Brittany Ewing

I would contribute my success to the amazing mentors I've had over the years who have taken me under their wing and taught me what they know. But I'd also like to give myself a little credit - my undying curiosity for information and life has made it very helpful for me to always want to learn more and succeed, and I have a lot of ambitions because of that. I would say those two mixed together have given me the roadmap to success.

Never be afraid to fail, because when you fail, that's when you learn how to be better. I've taken that wholeheartedly as never being afraid to be wrong, or be afraid to make a mistake. Obviously with limitations to that, because I always know that I will learn from any mistakes I make along the way, and that will make me better in the future. It is hard not to be fearless sometimes, and ask the question, or learn the answer. I think that's one of the greatest things I've ever been told, and I've taken to heart, and I think it's served me very well in life.

The number one thing I'd say is make sure to take care of yourself, but to also find yourself a woman mentor who can help you. We're not meant to do this alone, and you need to find mentors and friends or colleagues along the way who can help guide you and lift you through it. We're here to help each other in this world, and we're here to have each other's back.

Some of the biggest challenges is understanding how technology is going to affect the spaces that we live, work, and relax in. With technology changing constantly, there's always a need to understand how it affects the people within the spaces, how it affects the spaces themselves, and when is it good and when is it bad. This is one of the higher questions and challenges that I see people asking about and working to design around right now.

I'm very passionate about mental health and designing for the disabled in both my work and personal life. I'm completely deaf in my right ear, and I lost my hearing at a young age. Designing spaces that help those with non-visual disabilities has always been something very near and dear to my heart. I make sure there's wayfinding and signage, or better lighting for people who might not be able to hear as well, and for those who can't see as well, I ensure there are other cues of sounds or physical cues for them to find their way through spaces. Through this, I have found a love of understanding the psychology and how different people react to different colors, light, and sound, and how that affects them in different spaces, especially when they are trying to achieve a goal, whether it's working, rehab, or living. I find a lot of passion in designing for the unseen.