#WeAreMBH
Teamwork
At MBH, succeeding means helping others to do the same. We do high quality work because that is our character, but we do high quality work at MBH because of our teams and the MBH family. We believe that the team is greater than the sum of the parts and value the talent and perspective each MBH employee brings to the team. We may move at a fast pace, but we make it a priority to support one another and have some fun along the way. Afterall, a team that plays together, stays together. We save our competitive streak for where it really counts, whether it be fun events like our annual Halloween costume contest or waffle-off or more serious business, like beating out the competition on an international design competition.
Life at MBH
Growth & Opportunity
Having a supportive team empowers our employees to create their own path and explore their unique interests. We are a group of creative problem solvers who share a multifaceted view of the architectural practice. Challenges allow us to grow, and firm leadership believes in an egalitarian approach to opportunity. We have an immersive knowledge sharing program to enable employees’ professional development and several interest-based practice groups that encourage employees to explore their passions.
Social Impact
Service to others has been at the core of MBH culture since the firm was founded more than 30 years ago. A member of the US Navy and a lifelong philanthropist, Founding Principal John McNulty cultivated the firm’s devotion to social justice work and continues to instill this ethos to this day.
Building More Just Communities Together
Children from disadvantaged communities are often denied opportunities to cultivate creative practices, which can develop into creative careers. With this in mind, McNulty became involved with the Good Tidings Foundation and holds a long-standing position on the board of the organization. Together with the Good Tidings and LeRoy Neiman Foundations, MBH designs art, music, and athletic spaces for children in underserved communities across the US. The programs, which are often contained in public schools or community centers that lost funding in struggling communities, are endowed by the Good Tidings Foundation, which ensures supplies, staff pay and operational costs for the entire life of the space. MBH has designed the spaces found in this gallery:
Community Partnerships
In addition to the Good Tidings Foundation, the firm also supports several other non-profit organizations. The firm’s first client in 1989 was On Lok Lifeways, a non-profit organization providing resources for the elderly to age in place in their communities, including non-English speaking populations. MBH has assisted On Lok in building spaces throughout the Bay Area and provides monetary support for the organization.
The firm’s staff are encouraged to become drivers of philanthropic work and subsequently have developed an internal committee devoted creating opportunities for volunteerism and offering paid time to volunteer. Often combining a love for design with other passions, employees have engaged in both long and short term philanthropic work, such as participating in the ACE Mentorship program and NOMA Project Pipeline.
For the firm’s milestone anniversaries, the entire firm engages in a day of service to our local communities.
Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
At MBH, we believe that diversity is a strength and belonging is essential. These values have long been woven into the fabric of who we are—not just as a design firm, but as a community of individuals committed to building a more inclusive and equitable future. As a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), our commitment to representation, inclusion, and equity is embedded in our culture, our work, and our partnerships.
Our team reflects a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. At the time of our most recent internal survey, MBH represented 28 countries and 31 different languages, and approximately 60% of our staff identified as female. We take pride in having an ownership team that reflects this diversity and the values we hold dear.
We strive to build a diverse community of design and professional services practitioners—starting with our employees and extending to our consultants, clients, and local neighborhoods. This includes cultivating a workplace where everyone feels respected, heard, and empowered, and engaging the broader AEC industry to foster awareness, opportunity, and long-term inclusion.
Our Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Taskforce leads ongoing efforts to embed equity into our practices and policies. These include:
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Investing in future professionals through programs like ACE Mentor, NOMA Project Pipeline, and student outreach across all MBH offices
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Prioritizing partnerships with minority- and women-owned businesses (95% of our commercial projects engage diverse suppliers)
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Hosting cultural celebrations and forums, including Nowruz, Lunar New Year, Mabuhay Luncheon, and the JEDI Book Club
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Requiring unconscious bias training to build awareness and promote inclusion across all levels of the firm
While we know there is more work to do, we are committed to growing our impact and helping shape a more inclusive, equitable, and just profession.
