Prior to embarking on my career in interior design, I worked for two of the world’s largest multinational management consulting firms, a civil engineering and land surveying company, and a commercial architecture firm serving the retail and mixed-use development design sectors. During my tenures at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Booz Allen Hamilton, I specialized in operational strategy and assessment, program management, data visualization and analysis, business requirements analysis, and customer relationship management. However, despite excelling in the domain of emerging technologies, my passion always remained with my first love: architectural design.
I founded Diaeta Designs in 2011 while working in residential design during my graduate studies at Marymount University. Originally intended as a means for accessing product and means & methods information commonly available only “to the trade”, Diaeta Designs has morphed over time into a vehicle for passion projects separate from my occupation. In 2013, I joined Smithsonian Enterprises where I managed a team of interior and graphic designers dedicated to the design of revenue-generating spaces, including cafés, theaters, and retail stores, both within historic museum properties and in commercial leased spaces.
I am a NCIDQ Certified Interior Designer and a graduate of Marymount University’s interior design program (MA). I hold dual degrees from the University of Pennsylvania’s Design Theory & Structural Technology program (BSE Civil Engineering and BA Architecture). I consider myself a lifelong learner with an inclination for continual growth, consistent improvement, transformation, and excellence. Fortunately for me, the drive to acquire new knowledge is a highly-advantageous trait in the meticulous, detail-oriented AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) professions. For specifics about my career path and insight into my formal education, please refer to my résumé and education & credentials pages. Also, a categorized list of my projects by client is available for reference here.
When I'm not working, I love to travel and photograph the remnants of built environments. In a bizarre way, I love seeing nature "taking back" the spaces that humans abandon. Ruin and decay will trounce the hubris of any designer. In my opinion, it's humbling. And beautiful.
" Shelley and I worked together at Smithsonian Enterprises for 6 years together. I was always very impressed with Shelley's ability to select fixtures, furniture, and finishes that were appropriate for every application - whether for an IMAX theater or a small, intimate cafe. She is an incredible interior designer with spot-on intuition to anticipate and respond to client needs. Having been tasked to execute Shelley's designs, I always had utmost confidence that her work would be within our project budget, would be constructible, and would serve our clients' mission. "