Emmanuel joined KMA in 2024 as an Associate Principal after over 20 years working as an architect in the field of accessibility compliance and inclusive design. As a project manager, he leads ADA Self-Evaluation & Transition Plans, higher education accessibility planning studies, and commercial due-diligence evaluations throughout the country. Emmanuel has been instrumental in guiding company-wide initiatives to overhaul the firm’s compliance audit and reporting practices and to adopt a robust project management platform better suited to the company’s growth trajectory.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture & Urban Planning from the University of Northern Paraná, Brazil, Emmanuel moved to Boston to work as a Designer at the Institute for Human Centered Design, where he overlapped for six years with KMA Managing Principal Josh Safdie. He later joined state government at the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), helping run the Statewide Accessibility Initiative. As the state’s Accessibility Project Manager, he promoted compliance with federal and state accessibility regulations through master plans, design and construction, deferred maintenance spending, and procurement of leased properties. After completing his Master of Public Administration at Suffolk University, Emmanuel finished his DCAMM career as Senior Program Manager for Public Safety, working as liaison to the County Sheriffs and public safety agencies under the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.
His time in the public sector provided him with invaluable experience for his transition to KMA, particularly as it applies to strategic planning and portfolio management for large institutions and state and local governments. He is excited to have returned to accessibility and inclusive design consulting by joining KMA, where his first significant achievement was to install the big whiteboard that had been sitting unopened in the conference room since before the pandemic.
Emmanuel lives above his in-laws with his wife and two children – three generations under one roof! Outside of KMA, he volunteers as a Cub Scout leader and youth soccer coach, lends his time and skills to local commissions and committees, and fixes things that need fixing.