At around age 9, Aaron Jobson knew what he wanted to be when he grew up—an architect!
Today Jobson is CEO, president and one of six principals at Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA). He recalls a passion for architecture early in life—an appreciation for buildings and design he attributes to his parents who built his childhood home.
His transition into the top job at QKA began in January of 2020, just before COVID-19 turned the world upside down. Jobson, 46, explains that it was a team effort when it came to navigating through the post-COVID reality. He describes this period as an adventure and appreciates his team for helping him along the way.
Jobson has been on the leadership team of QKA for 14 of his 22 years with the company—and officially became president and CEO in January of 2023. QKA is among the North Bay’s largest architectural firms with an additional office in Oakland. With a niche practice, it has long been dedicated to sustainably designing TK-12 schools and higher education facilities throughout the Bay Area and North Coast. For more information visit qka.com.
How does your leadership style align with the values of QKA?
I try to be really collaborative, kind of consensus-based, as a leader, and I always try to bring our whole team along. Our firm, and I think my style as well, is mission-driven. We design purposeful and distinctive school environments that positively impact each unique community. We lead with our mission and know that what we provide is improving the learning outcomes for students. It brings a lot of satisfaction and drives me to lead collaboratively.
Does your team get to see the fruits of its labor?
That’s the best part! We try to give folks an opportunity to see the impact our projects have in the community and make that connection to their work. We recently had a grand opening for a new school campus that we helped design and build. We made sure that many of the people who worked on that project were able to attend the event and see how much that community values and appreciates their work and their role in making that project happen.
What is your current passion project?
I’m on the board of an organization called the Collaborative for High Performance Schools. CHPS is a national organization dedicated to advocating for improving the quality of school environments. Better quality light, air, acoustics and other features have a significant benefit to learning, health and well-being, as well as the environment and long-term maintenance. CHPS is an organization I have been involved with for a long time. For the past decade or so, I have been on the board and next year I will be co-president.
What is the project of which you have been most proud?
I take a lot of pride in the work that we do at QKA. The projects that I am most proud of are the ones that tend to have the biggest tangible impact on the communities that we work with. One that comes to mind is a project we worked on a few years ago at Fremont High School in Oakland. It was a big, complex project that really transformed this high school in a community in Oakland where the students and the community need a lot of support.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Backpacking, hiking and trail running—which are different versions of the same things in a lot of ways—are my hobbies of choice. I have backpacked all over California, in the Sierras primarily, but different places. Also Washington State, Wyoming, Peru, Argentina and Chile—and I enjoy running in our local parks whenever I can.
Most memorable backpacking trip along the way?
The trip my friend, David, and I went on in Peru in 2022 was pretty incredible and will be tough to beat for sure. That was an adventure in many ways.
Favorite local hiking trail?
Maybe my favorite trail, that I don’t get to do that often, is probably Lawndale in [Annadel State Park]. Or I’ve been hiking more on the Kortum Trail that’s in Sonoma Coast State Park, that’s really nice as well.
What about best beach in the North Bay?
Two of the ones I go to the most often are Salmon Creek and then the other one is Kehoe Beach in Point Reyes. My kids really like going to the beach and it’s a good place to watch the sunset or just walk around and sit in the sand for a little while.
