Education: University of Northern Iowa
Employer: INVISION Architecture | Waterloo
Years in Design: 15
Years in IIDA: 10
City Center: Eastern Iowa

How do you record your ideas?
In this world full of technology, I still like to jot down ideas and sketch on paper.  I am an avid list maker, so I have lots of lists.

What might we find on your desk right now?
All of my lists!  Project folders, a few random finish samples for projects, family pictures and artwork that my kids have made me over the years.

What's your favorite project that you've worked on and why?
I’ve been fortunate to work on some great projects with amazing clients, so I have a lot of favorites.  The most recent rewarding project is the Lincoln Savings Bank Headquarters at the TechWorks campus in Waterloo.  We transformed an old John Deere factory building into a modern workplace that celebrates the historical context. This project features a significant opening cut out of 12” thick floor slab that once supported tractors as the JD facility.  A grand stair connects the two floors which creates a pretty amazing space, along with an abundance of natural daylight that filters through the clerestory above. The LSB team is amazing, so that has made the project even more rewarding!

What inspired you to go into your line of work?
As a young girl, I was always sketching and doodling. A high school interior design course intrigued me and led me to become a designer. Since people spend most of their lives indoors, I have a passion for creating positive, impactful interior spaces that are felt as soon as someone steps inside thedoor

Do you have any rules or philosophies thatsteer you in design and/or career?
Every project, every client is different.  I feel it is important to discover and understand the client’s vision, become a team along the way and collaborate together to determine all possibilities. The most successful projects are those that exceed expectations andpreconceived notions.

What words of advice do you have for passionate interior designers early in their career? 
As all the questions! I still learn something new every day.