Kristen DiStefano

As Atelier Ten’s West Coast Regional Director, DiStefano leads a multidisciplinary team of environmental designers, analysts, and strategists who guide project teams from early visioning through implementation, integrating science-based strategies that address climate, carbon, equity, and resilience. She has served as a sustainability consultant on 200 projects, and her recent project work includes the biophilic NVIDIA Campus in Santa Clara, California, the hybrid mass timber California College of Arts Unified Campus in San Francisco, and the LEED Platinum UC Merced 2020 Project.  

By informing and driving low-carbon decisions, DiStefano’s team has saved 503,714,763 kgCO2e over all the projects. She has also been influential in Atelier Ten’s Masterplanning practice, contributing to 45 masterplan projects over the years. She has advanced the transformation of district energy and water systems, shaping, for example, the sustainability strategy for San Francisco’s rapidly developing waterfront—including Mission Rock, India Basin and Potrero Power Station. DiStefano has led the way in developing sustainability frameworks and performance targets that align with local context, community needs, and climate realities.