Yes Duffy, AIA, NOMA
Principal Architect
Yes is an activist, architect, fabricator, university instructor, and urban interventionist. His work combines contemporary fabrication methods with traditional architectural wisdom to achieve collaborative, community-focused, place-based innovations. From 2010-2018, Yes designed a wide range of award-winning, sustainable, mixed-use developments at David Baker Architects in San Francisco and Oakland, helping design, entitle and manage construction of over 1,000 units of housing. He was instrumental in developing DBA’s expertise in modular housing, custom manufacturing, digital fabrication, and designing for a new generation of maker spaces and creative communities. As Principal of Yes Community Architects, Yes has designed many affordable multifamily homes–from modular workforce housing to family and senior housing. Work from his multiple Design/Build courses at UC Berkeley and while at David Baker Architects has been published widely and has won numerous local and national awards
Kelly Gregory, LEED AP
Architect
Kelly is a social architect and design strategist. Her practice is rooted in justice-focused work: affordable housing projects, government service design, democratic public space, design-build, and in-depth, human-centered research. Her projects fold current communities and future solutions into functional, creative spaces for collaboration and engagement. Kelly has more than 15 years of experience in architectural design. Over six years with David Baker Architects, she focused on affordable infill housing, and as a designer at Paulett Taggart Architects, she worked on civic buildings throughout San Francisco. Most recently, she worked with the Washington State Department of Transportation as the first ever artist-in-residence within a statewide government agency.
Joseph Ongaco
Designer
Joesph has a passion for affordable housing, community-focused design and construction and he has been instrumental at YCA, providing architectural design for projects from concept to completion. He has extensive experience in fabrication, model-making and prototyping, helping push innovative approaches and methods for our projects. Joseph also helped found FLOZ, an AI-powered construction estimating platform. His combined expertise in architecture and technology reflects YCA’s commitment to forward-thinking, equitable, and efficient design practice.
George Tolosa, RA, NOMA, LEED AP
Architect
George brings over two decades of experience designing complex, high-density buildings in urban contexts worldwide. His work combines deep technical expertise in performance-driven façade systems with a passion for crafting architecture that responds to people, place, and environment.
Before joining YCA, George served as Principal and Design Director at Handel Architects, leading award-winning, mixed-use and residential towers including Serif & The Line Hotel and the Four Seasons Residences in San Francisco. His career also includes design leadership at Gensler and Woods Bagot.
A licensed architect in California, George holds a Master of Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Architecture from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He currently teaches architecture and design at Laney College and San José State University.
Megan Sui Lau
Community Architect in Training
Megan is a filmmaker and designer dedicated to creating spaces and stories that foster belonging and understanding. A first-generation Chinese-American from the Bay Area, they bring a multidisciplinary perspective that bridges visual storytelling, social justice, and community design.
Currently completing a Master of Architecture at UC Berkeley, Megan supports community engagement and design visualization for affordable housing and cultural projects at YCA. Their past experience includes work with Gensler and leadership in film production through Ukkei Entertainment, a creative platform uplifting underrepresented voices. Their award-winning films have screened at festivals across the U.S. and Canada.
Zoë Conley
Community Liaison
Zoe is a multi-faceted professional and creative with a passion for inclusive design and collaborative strategizing. Berkeley-born and bred, Zoë graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Human Rights from UC Berkeley, and continues her education with current courses in Architecture and Interior Design. As Community Liaison, Zoe leads our efforts to engage community members, so that our projects truly reflect, support, serve and uplift the neighborhoods they’re in. Zoe makes use of multiple tools to make community design real – from social media and online tools to partnerships with grassroots groups and sourcing further funding.