Joining Habitat Horticulture in 2011, Mickey brings a keen sense of the construction process, formal design training, a professional attitude and a lifelong obsession with plants to Habitat Horticulture. His devotion and meticulous manner is crucial in ensuring all design documents design documents and details are fine tuned before handing them off to our installation team. No matter the scale of the project, Mickey constantly is pushing the envelope and recreating our idea of a “living wall” by shifting form and geometry to blur the lines between architecture and living canvas. Mickey has worked on most of our major and more complex projects including SFMOMA,, Salesforce, 45 Lansing, Tesla, Facebook and the California Academy of Sciences. Mickey is a proud graduate of the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo landscape architecture program.

As Director of Maintenance, Emil oversees our maintenance teams throughout the United States. His focus is on keeping our living walls and botanic installations thriving and our client's happy. Emil also ensures that the maintenance crew is able to work safely and efficiently. With over 15 years of Landscape Management experience, Emil is well versed in the complexities of his role - performing each task with poise and a positive attitude. Prior to joining Habitat Horticulture, Emil owned and operated a Landscape Construction company in Seattle and later went on to become Maintenance Manager for Fox Landscaping in the Bay Area.

Collin joined Habitat Horticulture in 2017. His previous roles included Construction Estimator for a high-end stone mason and Site Supervisor for Americorps where he led crews on residential construction projects.
Collin is able to see the big picture while also focusing on the details, ensuring that all projects are executed smoothly and within budget.

Kim keeps the wheels in motion at Habitat Horticulture using her seamless coordination skills to work with Contractors, Architects, Sub-Contractors and Owners, ensuring all insurance and workers compensation documentation is up to date and compliant. Her attention to detail can be attributed to her experience working as Office Manager for Osborne Partners Capital Management.

Maria, Associate AIA, LEED AP BD+C, joined Habitat Horticulture as Project Manager after working for 12 years in high performance design at a design engineering firm in San Francisco. Maria previously led the high-performance design effort on dozens of large projects in a wide range of building sectors. Maria is an expert in daylight design and analysis but also focused on other aspects of building performance such as energy, thermal comfort, and water efficiency. Maria’s transition to the Habitat Horticulture team was a natural fit given her passion for healthy buildings and enhancing the built environment.

Maria has a Bachelor of Science in architectural studies from the University of Illinois and received her Master of Architecture with a focus in climatic-responsive architecture from Arizona State University.

Favorite Habitat Horticulture installation:
I especially like two, SFMOMA, because it’s huge and it’s fun to walk around and see different views of it. Second, The Foundry, because it’s super visible and alerts the senses.

Favorite plant species:
I learned to love orchids as I rescued many from my former office during the pandemic. On the succulent side, I enjoy watching agave go through its bloom cycle. In fact, I have a mini nursery of agave thriving in my front yard.

Donna works with our trusted nurseries and growers to source only the best plants for our living walls and botanical installations. She is meticulous, organized and uncompromising, and combines that with a broad knowledge of plant species as well as a deep love for everything to do with gardening and greenery. Donna holds a Masters in Business Administration from the Yale School of Management, a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School, and a Bachelor’s of Art from the University of California, Los Angeles. She’s previously served as the Director of Finance and Administration for several nonprofit independent schools in San Francisco, and she is a board member of the Mission Dolores Neighborhood Association, the Community Garden Coordinator with a community garden in the Mission, and a Collections and Garden Volunteer with the University of California, Santa Cruz Arboretum.

Derek has been a design engineer at Habitat Horticulture for just under a year, which he describes as “some of the best months of my professional career!”

Derek earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental design with a concentration in architecture from the University of Manitoba. He also has a master’s degree in building technology from the Technical University of Delft in The Netherlands.

A hint of his future with Habitat Horticulture came with Team Netherlands during the Solar Decathlon Europe Competition in 2020. Contributing to both the architecture and engineering teams, he was appointed as a building services and sustainability engineer with sole responsibility of design, structure, function, operation, and integration of the PCM Active Living Wall, which contributed to winning eight awards.
Favorite Habitat Horticulture Installation:
Beverly Hills Residence. While the living wall is quite beautiful on its own, the architecture, structure, and overall environment establishes a unified, unique, and harmonious identity. As this living wall stands atop a saltwater pond filled with a variety of different species, I believe that any integration of our systems that not only includes other means of nature but are specifically designed for them are amongst our most successful projects. In addition, this project includes some unfavorable and unique conditions for a living wall application which required a complete team effort. As a result, this project further illustrates what can be achieved from the individuals that make up the Habitat Horticulture team from all departments.

Favorite Plant Species:
The Spider Plant. As I have personally been involved in various R+D projects that directly involve this plant, it is both a robust and performative houseplant with a unique aesthetic. Aside from its associated biophilic effects, the plant is capable of consuming levels of CO2, harmful airborne particulate matter, harmful volatile organic matter, it produces higher levels of oxygen then most, and if enough of them are grouped together in a confined space, it has the capability of mitigating relative humidity and comfort conditions.

Christina has more than 15 years of marketing and public relations experience. Christina has brand and agency experience overseeing multiple marketing channels: PR; media relations; digital, radio, television, and outdoor advertising; social media campaigns; and sports and entertainment franchise sponsorships; and experiential activations.

Christina earned her bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in marketing from San Jose State University. She is a California native, having recently moved back to Northern California from Denver. Christina also speaks conversational Vietnamese.

Favorite Habitat Horticulture Installation:
The Foundry III in San Francisco. A multi-sensory experience, and it’s unexpected. Once you enter the lobby, its grand scale and fragrant aroma stop you in your tracks.

Justin has been working in horticulture for the past six years, and with Habitat Horticulture since 2021. Holding a degree in Environmental Horticulture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Volunteering his time at Cal Poly's Plant Conservatory, Justin is a true lover of the weird and wacky world of plants. Justin's horticultural knowledge ha been a great asset to our maintenance team.

Favorite Habitat Horticulture installation:
Waldorf Astoria is my favorite installation since it has so many vibrant, contrasting colors as well as a good variety of plant textures.

Favorite plant species:
I am drawn to orchids in the genus Stanhopea for their amazing, scented flowers or Bulbophyllum for their bizarre flower characteristics.

Karyn in a maintenance technician for Habitat Horticulture. Karyn graduated from the University of Southern Utah with a bachelor’s degree in biology, including a concentration in biological sciences. Her extensive experience in Greenhouses has helped hone her living wall maintenance skills, making sure each plant gets the care it deserves.

Jordan has been with Habitat Horticulture for over five years and in the plant industry for 15 years starting with Kawahara Nursery in 2007. He manages our maintenance team in the South Bay and helps keep some of our most high profile sites looking their best.

What's your favorite Habitat Horticulture installation and why?
I like the small, simple installations like Palo Alto Network building 2 and 6329 Grand Oak because they are small enough to finish detailing and an excellent solid plant design allows minimal replacements.

What's your favorite plant species and why?
I'm a big fan of bromeliads because they offer many great colors and patterns and can be grown indoors or outdoors.

Lucía plays a vital role in our design process, helping to determine how we incorporate our living walls into the buildings and spaces they form a part of. That can mean working an installation into an existing building or helping to place it seamlessly into plans for a new construction. Her detailed 3D renders and architectural drawings give our clients the chance to see how our installations will transform their space, and later they guide our installation team as they build. Lucia holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. For her, the most inspiring spaces are those that evoke emotion by melding the built environment and the natural world. With her experience in large-scale commercial projects and residential buildings, she has an acute understanding of proportion and a keen spatial intelligence. She is also a true plant lover, creating botanical illustrations and artwork in her spare time.

As an integrated pest management program manager and maintenance technician since 2020, Karianne runs Habitat Horticulture’s Integrated Pest Management Program, implementing strategies such as biological control and pest monitoring to provide long-term pest and disease prevention. Previously, Karianne was a plant science lab technician at an indoor, vertical farming company that used aeroponics to grow herbs and leafy greens.

Karianne graduated from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural and environmental plant sciences, including a concentration in plant protection. There, she was a greenhouse manager and lead student succulent grower for the horticulture department, which fostered her interest in ornamental horticulture.

For the past 12 years, Karianne has volunteered as a tropical landscaper for the Ventura County Fairgrounds, where she’s been awarded best original design, best use of water, best construction, and best in division.

Mitch applies his decade-long passion for horticulture, design, and interpersonal communication in his daily work as maintenance manager, managing a team of six dedicated horticulturists and using his artistic skills to keep the integrity of his designs blooming.

Mitch graduated cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies, He studied abroad in Panama, focusing his independent research on leaf cutter ants. Mitch also worked for two years at Pitt’s greenhouse where he was integrally involved in high profile plant research projects.

Mitch enjoys volunteering while traveling -- from WWOOF-ing in South Africa to planting trees in a reforestation community in India. He’s a visual artist and an athlete. Mitch’s favorite activity is open-water swimming, and he also leads kayaking tours in the SF Bay with City Kayak. Additionally, Mitch is a performer and work as a dancer, professional roller skater, hoop artist, and fire performer with multiple circus companies around the Bay Area.

Favorite Habitat Horticulture Installation:
Foundry because of its scale and the fact that I have been caring for it for 4 years. I love the way it makes you feel small when you walk into that lobby. The Philodendron 'Congo' are also massive and I think it is cool to see a plant that large on a living wall.

Favorite Plant Species:
Kalanchoe beharensis aka the 'felt bush'. I like them because they are hardy and grow every tall. They are also fuzzy and have a lot of character...they look very sculptural.

Rafael is in charge of purchasing all of our building materials – a very important responsibility when we have multiple projects going at once, each with their own specific needs in terms of construction, and all demanding the highest quality and attention to detail. By handling the buying side of things, he makes sure our installations run efficiently. He is also tasked with working with suppliers, creating partnerships that mean we have access to the materials we need when we need them, and that we get only the best materials for the highest quality final product. Rafael has over 20 years of experience in purchasing. He is also an avid ballroom dancer, taking part in competitions around the world.

As horticultural technician, Phil is tasked with keeping our plants happy and healthy. His expertise is utilized on a daily basis whether it’s troubleshooting an existing living wall system or overseeing a new installation to make sure that all growing parameters are met and the system is functioning at peak performance. Phil has a deep understanding of plant nutrition and works closely with our design team to formulate a nutrient program for each of our living walls. We can feel confident knowing he’s making sure the plants continue to thrive long after their initial installation. Before moving to the Bay Area, Phil worked in greenhouse production in San Diego County growing hydroponic vegetables.

Rueben is key to the work we do in our Berkeley fabrication center, a 5,000 square foot space in which he leads the fabrication team, ensuring we maintain the highest levels of craftsmanship as well as innovation. We take great pride in our ability to create custom installations that are unlike anything else, and to continuously improve on what we do, and Rueben is key to all of that, working with prototyping and testing new ideas, and then seeing through the fabrication process so that it’s faithful to our designs and optimized for its mission. Rueben previously worked as Fabricator for Museum Exhibits at the Oakland Museum of California, as well as at the Guggenheim Art Museum.

As Systems Designer, Mateo helps layout and design our living wall and irrigation systems. He is also responsible for producing producing detailed CAD construction and shop drawings and is paramount in the transition from design to installation.

Mateo studied Industrial Design in Mexico City where he then specialized in recycled plastic composites for sustainable construction for 8 years and developed among other products materials for vertical garden companies. Mateo also obtained is Masters Degree in Advanced Sustainable Design at Edinburgh University in Scotland. His material and sustainable design expertise has helped Habitat Horticulture refine our products so they are not only the most efficient, but are the most sustainable meeting even the most stringent green building requirements set my the Living Building Challenge.

Mateo lives in San Francisco blocks away from Ocean Beach where he likes to surf in his free time.