Insatiably curious. Contextual thinker. All-rounder. Enthusiastic. Explorer. Do any of these sound familiar? They are various words and phrases I use to describe myself, and why both interior design and project management are my bread and butter.
Interior design is a profession that combines industry specific skills with an interest and knowledge of a wide range of other disciplines and activities. Thanks to my experience and interests in a wide range of industries, I find myself uniquely suited for interior design and project management roles. I’ve created successful designs in multiple industries including retail, non-profit and education, as well as managed the construction of new stores and renovations of over 15 retail locations for several brands while at The Estee Lauder Companies.
At Estee Lauder I assisted in the development of new global design standards for MAC, Aveda and The Cosmetics Company Store. I participated in the selection of all materials, finishes and various construction elements for every project. I also traveled to each location to verify construction completion and to introduce operations and sales staff to their new locations. Having such varied company culture experiences under the umbrella of one company has allowed me to grow a solid foundation in all aspects of a projects lifetime, ranging from a projects inception to a locations opening.
Throughout my career many of my responsibilities involved finding creative ways to reduce costs and accelerate a projects timeline. At Estee Lauder I was able to achieve a reduction of 26% in fixture costs by utilizing fixture RFP’s, bulk purchasing and by leveraging our millworker’s specialized experience and knowledge to value engineer. I also analyzed and adjusted lighting packages to reduce upfront costs and selected sustainable alternatives to reduce energy usage by up to 23% per store. Additionally I spearheaded a new general contractor bidding process that reduced time spent on bidding by several weeks.
Lastly, sustainability has always been a passion of mine and has appeared in various ways throughout my life. In a professional capacity I have worked hard to include the best applicable design and construction processes in a project. This has included analyzing lighting packages to reduce energy usage and participating in the review of all materials, finishes, and various construction elements. My proposed alternatives were largely accepted and have been implemented in my projects.
The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., New York, NY, US, Associate Project Manager of Store Construction
-Created layouts following established guidelines
-Reviewed shop drawings for accuracy and value engineering opportunities
-Managed projects from conception to completion
-Managed vendors for successful project completion and ensured positive relationships
-Utilized various methods to reduce costs
-Assisted in achieving 26% savings in fixture costs
-Analyzed light packages and selected sustainable alternatives to reduce energy use by 23%
-Reviewed and provided substitutions for all materials in stores for our sustainability initiative
-Travelled to new stores to verify construction completion
-Spearheaded new GC bidding process that reduced bidding timeline by several weeks
Freelance Interior Designer, New York, NY, US, Freelance Interior Designer
-Created designs and oversaw implementation of both residential and institutional projects
-Created concept boards and final presentations to visually communicate the design to the clients
-Drafted plans, elevations, and sections
-Created 3D models in Sketchup
Gro Dev LLC, New York, NY, US, Junior Interior Designer
-Assisted in developing concept and designs for our non-profit client
-Drafted floor plans, RCP’s, sections and elevations
-Created a 3D model for representation of spaces and for realistic rendering
-Assisted in creation of concept boards and final presentations
-Took part in client meetings and presentations, and helped choose furniture, furnishings, and materials
Self Employed, New York, NY, US, Self Employed
Primary duties included providing scheduled walks, feeding, house and dog sitting. I provided the same care that the owner would in their place and reassure both the owner and the dog that they are in good hands. I was in charge of my own schedule and work load.
Responsibilities:
-Build client network.
-Acquire new clients.
-Communicate with clients via messaging platform and in-person for successful deals.
-Handle all areas of business including marketing.
-Business showed significant growth with full bookings and friendly relations with all clients.
Interior Crafts, New York, NY, US, Intern
-Handled client relations and requests in showroom
-Managed phone, tear sheets, shipping, and requests sent by home office
-Learned about manufacturing process of offered product
Elizabeth Roberts Architecture & Design, Brooklyn, NY, US, Intern Interior Designer
-Acted as Project Manager
-Managed contractors, vendor and supplier relations
-Handled budgets, invoices, and receipts.
-Researched materials and furniture options
-Organized material library
School of Visual Arts (SVA), New York, NY, US, Bachelors, Interior Design
My education and various experiences have prepared me for the creative designs and productions associated with MR in an incredible way. Through my many projects at SVA, I have explored cultural problems, become adept at conceptual thinking, public speaking to both large and small audiences, led and collaborated on design teams, and constructed logical programs.
ESAG Penninghen, Paris, France, Paris, FR, Interior Architecture
I studied at ESAG Pennighen in Paris, France and completed both interior design projects and engineering/ business projects. Several times during the semester we participated in projects that paired architecture students with engineering students. One of these projects was to create products that could be readily sold on the market today. Our project was named “Best Project of the Year”.
Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, US, Bachelors, Marketing
At Texas A&M University, I learned all about the business acumen. Since then, I have successfully used my skills to market my own part time business, conducted first hand market research, built budgets, written business plans, and done extensive research for all of my design projects. I was also an original founding member of both the American Marketing Association (AMA). Our thesis group at Texas A&M was also awarded “Best Final Project of the Year” and I achieved a score in the 92nd percentile in the worldwide Major Field Test.
NY11+, Other
Each year an exhibition consisting of work from eleven prestigious New York State educational institutions, all offering four-year programs or more in interior design, occurs in either Albany or New York, NY.
