From Actress to Architect: My Story

A long time ago, I was an actress on stage in a small town in Wisconsin. As I threw myself into learning and embodying the personas of the characters I played, I came to understand the importance of the director. Every single moment in time and space, the entire holistic experience of what you see in a performance—all of that is wholly dependent on the director’s design and attention to details, from the fork on the table to the costumes, from the set to the vocal accents employed by each actor.

My ten-year love affair with theater only ended when I decided to focus on my architecture studies; I wanted to hold the same power as a director, but in a different way. Everything I observed as a young actress has come along on my journey with me and influenced the way I approach design.

I eventually pursued and obtained a degree in architecture. While there, I fell in love with environmental graphic design and branding. I am a lifelong learner and have also been certified in Brand Management, UX design, and Product Management.

Now I’m a multidisciplinary design strategist with a decade of experience as a workplace experiential designer and program manager. I design and direct from the lens of all of my stakeholders, such as the brand team and most importantly the end-user.

Leading with strategy means that my design collaborations are precise and detail-oriented. While at Adobe, I, developed the strategy for an environmental graphic, art, and brand design program with the goals to scale globally, keep up with the high demand, and meet stakeholder needs.

I shaped the physical manifestation of the environmental graphics, art, and brand throughout Adobe’s global offices, staying true to brand while still establishing a local feel in each individual space globally.This led me to coin my personal design philosophy of being “globally consistent, locally relevant.”

Ultimately, I believe design is not just a passion or something we “do.” For me, design is a way to share and encourage creativity in others, create experiences that empower all of us, and foster community and culture. I feel lucky to be doing this work, and I’m grateful to all of the clients who have trusted me thus far and even more thrilled to be able to be an independent designer and strategist.

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