From left to right: Callie Kesel, AIA, Associate; Mattison Ly, AIA, Technical Director; Walt Carter, Associate; Josie Morgan, Associate; Tom Bliska, AIA, Associate; Susan Son, AIA, Associate.
DBA’s leadership team keeps getting stronger! Meet our new Technical Director and five amazing new Associates.
We’ll be celebrating them all at an upcoming Happy Hour at our San Francisco studio on March 19, 2025. To join us, RSVP here.
Callie Kesel, AIA, Associate
With nearly a decade of experience shaping thoughtful, community-centered spaces, Callie brings a rich background in both architecture and interior design to her work with DBA. A Birmingham, Ala., native and graduate of Auburn University’s Rural Studio, Callie was inspired by a high school teacher to explore the architecture program at Auburn. Joining other Rural Studio grads at DBA, she plays a key role in our housing and interiors projects, including Felix—elegant market-rate housing in Santa Rosa, Calif.,—and Mercury Courts—permanent supportive housing for unhoused residents in Nashville, Tenn. Based remotely in St. Louis, Mo., Callie balances architecture with the hands-on renovation of her historic 1911 home, serving on the board of her neighborhood council, and navigating life as a new mom. If it weren’t for her passions in architecture, she would pursue creative expression as an art teacher. Lately, she’s been reading Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, which she recommends as a beautiful reminder of the importance of empathy and compassion.
“Callie is an impressive addition to any project. She navigates easily between materiality and interior detailing, as well as architectural design around facades and big ideas. She’s a joy—kind, sensitive, responsive, and bright. We’re so lucky to have her on our team.” —Amanda Loper, AIA, Principal
Mattison Ly, AIA, Technical Director
Driven to create excellent designs that integrate mission, place, people, and a sustainable environment, Mattison has worked extensively as an architect throughout the Bay Area and brings broad and deep experience in affordable and market-rate housing, academic buildings and libraries, museums, and commercial office spaces. A skilled technical architect with a passion for the curiosity-driven, collaborative process inherent in design, she thrives on navigating the messy paths that lead to innovative solutions. As our newest Technical Director, Mattison is focused on project delivery, ensuring a high level of quality control across drawing sets and construction administration efforts in support of the design vision and client goals. She has recently turned her attention to 525 N. Capitol Avenue—permanent supportive housing in San Jose, Calif.,—and Artist Lofts—an affordable transit-oriented community in Nashville, Tenn. Mattison is a Board Member for the Housing Action Coalition and co-chairs the HAC’s Project Review Committee. She enjoys spending time with friends and family and is a lifelong learner of the Chinese written language.
“We are thrilled to have Mattison join us as our new Technical Director. She has shown herself to be knowledgeable, thoughtful, deliberate, and sincere—qualities that make her an invaluable leader. If these early days are any indication, we know the best is yet to come.” —Daniel Simons, FAIA, Principal
Walt Carter, Associate
Walt’s upbringing in a small Tennessee town shaped his deep appreciation for the relationship between design and place, fostering his passions for design, construction, and nature. He is particularly drawn to civic and small-scale projects that serve the community through thoughtful design and attention to detail. Based at DBA_BHM, our Birmingham, Ala., studio, Walt is currently the project manager for HH Residences, an upcoming 16-unit extended-stay hotel in Healdsburg, Calif. He also oversaw Jazzie Collins Apartments (completed in 2022), bringing the permanent supportive housing in San Francisco from Schematic Design through Construction Administration. Walt collaborates closely with DBA_Workshop, our in-house fabrication studio. Outside of architecture, he enjoys drawing, golfing, camping, and designing and building furniture—something he’d explore full-time if he weren’t an architect. He’s also a dedicated kickball teammate and known for his signature karaoke performance of “Creep” by Radiohead.
“Walt has a rare talent for refining meticulous design details while keeping the bigger picture in focus. His versatility makes him a reliable force at every phase of a project, and his calm, positive energy makes him an absolute pleasure to work with each day.” —Brett Randall Jones, AIA, Principal
Josie Morgan, LEED GA
Josie is a dedicated designer and urban enthusiast who believes in the power of design to shape healthier, more connected communities. Born and raised in Oakland, she brings a deep understanding of the Bay Area’s urban fabric to her work. At DBA, she has played a key role in complex, multi-phase developments, including the North Berkeley BART Transit-Oriented Development Plan—a transformation of a surface parking lot into a mixed-use community with more than 700 homes interlaced with open green space—and RESHAP Alameda Point—the redevelopment of eight acres of the former Alameda Navy base. Josie grew up in a family full of architects and first heard of DBA in her teenage years—she even remembers a family friend living in Magnolia Row, one of our early projects. Josie holds degrees in City Planning and Architecture from UC Berkeley. She balances her passion for urban design with hands-on creativity—gardening, cooking, sewing, and drawing. Lately, she’s been enjoying podcasts, including a recent episode of Revisionist History on small acts of kindness.
“Josie is the backbone of our urban design studio. She is capable of understanding and designing complex sites at a range of scales—from 2 to 75 acres—with sensitivity, clarity, and rigor. She sees the big vision while holding onto complex details and critical goals.” —Amanda Loper, AIA, Principal
Tom Bliska, AIA
Tom is an architect, parent, cyclist, and artist who enjoys moving quickly between design challenges as well as pausing to dive deep on specific problems. He believes architecture is a fundamentally public endeavor and should demonstrate responsibility to the communities it serves. A native of Mill Valley, Tom lived on the East Coast for eight years before returning to the Bay Area. He was drawn to DBA’s hands-on approach, in which architects engage in every aspect of a project, including custom details crafted in our in-house fabrication studio. Tom recently oversaw the design and construction of Blue Oak Landing—award-winning, all-electric modular supportive housing for formerly unhoused individuals in Vallejo, Calif. He is currently focused on a multi-phase affordable housing development for the Santa Clara Housing Authority. A bicycle safety and connectivity advocate, Tom uses these principles to enhance the integration of buildings within their communities. He enjoys the tangibility of buildings, and if he weren’t an architect imagines he would be involved with the built environment through building science or development. Outside of work and cycling, he enjoys baking with his brand-new stand mixer.
“Tom brings a wonderful energy to each project he works on. He is attentive, effective, curious, and collaborative all at the same time! Every project he touches is better for it.” —Katie Ackerly, AIA, CPHC, Principal/Sustainable Design Director
Susan Son, AIA, LEED AP
Susan is a skilled architect and project manager who draws on a diverse, high-design portfolio to elevate DBA’s affordable multifamily communities. She spent more than 15 years working in New York City, designing institutional and academic buildings with Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects and market-rate and single-family residential projects with RAMSA. She is currently overseeing the design of The Charles, a 99-home affordable community alongside Coyote Creek in San Jose, Calif., and 3001-3017 El Camino Real, all-electric affordable family housing in Palo Alto. Susan’s lifelong passion for crafting and making things with her hands inspired her to pursue architecture, where she felt she could apply her creativity on a grander scale.
“Susan is the embodiment of grace under pressure—calm, collected, and thoughtful in every situation. Her unflappable nature and infectious humor make her not just a great team leader, but a joy to work with daily.” —Daniel Simons, FAIA, Principal