size and scope, including retail, hospitality, and institutional projects.
He leads and manages design projects and loves to collaborate with both clients and his fellow design team. Steve loves the process of design, where every study or sketch leads to new ideas and collaboration, where he can get feedback and talk out problems in real time. He has always enjoyed new ways of working and is encouraged by his team to take a different perspective and try new things.
With a Master of Architecture from MIT and an undergraduate fine arts degree from the Massachusetts College of Art, Steve is a California state licensed architect with over 30 years’ experience in retail, resort, mixed-use and community projects in architecture and planning.
Prior to joining WDA, Steve was a principal and Director of Design with Field Paoli Architects in San Francisco for two decades, preceded by a design career with Bull Stockwell Allen Architects working on resort, hospitality and library projects. Growing up outside of Boston, Steve has always had a love for historical cities, traditional building design and historical cities or settings that creates unique places. Marrying a native Californian led to his permanent relocation to the west coast over 35 years ago.
Steve loves to travel with his wife and has had the opportunity during his life to visit many unique cities and countries of the world both for work and pleasure. In his spare time, Steve can be found in his garden getting his hands dirty, or in the kitchen celebrating his Italian heritage making a good meal for family and friends with good glass of wine.
Taylor Dempsey
Designer
Taylor Dempsey
Designer
Taylor was born in Los Angeles and split her childhood between northern and southern California. She was drawn to residential design and construction from an early age as she observed her parents – a longtime realtor and a general contractor – buying, refurbishing and selling homes. Taylor’s love of buildings has only grown over the years, as she’s been able to connect with various roles within the housing industry. Her proficiency in math and interest in art also helped convince her that architecture was the right path.
Taylor earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with a minor in Environmental Studies from the University of San Francisco.
To Taylor, architecture is an enigmatic and powerful amalgamation of many disciplines – it is as much about science as ethics, as much about art as mathematics. She believes architects can change our world for the better if we build with humanity, compassion, and a sense of duty to implement sustainable solutions that stem from a deep understanding of and respect for our environment.
When not at work, Taylor’s hobbies include shooting photography with her Nikon d3300, visiting new museums, traveling, or spending time with her friends and family.
Wendy Osaki
Associate, Marketing & Office Manager
Wendy Osaki
Associate, Marketing & Office Manager
Wendy brings her experience in graphic design and hospitality marketing to her role as Marketing & Office Manager at WDA. Her work touches on everything from creating a welcoming environment for clients, colleagues and employees, to the design and production of innovative marketing solutions.
Wendy received her BS in Environmental Design with an emphasis in Visual Communication and Graphic Design at UC Davis.
She added marketing to her skill set in her most recent position as Marketing Manager for Hilton San Francisco Financial District. In addition to marketing, Wendy was the hotel’s community service champion and a founding member of their sustainability team. In her free time, Wendy can be found on a jet plane, watching movies or taking a historic home tour.
William S. Duff, Jr.
Founder & Managing Principal
William S. Duff, Jr.
Founder & Managing Principal
William S. Duff, Jr. founded WDA in 1998. He has established an innovative practice with diverse clients and commissions, and is nationally recognized for creating responsible, sustainable architecture. His work is known for its elegant simplicity both in plan and detail, and for sophisticated use of materials, light, and warmth to create innovative modern spaces.
Underlying William’s strategic vision for WDA is the belief that architecture can shape environments and improve communities. A former Eagle Scout, he believes that personal service strengthens ties to the neighborhoods and communities where he lives and works.
William has substantial experience in retail, residential, and commercial architecture, and under his leadership, WDA continues to grow and excel in each of these areas. He has designed flagship stores, retail concept designs, roll-out stores, single and multi-family homes, restaurants, and office spaces.
Before founding WDA, William was an Associate at Kanner Architects in Los Angeles, where he managed the firm’s retail practice. His experience extends to mixed-use, commercial, academic and laboratory buildings, urban master planning, and health-care design. William received his Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and his Master in Construction Management from Colorado State University.
In addition to NCARB and LEED certifications, William holds architecture licenses in five states (CA, CO, AZ, OR, WI). He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, the U.S. Green Building Council, and has served on the Marina Del Rey Design Control Board. He is the past President of the Board of Directors of Young Audiences of Northern California and the past President of the Board of Directors of Napa’s diRosa Center for Contemporary Art.