Nicholl’s passion for design can be seen in her contributions on Healthcare and Higher Education projects, as well as her active involvement in the local community. Growing up, she was surrounded by design in many forms but with limited exposure to the design industry, Nicholl is dedicated to fostering exposure, increasing points of access, and illuminating opportunities within the design pipeline to benefit future generations and the industry as a whole.
Read more on Nicholl’s transformative designs that have left a mark on Arizona and served as an inspiration for future generations to come.
Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to this career path?
My journey into the world of design wasn’t a direct path; it evolved over time, revealing itself through various experiences. I have fond childhood memories of collaborating with my mom on numerous bedroom revamps, involving space planning and sketching furniture layouts. I initially pursued an undergraduate degree from Arizona State University in Nursing, unaware of the myriad design paths which existed. The pivotal influence on my career came from my sister pursuing a career in landscape architecture, steering me towards a fulfilling career in interior design. Along this winding journey, I found my home here at Shepley as an Interior Designer. I love what I do and strive to raise awareness of different career options with indigenous youth. I strive to always remain connected to the people and place I grew up in.
Outside of your work at Shepley, are there communities or groups you’re involved in? Why did you get involved with these communities?
Outside of Shepley I’ve gotten involved within the local community through organizations like NOMA and Cahokia Phoenix. While I’m not currently a member of NOMA, I’m passionate about supporting their mission of fostering justice and equity in communities. I’m especially passionate about supporting NOMA’s youth programs, like Project Pipeline, a program designed to empower young people to affect change in their community through design, by connecting them to real world architects and planners. As a young student exploring potential careers, there wasn’t much exposure to design careers, so I aim to increase this awareness and educate the next generation about the diverse opportunities that exist and how they can be the next generation of design professionals, civic leaders, and change makers.
I initially became involved with Cahokia due to my desire to connect with indigenous women in metro Phoenix and offered to share my work volunteering in their summer youth workshop spotlighting STEAM + design careers led by indigenous professionals. Cahokia is Arizona’s first Indigenous women-owned art gallery, the nation’s first Indigenous women-led art and SocialTech space, intended to bring together the knowledge and creativity of Indigenous people in a central gathering space. My involvement with the Cahokia group has enabled me to share my passion with native youth and serendipitously resulted in Shepley Bulfinch partnering with Cahokia to help prep for their grand opening.
What do you envision for the future? What do you hope to see – for yourself and for the industry?
In the future, I hope to see more indigenous professionals within the architecture and design industry, and more diversity in leadership positions. Organizations like NOMA are helping to improve justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within the industry, but the Indigenous community is still underrepresented. Meeting design professionals like Wanda Dalla Costa, who is the first, first-nations registered architect, and Tamarah Begay, who owns a female-led firm geared towards Native American communities in New Mexico and Arizona and is the first Navajo registered architect, has been very impactful on my career. Increasing this representation within the industry demonstrates that diversity and inclusion is more than just talk and has the ability to inspire generations to come.
What do you do for fun in your spare time?
I have two young, active boys who keep me busy, and whom I love to spend time with. Whether it’s bike rides around the neighborhood together or traveling, I love any opportunity to spend time with my friends and family. I also enjoy curling up and reading a good book.
