Stepping into Leadership

Leadership doesn’t arrive fully formed. It’s developed through work that demands rigor, teams that test ideas, and a shared belief that there is always room to do better.

OFFICEUNTITLED is pleased to announce the promotion of Christianne Jordan to Principal and Diane Thepkhounphithack to Director—two leaders whose paths reflect different strengths, but the same ethic: raise the bar on the work, take care of the people doing it, and take responsibility for what it takes to deliver.

Since emerging in 2019, OFFICEUNTITLED has grown from a small studio into a bicoastal practice with offices in Culver City and New York. Co-Founders Benjamin Anderson, Christian Robert, and Shawn Gehle, alongside Partner and Chief Operating Officer Lindsay Green, have shaped a firm defined less by repetition than by curiosity, rooted in process as discovery, craft as delivery, and a commitment to the people behind the work and the people it is for.

“The firms that will matter in the next decade aren’t the ones chasing scale,” says Shawn Gehle, Co-Founder. “They’re the ones developing people who can adapt to complexity, build culture, and push design forward at the same time. That’s exactly what these promotions represent.”

Christianne Jordan, Principal
Christianne approaches leadership as stewardship, of design quality, of process, and of the people who carry projects forward. Her work spans museums, offices, multi-family housing, laboratories, research and development facilities, and large-scale master planning, with a consistent ability to guide projects from early concept through execution.

Since joining OFFICEUNTITLED in 2018, Christianne has played a central role in delivering some of the firm’s most ambitious work, including the Cayton Children’s Museum, the Edwards Lifesciences Master Plan, and AVA Arts District LA. Equally impactful has been her leadership beyond individual projects. She founded and leads the firm’s Sustainability Action Squad and AIA 2030 Commitment efforts, launched OU’s BIM Band Advisory Group, and is a key contributor to firmwide QA/QC initiatives work that strengthens how the practice operates as a whole.

For Christianne, becoming a principal reflects a long-term commitment to the firm’s future. “We can always do better and learn more,” she says. “That outlook shapes how I approach projects, teams, and leadership.”

Diane Thepkhounphithack, Director
Diane’s career has been built in the work itself, where leadership is measured by clarity, follow-through, and the ability to move complex projects forward. Her experience across design and project management roles at BROOKS + SCARPA Architects, Hawkins\Brown, and OFFICEUNTITLED has shaped a grounded, pragmatic approach to practice.

At OU, Diane has led projects including 1527 Lincoln, 2919 Wilshire, and 2800 28th Street, navigating adaptive reuse, mixed-use development, and technically demanding scopes with precision and care. A daughter of Lao refugees and a longtime Angeleno, she brings a deep commitment to Los Angeles and to the people who shape its built environment.

Diane initiated and leads OFFICEUNTITLED’s mentorship program, ensuring all staff, especially junior team members, have access to guidance and advocacy. She has also served in leadership roles with AIA Los Angeles and the Laotian American National Alliance. For Diane, leadership is rooted in support, listening, and shared responsibility, values she sees as inseparable from good design.

Together, these promotions recognize leadership shaped through sustained responsibility for both the work and the people behind it.