What has your career journey been like?
I have been extremely fortunate to have incredible mentors in my career. I appreciate their time and their quiet encouragement for growth. Incredible leaders allow you to try. It is astonishing when you do not hear the word “no,” which gives you the freedom to innovate and imagine. The ladies who led with grace and modeled professionalism in my life were Laurie Jessen, Linda Nelson, Amy Burkett, and Gillian Johnson. They remind me to be open and unafraid of change.
Also, approaching this journey with curiosity and resilience helps. Curiosity leads us to be open to new concepts and looking at pre-conceived notions in another light.
I started my architecture career designing, coloring, and rendering mostly other people’s designs. Becoming an architect was not easy, I learned to own my skills, develop my voice, and stand up for myself. There were tough days when you think of alternate careers. I learned the term resilience – each setback gives you better tools to learn and move on. That is the joy in the process of design – creating, collaborating, modeling, and exploring. It is ever evolving and there is always another opportunity on the horizon to try again.
Who/who were your early influences?
I remember seeing early work of Frank Gehry at the Walker Art Museum in Minneapolis in 1984. They sold a T-Shirt with a Gehry quote “Being Accepted Isn’t Everything.” It was so rebellious, and I thought it was fun. The Walker Art Center was a place to see contemporary art in a casual environment. Then they had an exhibition called “Architecture Tomorrow” series featuring Steven Holl, Diller + Scofidio, Tod Williams/Billie Tsien, Frank Israel, Stanley Saitowitz, and Morphosis in 1988. It was such an experience to see the design, sketches, and models for their projects. It was in the museum, but accessible – they made architecture accessible to anyone. Each firm presented an exhibit of their work, which was a peek into the process and minds of their young firms. It was inspiring to see each of the series unfold over time. Fast Forward to 2024, each firm is now World-Renowned Award winners that created iconic architecture all over the world.
What impact do you want to make?
Early in my career, I attended an industry event where the speaker asked how many of us had children and to raise our hands. Then the follow up question, how many would encourage their children to go into the field of architecture? I was shocked to see just a few hands stay up. The discussion impacted my thoughts on the profession. What changes can I make to encourage my children to engage and share this large part of my life?
The impact I would make is shifting the profession to be more inclusive. We need to make the profession more accessible. As we collaborate through lived experiences, the more perspectives will yield better design.
This effort takes an active approach to finding candidates with different lived experiences than you. Volunteering for the CAL program, speaking at public events, participating in aligned organizations and being a mentor are ways to connect with others. I am hopeful that my passion for architecture encourages them to consider our profession.