Jennifer Devlin-Herbert to Lead EHDD’s Future Growth as the Design Firm’s First Female CEO

New leadership approach sets the scene for growth and evolving client and community responsiveness.

San Francisco, California and Seattle, Washington (September 12, 2022) – A distinguished design leader, community builder and skilled collaborator, Jennifer Devlin-Herbert, FAIA, has been selected by her Partners to lead EHDD for the next stage of the firm’s evolution. Recognized for her award-winning work and focus on clients’ visions, Devlin-Herbert has championed a culture of continuous learning and mentorship. In other EHDD leadership changes Duncan Ballash moves from President to CFO, and Brad Jacobson fills the new role of COO.

With its reenergized structure in place, EHDD will focus on expanding its Seattle presence, increasing collaboration and knowledge-sharing between its Seattle and San Francisco studios, and broadening the visibility of its work with cultural, commercial, civic and educational institutions, all underscored by a commitment to serving diverse communities. In so doing, it will bring to life its new mission of: Creating Transformative Places of Belonging and Impact. To support this mission, the new EHDD management team is renewing its strategic direction and commitment to designing for a climate positive future together with its 75+ member team who are poised to reflect the values in their work.

“Jennifer is the link between the culture set by our Founder and our work today. Her innovative design and engagement approaches have made EHDD a leader in the profession over the past decade,” says Ballash. “She is dynamic, engaging and brings the unique ability to embrace complexity and differences, while mobilizing disparate groups. She cultivates collaboration in the communities where we work.”

Devlin-Herbert joined EHDD in 1994, became the firm’s first female partner, and is now its first female CEO. She joins a small but growing cohort of women leading architecture firms and exemplifies EHDD’s commitment to equity. With this appointment, the firm will be guided by her approach that blends a passion for creating innovative and functional designs with deep engagement at the local community level. “Duncan has set the stage for this next chapter at EHDD, having led us in the role of President for over 15 years. In that time, we have proven that our work can be transformative for communities,” she says. “For EHDD, ‘innovative design’ means focusing our team’s talents to create work that delights our clients – and doing this in conversation with the communities where we build. Our challenge is to enable change in communities that don’t believe they have a voice; it’s a continuing opportunity to learn and understand how to be part of the solution.”