Meet the Team
Stephen Phillips, FAIA, Ph.D.
Stephen Phillips, FAIA, Ph.D., is the founder and principal of SPARCHS and Professor of Architecture at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Educated at Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Princeton University, he also completed the Advanced Management Development Program in Real Estate at Harvard Graduate School of Design, expanding his expertise in architecture, development, urban design, and construction management.
Elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 2021, Phillips is nationally recognized for his contributions to architecture, education, and design. His work bridges professional practice, academic research, and innovative approaches to resilient and community-focused architecture.
Phillips and SPARCHS have received numerous American Institute of Architects Honor, Merit, and Citation Awards for excellence in design. His contributions to architectural education have also been recognized with Architect Magazine's Studio Prize and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture's Creative Achievement Award. In 2020, Archinect featured Phillips in its "Dean's List," recognizing his national impact on architectural education.
In addition to his professional practice, Phillips has taught at UC Berkeley, UCLA, SCI-Arc, California College of the Arts, and ArtCenter College of Design. He is the author of two acclaimed books on architecture and continues to lead projects that combine innovative design, research, and resilient building strategies.
Forrest Corral, Chief Investment Officer
Forrest Corral is a commercial real estate executive with more than 30 years of experience leading investments, finance, and development across both public and private real estate companies. Throughout his career, he has served as Principal, Chief Investment Officer, and Chief Financial Officer, completing over 100 transactions ranging from $10 million to more than $3.4 billion and raising over $3 billion in structured financing.
As Principal and Chief Investment Officer for LTL Multifamily Group II, LTL Multifamily II B.V., Alice-LTL, and Praxis Capital, Corral directs investment strategy, acquisitions, and dispositions for multifamily portfolios. Since 2010, he has overseen more than $3.7 billion in transactions and serves on the investment committees for both LTL and Praxis Capital.
Prior to these roles, Corral served as interim Chief Financial Officer at First Capital Real Estate, where he led a major UPREIT transaction involving a 30-property commercial real estate portfolio. He also served as Assistant Chief Financial Officer at Lyon Capital Ventures, managing the acquisition, development, renovation, and disposition of more than 18,000 multifamily units and overseeing the financial operations of a diverse portfolio of more than 100 entities.
A Harvard University alumnus, Corral combines decades of institutional investment experience with expertise in large-scale real estate finance, development, and strategic asset management
Courtney Poulos, Founder of SERHANT. California, Broker Associate
Courtney Poulos is a luxury real estate broker, entrepreneur, and author with more than two decades of experience in Los Angeles' residential real estate market. She is the Founder of SERHANT. California and Broker Associate and Team Lead of ACME x SERHANT., recognized for her design-driven approach to marketing, luxury sales, and strategic real estate investment.
In 2011, Poulos founded ACME Real Estate, growing it into one of Los Angeles' leading boutique brokerages with a reputation for innovative branding and record-setting sales across the city's east-side and westside neighborhoods. In 2026, she launched SERHANT.'s California expansion, combining ACME's creative marketing expertise with SERHANT.'s national luxury platform and media presence.
Beyond brokerage, Poulos is the author of Break Up! With Your Rental: The Professional Woman's Guide to Building Wealth Through Real Estate and host of The Clean Close podcast. She is also a graduate of the Advanced Management Development Program (AMDP) at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where she expanded her expertise in real estate development, finance, and leadership.
Throughout her career, Poulos has been recognized as a leader in luxury real estate marketing, brokerage innovation, and wealth-building through property ownership. She is a frequent speaker on entrepreneurship, branding, and investment strategy, helping shape the future of residential real estate in California and beyond.
At SPARCHS, we design contemporary spaces that are socially engaging, tailored to our clients' needs & goals.
Our Belief
Each project, regardless of size or complexity, has the potential to reflect broader human values and engage meaningfully with today’s global cultural context.
Our Approach
As architects, scholars, educators, and researchers, we draw on a rich understanding of historical building traditions and current architectural discourse. This knowledge guides innovative, practical, and context-sensitive design solutions.
Collaborative Process
By listening closely to our clients and carefully analyzing their unique building programs, we develop creative, efficient designs that emphasize environmental sensitivity and sustainability at every stage.
Continuous Evolution
Through ongoing reflection and practice, our work evolves yearly, resulting in architecture that is increasingly thoughtful, relevant, and contemporary.
Our Commitment
Every building we design features unique spatial forms and material character, contributing to an emerging architectural voice devoted to sustainability, ecological responsibility, and community wellbeing.
