Born in the Philippines, Janara moved to the United States at the age of seven. In 2008, she earned her Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University with double minors in Art History and Fine Arts. It was also at Syracuse that Janara met her husband and fellow MSA Partner, Steve.
Janara initiated her career in institutional architecture and was based in Baltimore. Her interest in residential work drew her to the Hamptons, and she joined MSA in 2010.
Janara heads MSA’s Marketing/Sales, Finance and Administration, and Office Production Standards. In 2020, she became a Partner at James Merrell Architects, now Merrell Soule Architects.
Over the years, Janara found her natural strengths in project management, client relations, and construction administration. Janara’s true expertise, however, lies in executing architectural details, both in paper and on site. She often says that detailing requires one to think at multiple scales and from multiple viewpoints: in section, elevation, and plan. Her design process is known to begin with some head-scratching and endless amounts of trace paper.
Outside of architecture, Janara is an enthusiastic boxer and dancer. Janara and Steve share a quiet life on Shelter Island with their two beautiful kids.
Their dog, Chance, is affectionately regarded as a member of the MSA family.
