Alicia Zaro Promoted; Joshua Thompson, Mili Del Castillo Join LA Leadership Team
Ware Malcomb, an award-winning international design firm, announced it has promoted Alicia Zaro to the role of Principal, named Joshua Thompson Director, Interior Architecture & Design, and hired Mili Del Castillo as Director, Interior Design in their Los Angeles office. In their respective roles, these three professionals will provide overall leadership for the office and support the continued growth and diversification of the firm’s business in the Los Angeles region.
Zaro joined Ware Malcomb in 2014 as a Production Coordinator and was promoted several times before her most recent title of Regional Director. She now advances to her new role of Principal, leading the Los Angeles office and overseeing the leadership of the Architecture, Interiors and Civil Engineering Studios. Zaro has more than 16 years of design and leadership experience, with an extensive resume in renovation, office, education, retail, hospitality, financial and entertainment projects. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Interior Architectural Design from the University of California at Davis and studied retail design at the Italian International Institute Lorenzo de Medici in Florence.
“Alicia demonstrates great talent and a consistent, tireless dedication to client success,” said Sergio Valentini, Ware Malcomb’s Southern California Regional Principal. “Our Southern California region has an immensely talented group of leaders who’ve grown within the firm, and Alicia is the latest example of that.”
Thompson relocates to Los Angeles from leading Ware Malcomb’s downtown San Diego office. He brings more than 23 years of industry experience, specializing in interior architectural services for corporate and commercial spaces. He works with end users, building owners, property managers, and project managers to achieve exceptionally functional and aesthetic environments. He has been with Ware Malcomb for eleven years, working in Ware Malcomb’s Phoenix office initially prior to his time in San Diego. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Arizona State University.
“Joshua’s strong leadership has contributed immense growth to both the Phoenix and San Diego regions,” said Alicia Zaro, Principal, Ware Malcomb. “We’re excited to have his influence and expertise now in LA.”
Mili Del Castillo will lead Ware Malcomb’s Interior Design Enterprise Studio. Her journey spans over twenty years in design leadership and collaboration working with prestigious top architectural & design firms, encompassing urban planning, architecture, interior design, and strategy at diverse scales. She received her Bachelor of Architecture degree from Ricardo Palma University in Lima, Peru, and her Master of Architecture degree from the University of California at Berkeley.
“We are excited to welcome Mili to the firm as Director of Interior Design. She will be an integral partner within the overall Design Studio leadership team, helping us evolve and facilitating partnerships essential to delivering high-quality design solutions for our clients,” says Jinger Tapia, Vice President, Design.
Ware Malcomb has operated in the Los Angeles region for nearly four decades. In 2023, the firm won the NAIOP SoCal Mixed-Use/Retail Project of the Year for Violet in the heart of the Arts District.
About Ware Malcomb (waremalcomb.com)
Established in 1972, Ware Malcomb is a contemporary and expanding full-service design firm providing professional architecture, planning, interior design, civil engineering, branding and building measurement services to corporate, commercial/residential developer and public/institutional clients throughout the world. With office locations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Brazil, the firm specializes in the design of office, industrial, science & technology, healthcare, multifamily, retail, and public/institutional projects. Ware Malcomb is recognized as an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private company and a Hot Firm by Zweig Group. The firm is also ranked among the top 15 architecture/engineering firms in Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms and the top 25 interior design firms in Interior Design magazine’s Top 100 Giants. For more information, visit waremalcomb.com.
Ware Malcomb Los Angeles
915 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 2150
Los Angeles, CA 90017
310.903.4000