Latoya Nelson Kamdang, Aia Email & Phone Number

New York, New York, Us

Leading the effort to integrate operations functions into project delivery to achieve sustainable and design excellence. Initiate strategic planning to organize high performance teams, workflow and process, project deliverables, and tools that optimize our process. Acting as an integral collaborator to support the management of the practice by making teams more effective and efficient in project delivery while building a cohesive ecosystem of support for the design process in service to the communities that will occupy the spaces our teams design.- Assess efficiency of current business process and seek ways to optimize productivity and workflow.- Collaborating with executive staff to establish and outline operations strategy and firm objectives.- Leads the Productivity and Sustainability Action Committee to optimize design outcomes and workflow.- Implementing and designing business operations policies that promote firm culture and vision.-Managing teams across multiple locations to motivate a high performance FTE and project delivery team.-Continuous investigation of tools to deliver the best performance outcomes for our clients.

Brooklyn, Ny, Us

Implementing a teaching pedagogy that privileges an iterative process. I have worked to evolve the curriculum to ensure students are learning in an optimized environment that challenges them with rigorous expectations but provides support to advance the profession. Students learn using collaborative knowledge sharing and theoretical approaches to problem solving. As a mentor and professor, I share my expertise with students while prioritizing growth and research engagement. Students are challenged to engage in analytical, design thinking with coursework that adapts to the current industry concerns. I continue to lead the discourse on Professional Practice and Community Integrated Design in an effort to train, mentor, and develop interior design students at Pratt Institute into complex, critical, and creative thinkers. -Developed a custom course, in the Pratt Integrative Course (PIC) department that privileges community centered design.-Worked with community centered non-profit institutions, providing client experience for students.-Centering students in a research process that privileges understanding the existing conditions of the neighborhood context.

As a visiting scholar at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan, I completed teaching and research on urban settlements & Indigenous Architecture. The two urban settlements (Treasure Hill and Toad Mountain) and two indigenous communities (Rukai and Pongso-no-Tau) were rare and provocative sites. Treasure Hill and Toad Mountain are informal settlements that have been registered as preserved by the government of Taiwan, so they are protected. Pongso-no-Tau and Rukai are unique in that they have original architectural sites located in Southern Taiwan that have estimated origin dates of the early 1600s. As a part of the research, I also co-taught a graduate-level course with Dr. Shu-Mei Huang on Heritage Conservation for the Kucapugane site of the Rukai tribe. As a Fulbright Ambassador, I communicate and promote the benefits of the Fulbright program.

Columbus, Ohio, Us

Growth and expansion strategist for the Moody Nolan New York office. Worked with firm leadership to execute a strategy to manage growth by increasing project volume and revenue while managing expenses and staffing. Starting with one active project and two local staff, I developed tactical approaches to grow the office to 25+ projects within 2 years. The initial design contracts worked on the expansion and renovation of two regional airports. While simultaneously managing a staff nationally and locally to deliver the 1.2 million square feet addition at Jacob K. Javits Center, I was also responsible for expanding the visibility and presence of Moody Nolan within the New York market. The practice areas have expanded from civic to higher education, housing, healthcare, cultural and aviation.- Created a strategic vision with the project delivery team to expand regionally. - Targeted revenue and staffing growth strategies to manage P&L that yielded a growth model that tripled revenue.- Generated working strategies with CFO for customized approaches on Contracts, Accounts Payable, and Receivables.- Expanded HR strategies to manage retention, performance, and the acquisition of new staff. - Conceived an office leadership structure to manage the growth from 3 to 30 person boutique firm with a project list from 2 to 25 totaling a 500% growth in revenue..- Managed & led CRM & Business development strategies to grow presence within the NY Market.

New York, Ny, Us

Developed design and branding strategy, documentation, and vision for a hospitality practice that included over 400 guest rooms and public spaces which include restaurant, private lounge, bar, and coffee shop. Generated plans, elevations, and details for guest rooms, furniture, lighting, and custom millwork details. Reviewed shop drawings for accuracy and compliance. Interior Design & Architecture merge seamlessly within project configurations at Rockwell Group. In my current position, I'm able to utilize my academic and experiential backgrounds in both disciplines to advance our project goals.

New York, Ny, Us

Developed concept design and pricing set for Marc by Marc Jacobs Flagship store. Facilitated schematic design phase. Developed plans, reflected ceiling plans, sections, building elevations, and details. Coordinated with lighting and mechanical consultants. Managed local architecture firms and coordinated with Marc Jacobs International (MJI) on implementation of design standards for Marc Jacobs stores worldwide. Reviewed plans, elevations, and details from architect of record. Assessed shop drawings. Coordinated pricing with international fabricators. Monitored construction administration through site progress reports. Implemented punch list with contractor.

New York, Ny, Us

Interdisciplinary coordination on concept, schematic, and design development for exhibit space for Smithsonian Museum. Coordinated with architectural designer on interior structural, acoustic, and spatial qualities by utilizing 3-dimensional modeling tools and Vectorworks planning. Generated program, researched content, created conceptual drawings and diagrams, and developed client presentations and schematic design drawings. Developed construction drawings for exhibit millwork and construction plans and elevations for proposed exhibit space.

Pittsburgh, Pa, Us

Instructor within Interior Design Department. Courses taught include Visual Studies, Structural Design, & AutoCAD. Developed and instructed course to bridge analog and digital techniques. Instructed course on structural concepts.

New York, Ny, Us

Instructed course on Space, Tectonics, & Surfaces and Sophomore Studio Design course within the Interior Design & Architecture undergraduate department. Generated lectures, tutorials, and curriculum to instruct 2nd year architecture students on generative design processes utilizing a variety of software techniques including Rhino, VRay, AutoCAD, & Photoshop.

Morristown, New Jersey, Us

Coordinated construction documents with team of architects, engineers, and interior designers for commercial and residential embassies and residences overseas. Facilitated contextual design concepts, furniture and finish selection, and art installations. Coordinated design phasing from concept to construction administration for heightened security risk embassy design project.

Chicago, Il, Us

Led programming documentation for 1.2 million square foot, 5,000 person Department of Transportation building. Generated massing based on research from existing and future occupancy. Communicated with client on program strategies for existing workforce and future growth. Developed test fits for client presentations with Herman Miller systems.

Master Of Architecture - March, Architecture | Real Estate Development

Master Of Fine Arts - Mfa, Interior Architecture And Design

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Business Administration | Marketing

Education record