San Francisco Names New Regional Director

Atelier Ten is thrilled to announce the promotion of Kristen DiStefano to San Francisco Regional Director. Kristen, who started at Atelier Ten in 2011, has been an influential force in advancing Atelier Ten’s carbon and masterplanning practices. She brings clarity and depth to complex interdisciplinary projects—making Atelier Ten’s work both accessible and highly impactful.

Leveraging her background in engineering and architecture, Kristen’s leadership approach marries technical expertise with design thinking. Kristen is a thoughtful leader, working closely with clients and colleagues to bring new ideas to projects and ensure they are delivered successfully.

“Her thorough understanding of sustainable project execution, particularly for many of our most significant projects, combined with her exceptional ability to lead high-performing teams, makes her the ideal choice to advance our mission.” – Nico Kienzl

Kristen’s future-thinking approach is a testament to her dedication to Atelier Ten’s mission to shape a more sustainable world. With experience on over 200 projects, she has impacted many of Atelier Ten’s most ambitious projects, ranging from the biophilic NVIDIA Voyager and Endeavor projects, Google’s Charleston East, the LEED Platinum One Steuart Lane, and the hybrid mass timber California College of the Arts Expansion. She has been instrumental in shaping the sustainability strategy for San Francisco’s rapidly developing waterfront, including Mission Rock, India Basin and Potrero Power Station.

“I’m so thrilled to see Kristen’s well-deserved promotion. She’s one of the most thoughtful and creative problem-solvers I’ve ever met, and she’s such fun to work with… Kristen is a trusted leader and an absolute original thinker. I can’t wait to see her rise in her new role.” – Shruti Kasarekar

We are excited to see the meaningful contributions Kristen will bring to Atelier Ten’s San Francisco office in her next chapter for the firm.