Rachelle joined Utile in 2021 as an Architect & Project Manager, bringing with her a decade of experience in a variety of project types and scales. Rachelle thrives on complex projects that navigate regulatory processes, client needs, and budget while upholding design excellence. Her experience includes new construction, adaptive reuse, planning, programming, and feasibility studies. She currently is managing a range of affordable, highly sustainable, multifamily housing projects, as well as the repositioning of a Boston-area strip mall to a mixed-use urban neighborhood.

Prior to Utile, Rachelle worked at several Boston-based architecture firms including Safdie Architects and Bruner/Cott where she worked on civic and institutional projects. At Bruner/Cott, she was the project architect for the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, a major community and cultural anchor for the redevelopment of Thompson’s Point in Portland, Maine. She was also the project architect for the Yale Divinity Regenerative Village, a multi-use graduate living development with 155 units on a 19-acre site targeting Living Building Certification.

Rachelle holds an M.Arch from Harvard GSD and Bachelor of Arts from Williams College. She is a certified practitioner for the Passive House Institute US and the International Well Building Institute. She currently co-chairs the Boston and Northeast Chapter of the Carbon Leadership Forum and the BSA’s Women in Design ABX sub-committee.

Rachelle lives in Cambridge with her husband and two children. She is conversant in Egyptian Arabic and French. She enjoys hiking, cooking, and watercolor painting.

Gabriela is an Associate Principal and the Strategic Practice Manager at Utile, where she treats the practice like a design project. In her role, she works to formalize and advance architectural and planning processes in relation to firm-wide management, strategy, and culture. Prior to joining Utile, Gabriela worked for over ten years as a project architect for academic spaces that ranged from Pre-K to higher education.
Consistently involved with professional organizations in both local and national levels, Gabriela is an outspoken advocate for equity in architecture In 2020, she was honored with the American Institute of Architects Young Architects Award for demonstrating exceptional leadership during her early career. She holds an M.Arch from North Dakota State University School of Design, Architecture, and Art, where she served on the Alumni Advisory Board from 2016 to 2020.
Gabriela is originally from Brazil, and is also a citizen of Italy and the United States. Her story of coming to America was featured in the 2022 book “City Shapers: Stories of Immigrant Designers”, by Graciela Carrillo, Shahad Sadeq, and Yu-Ngok Lo. In her free time, she greatly enjoys learning, dancing, boxing, and making things (including drawings). She lives with her husband in Roslindale, MA. They travel often seeking art and good food.

Julia originally joined Utile in July 2020 for their second and final co-op through Northeastern University. She has since received her Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Master of Architecture from Northeastern, all while continuing part-time work with Utile.  During her academic career, Julia served as the Co-Director of Northeastern Freedom by Design from 2019-2022 where they led the design and build of an outdoor playspace for the children of a local shelter in Dorchester, MA. They also served as the Chair of the National AIAS Mental Health Task Force during their time in graduate school. In 2023, Julia began the 'Beyond Land Acknowledgement' JEDI Initiative at Utile, in which she and other colleagues have begun work around how Utile can engage with decolonization efforts support local indigenous communities in the Greater Boston Area.  Julia’s previous experience in the field includes being a model maker and designer for William Rawn Associates in Boston, as well as a returning design intern for Mark Finlay Architects in Southport, CT. In 2024, they began teaching adjunct at Boston University as the sole instructor and curriculum writer for their Architecture Design studio. Aside from teaching and designing, Julia enjoys rock climbing, Trader Joe’s, Billie Eilish, and cats.

Kyle joined Utile in March 2016 as an architectural and urban designer. He is a key member of the design team for a mixed-use affordable housing development on Columbus Ave in Jamaica Plain for Urban Edge, as well as for a new mixed-use development at 380 Harrison in the South End for Related Beal. Kyle previously worked at Jensen Architects in San Francisco, and CBT and Sebastian Mariscal in Boston. He was the project manager for the 2009 Solar Decathalon Competition, in which he built a solar-powered house that placed 3rd and was displayed at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. More recently, he co-taught a multi-disciplinary seminar at RISD in 2015 on the “African Institute of Healthcare Transformation,” sponsored by Mass General Hospital’s Division of Global Health. He traveled over summer of 2015 to Kenya with two of his students to oversee construction of a new type of collaborative space within the Sagam Hospital and Clinic. Kyle is a graduate of the California College of the Arts and Harvard Graduate School Design with a Master of Architecture and Urban Design.

Brett has worked with a diverse group of clients ranging from municipalities, to non-profit organizations such as The Possible Project and the Asian Community Development Corporation, to institutions such as Belmont Day School. In the public sector, Brett has led the expansion and complete renovation of two branches of the Boston Public Library in Jamaica Plain and Nubian Square. For independent schools, Brett has managed master plans and building projects for diverse campuses in the Boston area, most recently a makerspace for Belmont Hill School. In the private sector, he has led Girard, a 160-unit apartment building in Boston’s South End and the Neponset, a 28-unit condo building in Quincy. He is currently managing The Quinn, a 14-story mixed-use development at 380 Harrison Avenue, the renovation of the Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro, a high-rise multifamily project in Boston, and a laboratory building in Somerville.

Tom joined Utile in 2023 with seventeen years of architectural experience at a variety of scales and contexts, bringing significant experience working with institutional and commercial clients. His work has ranged from large mixed-use projects such as the 454-unit Site 4 development at Kendall square for MIT/MITIMCo, to replacement facilities for both of Massachusetts’ Veterans homes (154- and 234-units of long-term care, respectively), to thoughtful adaptive use renovations such as the Hinman Building at Georgia Tech’s College of Architecture.

Prior to Utile, Tom spent five years as a project architect at Payette in Boston, with a disciplined focus on robust and sustainable building envelopes, as well as the design of inviting public spaces. He recently had the opportunity to present the story of the Veterans Home at Chelsea, MA, alongside two colleagues at the 2023 National AIA Conference in San Francisco, with a focus on accessible and sustainable design for elder care. Prior to Payette, Tom also spent nine years at NADAAA in Boston, where he contributed to the design and project management of three schools of architecture, as well as significant interventions into the public realm, including the Kendall Square T headhouse and the Cornell Bridges Means Restriction project.

Tom Holds an M.Arch from UCLA and an undergraduate degree from Brown University, where he studied visual art and photography.  As a Rhode Island resident of 15 years, he is happy to have shortened his commute now that he is stationed at Utile’s Providence office. These days, Tom splits his photographic attention between local landscapes and his wife and two children.

Cassidy Joined Utile as a Designer in 2023. She received her Bachelor of Architecture with minors in Sustainability Studies and Social Justice/Social Praxis from Pratt Institute in 2022. While in college, she explored projects that focused on improving communities through impact-driven design in New York and beyond. She continues to be interested in sustainable design and materials, and exploring the ways that design can positively impact different communities. After graduating, Cassidy joined a firm in Manhattan that specializes in healthcare design where she worked on projects for large healthcare organizations all over New York. In her free time, Cassidy loves traveling, listening to music and curating playlists, and playing tennis.

Kathryn joined Utile in 2022 as an architect and project manager, bringing a broad range of design, detailing, and construction administration experience. She is passionate about good design and enjoys a successful collaborative process between the architect, consultants, contractor, and client.

Prior to Utile, Kathryn worked at firms in Boston and New York City. During her six years at Bruner/Cott Architects she worked on a range of project types, including Institutional, educational, mixed-use, and housing. She has also worked at Arrowstreet, Ruhl/Walker Architects, and held internships at William Rawn Associates and Hickox Williams Architects, all in Boston. She spent a brief time in NYC where she worked at Jaklitsch/Gardner Architects on high end retail across the US and internationally.  She brings a valuable set of skills and a holistic design approach to all projects, whether new construction, interiors, renovations, or adaptive reuse.

Kathryn holds an M.Arch from Rice University and undergraduate degree from Northeastern University. She also sits on the Zoning Board of Appeals in her town, Malden, where she resides with her husband and two children. In her free time she enjoys traveling, spending time with nature, and coaching her kid’s soccer teams.

Amy Brassard is the Administrative Director for Utile. She has more than 25 years of experience in a wide range of industries from product analyst in Providence’s Jewelry District to co-owning a pest elimination company. Amy began her career in office management with the Rhode Island law firm Ratcliffe, Burke, Harten & Elias, LLP. She discovered the joy of working with architects and designers when employed by Next Phase Studios in Boston. In 2011 she joined the Utile team and has been a devoted Utilian ever since. With a passion for world history, Amy traveled through Eastern Europe by train to explore historical sites that she had previously only read about. Her adventure brought her many new insights and experiences, as well as a new appreciation for the architecture and public spaces of those foreign cities. Back stateside, Amy delights in spending time with her grandson, enjoying weekend brunch and retail therapy with her two daughters, and competing in pool tournaments. Never far from Amy is her copper-colored dog, Penny, who also helps out around the office.

Nick Buehrens is a registered architect and an associate principal at Utile. He leads a diverse range of projects, focusing on affordable, sustainable, multifamily housing for mission-driven organizations. Nick is a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) with expertise in building science, systems and energy use. His experience at Utile has been grounded in exposure to project types at all scales and for commercial, institutional, and non-profit clients. He has taught at the Boston Architectural College (BAC), and served as a guest critic at the BAC, Northeastern University and RISD. Trained as an artist and an architect, Nick has worked across the country on a variety of interdisciplinary, collaborative projects focusing primarily on ecological, social, and urban issues. Prior to joining Utile, Nick worked at Stoss Landscape Urbanism, where he was the lead architectural designer on public infrastructure improvements for Harvard University. He has also been a design consultant for Stack+Co. and a project manager for DSA Architects (Berkeley, CA), where he oversaw the design and construction of net-zero energy urban housing prototypes. Born and raised in Boston, Nick holds a BA in Studio Art from The Colorado College and an M.Arch. from Rhode Island School of Design. CPHC® is a certification mark of Passive House Institute US (PHIUS). Used under license.

Carlos joined Utile in 2024 as a senior urban planner and designer. For more than 12 years, Carlos has been focusing on creating walkable, vibrant, human-scaled places, championing the importance of the diverse and unexpected connections we find and build in the urban realm. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from ITESO University in his native Guadalajara, Mexico, and a Master in City Planning with a Certificate in Urban Design from MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP). Before joining Utile, he worked at several urban design, planning, and architecture firms in Mexico and Massachusetts. Most recently, he worked with the Principle Group in Boston, where he contributed to mixed-use, corridor, and neighborhood master plans as well as form-based codes. He has consulted for several public dependencies in Mexico City and Guadalajara and has done academic research in the US, Mexico, Spain, and China.

Carlos has been involved with the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) CNU for the last two years, helping highlight the equity challenges within New Urbanism and the urban design practice as a whole. In his spare time, he is an avid traveler, map lover, transit enthusiast, and frequent symphony concertgoer.

Keith joined Utile as an architect in the spring of 2016. He has served on the design team for such projects as the Boston City Hall Lobby Renovation and the new Belmont Day School Barn, a 14,000 square foot indoor athletics fieldhouse with adjoining 13,000 square foot headhouse composed of offices, locker rooms, and classroom spaces. Keith received his Bachelor of Arts in the History of Art and Architecture from Middlebury College and his Master of Architecture from MIT, where he was awarded the Alpha Rho Chi Medal. While at MIT, he was involved in several digital design and fabrication installations as well as more conventional design/build projects in El Salvador and Cambridge. Prior to joining Utile, Keith spent six years at Ruhl Walker Architects in Boston working on residential and institutional projects. He is a registered architect in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and accredited as a LEED Green Associate by the US Green Building Council.

Sofia Castell joined Utile in 2023 after graduating from Harvard University with a Master in Design Studies in Ecologies degree. There, she dedicated her academic research and design projects to sustainability at multiple scales and disciplines. She also served as co-chair of LatinGSD, a student organization focused on design topics relevant to Latin America, and focused her thesis project on discourse on green energy resource extraction in Bolivia. She remains passionate about impact-driven design and its intersection with the environment through the medium of research.

Sofia also holds a Master of Architecture degree from Florida International University, where she actively participated in design charette competitions and produced publications for the school’s exhibitions. Prior to Utile, she spent time interning at Arquitectonica in Miami, where she is from, contributing briefly to the urban design of the city’s prominent Brickell skyline. Sofia enjoys living in Boston for its walkable scale, tranquility, and the experience of changing seasons – it’s the little things.

Jocelyn joined Utile in 2023 as an architectural and urban designer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture with high honors from UC Berkeley and a Master in Architecture from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. Originally from the SF Bay Area, she has grown to appreciate the vernacular architecture and seasonal landscapes of New England.

Jocelyn finds interest in designing systems, zooming in and out when approaching design challenges, and orchestrating the choreography of the city. Prior to working at Utile, Jocelyn worked in both the public and private sectors on a range of urban scale projects. Most recently, she contributed to an artist residency masterplan as a designer at Johnston Marklee and served at SF Public Works as a fellow, envisioning the transformation of leftover freeway plots into vibrant open spaces. In addition to practice, Jocelyn has taught design studios through Harvard’s Design Discovery program and UC Berkeley’s embARC.

Outside of the office, Jocelyn enjoys mobilizing people to run, cycle, and gather for shared meals.

Kevin joined Utile as an architect and urban designer in 2023. He holds simultaneous Bachelor degrees in Architecture and Mathematics with honors from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master in Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where he was awarded the Peter Rice Fellowship. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Kevin focused his graduate thesis on cultivating urban activation opportunities in large-scale mixed-use developments in his hometown. 

Kevin worked as an architect at several offices prior to joining Utile, including Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Michael Maltzan Architecture, and Heller Manus Architects. Most recently, he was an Associate at Handel Architects and contributed to mixed-use, industrial, and life-science projects in Boston from feasibility studies through construction administration efforts.

In his spare time Kevin is working on becoming a better artist, pianist, and cyclist.

Jack is an Associate and registered Architect who brings a diverse range of interests in architecture, interiors, furniture, textiles, and placemaking to his work at Utile. Since joining the firm in 2017, Jack has focused on creating functional, equitable, and accessible interior environments using efficient space planning techniques, comprehensive material and furniture selections, and innovative fabrication methods. He has led and contributed to a wide range of commercial, academic, institutional, and multi-family amenity fit-outs and renovations at Utile, including the Kendall Square Workplace 4 as lead Designer for 50,000+ sf of workspace and amenities, as well as the Kendall Square Lobby 1, West End Amenities, and Kendall Square Egress Stairs and Wayfinding as Project Manager and Designer. Throughout all of his work, he combines his many years of experience in architecture with his exposure to on-site construction to deliver impactful and efficient interior environments that put the human experience at the center. As a former founding co-chair of Utile’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiative (JEDI), Jack is one of the many people dedicated to the firm-wide effort of reexamining the role that architects and designers play in improving and valuing the lives of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, ensuring that our impact on the communities we serve aligns with our commitment to equity and anti-racist design. It is through this lens that Jack examines all of his work in order to create meaningful and accessible environments. Prior to joining Utile, Jack completed both his Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a minor in Urban Design Studies and his Master of Architecture at Northeastern University, where he was the university's sole recipient of the 2019 AIA Henry Adams Medal of excellence. Born and raised in Maryland, Jack now lives in East Boston, where he enjoys all forms of cooking, caring for his house plants, and finding new ways to spoil his Frenchie, Wilbur.

Cyrus P. Dahmubed joined Utile in 2018 after receiving his Master of Architecture from the School of Architecture at Northeastern University, where he received the Alpha Rho Chi Medal for Service, Leadership, and Merit. While at Northeastern, he served as the President of the school’s chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), the founding editor and curator of the graduate colloquium series and publication, Common Ground, and in several other service and teaching positions.  Prior to joining Utile, he worked at Hacin + Associates in Boston’s South End and was the Editor-in-Chief of CRIT, the national journal of the AIAS, for the 2018 term, overseeing the editorial and graphic overhaul of the publication.

His work and research, starting with his undergraduate capstone project at Harvard University, “Defining D.C.: The Separation of City and State” and culminating with his graduate thesis project on the Massachusetts city of Fall River and its historical foundations in granite, focuses on a reading of geology, ecology, anthropology, and etymology as a means of interpreting urban form and architectural design, and translating these into design narratives.

Since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Cyrus has worked alongside Utile’s Director of People, Culture, & Equity, Tayler Morris, to oversee Utile’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Initiative, which has worked to rebuild the office’s operations and design output into action-oriented tools for anti-racism.

In June of 2021, Cyrus was elected to serve on the Board of the Boston Children’s Chorus, an organization he was a member of as a teen and that remains near and dear to his heart for its mission of advancing social justice through music. He was also selected to serve as a member of NCARB’s 2021 Licensure Candidates Think Tank. He has taught studio and seminar courses at Wentworth Institute of Technology and the Boston Architectural College.

Cyrus is a lifelong resident of the Boston area, apart from brief periods in New York City and Paris, where he enjoys attending design events, exploring the region’s hidden corners and rich landscapes by bike and by foot, spending weekends chopping wood (a favorite pastime), and tending to his many pets and plants, including four chickens.

Alex is a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC), a licensed Architect in Vermont and Massachusetts, and an Associate at Utile. He has a passion for aiding mission-driven non-profit organizations in providing sustainable affordable homes. Since joining Utile in 2012, he has been involved in dozens of the firm’s affordable housing projects at various phases of design and construction, planning projects ranging from infill development feasibility studies and city-wide master planning efforts, and authoring construction and development standards for state agencies across New England.

He is currently involved in several affordable housing developments, and aiding the Rhode Island Housing Finance Agency (RIHousing) in adapting their existing Design Standards and project funding criteria for affordable housing. He recently served as project manager for 1005 Broadway, a 38-unit Phius Certified affordable residential development located along the banks of the Chelsea Creek, in Massachusetts, and aided the State of Vermont's Agency of Commerce and Community Development in publishing the ‘Vermont Homes for All Toolkit.’ a design guide for the development of small scale missing middle housing typologies. Alex received his Master of Architecture from Northeastern University, where his graduate thesis focused on the reintroduction of density within affordable and mixed-income housing.

Born and raised in Vermont, Alex enjoys hiking, stream fishing, bank barn sighting, and the liberal use of Grade A Vermont maple syrup. As the grandson of Québécois immigrants, he is also an avid Canadiens fan and poutine connoisseur. Alexander lives in Northern Vermont, with his wife, son, and two energetic Labrador Retrievers.

CPHC® is a certification mark of Passive House Institute US (PHIUS). Used under license.

Xiaobei joined Utile in 2023 as a designer, after having previously worked with the firm as a research assistant in 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies and a Master of Architecture from Northeastern University. Xiaobei was born and raised in China, and along with her experiences living in South Africa and Germany, this cultivated her interests in architectural preservation, sustainability, and accessibility. Her passion for spatial equity drove her master’s thesis: a scalable plug-and-play housing scheme that gives design agency to future residents with limited mobility and those aiming to age-in-place.  

Xiaobei has had the opportunity to work on a range of projects conducting research, feasibility studies, and design and documentation for architectural and master planning projects. She has worked on multiple income-restricted housing projects at varying scales in Boston. Notably, she completed the construction documentation for a 63-unit senior housing project in Hyde Park, and worked on the plans for a multi-phase master planning project in Brighton. Xiaobei remains involved in academia through assistant teaching and research. In her free time, she can be found with a quality espresso drink in hand, working on her new hobby as an amateur woodworker, or flying off on a new adventure.

Emily joined Utile in 2024 as a building performance intern while completing her Masters in City Planning at MIT, and has since become the firm’s Building Performance Specialist working alongside Utile’s Director of Sustainable Design to help the firm build sustainable, resilient environments. Emily also holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering and Urban Planning from MIT. Prior to Utile, Emily's experience spans work at an architecture firm, an international development bank, and Conservation Law Foundation, focusing on environmental justice and transit-oriented development. At MIT, Emily conducts research on climate resilience and water affordability, and her thesis work centers on reducing energy burden through energy efficiency retrofits in multifamily affordable housing in Ohio, where she grew up. Outside of work, Emily can be found painting-by-numbers or running along the Charles.

Yang joined Utile in 2023. He received his Master of Architecture from Harvard's Graduate School of Design after obtaining a Bachelor of Architecture in China. His standout project at Harvard, which transformed an 18th-century townhouse into an art center, was nominated for the 2020 Harvard James Templeton Kelley Prize and later won the Architizer A+ Awards in the 'Unbuilt Cultural' category in 2023. Prior to Utile, Yang worked at KPF in New York City, where he contributed to projects spanning supertall towers, luxury retail malls, student housing, and renovations. He approaches design with a focus on sensory experience, advocating for architecture's power to evoke contemplation, ideas, memories, connections, and emotions. Outside of work, Yang's passion extends to his love for cats, particularly enjoying moments spent with his bi-color shorthair cat.

JP Delgado Galdamez joined Utile in February 2022 as the Office/Tech assistant. Born and raised in El Salvador, JP attended Universidad Tecnologica for a few years before relocating to Boston, MA. Before joining Utile, JP spent five years working in housing, as an advocate for homeless elders at Hearth and as an occupancy specialist at the Boston Housing Authority. JP is a local artist and producer, often working with local venues to present exciting and fresh drag and nightlife events. They're an accomplished drag artist, having performed on stages all over New England. When not producing or assisting, JP spends their time with their cats while watching mindless reality TV.

Nuria joined Utile in 2023 as an Architectural Designer, focusing on housing, educational, and institutional projects. She enjoys pushing the boundaries of design to achieve the perfect balance between functionality, sustainability, and aesthetics.

Originally from Spain, Nuria obtained her undergraduate and Master of Architecture degrees from Alicante University, with a year of exchange studies at ENSA Montpellier in France. After completing her studies, Nuria lived and worked in Lyon, France, for over six years. While there, she designed many new housing, kindergarten, and institutional buildings. Prior to joining Utile, she gained valuable experience during a one-year tenure at Studio Luz in Boston, where she contributed to multiple affordable housing projects in Dorchester.

Her professional journey has taken her across multicultural settings in Spain, France, and the US. Fluent in three languages, Nuria is always eager to expand her knowledge.

Outside of work, she loves to commute by bike, using it as a means to explore the city and its surroundings. In her leisure time, Nuria indulges in her love for travel, savoring delicious cuisine, and spending quality time with her beloved cats.

Jeff Geisinger leads Utile’s building performance and resilience initiatives. As a Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC), he has guided the design of several multifamily projects pursuing Passive House certification. He works intimately with project teams to set sustainability goals from the start and to integrate cost-effective solutions for energy efficiency through in-house energy modeling. Jeff also advances resilience best practices within the firm’s architecture and urban design practice. In 2019, he co-authored the City of Boston’s Coastal Flood Resilience Design Guidelines, which outlines strategies to make buildings more resilient to sea level rise. In addition to project-based work, Jeff leads Utile’s AIA 2030 Commitment benchmarking. Jeff holds a Master of Science from the Building Technology Program at MIT and a B.Arch from Rice University. He is a lecturer at the Rhode Island School of Design’s Department of Architecture, where he teaches courses on environmental building performance. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys biking around the city and hosting a show on WMBR, MIT’s radio station. CPHC® is a certification mark of Passive House Institute US (PHIUS). Used under license.

Roy Glick joined Utile as an Architecture Co-op in 2024. He is a 5th year student at Northeastern University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a minor in Business Administration. Previously, he worked at PM Group as an Architecture Co-op, Volumetric Building Companies as a Design Technology Intern, the Northeastern Makerspace as an explorer, and finally as the founder of a research group focused on sustainability analysis software. Roy is an Israeli-American who was originally born in Oxford, UK. Experiencing and meeting people from different cultures has sparked a global interest in the power of architecture, and the challenges that come when approaching a project holistically. He is interested in every aspect of architecture, and enjoys testing, learning, and improving himself every day. When he's not working, Roy enjoys working out, playing and watching basketball, traveling, eating, and exploring music. 

Steven is a Registered Architect and Associate at Utile. His design acumen is bolstered by substantial experience in the Construction Phase, and brief a background as a builder; he thrives on making a conceptual idea a reality. His work experience spans a wide range of project types, from Residential Mixed-Use projects to Education & Office interiors & Masterplanning, plus select business development efforts.

Currently, Steven is leading a 200-unit multi-family renovation project, along with supporting several other housing projects in various phases of design. He was previously a key team member on a multiphase renovation and masterplan for the Park School in Brookline, MA. Additionally, he oversaw a renovation for Autodesk’s Boston headquarters. Before that, he was involved in the design - and managed the construction - of a new office on a data center site for a global search engine company.

Steven earned his Master of Architecture at Northeastern University, after receiving a BS in Architecture, with a concentration in Building & Construction Technology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. His graduate thesis, in collaboration with the firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, explored an analytical approach to designing tall office towers. Preceding his formal education in architecture, Steven worked for a residential home contractor and has always had a passion for building and design. Other relevant interests include graphic design, data visualization, and hand sketching.

Satori joined Utile in 2023 as a Marketing Specialist. Satori grew up in a cohousing community next to an organic vegetable farm. She studied Global Environments & Sustainability at the University of Virginia, focusing on equity and climate justice. She is inspired by the integration of nature and design, and was fortunate to spend time in Barcelona studying this pairing through Modernisme/Art Nouveau architecture. Her undergrad culminated in a collaborative capstone recommending sustainable and affordable housing in Kingston, Jamaica.

After college, Satori lived and hiked in Colorado while working for a sustainable packaging company. In the packaging world, she promoted circular production and continues to prioritize the concept of "cradle to cradle" across industries. Satori spends her time reading, singing, and making jewelry. She also peppers in work-and-home-stay travel, including working on a homestead farm in Hawaii. She continues to center her life around sustainability and community.

Ben Greer joined Utile in 2013 as an architectural designer. He has worked on diverse number of projects, including a 160-unit apartment building in Boston’s South End and a 300-unit transit oriented mixed use development in Jamaica Plain. Although having a primary focus on urban mixed use housing, Ben has worked on institutional projects like Boston City Hall Lighting and the Jamaica Plain Branch Library, as well as larger planning projects in Lower Roxbury and Somerville.

Prior to joining Utile, Ben studied architecture at Northeastern University where he won the school’s annual design award his junior and senior year as well as received Northeastern’s RISE Medal for his work on coastal urban development. His independent work during this time has also received notoriety, including an award from the Boston Society of Architects for a multigenerational housing proposal for Sargent’s Wharf in Boston’s North End.

Adam joined Utile in 2017 after earning his Master of Architecture in Urban Design with distinction from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where he won the 2017 Award for Excellence in Urban Design. Before joining Utile he lived and worked in Boston, Doha, and Istanbul on projects across the scalar spectrum, including master plans, buildings, exhibitions, and mobile apps. He has authored or co-authored essays for publications including The Journal of Architecture, International Journal of Islamic Architecture, Architectural Design, and CLOG.

At Utile, Adam was the urban designer for the Eastern Market Neighborhood Framework and Stormwater Management Network Plan, the Buffalo Bayou East Master Plan, and the Malden River Greenway Planning Study, among other planning efforts, before shifting into architectural design for housing. He played a lead role in the concept design for Zero Greenway, a high-rise, mixed-income residential and lab building selected by MassDOT for the development of an air rights parcel over I-93, and is currently managing the construction of a 45-unit, Passive House pre-certified, mass timber residential building in Somerville, MA.

Eric Hughes is an architectural designer and researcher who joined Utile in 2024. He graduated with honors from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Architecture and received a Master of Architecture in Architectural Design with Distinction from the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (UCL). Upon graduating, Eric was awarded the “Architectural Design Gold Medal” for best graduate design thesis and for the research he conducted within the Living Architecture Lab in London. Eric has prior professional experience working in both Georgia (USA) and New York, contributing to a wide range of projects including historic preservation, higher education, and commercial architecture. Eric’s academic research has focused on the production of nonlinear organization systems with situated/embodied agency and artificial intelligence, investigating a novel and emerging sector of architecture that welcomes the evolution of design, functionality, and adaptability. Additional interests of his include examining ecological relationships embedded in the built environment.

Chimaobi Izeogu joined Utile as an architectural designer in November 2019. Native to southern California, Chimaobi holds a BA in Architecture with concentration in History, Theory, and Criticism from Yale College and a Master of Architecture from the Rice School of Architecture in Houston, TX. While at Rice, Chimaobi participated in the Paris semester abroad program, studying French culture and traveling around Europe in the process. He also served as Co-Editor-in-Chief for PLAT Journal, a student-run, bi-annual publication, across two issues: PLAT 2.5 On the Bias, which explores the role of bias in representation, and PLAT 3.0 Collective Disruption, which mines the inherent opportunity following disaster or crisis to bring about impactful architectural and political change.

Prior to joining Utile, Chimaobi worked with numerous firms across several building typologies, including Epstein Joslin Architects in Cambridge, MA, focusing on performing arts, cultural, and civic endeavors, particularly, the Welcome Center at the Breakers and the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center. He also worked at RDLR Architects in Houston, TX, specializing in education and community centers, and EYP’s embassy design studio in Albany, NY. Living in Cambridge, Chimaobi enjoys being active, walking and biking around the city during the summer months and playing indoor soccer during the winter.

Petra joined Utile in 2019 and has over eleven years of experience working on large-scale, mixed-use projects with major residential components such as the 143-unit 35 Hudson Yards in Manhattan and the 332-unit Domino Sugar Site A in Brooklyn, NY. Prior to Utile, Petra worked at Dencityworks Architecture in Brooklyn as the Studio Director running a large-scale multifamily residential project as well as the renovation of a Domino Sugar Factory into Class A office space. Prior to Dencityworks Architecture, Petra worked at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in New York City as an Associate and Lead Technical Designer on high-rise residential, commercial, and hospitality projects as well as the renovation of a historically and architecturally significant building. Petra is interested in complex projects that include a diverse team and challenging contextual constraints.

Lucy joined Utile in 2022 as an Administrative Assistant.

Kyle is a designer and Illustrator from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He moved to Boston to attend Northeastern University where he received his Master of Architecture degree. Kyle joined Utile in the summer of 2013 as an architectural and urban designer, where his work included designing publications and graphic communication systems for citywide and transportation plans including Go Boston 2030 and Envision Cambridge, the City’s comprehensive plan. Since his early days at Utile, Kyle’s role has evolved into a full-time graphic and environmental graphic designer. He specializes in creating large-format wall murals for institutional and commercial interiors. When he’s not drawing a squid hanging ten on Hokusai’s Great Wave for the Roxbury Branch library or wall of tools and equipment for The Park School in Brookline, Kyle can be found laying out books, designing posters, animating infographics, and drawing Tinytowns.

JT joined Utile in 2023 as an urban planner. JT's commitment to sustainable development combines GIS analytics, spatial design, land use policy, and public-private finance strategies. What drives his work is a vision of streets as pathways for connection across boundaries and scales: not only as linkages in a mobility network, but as shared spaces where people engage with one another. JT received his Master in Urban Planning degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and comes from a background in anthropology and filmmaking. As a Fulbright Scholar and member of Harvard's Sensory Ethnography Lab, he did extensive fieldwork in Chengdu and Taipei on social life in public spaces. He has also co-authored case studies on teamwork as a researcher in organizational behavior at Harvard Business School. He considers his roaming path into planning and design a testament to the dynamic nature of the field. He loves the wandering streets of Boston, which he has called home for almost a decade, for the same reason. But he will always be a native Clevelander at heart (Go Cavs!).

Eric joined Utile as an architectural designer in 2024. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis, where he developed his interests in urban history, equitable design, and community engagement. During his time at school, Eric spent two years researching the potentials of urban bamboo cultivation as a community resource and traveled to Costa Rica to test low-cost, rapid construction methods for experimental bamboo structures. Prior to joining Utile, Eric interned at LBGO Architekten in Munich where he contributed to several holistic housing development projects and worked on a competition submission for a secondary school campus in Freiburg im Breisgau. Eric also interned at PGAV Destinations in St. Louis as a conceptual designer where he developed his visualization skills and enjoyed his time illustrating roller coasters and animal-shaped buildings. 

Now beginning his professional career, Eric seeks to develop a physical language of hope in the built environment and discover ways to empower our communities to be the designers of where they work, live, and play.

In his free time, you may find Eric running pickup basketball at the nearest park, perfecting his kimchi stew recipe in the kitchen, or drawing comics at his desk.

Chantel brings over 10 years of experience to the Utile team. Since 2014, she has broadened the firm’s experience with commercial and institutional clients. Her expertise is in programming and master planning, and she is currently leading the design of a 380,000 square foot corporate interior fit-out in Kendall Square. At Utile, Chantel has worked on a wide range of projects including MIT Samuel Tak Lee Building Renovation, Autodesk Boston, and the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library. Receiving a Bachelors of Science and Master of Architecture degree in Architecture from the University of Cincinnati, she was awarded the Director’s Choice Award for her graduate thesis. Her research focused on exploring new learning environments as they relate to interdisciplinary programs. Prior to joining Utile, Chantel worked on a variety of institutional projects while at Ann Beha Architects, including the Cornell University Law School Master Plan, focusing on preserving its historic resources, repurposing existing buildings, and accommodating growth without expanding the campus footprint. She also worked on the New England Conservatory of Music Student Life and Performance Center and the John Hopkins Student Union / Campus Center Feasibility Study. Chantel is a registered architect in Massachusetts, holds NCARB certification, and is a LEED Green Associate.

Michael is a principal at Utile, where he has been in charge of numerous institutional, residential, and renovation projects such as the 273-unit The Quinn and the 160-unit Girard, both in n Boston’s South End; the 31-unit multifamily 26 West Broadway in South Boston; and the Jamaica Plain Branch of the Boston Public Library addition and renovation and Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library renovation. Prior to joining Utile, Michael worked at Machado Silvetti, rising to the position of Associate in 2002. While at Machado Silvetti, he worked as a senior designer and project director on projects such as the Arizona State University Hassayampa Academic Village; the Honan-Allston Branch of the Boston Public Library, which won a 2003 AIA National Design Award; the Getty Villa, Research Center, and Scholars’ Library; and the Provincetown Art Association Museum, which was the first LEED-certified art museum in the United States. In addition to his professional practice, Michael has taught design studios as a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University and is currently a member of the adjunct faculty at Northeastern University’s Department of Architecture. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Boston Preservation Alliance. Michael resides in Sharon, Massachusetts, with his wife and his two children.

Jiayu joined Utile as an architectural designer in 2024. She holds a Bachelor in Art and Science Technologies from Nanjing University of Arts and a Master in Interior Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design. Prior to her journey in the United States, Jiayu worked as an exhibition designer. This experience made her realize the importance of the adaptive reuse of existing buildings, instead of demolishing them.

Her Graduate thesis reimaged an abandoned building along Boston’s coastline into

a tranquil memorial cemetery. This project not only addressed environmental concerns like sea level rise but also integrated natural elements into its design. The project explored the corollary between the preservation of memory of individuals, and the preservation of buildings through a discourse on abandonment, loss, and forgetting. 

Before joining Utile, Jiayu spent three years at Embarc, where she played a pivotal role in over 20 projects, including s Volpe R3, a mixed-use tower in Kendall Square owned by MITIMCo. Jiayu’s expertise spanned indoor and outdoor amenity design, floor schematic development, and unit layout planning.

Outside work, Jiayu loves traveling and taking photos. Outdoor sports are her way to connect with nature, and roaming at home is her way to explore herself. She has two adorable orange cats, who are her important family.

Matthew Littell is one of the founding principals of Utile. Through his work in the firm’s architecture, planning, and early phase development projects, he has gained an expertise in building and zoning codes and the regulatory process specifically as they relate to urban design and housing. Matthew has directed many of the firm’s early phase planning and urban design projects, including the Downtown Boston Waterfront Municipal Harbor Plan, as well as the design guidelines and zoning for the Rose Kennedy Greenway District. He served as Utile’s principal-in-charge for Imagine Boston 2030, the city’s first comprehensive plan in 50 years. In addition, he leads the firm’s international urban design practice, with projects in the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and Jordan. Matthew has taught in the graduate architecture program at Northeastern University, and currently teaches a course in Urban Design and sustainable practices at Boston College. He earned his M.Arch. from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design in 1997, where he received the Boston Society of Architects’ James Templeton Kelly award for the best final design project, as well as the Clifford Wong prize for outstanding design in housing.

Eli is an architect with a background in the related fields of archaeology, historic preservation, rustic construction, and community planning. He has applied this experience to projects including institutional and residential renovations, multi-family housing, commercial office, and mixed use developments. 

Prior to joining Utile, he worked at architectural practices in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, and Kansas City. Design efforts therein included a housing proposal featured in the inaugural Chicago Biennial, a preservation plan for the flood-prone Farnsworth House, and award-winning adaptations of two- and three-deckers in Boston.

Eli earned a Master of Architecture from Kansas State University, receiving the collaborative Kremer Thesis Prize upon graduation. He later attended Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, receiving a Master of Architecture II as well as the Appleton Traveling Fellowship. He has since maintained connections to pedagogy by serving as a studio instructor in Harvard’s Design Discovery program and at Northeastern University.

Outside of the office, Eli can be found (slowly) drawing rocks, (slowly) renovating his eighteenth century condo, or (quickly) exploring surrounding Boston neighborhoods dragged along by his dog, Mosby.

Mimi Love is a principal at Utile. Her expertise ranges from complicated renovations to new construction projects with challenging programmatic requirements. Mimi led a master plan for Belmont Day School, and oversaw the recent construction of “The Barn,” a 24,000 square foot building that houses specialty classrooms to support their STEAM program and a Field House. She managed campus master plans for two independent schools; St. Andrew’s School in Austin, TX and The Park School in Brookline, MA. She also served as a consultant to Reed Hilderbrand for the Cranbrook Educational Community Master Plan in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Mimi led an urban campus master plan for a global search engine company based in Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA that will eventually occupy a half million square feet of office space. Several phases of the expansion have been completed. She was the design principal for Autodesk’s office expansion at The Innovation and Design Building in Boston’s Seaport District and was one of the Utile principals who led the Rethink City Hall project for the City of Boston. She completed the redesign of the Boston City Hall lobby as well as other pilot projects throughout the building. Prior to joining Utile, Mimi was an Associate at Machado Silvetti in Boston where she was the lead designer for the renovation projects at the Getty Villa in Malibu, CA. Mimi co-authored Color Space Style, a reference book on interior design for Rockport Publications. She has recently been appointed as a Commissioner for the Boston Civic Design Commission (BCDC).

Tim Love is the founding principal of Utile, a 65-person Boston-based architecture and planning firm. Love’s primary focus is the relationship between individual works of architecture and the larger city. His work is not driven by aesthetics, but by collaborative deep-dive research focused on the technical, cultural, regulatory, and environmental issues of urban design problems. Love and his teams find opportunities for design by uncovering latent issues and fully leveraging and synthesizing them. Love works on diverse projects of varying scales, including regeneration strategies for aging industrial areas and master plans for new urban districts. Love and his collaborators are also known for their award-winning public realm initiatives, including the Boston Complete Streets Design Guidelines and the Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion on the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Love served as strategic advisor on the  Imagine Boston 2030 citywide plan and the comprehensive master plan for Boston City Hall and Plaza. He led the team for the Envision Cambridge Citywide Plan. Love is a tenured Associate Professor at the Northeastern University School of Architecture where he teaches urban design theory and graduate-level research studios. He is also a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA).

Courtney joined Utile as an Architectural and Urban Designer in 2024. She holds a Master of Architecture from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the McEwen School of Architecture located in Sudbury, Ontario; Canada's newest architecture school. Born in Nevada and raised in Northern Ontario, she has worked at firms in Toronto and Vancouver, specializing in both single family and multi-unit residential housing. She was awarded the Dalhousie University School of Architecture Thesis Prize for her graduate thesis focusing on decapitalizing San Francisco's Waterfront through the collective memory of community resistance, in response to the exploitation the Waterfront has faced as a result of detrimental urban development. Her excitement towards design stems from exploring projects that have exciting cultural contexts, compelling community engagement techniques, and material exploration strategies that are unique, yet significant to each project. She is constantly excited by all things history, crafting and color, and loves to consolidate these notions into design and graphic representation.

Outside of the office, Courtney enjoys exploring new corners of Boston, reviewing books and movies, knitting herself another sweater or trying out a new creative hobby, and listening to Taylor Swift in every spare moment.

Anahita joined Utile in 2023 as an architectural designer. Responding to the different social and environmental issues facing the built environment has been the focus of Anahita’s architectural career. Having worked in the private and public sector, Anahita’s design process prioritizes community engagement to create social capital. She has completed residential, institutional, and commercial work, including large scale affordable housing master plans, office and research facilities, museums, libraries, and school projects. Prior to Utile, Anahita worked for different firms in Boston and New York, most notably she worked for two years as a Design Coordinator 2 at Stantec. She has worked at Ann Beha Architects, Goshow Architects, the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), and ICON Architecture. 

Anahita holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan, where she was the recipient of the Graduate Architecture Thesis Award for Theory/History/Framing, and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a Minor in Urban Landscape Studies from Northeastern University. While at Michigan, Anahita worked as a Graduate Student Instructor for several semesters, teaching courses in architectural theory and discourse as well as an interdisciplinary course in architecture and sustainability.

As a Senior Planner, Zoë manages projects and leads teams that address the intersection of our economic, housing, and mobility needs through the lens of equity, sustainability, and resilience. The range of Zoë’s work experience spans multiple regions and sectors—spatial data analysis for energy and telecom companies in the western US states, non-profit community development work in Cleveland, OH, academic consulting for public sector economic development initiatives in Israel and Mexico, and public sector urban design review in Boston. This diversity of experience has given her a deep understanding of how social movements, governance structures and community processes initiate, activate, and animate designs. Her award-winning, multidisciplinary academic research on the US Interstate Highway System and working waterfronts coupled with her broad work experience has fine-tuned Zoë’s ability to leverage diverse source materials and methodologies in order to deliver compelling arguments. She has a knack for synthesizing qualitative and quantitative research to identify design imperatives and inform targeted action that is deeply rooted in local culture and political context. She approaches each project with curiosity, humility, and a critical eye to how the project might grow and evolve. As part of Utile’s JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion) work, Zoë has introduced a community organizer model for planning projects and has helped to integrate redlining research and native land acknowledgements into Utile’s practice.

Sam joined Utile in 2022 as a project architect. He has a particular focus on housing, crafting work that maintains a quality of beauty, dignity, and anonymity both from the scale of the bedroom to the block.  Prior to Utile, Sam has worked at Placetailor, where he led the design of affordable and mixed-use multifamily Passive House projects in Boston. Previously, he has worked at Supernormal, NBBJ, Morphosis, Frederick Fisher & Partners, and the Small Center for Collaborative Design. He holds professional architecture degrees from Tulane University with honors and a post-professional design degree from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design with distinction. At Harvard he was awarded a long term travel fellowship to study how cooperative models of property ownership and maintenance can lead to innovative design solutions for collective housing. He recently co-founded a venture on collective housing maintenance at MIT Design X. In addition to practice, Sam has taught design studios on housing at Wentworth Institute of Technology, Harvard’s Design Discovery program, and Boston Architectural College. He was an editor at Open Letters, has been published in Paprika! and Pidgin, and is currently co-editing a publication on national housing design for the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.

Andrew joined Utile in 2021 as an Architectural Designer. He recently completed his Master’s degree in Architecture from the Harvard GSD and holds a B.Sc degree in Architecture and Environmental Design from Morgan State University. His master’s Thesis explored the Liminality of Threshold spaces and proposed highly attuned places of transition between different interior territories.  Andrew is originally from Kenya and is interested in the capacity of Architecture to bring people together. As a designer that highly values process, his work reflects a keen understanding of the demands of the human scale and sensitivity to urban contexts. Outside of his professional life, Andrew loves to cook and experiment with different cuisines. As a proud citizen of the world, he also enjoys travelling, reading, and watching movies.

Evan joined Utile in 2021 as an architectural designer. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from Lehigh University and his Master in Architecture from Harvard Graduate School of Design, where he developed an affinity for all things odd, bold, and animated. This affinity formed the foundation of his graduate thesis, in which he proposed a new form of “Animate Architecture” based on the exaggerated yet relatable interactions between characters in slapstick animation. He continues to transform particularly odd buildings he encounters into characters through illustration and animation. Prior to joining Utile, Evan worked at TERROIR Architects in Copenhagen and the Los Angeles Design Group as a designer on projects of all scales, from small biennial installations to single-family homes to an international urban planning competition. His interests outside of architecture include playing piano, scouring the internet for new music, and researching the eclectic history of his hometown, St. Louis. He currently lives in Boston with his partner and his grumpy cat George.

Evan is an architect at Utile. He joined the firm in 2014 after receiving his Bachelor of Architecture, as well as his Master of Architecture degree from Northeastern University. His graduate work studied the mechanics of Boston’s approvals process and its effects on underutilized parcels in downtown Boston. Evan is a registered architect in Massachusetts. His interests lay in the social equity of developing sustainable affordable housing. Most recently his projects with the firm include the ongoing design of the 41-unit affordable Bowdoin Street Housing development with non-profit developer VietAID, the construction of a nine-unit condominium building in the South End, and the schematic design for the redevelopment of a property owned by the Portland Housing Authority.

Maressa Perreault is an associate principal at Utile. Her work has focused on skillfully navigating complex aesthetic and regulatory issues in historically sensitive environments. She has led a wide range of civic, residential, non-profit, and academic projects at Utile, including the master plan, public space renovations, and 300+ page Conservation Management Plan for Boston City Hall and studies for Boston Public Library’s Uphams Corner and Chinatown branches. She managed design for the historic renovation of United South End Settlements’ campus, the 31-unit multifamily 26 West Broadway, Simmons College Library Center for Student Success, and a 17,000 square foot corporate cafeteria in Kendall Square. She is currently leading the renovation of the 1940s Tool House in Boston’s historic Public Garden. Maressa was recognized by the BSA as “one of the upcoming generation of female design talent in the city” by the 2013 Women in Design: Urban Interventions competition. She has taught design studios at Wentworth Institute of Technology and Northeastern University and has served as a visiting design critic at MIT, RISD, Tulane, University of Colorado, Northeastern, MassArt, and BAC. Maressa holds an M.Arch from the University of Virginia and a BA in Studio Art and Architectural History from Middlebury College. She lives in Boston’s South End with her husband and son in an 1890s rowhouse condo that she designed and renovated after the 2015 snowpocalypse.

Claudia is an Associate at Utile, focusing on projects of varying scales and types, ranging across commercial, institutional, civic, and academic typologies. Her experience in master planning and interiors allows her to provide a perspective that is both holistic and precise to respond to the goals of the project at hand. She has successfully led multiple commercial workspace renovations, centering design and user experience amongst multiple stakeholder requirements. Claudia’s passions lie in the ability to weave together the many factors driving a project, from client, community, and key stakeholder goals, to building systems that enhance the experience and provide sustainable approaches to the built environment and its inhabitants. She is interested in how intentional color and materiality can shape space and enhance the overall design experience. She received her degrees from the University of South Florida School of Architecture and Community Design and remains connected to academia through her participation as guest juror for multiple Northeastern University design studios. In her free time she enjoys shooting film photography, flower arranging, and checking out restaurants around the city.

Alexander Porter brings diverse interests in computation, environmental analysis, fabrication, and cultural theory to his work as an architect at Utile.  His diverse experience includes innovative workspace interiors, inspiring educational spaces, international cultural competitions, and strategic thinking for corporations and institutions.  At Utile, Alexander has worked at multiple scales on projects including the Belmont Hill Makerspace, Fessenden Dining Commons, and several projects at the Kendall Square Workspace. Before joining Utile in 2020, Alexander worked in offices in Boston and New York City including Eisenman Architects, Toshiko Mori Architect, and Höweler + Yoon Architecture. Alexander completed his Bachelor of Arts in both Classical Music and Architecture at Columbia University, and his Master of Architecture with distinction from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, graduating top in his class and receiving the AIA Medal of Honor and the Digital Design Prize for his thesis.  He has continued to explore academic topics in architecture, serving as Utile’s Director of Architecture and as design faculty at institutions including Rhode Island School of Design and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Alexander lives in Boston, where he enjoys all types of baking, most types of eating, keeping up with the piano, and running agility with his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Darcy.

Drew joined Utile in 2021 as a project manager and brings a passion for smart and forward-thinking design. He earned his Master of Architecture and Bachelor of Architecture from Wentworth Institute of Technology. His thesis sought to explore idea of “the other side of the tracks”—to study how the infrastructure we build can serve as harsh barriers that divide communities along socioeconomic lines. 

Prior to joining Utile, he worked for CUBE 3 where he specialized in the design and construction of multifamily and student-housing projects across the Northeast region. He has overseen residential projects ranging in size from 17–400 units; shepherding them from initial approvals, design and documentation, as well as through construction and occupancy. He designed and managed a 330-unit transit-oriented development in New Rochelle, NY that will open in 2022. 

In addition to his experience in architecture, Drew has a passion for improving the built environment to align with a more sustainable and resilient future. His previous work includes designing thousands of residential solar arrays to help families transition to a sustainable form of energy, as well as managing projects integrating structural expansion joint systems into critical infrastructure across the mid-Atlantic.

Allison joined Utile in 2022 as the Director of Marketing and Communications where she leads the strategy and content of our business development and project procurement efforts.  A Boston area native, Allison returns to New England by way of New Orleans, where she jointly pursued a Masters in Architecture and Sustainable Real Estate Development at Tulane University. Prior to joining Utile, Allison worked for a variety of architecture firms as a designer before finding her way into marketing. With a wide range of knowledge across the AEC industry, she is passionate about creative storytelling and supporting teams to do their best work. In her free time, she enjoys exploring her College Hill neighborhood in Providence with her family, watching Jeopardy, and doing the NYT crossword puzzle (always with a pen). 

Lisa joined Utile in 2023 as an Architectural Designer.  With a Master of Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design and a background in Political Science and Cinema Studies from the University of Toronto, she finds joy in designing while considering the intersection of architectural materiality, socioeconomics, policy, and urban conditions. She believes built spaces should have a long life and is committed to the stewardship necessary to make that a flourishing reality.

Loren designs at the intersection of architecture, infrastructure, and urbanism. She is particularly interested in patterns of mobility and their impact on urban form. Since joining Utile as an urban designer in 2021, she has leveraged her design sensibilities for projects at multiple scales: managing the zoning redesign for Newton’s Village Centers, leading a graphic toolkit for the MBTA that proposes strategies for bus priority implementation, and creating architectural test-fits for sites with diverse urban conditions.

Prior to joining Utile, Loren worked at Safdie Architects for three years, where she contributed to the design and coordination of projects ranging from a large urban development in Singapore, to mixed-use 50-story towers in Israel, as well as an expansion to an art museum campus in Arkansas. She has previously worked at Payette, where she contributed to various life science projects. Loren holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University, and a Master of Architecture in Urban Design with distinction from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Originally from Miami, she eschews driving in favor of exploring Boston on foot, with the occasional scenic bike ride.

Alex joined Utile in 2021 with 4 years of experience in Boston designing and managing a number of mixed-use multifamily housing and workspace projects. He has a passion for understanding the details of a project, which has been emphasized in his extensive construction administration work. Seeing how these small pieces all come together from design through final construction and completion has enabled him to process and expand on these ideas for future designs. Prior to moving to and working in Boston, Alex graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY in 2017 where he graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture. As a Vermont native, Alex is not too far from home, where he will frequently escape the busy city life for a quiet weekend to decompress and relax. Outside of work, he can be found researching his next baking challenge, or trying to keep up with his energetic dog Lucy.

Lilit joined Utile in 2019 as a designer. Prior to joining Utile she worked at Jacobs where she worked on large scale workplace interiors projects for leading financial, tech, and biotech clients. Lilit received her Master degree in Interior Architecture at New England School of Art & Design. In her thesis she explored transformational workplace design strategies and activity based working in the age of rising mobility. Her thesis project received Graduate Thesis Design Award. Lilit is an enthusiast of fabrication and maker culture. She taught classes on digital fabrication, Revit, and Dynamo at Boston Architectural College in collaboration with Autodesk BUILD Space. Originally from Armenia, Lilit has a broad experience in studying, living and working internationally including Russia and Eastern Europe. She received Bachelor in Arts at Yerevan State Academy of Arts where she studied industrial and graphic design.

Alessandro joined Utile in the fall of 2021 as an architectural and urban designer. Since then, he has worked on a wide variety of projects throughout Massachusetts. These projects range in scale from test fits for small affordable housing and mixed-use developments, to comprehensive city-wide visioning plans. As a designer, his role on the projects includes research and analysis, community engagement, formulating contextually appropriate design guidelines, graphic design and representation, and report compilation. Prior to joining Utile, Alessandro completed his BS Arch and Master of Architecture at Northeastern University, where he received the Comprehensive Studio Design and Experiential Design Awards. While there, his thesis project focused on sustainable development of post-industrial spaces in East Boston, ultimately resulting in a neighborhood maker’s space and fabrication lab designed to socially and economically uplift the surrounding community. While in school, he also worked as a design intern at Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects in Manhattan, and as a research and design assistant for Ang Li Projects, where he developed installations for Exhibit Columbus in Indiana, and a Boston Chinatown community project for the public arts organization Now + There. Outside the office, Alessandro enjoys traveling, cooking, taking care of his many plants, and learning about new topics in the fields of science, history, and design.

Nicole is from New Orleans, Louisiana, and the city's rich architectural history has driven her interest in sustainable, equitable, and practical design. These passions first brought her to Utile in January 2022 for her first Northeastern co-op during which she served as an integral team member on 299 Broadway, a mixed-use residential development designed to transform a block of Somerville’s Winter Hill neighborhood.

In January 2023, she began her second co-op at Annum Architects, where she worked on projects for MIT's Mechanical Engineering Department and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. Nicole returned to Utile and the 299 Broadway team in August 2023 while simultaneously wrapping up her final years at Northeastern. In May 2024, Nicole graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture with plans to stay at Northeastern for the one-year M. Arch program.

Outside of work, Nicole loves staying active, especially by both instructing and attending cycling classes. You may also find her at the Boston Public Library checking out her latest read.

Pete is an urban planner and designer with over a dozen years of experience planning, designing, and visualizing multimodal streets and spaces. Working at the intersection of mobility and access, Pete is passionate about the social, economic, and psychological benefits of reclaiming space from the automobile to provide a canvas for human-scaled places. Through that lens, he has worked extensively with clients across the country at the Federal, State, and local levels on projects across scales and disciplines. His past work includes conceptual street design, multimodal network planning, spatial data analysis and visualization, design guidance, 3D illustration, and transit access planning and operations. Prior to joining Utile, Pete served as the MBTA’s first Deputy Director of Active Transportation and Station Access as well as the Visualization Practice Lead at Toole Design. A native midwesterner, Pete proudly holds dual master’s degrees in Urban Planning and Urban Design from the University of Michigan.

Kate joined Utile in 2024 as an Architectural Designer. She is a registered Architect in the UK and has gained experience with firms in Zurich, Dublin, and London. She has professionally focused and specialized in housing—encompassing private residential dwellings, high-density tall buildings, and housing estate regeneration masterplans. Kate believes that architecture is a matter of uncovering and enhancing a place’s character—from the room to the city scale. Her contributions in practice were acknowledged with Morris + Company Architects in London earning her a place on the AJ100 new talent list for 2021. 

Kate holds a Bachelor of Architecture with distinction from TU Dublin and a Postgraduate Diploma in Architectural Practice from the University of Westminster. She has served as a guest lecturer and critic in architecture schools across Ireland and the UK. 

She is a co-founder of BothAnd Group, a design research collective that investigates the political ecology of land management, and speculates on alternative futures for the food system. With BothAnd Group Kate’s work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Tallinn Architecture Biennale and at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of Biennale di Venezia.

Tony joined Utile in 2023 as an architect and project manager. Tony is a LEED Green Associate and is currently working towards Passive House Certification. He brings over 15 years of architecture and construction experience to the firm and has spent most of his career focusing on bridging the gap between design and construction. Tony has worked for architects and construction managers in Boston and New York City, focusing mostly on sustainable and biophilic projects that help to reduce building energy use and storm water management while improving the lives of inhabitants and users.

He has taught at City University of New York and most recently at his alma mater Wentworth Institute of Technology, from where he received a Bachelor and Master of Architecture. 

In his free time, he is either working on his home in Swampscott, skateboarding, or surfing.

Allison joined Utile in January 2014 as a designer. She was most recently involved with the design of 380 Harrison Avenue, a 14-story mixed-use development in Boston’s South End, and 121 Main Street, a mixed-use rental development in Brockton, MA. She was previously involved with all phases of the 283-unit, mixed-use MetroMark Apartments at Forest Hills Station in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood, from schematic design through construction administration. Prior to joining Utile, Allison worked for Abacus Architects + Planners in Boston. She helped design several housing projects, including the Revitalization of Jefferson Park State in Cambridge, MA and a development for Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly in Brookline, MA. Allison received her Master of Architecture degree from Northeastern University. Her thesis project focused on the feasibility of Air Rights projects, specifically on the parcels located over I-90 in downtown Boston, which was displayed for several months at the BSA’s Rights of Way: Mobility in the City exhibition. Allison is originally from upstate New York but often moved around, growing up in The Netherlands and England before settling in Boston.

Sofia Schwarz joined Utile as a Marketing/Communications Intern in the spring of 2024, while studying Communication and Communication Design at the University of Southern California. Originally from the North Shore of Massachusetts, Sofia has loved being able to explore Los Angeles, meet people from all over the world, and learn about many different cultures and lifestyles. Sofia’s interest in architecture and urban design stems from her close family members, who are all heavily involved in the architecture and urban design and planning fields. Outside of school and work, Sofia loves photography, museums, trying new food spots, yoga, painting, going to the beach, and searching for the best cup of espresso.

Aaron joined Utile's Urban Design & Planning team in Fall 2024. He received a BA magna cum laude in urban studies and architectural history from Columbia University and is currently pursuing dual masters degrees in architecture and urban planning at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where he is a Dean's Merit Scholar. Aaron's interests and work center mostly on affordable housing, public architecture, urban design, and participatory planning practices. He has worked for a variety of public, private, and nonprofit entities in Boston, New Orleans, and his hometown of New York City, including Office of Jonathan Tate, the Boston Mayor's Office of Housing, the NYC Department of City Planning, and French2D.

While in graduate school, Aaron has worked on affordable housing schemes that won First Place in HUD’s Innovation in Affordable Housing Competition, Second Place in the GSD's Plimpton Poorvu Competition, and Third Place in Boston’s Affordable Housing Development Competition. He has written for Architectural Record, Dwell, The Architect’s Newspaper, the Museum of Modern Art, and Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.

In his free time, Aaron likes to read nonfiction, go on long hikes on faraway mountains, and visit his 92-year-old grandma, who is a legend.

Angelo joined Utile in 2024 as an architectural designer. He's brought along with him his fascination for looking under the hood of how our society and culture work with an emphasis on these systems' material implications. Applying that curiosity to contributing to a more equitable and culturally-rich present is his goal.

Prior to Utile, Angelo worked in Philadelphia at DIGSAU where he spent most of his time on Princeton University's Dillon Gymnasium and Swarthmore College's Beardsley Hall Art and Philosophy Building among other projects.He earned his Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his thesis How to Build: An Anti-Violent Construction Practice Through Bio-Based Building Materials and Community Design-Build in the Spring of 2020.  

Previously based in New York City, Angelo has also had a prior career in music through performing, recording, teaching, and touring internationally. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and holds a certificate in Creative Arts Therapy.  

Angelo has had a lifelong love of fake food, which has blossomed into his sculptural practice as well as his real food obsessions of cheesemaking and bread baking. He lives in Brookline with his textile-loving wife and wild three-year-old daughter.

Ngaire joined Utile in the Spring of 2024. She is a registered architect in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is LEED AP BD+C certified. Prior to Utile, Ngaire’s experience focused on highly technical building typologies: academic laboratory buildings and biotech manufacturing facilities. With a six-year tenure at Payette, she contributed to the design of several new construction life science academic centers and the National Coast Guard Museum. For the following two years, she was a project architect at CRB, an architecture-engineering firm specializing on developing cutting-edge processes alongside highly flexible, yet rigorously environmentally controlled, manufacturing facilities for clients such as Moderna and Pfizer.

Ngaire holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University, where she was awarded the W. Downing distinction for her thesis, and had the opportunity to study abroad in Rome and New York City. In 2017, her entry was selected for the AIA’s Emerging Professional Exhibit “Citizen Design” project tackling equity, access, ecology, and sustainability with contemporary design solutions. In 2019, Ngaire attended a seminar at TU Delft, a fast-tracked exploration of traditional Dutch architecture and the tectonics of the canal house. Traveling continues to be a passion for her and any chance she can she tries to visit a new location in the world. Outside of architecture, Ngaire enjoys biking, ceramics, and everything associated with coastal living: boating, picnics on the beach, swimming, fishing, and attempting to surf.

Jing (Jane) Sun joined Utile as an Architecture Co-op in 2024. Jane is a fourth year student at Northeastern University, majoring in Architecture and minoring in Business Entrepreneurship.

Jane merges her expertise in 3D modeling and graphic design with a vibrant flair for integrating narrative and joy into architecture. Jane’s architecture passions are in creating narrative-driven, sustainable buildings, and fusing traditional Asian and Western influences into her architectural design.

Beyond architecture, Jane has strong interests in experience design, art installations, mental health, and entrepreneurship. Her ambition is to inspire through spaces that foster environmental stewardship, well-being, and cultural appreciation, making every project an invitation to explore, heal, and connect.

Hailing from Oakland, California, Zozo Tahawi is a Graphic Design Co-op at Utile. Currently based in Boston, she is entering her fourth year at Northeastern University, pursuing a BFA in Graphic and Experience Design. Zozo has previous experience at State Street, where she assisted the marketing team with creating graphics and formatting for client-facing material. When she’s not at her computer drawing smiling icons and chicken wings, she enjoys the outdoors, finding inspiration in nature, working on creative projects, and cooking for friends and family. 

Weiqi joined Utile in 2024 as an architectural designer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and Design from Tongji University and a Master’s degree in Architecture from Cornell University. She was born and raised in Shanghai, a city which cultivates her love in art, design, and architecture. 

During her studies, she developed a great interest in material, fabrication, and tectonics. She enjoys working with various materials including concrete, clay, wood, and paper, as well as exploring techniques such as casting, 3D printing, and CNC. For her thesis project, Weiqi researched the materiality of glass and how the making of glass can be integrated in the sustainable practice of contemporary buildings. 

Outside the realm of architecture, Weiqi finds joy working with soft materials, making small projects via sewing, crocheting, and knitting, and learning to cook and bake.

Yujue joined Utile in 2024 as an Architectural Designer. She holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture. For her, architecture is a perfect amalgamation of two of her favorite things: art and problem-solving. She is passionate about designing spaces that leave a big impression on the heart and is particularly interested in revitalizing new meanings in existing buildings.

Prior to Utile, Yujue worked at Bruner/Cott Architects in Boston for two years, where she gained valuable experience in adaptive reuse, renovation, and research facilities projects.

Outside of work, Yujue finds joy in soccer, film photography, and cooking.

Holly joined Utile as a designer in January of 2024. She grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a city that has fed her love for art, architecture, and music. 

Holly received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Miami University of Ohio and spent her 2019 fall semester abroad in Florence, Italy which significantly broadened her eye for design, love of travel, and appreciation for world-renowned architecture. Her undergraduate club involvement included staying active in the IIDA program by serving as the public relations chair, as well as the mental health committee content writer in her sorority. Constantly, Holly is intrigued by how much our physical environment affects us in both her personal and professional life of design.

Post-graduation, she worked at a smaller, family-owned firm, MKDA, in Stamford, CT that is headquartered in New York City. Shortly after, she quickly shipped up to Boston to gain experience on workplace projects at Sasaki for a little over a year. The two years of commercial workplace design helped her develop a passion for and a deeper understanding of creating meaningful spaces holistically. 

Holly’s parents are the primary reason for her creativity, both having a history of an artistic education and career path. She loves to explore the museums in Boston and around the world but is always inspired by the extraordinary exhibitions at her favorite museums, The Whitney in NYC and the Uffizi in Florence. Another passion of hers is listening to music and attending live shows, and she is always looking for a concert buddy!

Heather rejoined Utile in 2022 as an HR Coordinator after having previously been Utile’s Administrative Assistant from 2016-2019, a role that focused on office culture, project billing, accounting, and human resources. Before Utile, Heather attended Western Connecticut University where she played volleyball and was team captain during her senior year, leading the team to win the Little East Conference championship title and appearing in the NCAA tournament. After starting her career at Utile she received her Masters in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University. Heather dabbled in the private equity world for three years as an accounting coordinator and found herself missing Utile. Heather is now the Director of Human Resources at Utile. She is originally from upstate New York, and loves anything outdoors and reading. 

Katie Wirtz joined Utile in 2016. She grew up in northern Michigan, where she developed a love for wood-framed construction. This led her to the field of architecture. She earned her Bachelor and Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan, where she won the Raoul Wallenberg Traveling Scholarship as an undergraduate, and a Thesis Award as a graduate student. Her past academic and professional experiences have led her to strive for design solutions that are humane and support people in all phases of living.

Katie lives in Jamaica Plain with her husband, where they like to make plans for their yard, home, and city.

Sebastian joined Utile in 2024 as a designer. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Master of Architecture from Northeastern University. Growing up in both China and Australia, Sebastian has always been fascinated by the interaction between natural and built environments, sustainability, land justice, and community engagement.

Prior to joining Utile, Sebastian worked as a model maker and designer in both Boston and New York. His passion for technology and physical model-making has equipped him with technical expertise and an analytical mindset to translate abstract concepts into practical solutions.

For the past two years, Sebastian worked as the lead project designer at JGE Architecture & Design, a minority-owned enterprise focusing on design and development. During his time, his projects ranged from master planning to affordable and luxury housing, community centers, and building expansions, collaborating with other firms such as MVRDV and Stantec.

Outside of work, you'll often find Sebastian at the airport with a coffee in his hand, either waiting to pick up his friends or heading out on adventures with them.

Jessy is a senior architectural and urban designer at Utile. He is well versed in the design and metrics of building typology, complete streets, form-based zoning, and contemporary urban development. Since joining Utile in 2018, Jessy has led a diverse range of urban-scale projects that harness private interests for public realm benefits, including the Houston Concept Neighborhood Framework Plan (2023), the Assembly Square Marketplace Redevelopment Plan (on-going), the Fenway-Kenmore Transportation Action Plan (on-going), the Littleton Common Form-Based Code (incorporated 2021), and the Boston Coastal Flood Resilience Design Guidelines and Overlay District (2021). Jessy holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Rice University and a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where he received the Award for Outstanding Leadership in Urban Design. Prior to Utile, Jessy has worked at CAZA Architects, Machado Silvetti, Asakura Robinson Company, and Page Southerland Page. In addition to practice, Jessy has taught design studios at the Boston Architectural College, Boston College, and Northeastern University.