The Team
Emily Huang
Emily Huang is a founding partner at Huang Iboshi Architecture, an accomplished architecture design studio in San Francisco, California. For 24 years, she has been leading the practice known for thoughtful and carefully crafted projects, working with discerning clients in Northern California.
Her work is appropriately contextual, poetic yet practical, and environmentally collaborative. Proactive problem solving, responsive and responsible solutions are always at the center of Emily’s design values. As a woman leader of her practice, taking care of the team, fostering diversity and inclusion, and making the world more balanced and sustainable are her top priorities. Emily believes in making her life and environment better every day. Emily is happily married for 28 years and the proud mother of a high school senior. Emily is honored to be the co-president of the MIT Architecture Alumni, a global alumni group with 5000 alumni worldwide. MIT is the oldest architecture school in the United States and ranked the most distinguished architecture school in the world, 2020-2022.
She is a registered architect in the state of California and is LEED AP accredited.
Gregory Iboshi
Gregory Iboshi, a practicing professional for over 30 years and a founding partner at Huang Iboshi Architecture, is recognized for his thoughtful approach and elegant design solutions. He strives for authenticity in his work, drawing inspiration from site, context and use in equal parts. He believes good design is rooted in a synthesis of problem solving and poetic interpretation; true meaning in architecture is based in substance and matter rather than abstract notions. His creativity is distinguished by his ability to design solutions that transform problems into opportunities — "creating poetry out of the practical".
Greg leads a dynamic and talented team known for carefully crafted projects and a collaborative working approach. Huang Iboshi Architecture is focused on excellence in design and delivering successful architectural projects that are enduring and beneficial to all.
He received his Master of Architecture degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, holds a Bachelor of Architectural Design degree from the University of Washington and has taught architectural design at The Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He is a registered architect in the State of California and is a certified Green Building Professional.
Matthew C. Kelly
Matthew C. Kelly, AIA is guided by a "keep it simple" design philosophy that neatly aligns with Huang Iboshi Architecture's modern aesthetic. He joined the team as a designer in 2010. Today, as partner, Matthew's scope reaches beyond design and project management.
As a leader of the firm, Matthew excels at managing client relationships, mentoring staff, and contributing to growing the firm’s culture. He embraces a rigorous approach of finding team-based, creative solutions to the various design challenges in each project.
Matthew is a licensed architect in California and a LEED Accredited Professional. He received a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts from Lehigh University, where he participated in two programs abroad, studying architecture in Italy and Spain.
When he's not practicing architecture, Matthew tries to satisfy his voracious appetite for watching, discussing, and reading about baseball. Matthew lives in Menlo Park with his wife, Francesca, and their two school-age children.
Chris Kelly
Chris Kelly is a studio lead who joined Huang Iboshi Architecture in 2018. He moved to San Francisco after receiving his bachelor of science in architecture from the University of Virginia.
Chris believes in design’s responsibility to serve human beings; compassion and respect are core values of his design philosophy. As an architect, he strives to solve spatial problems elegantly and with a thorough attention to detail, while always being mindful of the broader impacts associated with our built environment - not just on the people who occupy it but on those who construct and maintain it, the planet on whose resources it depends, and the future that will inherit it.
Outside of the office, Chris is a natural tinkerer who enjoys DIY projects and working with his hands to build functional objects and furnishings. He is also an avid reader, lover of nature, and spirited adventurer — often with his Jack Russell terrier in tow.
Imelda Ela-Williams
Imelda Ela-Williams began working at Huang Iboshi in September 2020 after receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the Academy of Art University, where she also received her Master of Art in Interior Architecture and Design in May 2022.
Imelda believes in using design and architecture to empower her community, especially women. To her, both architecture and interior design represent change and are tools that, used appropriately, can impact not just aspects of the built environment but its society as well. Imelda's passion for architecture and interior design is woven together to create change in the spaces that people inhabit. With a diverse perspective being originally from Equatorial Guinea, Central Africa and her time living in Madrid, Spain, has deeply inspired her.
Outside the office, Imelda enjoys learning sign language, listening to music, reading, and working on DIY projects.
Francesca Martin-Kelly
Francesca Martin-Kelly joined the team with over 20 years of experience in architecture and interior design. Francesca creates spaces that are both authentic and timeless. Rooted in a fine art foundation and shaped by a global perspective from living and teaching abroad, she approaches every project with creativity, cultural sensitivity, and a dedication to sustainability.
Francesca’s journey in design began with meticulously crafting in-store displays for Anthropologie, where her love for spatial design took shape. Since then, her portfolio has expanded to encompass residential and commercial interiors, including high-profile tech projects. At the heart of her work is a dedication to enhancing the human experience in harmony with the natural world. As a mother of two, Francesca has a particular passion for designing healthy interior spaces for families.
Fluent in Italian and inspired by traditions like Ikebana, Francesca brings an expansive and poetic approach to her work. Francesca's vision for design has a far reach, whether experimenting with florals, crafting bespoke Halloween costumes for her children, or cooking—infusing artistry into everyday life is essential to who she is.
Kai DeMoss
Kai DeMoss joined Huang Iboshi Architecture in 2022 after working in the Bay Area design community for many years. He moved to San Francisco upon receiving his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from Western Washington University.
He believes that good design should be accessible to everyone and can be incorporated into every aspect of daily life — in a way that promotes simplicity and functionality. That it can be used as a powerful instrument and motivator to effect change and influence behavior, inspiring a positive future for all of us.
Kai is led by the principle that one should be in harmony with their environment, and things should be made to last (and repaired) rather than be replaced. We should strive to consider the impact that our concepts have on our world and find appropriate solutions which weigh necessity and added value.
Away from the office, Kai enjoys wandering in all forms: cycling, hiking, eating, and finding other ways to get lost in the moment.
Fernando Vallejo
Fernando Vallejo is a project designer who started working at Huang Iboshi Architecture as an intern and joined full time after receiving his B.A. in Architecture & Community Design from the University of San Francsico in May 2020. In August 2022 he left for graduate school and rejoined the team in November 2024 after receiving his MSc. in Building & Architectural Engineering from Politecnico di Milano in Italy.
Fernando grew up Tijuana, Mexico where he discovered his passion for architecture and construction when his father, a civil engineer, would take him to job sites. He’s always had a deep passion for residential architecture since he believes that a well-designed space has a profound impact on people’s lives and on communities overall.
His master’s thesis focuses on the care and conservation of existing buildings. Adapting them to our current needs through modern construction technologies and with a design that is elegant and compassionate, making the important connection between our city’s history and our modern needs as a society. He believes that caring for the existing built environment is our responsibility as designers to our community and environment.
Fernando is fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian. In his free time, he enjoys playing and watching tennis, going on runs, reading, listening to music, and hanging out with friends.