Team

Rouben believes that a great space shouldn’t be built around a trend or a designer’s signature style. It should be built around the people who live there. Their stories, routines, memories, and the way they want to live are what shape the design.

That perspective comes from more than 30 years of experience in architecture and interiors across New York, Los Angeles, and Northern California. Educated in New York and at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in Los Angeles, Rouben has worked across custom residences, including homes for high-profile clients, hospitality spaces, public projects, urban design, and large-scale development.

At DesignSI, he brings that broad experience back to something very personal: listening to each client and allowing the people, the place, and the possibilities of the project to guide the outcome.

Rouben is also a professor of Interior Architecture at CSU Chico and has taught at UCLA and the New York School of Interior Design. Teaching, mentorship, community outreach, and pro bono work continue to shape his approach to design and the role it can play in people’s lives.

Trina keeps much of DesignSI moving behind the scenes, overseeing finances, budgets, billing, accounting, and day-to-day office operations with a steady hand and clear structure.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and is currently pursuing her MBA, but her interests extend well beyond numbers. Trina has a longtime interest in residential design, interiors, real estate, fashion, and lifestyle.

Originally from New York City, she has called Chico home for the past 18 years and, as Rouben’s wife and longtime partner, has been closely connected to the growth and evolution of DesignSI.

Guy likes figuring out how things actually come together. He translates design ideas into drawings, 3D models, and technical documents that help move a project from concept toward construction.

With a background in Drafting and CAD Technology, Guy works on construction documents, permit submittals, code research, and coordination with engineers and contractors.

Since joining DesignSI in 2021, he has become an essential part of the studio, bringing a methodical approach and a sharp eye for the details that help a project come together.

Yessenia is especially interested in the spaces people use every day: kitchens, baths, and interiors that need to work hard while still feeling personal and inviting.

She is completing her degree in Interior Architecture at CSU Chico with a minor in Business Management. At DesignSI, she works with clients on space planning, materials, finishes, and digital modeling.

Yessenia also leads the studio’s kitchen and bath design services, helping clients create spaces that function well, feel good, and reflect the way they live.

Jesse works at the intersection of design and technology, helping turn ideas into something clients can clearly see and understand. He contributes to projects through space planning, 3D visualization, digital modeling, and construction documentation.

Currently completing his BFA in Interior Architecture at CSU Chico, Jesse earned his Autodesk Revit professional certification while still in high school and has received recognition through various student design awards.

He brings curiosity, technical skill, and an interest in new tools and ideas to the studio.