STUDIOS Announces 2025 Promotions

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALS

• Miranda Kontner
• Carolyn O'Toole

ASSOCIATES

• Jocelyn Ramos
• Alex Lievens
• Jay Yu
• Carolyn Darr
• Adam Kor
• Belen Cavdar
• Virginia Paulk

Carolyn Darr
LOS ANGELES

Carolyn has been promoted to Associate. As Marketing Manager since joining STUDIOS in 2023, she has played a pivotal role on the marketing team, bringing vision and clarity to the strategic direction of our communications. With a strong background in publishing and exceptional writing skills, Carolyn continuously elevates our messaging, refining both strategy and materials to authentically convey the essence of STUDIOS to internal and external audiences alike.

Alexander Lievens
SAN FRANCISCO

Alexander has been promoted to Associate. He brings deep expertise in commercial interiors, with a strong understanding of both the East and West Coast markets. His work on projects for the Department of Housing and Community Development and First Citizens Bank reflects his ability to balance bold, fresh design ideas with a thoughtful, well-rounded approach. Alexander has also contributed to international interiors projects in cities like Milan, London, and Johannesburg, supporting every phase from early programming to construction. Known for his sharp eye and attention to detail, he consistently pushes design forward while ensuring each space is both functional and visually engaging.

Jay Yu
SAN FRANCISCO

Jay has been promoted to Associate. Since joining STUDIOS in 2021, he has brought a unique blend of creativity and technical skill to projects for clients like Chime and other leading tech companies. With a background in computational design and a thesis focused on 3D printing with recyclable plastic, Jay approaches architecture with curiosity, innovation, and a strong sense of purpose. His early experience helping his father, a painter, transform spaces sparked a lifelong interest in how design can shape the way people live and work. For Jay, design is a rewarding challenge—one that combines creativity, problem-solving, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Jocelyn Ramos
SAN FRANCISCO

Jocelyn has been promoted to Associate. She brings over a decade of experience and a strong focus on telling each client’s story through design. Her work on projects like SFMoMA and DoorDash reflects her ability to shape spaces with purpose, using thoughtful choices in materials, furniture, and art. Clients trust Jocelyn for her attention to detail and her ability to turn their vision into something they can truly connect with. Her path into design began while studying business finance and working retail, where she discovered a natural talent for visual storytelling. Today, what drives her most is the connection with clients and the joy of creating spaces people love.

Adam Kor
SAN FRANCISCO

Adam has been promoted to Associate. He has played a key role on impactful projects like the Google Bay View campus and the Parkline/SRI campus, helping bring complex ideas to life from early concept through construction. Adam collaborates closely with clients, consultants, and design teams to create spaces that are not only visually compelling but also highly functional and buildable. His curiosity, creativity, and ability to see the big picture make him a valuable problem solver, especially on complex projects. Adam is drawn to the unique challenges each space presents, whether it’s how a material performs or how a design shapes the experience of those who use it. For him, great design is about more than aesthetics—it’s about creating environments that elevate daily life.

Belen Cavdar
NEW YORK

Belen has been promoted to Associate. Since joining STUDIOS in 2019, Belen has played a pivotal role across a wide range of projects from workplace and retail to residential, bringing a keen design sensibility and a collaborative spirit to every team. Her ability to translate brand narratives into cohesive spatial experiences helps elevate design at every scale—from the finer material and furniture details to the overarching concepts. With a background in architecture and psychology, Belen approaches design through a holistic lens, balancing strategy and creativity to deliver spaces that are not only purposeful, but well-crafted and emotionally resonant. Her ability to navigate complex design challenges with teams and collaborators has led to the successful delivery of projects for notable clients including Bloomberg, Silicon Valley Bank, Oaktree Capital, Hermès, and Rockefeller Foundation.

Virginia Paulk
WASHINGTON, DC

Virginia has been promoted to Associate. Since joining STUDIOS over six years ago, Virginia has taken on a wide variety of project types and roles — always with a stellar, positive attitude. She was the welcoming face who helped shape our employee onboarding experience, making every new team member feel at home from day one.

Throughout her journey, Virginia has approached her career development with dedication and intention — growing by leaps and bounds, constantly seeking to improve, and demonstrating the drive that has brought her to where she is today. Highly organized and a natural leader, she has guided teams both internally and externally, often serving as the face of major projects for some of our most important clients.

Miranda Kontner
WASHINGTON, DC

Miranda has been promoted to Associate Principal. Since joining STUDIOS in 2015, Miranda has been able to combine her life-long talent of 2D visual art with a strong spatial understanding. Through her creativity, dedication, and collaborative spirit she has proven herself to be a valued team member on many high-profile commercial and residential projects. Her ability to comprehend and adapt to specific client parameters without compromising the highest standards of design, and her well-rounded understanding of all project phases, from concept to construction, has led to the successful project delivery for notable clients including: Brookfield, Silicon Valley Bank, and Tishman-Speyer.

Carolyn O’Toole
WASHINGTON, DC

Carolyn has been promoted to Associate Principal. Since joining STUDIOS in 2013, she has been instrumental in delivering a diverse range of projects, from small-scale workplace interiors to large corporate headquarters. Her expertise spans base building work, including multi-family residential developments, retail repositioning, historical institutions, and major commercial projects. Carolyn brings a unique blend of design intuition, strategic thinking, and clear communication to every project, allowing her to translate complex client needs into compelling architectural solutions. She is deeply committed to client engagement during the early stages of design, fostering collaborative partnerships that shape project direction and ensure alignment with client goals from the outset. Her thoughtful, process-driven approach helps lay the foundation for innovative and responsive design solutions. Notable recent work includes Reston Town Center West, Ballston Exchange, and The Banks.