Jeffrey Hertzler

Principal

Jeffrey Hertzler is a Principal and Director of Design at RSM Design, where he has spent the past 15 years shaping the firm's approach to design and innovation. He joined RSM Design in 2011 as a designer and now leads the design team through project visioning, integrated architectural treatments, and the specialty elements that give a space its identity.

Jeff's approach is rooted in psychology. Rather than starting with a solution, he begins by studying how people move through, use, and respond to a place, then builds a wayfinding strategy and brand expression around what he finds. That approach, diagnosing before prescribing, has carried him through more than 250 projects with clients across the globe, including Balboa Park, Liberty Station, Grand Central Terminal, Ovation Hollywood, Fifth + Broadway, Nashville Yards, Oxigeno, RaDD, Durres Waterfront, Avenue South, and The District Abu Dhabi.

Jeff also serves as a design mentor to many at RSM Design, meeting regularly with team members to refine the studio's process and bring new insight as the firm continues to evolve. He is a member of the Urban Land Institute and stays engaged with the broader design and development community.

A Southern California native, Jeff is a husband and father of three. His faith and his commitment to health and wellness shape how he leads, both at home and at the studio, and they show up in the steady, people first way he approaches design.

Education

  • Point Loma Nazarene University, BA, Industrial Organizational Psychology Minor Graphic Design

Expertise

  • Branding and Logo Design
  • Project Visioning
  • Wayfinding Theory and Design
  • Concept Design / Fabrication
  • Specialty and Placemaking Elements
  • 3D Rendering and Presentation
  • Project Management

Contact

Latest Articles.

Oct 20, 2025

RaDD: Research & Development District

Oct 28, 2025

RSM Design’s International Waterfronts: Strategies for Vibrant Placemaking

Apr 29, 2026

Rooted in Place: The Art of Authentic Storytelling in Urban Development

May 27, 2026

Conversations from the Airstream: Community, Context, & San Diego Design

Aug 05, 2026

Jeffrey Hertzler Promoted to Principal

All Articles

Recent Work.