ABOUT
Photo Courtesy of Weber Thompson
Our Organization
NOMA NW is an organization that advocates for greater cultural diversity and equity within the design industry. The NW Chapter provides a platform where BIPOC AEC professionals and Allies can work together to affect change within the workplace as well as within schools and communities throughout Seattle and Pacific Northwest.
Our Mission
NOMA NW empowers its members to thrive and grow through professional and community-based initiatives and programs. We are all strongest when our industry is inclusive, equitable, and diverse. We welcome and support all marginalized individuals of every color, gender, sexual orientation, and religion throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Our Vision
NOMA NW works to encourage and galvanize its members, sponsors, supporters, allies, and volunteers around various social and community initiatives. Our organization rallies around the guiding principle that positive change comes through the dismantling of discrimination, prejudices, and inequitable practices within the AEC industry.
2021 Board Members
Leon Holloway, NOMA, AIA
President
Leon Holloway, an Associate and Project Architect at DLR Group. Leon is a licensed architect in the State of Washington and has worked on a myriad of projects from new projects to tenant improvements. Leon has worked on varying institutional projects (k-12 schools) and healthcare, to government buildings, multi-family, jails to international projects. Leon is currently on the AIA Seattle’s Professional Practice Committee for AIA Seattle, and he is a founding member and current President of NOMA NW chapter.
Leon Holloway, President
Michael-Bryant, NOMA, AIA, LEED AP BD+C,
Allied Associates Liaison
Michael is a Miami-native architect shaped by his extensive global travels and diverse exposure to many cultures. Having a deep passion for architecture since the age of 5, he has studied architecture in multiple regions of the US and abroad. These include Design and Architecture Senior High in Miami, University of Oregon, and Danish Institute for Study Abroad Copenhagen. Michael strives to find synergies between buildings and urban environments through professional experience at Mithun on different typologies in a variety of scales and phases. Some typologies include master planning, education, and mixed-use residential. He is also involved in the Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion working group (JEDI) at Mithun. Michael is motivated by the philosophy “Live To Impact” and aspires to do so in the design profession and in everyday life. Michael’s work in NOMA Northwest involves serving as the Allied Associates Liaison and leading the workplace advocacy sub-committee.
Michael Bryant, Allied Associates Liaison
Patricia Quist-Therson, MBA, LEED AP BD+C, NOMA
Treasurer
Patricia Quist-Therson is a Project Manager at Rice Fergus Miller. During her 10 years at Self + Tucker Architects, Patricia got to work on the renovations of the National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis. She has worked on numerous project types such as Federal, Civil, Museum, Education, Residential and Commercial. Patricia is currently working on getting her Architectural license.
Patricia is the founder and Owner of Quistt Photoshop, a platform with Free Photoshop Beginners and Advance Training Course materials.
Patricia serves on the board of directors of NOMA NW as the Treasurer & is excited to bring new perspectives and strategies to increase our sponsors.
Patricia Quist-Therson, Treasurer
Veronica Barrow, LEED AP, NOMA, AIA Associate
Vice President
Veronica Barrow is a Designer, currently living in Seattle, by way of Miami and New York City. Veronica is the Founder of vbd - Veronica Barrow Design - a M/WBE-Certified architecture and interior design studio, which she launched in NYC in 2014.
Advocacy for greater diversity and equity within the architecture profession--particularly for women of color--has been a driving force throughout Veronica’s career. Veronica used her NYC studio's platform to mentor and employ young female architects from underrepresented communities -- empowering them to find their voices.
Through her work and role as VP at NOMA NW, Veronica continues to use her platform to advocate for greater industry awareness and action in bridging the representation gap at the management and leadership levels.
Veronica Barrow, Vice President
Rania Qawasma-Dana, NOMA
Treasurer
Rania Qawasma is a Palestinian-American Architect working in the areas of social equity, affordable housing and community-based design projects. She is a project manager at Koz Development, an affordable micro housing company.
Rania is the founder and president of Daarna, a community based organization which helps forcibly displaced families heal, adjust, and build their new communities by using design thinking, providing the tools, resources and methods that empower them to improve their lives and livelihood.
Rania works actively with local and international organizations tackling the displacement crisis and advocating for refugees. She’s part of the International Architecture for Refugees organization and founded Architecture for Refugees-USA with the vision to engage architects, designers, and community members to raise awareness to the issue of displacement.
Rania serves on the board of directors of NOMA NW as a treasurer She believes in the vision of NOMA to serve and empower the BIPOC design community.
Rania Qawasma-Dana, Community Outreach Liaison
Sofía Soto, MBA, NOMA
Marketing Director
Sofia is an architect from Monterrey, Mexico. She is currently living in Seattle and practicing at CAST Architecture. Prior to making the PNW her home, she lived in Texas where she completed a Master of Architecture and a Master of Business Administration at Texas Tech University. As an immigrant, she strongly believes that diversity and inclusion are important to sharing life stories, understanding other people's cultures, and growing as a community. She strives to become an active listener, learn to ask better questions, and engage with intention.
As a proud Board Member of NOMA NW, Sofia intends to bring the local chapter closer to the Seattle AEC community, serving and empowering minority designers throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Sofía Soto, Marketing Director
Lisa Sato, NOMA, AIA
Parliamentarian
Lisa Sato is an architect, originally from Toronto, Canada and currently works at CHA in Portland. Her desire to learn more about the world and to fulfill her creative side has led her to complete a double major undergraduate degree in International Relations and Architecture and a Master of Architecture at the University of Toronto. With 8 years of experience, her work spans across different building typologies including, higher education, cultural, commercial, industrial and public infrastructure. She has also worked in various countries including Japan, Vietnam and Canada and she is fluent in Japanese. She strives to use her privilege as an architect to work with under-serviced communities. Over the past few years, she has been involved in community engagement and social justice advocacy work with organizations and local initiatives such as the Seattle Design Festival, the Stop Night Market, and 42 Rides.
As Parliamentarian, her work with NOMA NW includes project-managing the chapter and making sure that it better serves minority architects. As a board member, she strives to push the AEC community in Seattle to become more equitable. She believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion should be held at the same standards as sustainability within the design profession.
Lisa Sato, Parliamentarian
Jingyi Feng, AIA, NCARB, NOMA
Student Liaison
Jingyi is a licensed architect who endeavors to find cultural granularity and enrichment in design delivery. Building on his extensive academic and professional experience in American, European, and Asian regions, he understands the power of culture and emphasizes the necessity to bring forth such strength in the AEC community. With six years of experience, he has been involved in various building typologies both in national and international markets, including retail, corporate, commercial, and mega mixed-use urban complexes. Jingyi is currently practicing at HDR with a focus in the healthcare sector. Jingyi believes in a comprehensive approach by distributing balanced attention to design, project management, and project execution.
At NOMA NW, Jingyi leads the student outreach effort as the university liaison. Jingyi has been a member on the intern review and selection board throughout his career in different organizations, and has been a strong advocate for minority architects of the future generation. As the NOMA NW Student Liaison, Jingyi operates as the bridge between the organization and student bodies at-large.
Jingyi Feng, Student Liaison
Kimberlyn Caoagas, NOMA
Secretary
Kimberlyn is a Brooklyn-born, Vegas-raised architectural designer who has ventured to Washington to continue her career at Rice Fergus Miller, with a concentration in senior housing, hospitality, and community enterprises. Being new to the Pacific Northwest, Kimberlyn looked to local organizations with a desire to connect with her new community and garner meaningful relationships. When she is not hard at work at RFM, Kimberlyn collaborates with colleagues on cultural and social workplace initiatives, and volunteers as an AVID mentor to students at Bremerton High School. She is a proud member of NOMA NW and serves on the Board as Chapter Secretary. Kimberlyn continues to be an impassioned advocate for the visibility, inclusion, and equity of BIPOC professionals in AEC industries, motivated by a yearning in her younger years to see faces of success that “looked like her” growing up.
Kimberlyn Caoagas, Secretary
Simba Mafundikwa, LEED Green Associate, Assoc. AIA, NOMA
Public Policy Liaison
Inspired by his eclectic upbringing, Simba Mafundikwa approaches architecture and design with a diverse lens. He is most passionate about improving people's lives through design and believes architecture is the perfect profession to do so.
Simba's architecture education started in Zimbabwe and continued in New York for university. He is currently based in Seattle where he has worked on multiple projects with GGLO and public installations for the Seattle Design Festival. Seattle has allowed him to explore his passion of improving lives through design, most notably on the Africatown Plaza which is an affordable housing project that focuses on creating opportunities to celebrate the history and identity of Seattle’s Black and African community.
Simba Mafundikwa, Public Policy Liaison