My friendships with Nakita Reed AIA, April Drake AIA, and Morina Peterson are decades old. I got the band back together to discuss working from home, returning to the office and density.
Nakita Reed is an award-winning architect with experience throughout the Mid-Atlantic. She is skilled in the preservation, restoration, and adaptive use of historic buildings, with a focus on sustainable strategies in design and construction. She has a Master of Architecture and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia. She is a registered architect, a LEED®-Accredited Professional, and was the 2018 recipient of AIA/DC’s Emerging Architect Award.
April Drake is a Senior Project Architect with HDR in Arlington, VA focusing on complex government facilities. A native of Hampton Roads, Virginia, April received her B. Arch from Hampton University in 2004. With 15 years of education, government and commercial project experience, April leads multidisciplinary teams through all stages of design. As one of only 400+ African American licensed women in the country, April is aware of the leadership and encouragement that is necessary to guide women from graduation to licensure.
Morina Peterson has utilized a client-centered approach to project management and sustainable design throughout her career in architecture. After graduating from Hampton University with a Bachelors of Architecture, she has worked on a variety of project types including , education, worship, and healthcare. Throughout her 20+ year career, Morina has served as a mentor and enthusiastically championed and supported various career development initiatives. Currently Morina is the Director of the DC office of Waldon Studio Architects and a senior project manager. Both positions actively utilize her organizational, human resources, sustainability, diversity and inclusion experiences.
