The DFA Team

Daniel Frisch began his architectural studies in 1982 at the Harvard University Career Discovery Program in Architecture. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia School of Architecture (’87), and a Masters in Architecture from the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation (’91).
In 1991, Mr. Frisch teamed with graduate school friend Edward Cabot and Amy Lesser to found an architecture and interior design firm in Midtown Manhattan. The company moved one block west in 1994 to its current offices at 127 West 56th Street. Mr. Cabot left the firm shortly thereafter, and when Ms. Lesser retired in 1997, Daniel Frisch Architect, PC was incorporated.
Mr. Frisch and his colleagues have designed and executed hundreds of individual projects. We thank our many clients, contractors, consultants, and all the dedicated staff who have pulled together to make each venture a success.

Kate Jiranek began her career in architecture at DFA as an intern during the summer of 2012. After finishing her Masters of Architecture at University of Oregon in 2013, she returned to New York to join DFA full time. Prior to attending the University of Oregon, Kate graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelors of Engineering studying Civil Engineering. While at DFA, Kate has worked on a variety of projects, and enjoys the unique challenges that each client brings. Kate is committed to sustainability in design and is a Certified Passive House Consultant®.
Kate was born and raised in Seattle and loves to visit as often as she can. In her free time, Kate plays flute with the Brooklyn Wind Symphony. Kate is licensed to practice in New York and Connecticut.

Devon Mott joined the DFA team in 2014 and obtained her license to practice in 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture and a minor in Business Law from the University of Southern California. In addition to designing and overseeing some of DFA’s largest projects both in and out of the City, Devon also coordinates the work of outside consultants, from engineers to interior designers. Devon is licensed to practice in New York, Connecticut, and Maryland.

James Levenberg came to DFA as an “Extern” before his final semester at the University of Virginia. After earning his Bachelor of Science in Architecture in Spring 2019, James came back to work at DFA as an Associate. He’s passionate about residential architecture and is excited to grow and learn as a member of the DFA team. James hails from Arlington, Virginia, and enjoys rollerblading, snowboarding, and spending time with his dog.

Caitria joined DFA in the summer of 2022 after completing both a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Architecture at the University of Virginia. Throughout her time at UVA she gained a love for residential design and she’s excited to pursue this passion at DFA. Her other artistic endeavors include drawing, painting, and crochet. In her free time, she enjoys rollerblading and volunteering at homeless shelters. Caitria is originally from Arlington, VA and is excited to start her career in New York City.

Camille Rider attended the University of Southern California, graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture and a minor in Consumer Behavior in 2022. Upon relocating to New York City, she found DFA to be the perfect place to pursue her passion in residential design and gain exposure to east coast architecture. She is passionate about building meaningful connections between people and architecture, and enjoys complimenting her work with other interests, such as interior design and architectural photography. Camille is originally from Columbus, Ohio and in her free time loves to travel and run.

Clara Gardner joined DFA in the fall of 2023 after graduating from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Architecture and a minor in Art History. Clara has long fostered a love of residential architecture. An excerpt of her Honors Thesis entitled, “Living on Water: Re-Visioning the Floating Settlements of Chau Doc, Vietnam, through the Implementation of Homestay Tourism,” is set to be published in Lunch 18: The Everyday, a student-led design research journal based at the University of Virginia School of Architecture.
Clara was born in Hanoi, Vietnam, adopted, and raised on the Upper West Side of NYC. Growing up, Clara danced ballet pre-professionally – her claim to fame, four consecutive years in the New York City Ballet’s The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center.

Kent Shell joined DFA after a thirty-year career as a general contractor specializing in New York City co-ops and condominiums. As Director of Approvals and Construction Administration, Kent has the opportunity to employ his diverse skill set, working closely with owners, contractors, managing agents co-op boards and the rest of the DFA team to make sure our projects run smoothly. He’s proud of his work developing DFA’s proprietary systems to track the many inter-related strands that constitute the labyrinthine approval process. Kent moved to New York after receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, and in addition to his work in the construction and architecture fields, has charted a course as an independent artist.

Zoe brings a dozen years of experience in the design world to her role heading interior design services at DFA. Previously she was the Home Editor at Town & Country and a freelance writer covering interiors and travel. She was introduced to DFA by Dan’s wife, Darcy, after a friendship forged in the early morning hours at the Hearst gym. Zoe now happily utilizes her longstanding relationships with craftsmen, companies and vendors to help create custom interiors for each client. A proud native of Manhattan, she stays actively involved with Nightingale School, her alma mater, is a barre class devotee (and occasional instructor), and maintains an active presence in the design scene.

Jamie came to DFA as a summer intern 30 years ago, not long after Daniel started the firm, and has been linked with DFA ever since. Jamie is a jack of all trades, with a lifelong love of architecture. He worked as a freelance photographer and graphic designer for 20 years, focused on travel, design, and resort photography. During those many years, Jamie always photographed DFA’s projects, as well as played an integral role in DFA’s marketing and brand identity. In 2012, following time abroad, Jamie joined DFA full-time to manage DFA’s marketing, IT, and HR; help build the STUDIO PROGRAM, and work with Dan to grow the firm and develop related projects. Although Jamie’s title is a bit tongue in cheek, Dan famously once said, “We don’t know what Jamie does at DFA, but everything seems to run better when he’s here.”