MBB - Key Persons
Alex DiSimone believes architecture's most vital function is to serve people and communities. As a designer and draughtsman, he contributes to all facets of project development from site research to design and construction documentation.
His project experience includes numerous education planning and design projects including MBB's 100,000-sf school expansion project for Yeshivah of Flatbush in Brooklyn. A graduate of Tulane University's professional B.Arch program, he brings a talent for visualization and communication. He enjoys drawing of all kinds, from hand sketching to section perspectives, construction documents, or perfecting the line weights on a specification drawing.
Alex finds creative inspiration in the intersection of architecture with technology and ecology. His passion for cultural and community spaces is rooted in his experience contributing to a student exhibition on rethinking Civil Rights memorials in New Orleans and the American South. A resilient and adaptable colleague, he is driven to work through challenges and get the job done.
Danielle has worked on a wide variety of projects including educational institutions, commercial and residential developments, civic buildings, and transit hubs from concept design through construction administration. Her MBB project experience includes NYU Abu Dhabi and Grace Church School. She prioritizes sustainability throughout a project's life cycle, using analysis tools to measure and improve environmental and energy performance outcomes. She enjoys bringing communities together, as when she spearheaded a pro-bono initiative with the Urban Design Forum and Van Alen Institute to support small businesses in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, during the pandemic.
Danielle is a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Design and California Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo. She also studied at the Danish Institute of Study Abroad in Copenhagen, inspiring her interest in public design and urban livability. Her commitment to sustainability and social impact is reflected in her active involvement with her local community board land use committee and other not-for-profits. A registered architect in New York, she joined MBB in 2025.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of Interior Design
- Member of the Commercial Interior Design Association
Composing spaces around the needs of their users, Fiyel Levent leads the interior design team with a sophisticated sense of craft and detail. Her expertise includes designing and specifying furniture, curating finish palettes, collaborating with clients, coordinating with vendors and manufacturers, and directing final installation. She is committed to sustainable and ethical sourcing.
As Director of Interior Design, Fiyel helps clients navigate various phases of design and procurement. Her grasp of colors, textures, and materials allows her to design interiors that support functional criteria and inspire their users. With a dual background in architecture and interior design, she skillfully designs custom details and furnishings.
Fiyel holds a Bachelor of Architecture from The Cooper Union and a Masters of Creative Writing and Literature from The University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She has received the Deborah J. Norden Travel Grant from The Architectural League of New York in 2007, the Stewardson Keefe LeBrun Travel Grant from The Center for Architecture in 2012, and the Arnold W. Brunner Research Grant from the AIA Center for Architecture in 2020. She has served on design juries at The Cooper Union, Parsons School of Design, the School of Visual Arts, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and has given a TEDx talk about her travels.
Fiyel is a member of the Commercial Interior Design Association (IIDA). She joined MBB Architects in 2017.
Gideon earned a Ph.D. in Architecture (history/theory) from University of Pennsylvania School of Design, and a B.A. in Urban Studies from Columbia University. His doctoral research focused on public landscape architecture in 19th-century Paris.
Job Titles:
- Designer
- Designer LEED AP BD C
Isabel harnesses her passion for sustainable design to her knowledge of environmental systems and microclimate analysis. Inspired by architecture's potential for social impact, she completed a thesis project exploring the intersection of policy and design in housing immigrant populations. Isabel graduated from the School of Architecture at Syracuse University and joined MBB in 2022.
She is a member of Metropolis Magazine's inaugural Arch30 cohort, a gathering of 30 talented architectural designers under the age of 30.
A dedicated team leader and problem solver, Jean Li keeps projects on track to meet strategic goals. With her creative energy and technical expertise, she helps clients understand the long-term impact of individual design decisions. She enjoys collaborating with clients, design staff, and consultants.
Experienced in sustainable design and construction techniques, Jean has contributed to the design of schools, offices, residences, and cultural institutions. Her project experience at MBB includes Grace Church School Athletic Center, PS 19Q Marino Jeantet School, Sutton Place Synagogue, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, NYU Abu Dhabi Institute, Congregation Beth Elohim, and the University of Virginia Center for Politics. She is inspired by the opportunity to serve people and communities through design excellence.
Jean is a licensed architect and an accredited LEED AP Building Design and Construction professional. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Interested in the future of education design, she participates on the American Institute of Architects' Committee of Architecture for Education. She joined MBB in 2017 and was promoted to Associate in 2020.
Turning constraints into opportunities, Jeffrey Murphy leads the planning and design of multi-dimensional, complex projects. His award-winning work for cultural and educational institutions shows how sustainable design can enrich the beauty, function, and performance of architecture.
As a founding partner, Jeffrey melds bold design vision with a commitment to addressing diverse stakeholder needs and interests. From greening historic buildings to planning campus-wide sustainability upgrades, he synthesizes technical, cultural, economic, and health criteria. His expansive definition of sustainability includes not only high-performance building systems, but also creating places that people love and care for over generations.
Jeffrey earned a Master of Architecture degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from the University of Virginia. At Harvard he received the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture Research Fellowship and the post-graduate Wheelwright Prize. He has served as director for the Harvard Alumni Association and is Vice-President of the UVA School of Architecture Foundation.
Cultivating architecture's civic role, Jeffrey has held Board, Secretary and Committee Chair positions with the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. He has served as a board member of Community District 7 in Manhattan and as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Village of Saltaire, New York. Jeffrey teaches an undergraduate course on sustainable design at New York University.
Jeffrey was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 2016.
Kate Brown designs from an understanding of how people use space. Responsive to overlapping needs, she crafts user-friendly environments that provide flexibility and enhance daily life. Her grasp of complex programs, sustainable building materials, and fine detailing fuels her thoughtful design approach.
Her project experience includes the award-winning renovation of the Gordon Chapel at St. Hilda's and St. Hugh's School, where MBB transformed the space with concealed technology and acoustic wood finishes to support flexible, multi-purpose assembly and performance. She has also worked on renovations at Congregation Rodeph Sholom and Trinity School Library, the design of a private residence in Long Island's East End, and an adaptive reuse plan for University of the South's Theology Department.
Kate holds a Master of Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College. She has served as a guest critic at Northeastern University and Boston Architectural College. Through the Architectural League of New York's mentorship program, she has served as a mentor to undergraduate design students at City Tech, Keane University, and City College of New York.
Kate joined MBB in 2017 and was promoted to Associate in 2020.
Working closely with the Partners and the Director of Finance & Operations, Katherine English manages daily office operations. She coordinates invoicing for clients and consultants, maintains positive relationships with vendors, and brings a high level of professionalism to her many administrative responsibilities.
Katherine helps foster a convivial work environment in which team members feel good about coming to work and collaborating with their peers. A proactive planner, she anticipates future needs and contingencies to ensure the office runs smoothly. She serves as the Treasurer for the Society for Design Administration New York Chapter, following her interest in financial and office management for the design industry.
Katherine's passion for design began in childhood, when she discovered Palladio in her mother's old art history textbooks. Born and raised in Texas, she studied film at NYU, focusing on silent and world cinemas. She spent several years honing her administrative skills in the interior design industry before joining MBB in 2019.
Awards
2023 Society for Design Administration, Member of the Year Award
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance and Operations
- Director of Finance and Operations Associate Partner
Maricela Salas directs MBB's financial and personnel operations to support a flourishing design culture and inclusive work environment. Her areas of responsibility include human resources, finance and accounting, and strategic business planning. In collaboration with the firm's partners, she works to accelerate growth and position the firm for the future.
An active listener and communicator, she plays a leading role in promoting best practice initiatives to advance the firm's culture. She is passionate about fostering a workplace that values open communication, collaboration, respect, creativity, and fun. She also understands the evolving needs and expectations of today's workforce and prioritizes flexibility within the firm's equitable policies.
Beyond her work at MBB, Maricela has served on the board of the Society of Design Administrators. She is a graduate of Whittier College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts with a minor in business. She joined MBB in 2001 and was promoted to Associate Partner in 2009.
As a Founding Partner, Mary Burnham brings decades of recognized excellence and expertise in the design of cultural, educational, and residential projects. Her humanist approach, rooted in optimism and empathy, channels the power of design to improve people's lives.
Her strategic understanding of the cultural components of design has fueled the firm's work with institutions including New York University's Abu Dhabi Institute, Princeton University Art Museum, the Latse Contemporary Tibetan Library, New York State Parks, the Mertz Gilmore Foundation, and the HF Guggenheim Foundation. She has led complex, multi-phased planning and design projects for Park Avenue Synagogue, St. Hilda's and St. Hugh's School, Convent of the Sacred Heart school, and many others.
A native New Yorker, she works to improve the urban realm through the design of welcoming public buildings and cultural institutions. Her discerning command of light, space, color, and material enables her to create meaningful environments that enrich people's lives and shape a sustainable future.
Mary serves on the Board of the Architectural League of New York, the Board of the American Academy in Rome, the Dean's Council of the Yale School of Architecture, and the Fellows Committee of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter. She is also the founding Board Chair for Lighthouse Works, a not-for-profit arts organization.
She earned a Master of Architecture from Yale University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied the History of Architecture and Fine Arts. She has served as a guest design critic at Pratt Institute, Yale University, and Parsons The New School for Design. In 2018 she was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Architect and Planner
Sara Grant is an architect and planner who partners with mission-driven institutions to create equitable, healthy, and sustainable environments. Leveraging the power of design for social impact, she combines research-based expertise and community engagement to build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups. Her inclusive leadership approach prioritizes collaboration-both with clients and project teams.
A hands-on designer who embraces new challenges, Stephen Hsueh works across project types and scales to create value for clients. His people-friendly approach to sustainability integrates efficient building systems with inspiring community spaces.
His project experience includes schools, public buildings, airport terminals, and homes in New York City and his native Chicago, as well as adaptive reuse and mixed-use developments. He contributes to project development from the early design and development phases through construction administration. He is also an experienced BIM leader who manages team workflows to ensure efficient and accurate production of construction documents.
Stephen holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Illinois Institute of Technology.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Chairman of the Board of Bricks & Mortals
Taylor's design leadership at MBB encompasses a variety of project types and scales, from technically exacting renovations to ground-up buildings and master plans. He has led the planning and design of innovative higher education and PK-12 projects, contextually sensitive church and synagogue upgrades, and high-performance work environments. A visionary collaborator, he helps institutions evaluate options and uncover new opportunities to address evolving needs and goals.
Taylor serves as Chair of the Board of Bricks & Mortals, a nonprofit that helps houses of worship leverage their real estate assets, and as Program Director on the AIANY Cultural Facilities Committee. Taylor also serves on the Mayor's Working Group for Faith-Based Affordable Housing Development, creating policy proposals to support NYC houses of worship through changes to the landmarking process and air rights transfers.
Taylor holds a Master of Architecture from Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation, and a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture from the University of Colorado at Boulder. A frequent public speaker and moderator, his articles have been published in Faith and Form and Construction Specifier magazines. He joined MBB in 2015 and was promoted to Partner in 2023.
Job Titles:
- Architect
- Project Architect
Adept at project delivery across all phases of design and construction, Tommy brings thoughtful planning, technical expertise, and documentation skills to his work at MBB. He has designed flexible workplaces, environments for differentiated learning, high-performance façade systems, historic renovations, and other project types. As a Project Architect at MBB, he has advanced the design of several preK-12 education expansions, a Manhattan workplace focused on collaboration, and other mission-driven planning and design projects.
Tommy is a licensed architect in the District of Columbia and holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech. He joined MBB in 2022. In addition to his design work, he participates in MBB's mentorship program with the Architectural League and City Tech.
Tracy Eteh-Benissan applies her architectural design skills to make an impact on people's lives. A Bronx native of Togolese descent, she is driven to create welcoming spaces for people of all means. Her interests in public and civic design are rooted in her experiences growing up in New York City and understanding the importance of access to community spaces.
Tracy's project experience includes a variety of cultural, educational, workplace, entertainment, and residential design and restoration projects. She completed internships at several prominent firms prior to joining MBB in 2023. A graduate of Howard University's M.Arch program, she conducted thesis research on community support spaces in the Sheridan neighborhood of the Bronx, culminating in her design for a new community center. Tracy received the Cornell Future Architect Award in 2017. Her project experience at MBB includes assisting with a ground-up building for NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, restoration of the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum and a landmark tower in Lower Manhattan, renovations at Sutton Place Synagogue, and design work for Gillen Brewer School.
Building on their previous experience designing and managing residential projects, Vanessa has worked on a variety of institutional projects at MBB, including master plans and educational expansions that prioritize community. Vanessa brings communication as well as technical acumen to every project, ensuring successful outcomes through close consultant and contractor collaboration. They are passionate about bringing new life to existing buildings and campuses.
A graduate of Syracuse University School of Architecture, Vanessa is an advocate for inclusive and equitable design. Their multi-cultural background informs the way they relate to diverse collaborators.
Job Titles:
- Senior Business & Marketing Specialist
Vanessa Thorpe manages new business and marketing initiatives for MBB. Leveraging more than a decade of experience with the firm, she coordinates the development of project proposals, qualification packages, award submissions, and other marketing materials that support the firm's business development strategy.
A thoughtful communicator, Vanessa builds and maintains the firm's network of project partners and consultants. Her responsibilities also include graphic design, document layout, website updates, contact management, photoshoot coordination, and, as a licensed notary, administrative support. Her well-organized approach ensures smooth collaboration and helps the firm win new projects.
Vanessa also contributes to the cultural life of the firm through her planning of social events and interpersonal skills. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the University of Florida and an Associate of Applied Science in Accessories Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She joined MBB in 2011.