JENNIFER GERARD
My education and design experience has taken me around the great Northwest. I began in Portland, OR, where I attended the Art Institute of Portland and graduated with an Associates of Arts Degree in Interior Design. After receiving my Associates Degree, I moved to Bellingham, WA and participated in a summer internship program at Zervas Group Architects, a local Architecture firm. While at ZGA, I was introduced to both Residential and Commercial Projects. These projects ranged from small office tenant improvements and private residence renovations, to local bank branches, and large scale projects, like the Lynwood Convention Center.
After my time in Bellingham, I decided to head east to Pullman, WA to spend my last years of education at Washington State University, one of the top ten accredited schools of design in the United States for Commercial Interior Design. An influential aspect of the School of Interior design at WSU is the inter-disciplinary program that occurs during an individual’s last year of schooling. The inter-disciplinary program, which includes: the Schools of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Construction Management, and Interior Design, are assigned to develop design projects within a team-oriented environment; a classroom environment that was very beneficial and a great “eye-opener” to real life situations. I received my Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Interior Design cum laude from WSU in 2004.
Over the last three years I have worked with Helix Design Group, an architecture firm in Tacoma, WA, in their Interior Design Department. While at Helix my range of commercial designs included retail, office, hospitality, and healthcare projects, such as KPLU Radio Station, Fort Lewis. And Franciscan Health Care, all in Tacoma.
I live with my husband, Matthew, in Olympia, WA. and enjoy wakeboarding and snowboarding and fitness and weight training in my free time. Additionally, I like to paint, garden, play golf and softball and am an avid supporter of WSU Cougar football.