Women's History Month Profile: Michelle Mulitz & Rose Wilkowski

In this Women's History Month post, we're heading to opposite coasts to introduce some of the designers on our New York and Los Angeles teams!Michelle joined the Rottet Studio L.A. office a few years ago after interning with us for six months. She holds a Bachelor's degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master's in Interior Architecture from UCLA/Cal Poly Pomona. Rose graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with highest honors and, in her relatively short career, has worked with some of the most respected developers and commercial firms out of our New York office.Below, Michelle and Rose share their perspectives on being part of a tight-knit team and how that has affected their experiences in the design industry.Tell me about your path to a career in design and architecture.Michelle: When I was about 6 years old, my parents told me I got to “redo” my bedroom. I definitely didn’t know it then but the opportunity to create my own story was incredibly impactful. (My bedroom ended up hot pink and yellow and still remains so today…) Officially, I didn’t decide to be a designer until I enrolled in design classes at UCLA. I went on to complete the interior architecture Masters program and then came to Rottet.I was telling someone recently about my path to design and what about design makes me feel most at home. I did my undergrad in acting and while it was embarrassing for a long time to live in Los Angeles and say that I wanted to be an actress, I think that the whole acting portion of my life has only helped me pave a road for myself in the design industry. When you say you’re an actress in Los Angeles, there’s a stigma that is overwrought with boredom, as there are so many actresses here. However, when you say you’re a designer, there’s an excitement instead and being a woman in that field is suddenly empowering.When I came to Rottet, I started as an intern in the library. That experience was truly priceless - the library taught me so much about possibilities and introduced me to so many projects we were working on. Now as a designer, I find myself grateful for my personal path and I use tools dating all the way back to my 6 year old bedroom (with a little less hot pink).What is your favorite part of your job?Rose: Definitely construction administration. I love being challenged by a field condition or site issue that forces you to think outside the box and come up with a creative solution on the spot. Seeing the process of construction and knowing how things come together will make you a more conscientious designer.What are potential pinch points that affect talent retention in the design industry, particularly for women? Why do people leave?Michelle:  This question carries a lot of weight for me right now. I am at a point in my life where all my friends are starting families and I would love to one day as well. The idea of having a family is scary for so many reasons, but a major scare-factor for me is how it will affect my work. Having not yet gone through it, I can only imagine that familial priorities become evident and the work does not just go away. I have spoken with several women in the firm who have families and while the work/life balance certainly becomes tougher, I think women should be empowered by their family and their work.How do you feel your experience working in a creative field might have been different if you were in a more corporate industry?Rose: I feel my experience has already differed because of the fact that the phases of projects I am most interested in are typically male-dominated. Walking into a construction coordination meeting, often the lone female, can sometimes be an intimidating environment. It took practice to gain the knowledge and confidence to speak my mind and voice my ideas. Overall, I think architecture/design is fairly gender balanced, but certain areas tend to attract one gender or the other. I believe our firm does a wonderful job encouraging young designers to not feel limited by gender stereotypes in the workplace. Hopefully, the industry continues to foster the same mindset.Michelle: I can confidently say that I am where I am today because of how much Rottet values cultivating its employees and really teaching. It’s insane to me that there needs to be a differentiation between a man and a woman in any industry! Having said that, I understand that the corporate workplace really limits women, especially when it comes to creativity. A woman should be able to express creativity confidently and I think social stigmas don’t necessarily allow a woman to do so. There are, however, both sides to the story and I have been involved in scenarios where the woman’s voice is the one that is heard. I think women like Lauren are really paving the way for young working women.What would you tell your younger self?Rose: Always ask to do more and be willing to step out of your comfort zone! As a young professional you may think you know what you want out of a career but there are many aspects of project work that you aren’t exposed to in school. You may discover an interest or passion within yourself that you didn’t know existed. Remember to remind your supervisors to give you opportunities to take a stab at something new—everyone slips into a rhythm on projects and sometimes learning opportunities and mentorship roles tend to get pushed to the back burner.Michelle: Do what you love and stop apologizing. I wish someone told me to stop saying sorry so much and just own it.What does diversity in leadership mean to you?Michelle: True diversity in leadership means equality  - and equality would mean that men’s history month would be celebrated. That sounds sarcastic, but I genuinely mean that! If women and men were considered equal, then the histories of both sexes would be honored in a similar fashion. Women wouldn’t have to highlight their accomplishments as being any different from their male counterparts.Rose: I think diversity in leadership requires diversity in gender but also in personal background, age, expertise and even personal interests and hobbies. I think it’s the responsibilities of these leaders to really listen to their employees and understand all the aspects that make them diverse. People and their career goals evolve naturally, and it’s important for employers keep up with that evolution so they can continue to provide support over time. There is no “one size fits all” career path and the best way to promote equality is to throw gender stereotypes out the window and really develop a plan that suits each individual.As designers of the workplace, what can we do to foster productivity and creativity while addressing issues of work/life balance?Michelle: Productivity and creativity are so unique to each individual, but, having recently done a lot of research into the “new way of working,” I think mobility is key here. Not necessarily a "work from wherever" mentality, but more so the idea that there are multiple areas to do work within the workplace. I often find myself bringing whatever I’m working on to a small conference room, the library or just to a communal table. Getting up and moving is always good and a fresh space to work really helps me foster focus and creativity.Mentorship is crucial to professional success and longevity, but many studies have shown that women in the workplace are more reluctant to pay it forward and have a harder time finding mentors than men do. Do you think this dynamic holds true in the design industry, as well?Rose: I have observed this dynamic in our industry. I think young women starting out in their career are more inclined to be shy and reserved than their male peers and less likely to seek out a mentor. They may think that pursuing a mentor/mentee relationship would create more work for the mentor and be an inconvenience. As more experienced women in the workplace, it’s our responsibility to make ourselves available and encourage younger designers to develop this relationship. I think our relatively intimate and very friendly office environment definitely makes it easier for new designers to build relationships with co-workers; however, I have also experienced situations where they may not speak up and ask questions out of fear that they are asking a “dumb question” that everyone will overhear. The best advice I ever received was, “Always ask dumb questions, just don’t ask them twice!”Michelle: Honestly, I think the design industry has changed drastically from what it was before I ever came into it - and for the better. I see my female friends from school thriving because of the phenomenal mentors they have had and this dynamic is blossoming. As for myself, I work in our Los Angeles office and I am beyond grateful to consider so many of the men in our office mentors. Whether they know it or not, the men in our office create a nurturing atmosphere that truly celebrates women. I feel so fortunate for the office support from both men and women.