Key People
Rachel Allen, AIA, FAAR
Founder + PrincipalRachel Allen grew up in San Francisco and studied architecture at Princeton University. Following graduate school, she worked at Gehry Partners and then won the 2002-2003 Rome Prize in architecture, a yearlong fellowship at the American Academy in Rome. She returned to found the award-winning firm now known as RADAR, Inc, part of the team which won the international competition to redesign Downtown Los Angeles's landmark park Pershing Square. She was Mayor Garcetti's Appointee to the HPOZ Board of NELA neighborhood Lincoln Heights, and graduated from ICIC's executive leadership training program and Goldman Sachs' 10K Small Businesses Program. She lectures widely and has taught architecture for Cal Poly Pomona, the Mountain School of Art, SCI-Arc, UCLA, UC Riverside, USC, and Woodbury University. In 2023 LA Metro appointed Rachel the first-ever Senior Fellow of its Housing Lab, which is researching ways that Metro might build housing on its land faster, cheaper, and more equitably.
Jeremy Quinn, RA
Associate PrincipalJeremy is a registered architect in California with wide ranging experience, having worked on project types including public schools, affordable housing, large mixed-use retail, commercial and single-family homes. Jeremy’s Master’s is from the Southern California Institute of Architecture and undergraduate from the University of Hartford, CT with a stint at the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Scotland. Jeremy joined RADAR after running his own office for 5 years, and previously serving in various roles at several Los Angeles area offices. Jeremy has a lively art and experimental music practice, and can often be found performing karaoke with his young son in nearby Little Tokyo.
Karina Contreras, LEED Associate
Senior AssociateKarina has been with RADAR (previously RAA) since 2015. A graduate of USC Architecture and Harvard GSD, she has studied Architecture and Landscape Architecture and brings both disciplinary approaches to bear on every project, ranging from residential, institutional and commercial. She enjoys taking part in volunteering efforts and community service in various forms, using design for the greater good. She is known for her friendliness, diplomacy, and grace under pressure.
Kleon Tran
DesignerKleon is a native to the Vietnamese community of Little Saigon. A graduate from Cal Poly Pomona, he has worked in various offices in Orange County and Los Angeles, assisting and designing on commercial, residential, and mixed-use projects. With interests in digital media & popular culture, he enjoys researching their intersection within architecture. He spends his free time playing bass and jamming with his bandmates.
Sheila Imandoust
Studio Admin AssistantSheila studied architecture & community design at the University of San Francisco and has since worked in the industry in a number of different roles. She loves building materials and particularly enjoys learning about new products with environmental benefits. A big fan of all California has to offer, Sheila enjoys hiking, swimming, and camping in her spare time.