Erin grew up in the country on an acreage in Northern Saskatchewan. An outdoorsy type, she spent plenty of time exploring the woodland yard surrounding the house she grew up in. Those woods were the first place she tried her hand at space planning by building forts made from fallen trees and were the setting for many great adventures. Her interest in space planning extended into the house, and if it was too quiet, you could bet good money that she was hard at work rearranging her bedroom furniture and the posters on her walls. After leaving high school, Erin moved to Vancouver where she received her diploma in Interior Design from the Art Institute of Vancouver.

For the next ten years, Erin worked as a designer, specializing in custom kitchen and home renovations, managing in the service industry, and doing freelance design work. She questioned whether design was still the right path for her, and then her light bulb moment happened. While on her second trip to Disneyland, it all clicked - transformative spaces! Creating spaces that transcend the user’s experience, whether it be a museum exhibit, the lobby of a hotel or her pipe dream of working in theme parks, Erin believes that a space should draw emotion from the user. This realization meant that even though she had some education in this field she needed more to make her dreams happen.

So, it was back to work! As daunting as a new college experience in your 30s can be, the work is stimulating and rewarding. With every project, semester, and work term, she’s working hard toward her goal of one day being a part of a team that brings such dynamic spaces and innovative designs to life.