Jim Zack

Principal, Managing Partner

Jim has an irrepressible interest in how buildings are designed and detailed. Licensed as both an architect and contractor, he brings a wealth of knowledge, deep commitment and emphasis on craft to leading Zack de Vito’s practice.

Hands-on experience and a love of making is evident in Jim’s attention to exquisite detailing and intuitive sense for what materials can do. He learned to build before he learned to design, tinkering and working with metal, wood and motorcycles, then working as a journeyman carpenter and contractor in Carmel, California—designing and building his first residential projects by age 23.

Deeply respected, Jim’s body of work spans a diverse range of project types—all with a focus on modern principles. He is also an accomplished furniture designer and maker, with a number of custom furniture pieces in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) permanent collection. Jim received both a Bachelors and Masters degree in architecture from UC Berkeley, before founding the firm in 1991.

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Gordon McDonald

Office Manager / Controller

Gordon brings 25 years of business and accounting experience, in the US and overseas, working in broad range of industries. He has focused on construction administration and accounting in the Bay Area for the past six years. Gordon beings a creative, energetic approach to the office from Sydney Australia.

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Chris Conner

Project Manager

Chris is a trained construction manager and licensed General Contractor with over 25 years experience constructing luxury residential, commercial high rise and landmark infrastructure projects. His summer internships while studying Civil Engineering at the University Of Memphis afforded him his foundational construction experience as a project manager, and he has taken on increasingly more challenging projects in San Francisco, Portland and Hawaii over the last 2 decades. He notes the late architect Zaha Hadid as being his inspiration toward constructing state of the art modern designs and personally exploring the potentials of unchained engineering creativity.

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Dan Lasman

Project Manager

Dan is a professionally certified facility project manager with over 13 years of experience in commercial and residential construction. Dan developed property for private and public use on the owners side of the industry in NYC before moving to the builders side of the project team. Dan’s project log includes construction work on single family homes, multi-family buildings, 40 story office towers, court houses, concert halls and schools. Dan earned his Master of Science in Sustainable Real Estate + Construction from New York University.

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Leland Classen

Project Architect

Leland has gathered over 25 years experience to deliver design solutions that originate from the need of the building’s form whether urban or rural, for the occupants and their space. Along with having cross-disciplinary insights, he has advocated interconnectedness and interdependency of the architectural elements for projects placed in their origins of Nebraska plains, Idaho mountains, the California coast to the Hawaiian islands. Leland is a licensed architect in California an dis a CAD and BIM expert. In his off hours he is enjoying being a new father.

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Cris Magalhães

Design Associate

Cris is involved in all phases of client work from project development to construction administration. Her experience includes high-end residential, commercial, light industrial, public architecture, tenant improvement, interior architecture, and furniture design. She is interested in sustainability in architecture and furniture design.

Cris is from São Paulo, Brazil and her passion for architecture began at an early age sparked by her father’s real estate interests and family’s unique sustainable construction business.

Cris received her bachelor’s in architecture from Cal Poly Pomona, but also studied in Florianópolis, Brazil and Athens, Greece. Cris spends much of her free time cooking, traveling, researching, volunteering and trading creative ideas with her graphic designer son.

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Andrew Germann

Senior Designer

Andrew joined Zack | de Vito in 2015. He brings a well-rounded perspective to the design and building process, with experience in architectural design, Architect-Led DesignBuild, furniture design and hands-on construction. Andrew has a steady perseverance and interest in all aspects of his work. Andrew earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree at the University of Cincinnati School of Design, Architecture, Art & Planning.

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Lise de Vito

Principal

Lise’s passion for design, architecture and creative endeavors began early in life, being from an extended family of artists, designers and architects in Montreal, Canada and Marin County. Her artistic background is evident in the graphic quality of her design work, focus on materiality, and ability to innovate.

With an emphasis on modern residences, Lise’s professional experience covers a diverse range of project types and sizes including experience in retail, commercial, hospitality. In addition to architecture, she is skilled in landscape design, interior design and furniture design.

Lise received a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design, after which she worked for architecture and design firms on the East Coast and in California, before joining Jim to form Zack de Vito in 1997.

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Jeffrey Hunt

Senior Carpenter & Supervisor

Jeffrey has been with Zack | de Vito for many years, working steadily as a carpenter since moving to the Bay Area in 2005. He earned his CA General Contractor License in 2009 and is an avid woodworker. A graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, Jeffrey began his construction career as an apprentice on a framing crew in his native Wisconsin.

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Shane Klare

Site Supervisor

Mike brings experience in both construction and architecture, having worked in both professions prior to joining ZdV. As a construction Project Manager he contributes his expertise to the myriad project types and scopes offered at ZdV—from residential to commercial, in-house development to design/build work. Mike earned his Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan.

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Sean Geary

Carpenter

Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Sean moved began his career in the trades doing carpentry and design/build projects from 2001-2009. From 2010-2012 Sean studied solar design, building performance and retrofitting to broaden his knowledge and skill in construction, with a focus on renewable energy. After working as a solar auditor and inspector, Sean returned to the building trades in 2014 on remodeling projects and wine cellars installation throughout the Bay Area before joining Zack | de Vito.

Carlos Rivera

Carpenter

Carlos is a skilled carpenter and valued ZdV team member. Before arriving in the US in 2011 and finding his career in construction – which he finds the perfect fit for his talents and personality. Born in Colombia, his family emigrated through Panama and Honduras, then lived in Guatemala for many years. Carlos is proud to have been a player in the national soccer league and being a dad to his children.

Daniel Escobar

Senior Carpenter & Supervisor

Born and raised in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Daniel relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2004. He is dedicated to his profession and values productivity and professional development, having earned his contractor license and planning to continue his college studies by pursuing a CAD design drawing certificate.

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