Meet the MAK Team

Ken
Ken
Owner
Admin Team
Ken Kirsch has over 30 years of experience in residential remodeling. His work in the trades began while still a student at UC Davis. Ken graduated from UCD with a degree in Studio Arts and put his liberal arts education to use as a carpenter working in the Bay Area. Over the years, remodeling became as much of a passion for Ken as his artistic pursuits. Creative solutions were always part of a remodeler’s job description and a thoughtful approach to building presented another opportunity to have a positive influence on every day life.
Ken and Ellen relocated their growing family to Davis in 2001 and then started MAK Design+Build in 2003. Ken is a member of two national trade organizations, Remodeler’s Advantage and the National Association of Remodeling Industry. He is also a member of the Davis Downtown Business Association, the Davis Chamber of Commerce and a member of Cool Davis, an organization committed to implementing the City of Davis’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. He earned his certification as a green-building professional through the non-profit organization Build It Green. Ken also served on the Shrem Museum Artfriends executive board and currently serves on the board of the Pence Gallery.
For fun, he loves working on his golf game, playing ultimate Frisbee, trying out new cooking recipes and exercising his creativity with the occasional illustration, oil painting or watercolor.

Ellen
Ellen
Owner and Account Manager
Admin Team
Ellen is the co-owner of MAK Design+Build Inc. Along with Ken she is the lead on “big picture” thinking for the company, tasked with making sure that MAK remains a strong part of the Davis and Yolo County community as an employer, a resource for excellent and responsible design and construction, and an ongoing contributor via support of a number of charitable organizations. Day to day Ellen oversees the financial management of the company. She keeps the bills paid, reports filed and the licensing, insurance and tax requirements up to date.
Outside of the business Ellen is a wife, mother, and avid gardener who enjoys the challenge/process of working with nature and time.

Anthony
Anthony
Director of Design
Design Team
Anthony Anderson, our Director of Design holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design and is a Certified Green Building Professional.
Anthony
Director of Design
Design Team
Anthony Anderson, our Director of Design holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design from UC Davis and is a Certified Green Building Professional. His emphasis on innovation and aesthetics is expertly balanced against his desire to create spaces that are unobtrusive and long-lasting. His unique blend of form and function has been the guiding principle behind MAK’s award-winning design since 2005. Anthony has been an instrumental part of making MAK the company and design staff what it is today. He is always looking to better himself as a designer and mentor the other designers to ensure that the team continues to be innovative and resourceful both in their designs and in the building methods they plan for.
A passionate and self-described food nerd, Anthony can often be found in the kitchen where his love of food and gadgets can find absurd levels of expression. He is a proud father, an incessant tinkerer, and an avid kayak fisherman.

Kelli
Kelli
Lead Designer
Design Team
Kelli Lopez, MAK’s Lead Project Designer, graduated from CAL State Chico with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture.
Kelli
Lead Designer
Design Team
Kelli Lopez, MAK’s Lead Project Designer, graduated from CAL State Chico with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture. Before her start with the MAK team she lived and worked in the Bay Area playing a similar role for various design + build firms specializing in residential remodeling. Helping her clients realize the full potential in their own space is a passion that developed early on.
Outside of the office Kelli can be found tackling DIY projects with her husband, chasing around her son and hanging out with her young daughter.

Kellie
Kellie
Project Designer
Design Team
Kellie moved here from Jackson, Wyoming and likes spending time with her two kids.
Kellie
Project Designer
Design Team
Kellie moved here from Jackson, Wyoming and likes spending time with her two kids.

Laynie
Laynie
Assistant Designer
Design Team
Laynie is an Assistant Designer and a graduate of Washington State University with a BA in Interior Design.
Laynie
Assistant Designer
Design Team
Laynie is an Assistant Designer in the MAK design department. She graduated from Washington State University with a BA in Interior Design. Laynie grew up living internationally in Buenos Aires, Taipei and Dublin before moving to the U.S. for college. Her unique childhood has made her a true citizen of the world with a passion for travel. Can you guess how many countries she's been to?
35 and counting!
Laynie moved to Sacramento after college and has enjoyed getting to know the community and finding new favorite Sacramento spots, especially local eateries! Other than design and traveling, Laynie enjoys baking at home and spending time with family.

Vivi
Vivi
Director of First Impressions
Admin Team
As the Director of First Impressions, Vivi is in charge of all things community and client-facing. As someone who places a high value on relationships, she is the perfect fit for the role!
Vivi
Director of First Impressions
Admin Team
Vivi is the Director of First Impressions for MAK Design & Build - which means she's the person in charge of all things website, social media, and community engagement. She is also the first person prospective clients talk to about a new project. Vivi works to ensure that prospective clients are made aware of MAK's system and processes as well as the many benefits of working with a design + build firm. She also helps to coordinate projects in their early stages, working with clients to ensure that their goals are outlined in the early project planning stages. She is a recent UC Berkeley graduate where she received a BA in Political Science and minors in both Education and Global Poverty & Practice. She has a passion for people and believes in the power of storytelling which is what she loves about marketing and her client-facing role. She has previously worked in marketing and program management for multiple non-profits, public sector organizations, as well as a public affairs forum. She brings her skills from each of those sectors to her work at MAK.
Her favorite part of working for MAK is the fact that she is now working for the company she grew up alongside - as she is Ken & Ellen's daughter! She has quite literally been with the company since the beginning and knows the voice and values of MAK in a way very few do.

Matt
Matt
Sites Supervisor
Production Team
Matt’s career as a carpenter began in Ohio building custom residential homes.
Matt
Sites Supervisor
Production Team
Matt’s career as a carpenter began in Ohio building custom residential homes. It was then that he found he really enjoyed residential remodeling and continues to enjoy it today. “I’ve been doing this for a while, and I’m pretty good at it!” Matt is an integral member of the team, characterized by his vast carpentry knowledge and incredible work ethic. He works to support and guide all of the Project Managers to the completion of successful projects that the clients will celebrate!
When Matt is not at work he can be found enjoying time with his family or working on various projects around his own house and cabin.

Matt B.
Matt B.
Project Manager
Production Team
Matt is a Project Manager with MAK who has years of experience working in Design + Build settings.
Matt B.
Project Manager
Production Team
Matt moved to Davis from the Bay Area, where he also worked for a Design +Build firm. Matt enjoys working with fellow members of the production team, subcontractors, and the clients MAK serves. The team at MAK benefits from his collaborative nature and always optimistic outlook. When he's not remodeling his own house, he's spending time with his wife and two kids.

Brian
Brian
Project Manager
Production Team
Brian is a Project Manager for MAK Design & Build. He and his family have been a part of the Davis community for many years. Brian has extensive prior experience in the trades. He is excited to now be able to contribute his skills to and be a part of the great team at MAK Design & Build. As a Project Manager, he loves bringing the design team and client’s vision from a drawing to the final built product which will be a part of the client’s lives for many years to come. Brian places great value on the relational aspect of remodeling and goes above and beyond to ensure that clients feel heard and comfortable throughout the production phase.

Brendan
Brendan
Project Manager
Production Team
Brendan is a licensed realtor and lifelong Davis resident, two qualities which make him an expert Project Manager.
Brendan
Lead Carpenter
Production Team
Brendan is a licensed realtor and lifelong Davis resident, two qualities which make him an asset to the Production Team. Brendan understands the value of homeownership and the power in investing in a house to make it a home. As a lifelong Davis resident, he is a Davis expert and knows all the quirky ins and outs of the older homes in the area. He is a dedicated carpenter and always trying to service the best remodeling experience for all of our clients. Brendan is a friend to all and an excellent MAK team member - quick with a joke, a compliment, or a helpful piece of advice. He has a way of putting everyone at ease while also making sure that his projects get completed in a timely way with expert precision.
Brendan is an SF Giants fan, a football fanatic, and now that his eldest is off at college - a newfound fan of SDSU sports!

Carlos
Carlos
Project Manager
Production Team
Carlos graduated from UC Davis with a BA in Studio Arts, his love for creating and craftsmanship led him to carpentry.
Carlos
Lead Carpenter
Production Team
Carlos graduated from UC Davis with a BA in Studio Arts, his love for creating and craftsmanship led him to carpentry. Drawing from his artistic background, Carlos' love for working with his hands and the pride he takes in a quality final product have become assets to who he is as a lead carpenter. His creativity, humor, competence, and can-do attitude have made him an essential part of the production team. Outside of work, Carlos continues to pursue his art through photography and painting. On the weekends he can be found enjoying the outdoors, rock climbing, or experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

Robert
Robert
Lead Carpenter
Production Team
Remodeling has been an interest of Robert’s since the day he graduated high school in 2010..
Robert
Lead Carpenter
Production Team
Remodeling has been an interest of Robert’s since the day he graduated high school in 2010. After high school, he spent three years studying drafting and design at community college, where he became a certified drafter. While attending college, he got a job doing apartment maintenance and renovations. In 2015, MAK had an opening for a carpenter’s apprentice position and it was an opportunity that he could not pass up. Since then he has never stopped honing his skills and has since been promoted to being a Carpenter and now, a Lead Carpenter. Robert has enjoyed learning so much from all of the staff at MAK in the field of carpentry and has loved every minute of it. His eye for detail and steadfast commitment to his work benefits clients and co-workers alike. He recently celebrated his 6 year anniversary working for MAK, and continues to be a huge asset to the production team!
Robert's appreciation for processes and details has led to his new passions for cooking and art. On the weekends he can be found whipping up new and very involved recipes, or working on various art projects.

Carter
Carter
Carpenter
Production Team
Carter reached out to MAK looking for an opportunity to learn more about carpentry and become a part of a team. He has been a great addition to the team!
Carter
Carpenter
Production Team
Carter reached out to MAK looking for an opportunity to learn more about carpentry and be a part of a greater team. Since becoming an apprentice carpenter in 2020, Carter has proven himself to be inquisitive, hard-working, and so capable. Now as a carpenter Carter is always looking to learn and happy to step up in whatever ways the production crew needs him to. He is detail-oriented and diligent! Prior to working at MAK Carter worked in other trades but he enjoys carpentry the most. Outside of work, Carter likes spending time with his family and friends.

Preston
Preston
Apprentice Carpenter
Production Team
Preston worked as an apprentice carpenter years ago when he was still in high school, he's now back in Davis and happy to be back on the MAK crew.
Preston
Apprentice Carpenter
Production Team
When Preston was in high school he became MAK's first apprentice carpenter, working after school and during the summer to learn the trade. He then went to Humbolt State for college, did a fire season serving for CAL Fire, and is now back in Davis and happy to be back working on the MAK production crew. Preston enjoys being in the field, working with his hands, learning from the MAK team members, and participating in the production crew comradery. He brings with him an enthusiasm that lifts the team and a willingness to do what needs to be done to ensure all projects are completed with the highest craftsmanship possible. Shawn served 8 years in the military and worked years in other carpentry positions prior to joining the team at MAK. Outside of work, Preston can be found on weekends rock climbing, adventuring around outdoors, and hanging out with friends.
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About MAK
At MAK, you’ll find designers that you feel comfortable with and that value your unique vision. A conversation with us will bring your vision another step closer to realization.
Located in Davis, we’re within easy reach of Woodland, Sacramento, and Yolo County.
Contact Us
430 F St. Suite B
Davis, CA 95616 USA
Contractor's License #B840316
EPA Certified Lead Renovator
License #NAT-33424-1