Team
KARIN PAYSON
AIA, LEED AP Principal
Karin Payson is the principal architect of Karin Payson Architecture + Design (KPa+d), a design-oriented, San Francisco-based firm with projects completed throughout Northern California as well as New York’s Hudson Valley and Wyoming.
At KPa+d, Karin has been engaged as an architect and interior designer in a wide variety of new buildings and substantial renovation projects for homeowners, public libraries, and various commercial and institutional clients. She brings a rich set of skills and interests to her work. Drawing, weaving, clothing design and fabrication as well as frequent travel in search of fresh experiences are essential to her practice as an architect and inform her continuing study of the characteristics of natural light and materials.
Before founding KPa+d in 1992, Karin’s professional experience included several years in the New York office of Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates where, as a Project Architect, her work focused on the planning, programming and design of large-scale commercial buildings and adaptive re-use of historically significant buildings.
Karin holds degrees from Columbia University and UC Berkeley and is a licensed architect in California and New York. Her work has appeared in several exhibitions and publications, including Marin Magazine; California Homes; Science & Spirit; Architectural Digest; San Francisco Chronicle Sunday Magazine; Sunset Magazine; The Sacramento Bee; The San Francisco Examiner Sunday Magazine; and The New York Times.
JOANNE HA
Project Manager
With a passion for creating environmentally and socially conscious spaces and buildings, Joanne has played a critical role in delivering numerous beautiful yet highly functional spaces that exceed clients’ needs and expectations.
Her strong attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and exceptional ability to form sincere connections with clients and project teams have all enriched her career path.
Joanne grew up in South Korea and has lived in Seoul, Tokyo, San Luis Obispo, Atlanta, and San Francisco. Her sterling work ethic and diverse life experiences have shaped her unique perspective on culture and design. With this background, she navigates a wide range of design vocabularies and building types, from residential to commercial to institutional.
Joanne originally started with KPa+d in 2014, shortly after completing her master’s degree at Cal Poly. She briefly left to explore new opportunities and broaden her professional experience and rejoined the firm in 2025.
Outside of work, Joanne enjoys healthy cooking, bouldering, and traveling abroad to immerse herself in local cultures and to draw inspiration from well-crafted architecture.
KATELYN KEEN
Architectural Designer
A graduate of Northeastern University’s M.Arch program, Katelyn is thrilled to be back in her native California pursuing a career in architectural design. Katelyn joined the tight knit team at KPa+d at the start of 2024 after pursuing a gap year in Madrid, Spain to explore her passion of learning Spanish.
Throughout her professional and academic career, Katelyn has applied her design thinking in numerous contexts, including California, Louisiana, Boston, New York, and Abu Dhabi. Katelyn completed two professional co-op experiences during her undergraduate degree in Boston, which prompted her interest in working on historic buildings and adaptive reuse projects.
Sustainability and environmentally responsive design have always been at the forefront of Katelyn’s design methodology. She is motivated by the urgency of the climate crisis to design energy efficient, healthy buildings that enhance, not detract from, the urban environment. As a LEED Green Associate, Katelyn hopes to build upon her deep understanding of sustainable design principles and energy efficient buildings.
Katelyn’s creative nature expands beyond the bounds of architecture, as she loves to prepare elaborate dishes to share with friends or pick up a new craft like collage, macrame, or painting.
QUIN
Chief Morale Officer
Quin, a native New Yorker with roots in the Hudson Valley, joined KPa+d as an apprentice in Human Relations early in 2018. There, she quickly became skilled at the art of listening and collaborative communication with staff (with or without treats). And her unfailing knack for signaling the end of a workday – without smartphone or timepiece – did not escape the notice of her employer. Quin’s curiosity and nose for intuitive intervention in the workplace finally earned her the coveted post of Chief Morale Officer in August 2019. Her promotion was greeted with smiles (ours) and wags (hers).