Principals

The principals at RBB actively work on many of the projects. The Principals are directly involved with all aspects of the projects from planning and design to construction administration. They bring their vast experience of institutional design experience directly to the design of the facilities with which they work.

Joseph A. Balbona, AIA, ACHA, LEED AP

CEO

Joe has over 35 years of experience as an architect, programmer and facilities planner. He is the Chief Executive Officer of RBB Architects Inc, and has provided the firm's leadership in design and planning for over 30 years. His "hands-on" approach to project planning assures client participation in the process and yields timely results. Joe regularly contributes to architectural and healthcare publications and has shared his insight widely as a guest lecturer. Committed to research he recently lead a research team of architects and doctors in redesigning radiology reading rooms that lead to a prototype design being utilized in the new 1.2 million sf Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Joe is a Past Chairman of the AIA Los Angeles Committee on Architecture for Health and a founding member of the American College of Healthcare Architects. Civic commitments include the foundation board of directors for Robert F. Kennedy Center in Hawthorne, California, and the foundation advisory board for the Daughters of Charity Healthcare System. Joe was educated at Havana University, University of Colorado, Denver Extension Center, and participated at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Deneys Purcell, AIA, LEED AP

President

Deneys has over 25 years of experience as an architect specializing in institutional design. He has served as a designer, planner, project manager, and principal-in-charge for numerous medical facilities and office buildings, construction projects and master plans. In addition to his experience in the field, Deneys' extensive management and business leadership training has allowed him to develop singular expertise in the design and management of complex projects. Among the long-term healthcare clients he has completed extensive work for are Northridge Hospital Medical Center and Catholic Healthcare West. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Deneys received his Master of Architecture from Harvard University. Deneys also holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Arthur E. Border, AIA, LEED AP

Senior Vice President

Art has over 32 years of experience in project management and development of production systems and procedures to assure quality control. He has provided professional services for complex institutional and commercial facilities, specializing in a variety of healthcare, research, higher education and laboratory facilities. As a principal in the firm, he is responsible for technical and production systems, project management, and construction administration procedures to assure quality control. His 30 years of experience on highly technical projects allow him to provide the leadership that is essential for well-documented and successful projects. Art is a graduate of the University of Southern California.

Sylvia Botero, AIA, LEED AP

Senior Vice President

Sylvia joined RBB in 1983 after receiving her Masters in Urban and Regional Studies from the University of Southern California. She was named a Principal in 2002. Sylvia has worked on a variety of architectural projects including laboratories, hospitals, clinics, medical office buildings and higher education projects. Sylvia has over 20 years of experience in all aspects of project management from pre-programming through design, construction and post occupancy. For the past 17 years she has worked extensively on university projects including 5 University of California campuses and currently Boise State University. Sylvia has lectured at the International Conference and Exhibition on Health Facility Planning, Design and Construction as well as the Western Association of College & University Housing Officers (WACHUHO). Sylvia has also served as past President of the AIA San Fernando Valley Chapter.

Kevin Boots, AIA, LEED AP

Senior Vice President, Director of Production

Kevin began a career in architecture and engineering in 1977, specializing in healthcare architecture since 1984. A graduate of the Architecture Program at Iowa State University, he holds architectural licenses in both California and Wisconsin. He joined RBB in 1988 and was named Principal in 2008. In addition to duties as Principal, he has served as Project Manager, Project Architect, and Construction Administrator. As Director of Production, he developed many of the Production Systems and Policies & Procedures utilized on our large healthcare projects. Kevin is currently responsible for Production, Delivery, and Quality Assurance systems, and teaches in-house continuing education for staff. He has also been instrumental in the firm's leadership in sustainability design practices applied in the healthcare environment.

Ephraim Baran, AIA

Founding Principal

Mr. Ephraim Baran co-founded the firm of Rochlin & Baran in 1952 with his classmate from UC Berkeley, Mr. Fred Rochlin. As a Managing Partner of the firm for 40 years, Ephraim Baran is an accomplished innovator in the design of institutional facilities. During his tenure, Mr. Baran established this firm's standards of excellence in facility planning, document production, construction management, and quality control for large scale healthcare projects. This included directing the practical application of new building techniques and directing the early involvement of engineering disciplines in the programming of new facilities. Among the many enduring buildings he designed is the distinctive Directors Guild of America Corporate Headquarters in Hollywood, CA, which was recently honored by the AIA with a 20-Year Design Award. However, Mr. Baran identifies his most unique work was serving as the architect of a series of five astronomical observatories throughout the U.S. He was also principal designer for a range of medical office buildings, outpatient clinics, sports medicine clinics, medical centers, specialty hospitals, nursing schools, research laboratories and more. Mr. Baran is currently retired, living in Santa Monica. He is a welcome visitor at the offices of RBB Architects Inc. where he occasionally visits. His legacy of professional stewardship is welcomed by the firm's second generation of principal leaders.

Fred Rochlin, AIA

Founding Principal

Mr. Fred Rochlin is co-founder of the firm of Rochlin & Baran, which he established in 1952 with his UC Berkeley classmate, Mr. Ephraim Baran. During the 34 years that Mr. Rochlin was an active partner, the firm became renowned as a leading designer of medical facilities. He helped shepherd nearly 2,000 design projects, including healthcare and research centers at UCLA and Northridge Hospital Medical Center, two facilities which remain to this day current clients of RBB. Prior to founding Rochlin & Baran with his UC Berkeley classmate, Mr. Rochlin apprenticed in the Los Angeles offices of architects Lloyd Wright and Charles Eames. He was also a veteran of World War II. Serving in the Army Air Corps, he flew combat missions over Europe. Mr. Rochlin passed away at the age of 78.