• Ideas
• Projects
• People
• Contact

A licensed architect and certified city planner, Ellen leads the Urban Design and Planning for SOM San Francisco. Ellen has directed many world-renowned urban design and planning efforts in the U. S. and the Pacific Rim countries. Her areas of specialization include urban, brown-field reuse, and new towns/new communities master plans; historic revitalization; and campus master plans.

Ellen is particularly skilled in developing innovative ideas to address challenging urban planning contexts and in guiding development interests to create public benefit. She is keenly interested in promoting sustainable development. Tenets of sustainable planning creating pedestrian-friendly and transit-oriented developments, integrating elements of site features with development needs, while engendering a sense of identity rooted in the culture and aspirations of the place.

Ellen is also active in civic and educational outreach. She has lectured, served as visiting instructor and guest critic for architecture and urban design courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, North Dakota University, California Academy of Arts, and University of California Berkeley. She has also participated in community workshops and design charrettes organized by San Francisco Planning Department and the Association of Bay Area Government in East Bay and San Francisco. Ellen serves as board member for San Francisco Urban Planning and Research as well as on the San Jose Downtown Architecture Review Committee.