Employee Spotlight: Shelby Thompson, Associate

Meet Shelby Thompson, Associate. Working off of feeling the vibes of whatever environment/situation she’s in, she gets excited to solve the puzzles presented by each new client project. You can see her love of photography and neutral colors in her thoughtful and tasteful approach when adding interest and color to her designs, creating a journey for your eye to discover when entering a space.

Her parents were a big influence in empowering her independent spirit, encouraging her to think through and move forward with what she thought was best. During her past three years with us, her bright personality, humor, and warmth have been a welcome addition to the FitzGerald family. Here are a few fun questions we asked to get to know her better. We invite you to get to know her further through her full bio and Instagram page @shelbott.”

We took some time to get to know Shelby, and here’s what we learned: What energizes you at work?
“The excitement that comes along with solving “puzzles” for clients. Those “puzzles” can be many different things: the right programming layout, a design direction, walking them through materiality, discussing what the story of the building is going to be and how it will connect with the surrounding community, etc.”

Who has influenced you most when it comes to how you approach your work?
“I think my parents have really influenced my current work approach. They brought me up as a very independent person and to move forward with what I think would work best in each situation, as long as I have the info to back up why I made that decision. This has taught me to really think before each move that I make, not only at work, but also in my life.”

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
“One of the best compliments I have ever received is when someone told me I have the gift of discernment. I work off of feeling of the vibes of whatever environment/situation I am in and someone confirming that I have that skill was a nice affirmation for me.”

What’s one item you want to own that you don’t?
“I have been on the hunt for Nintendo Switch for like 4 months, but everyone bought them all up once we were all trapped in our homes. I just want to play Animal Crossing with my friends!”

What’s your guilty pleasure?
“I, unironically, like Hallmark movies. Don’t come at me, I also make fun of them, but sometimes predictability is nice. I want to see that 1800’s ghost fall in love with the new bed and breakfast owner. Then, at the end, the ghost turns into a real person and they live happily ever after with no regard to the real world logistics of that scenario.”

If you could create a new invention, what would you create?
“I would really like teleportation to be a thing. I don’t like commutes, they take up too much time, and it would really help the fear that comes along with walking alone at night cause Scotty could just beam me home. A lot of problems would be solved!”

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
“I think that I am an introvert that gets confused as an extrovert because I like a party, but I need like 2 weeks of recharge after I attend one.”

What’s one totally irrational fear that you have?
“I don’t really have any current irrational fears, but I used to be really afraid of dogs for no good reason. Never had a bad experience. I once freaked out so much on a walk in preschool, because a dog was on our side of the street, that the teacher had to move the entire class to the other side so I would calm down. #dramatic”

Do you hit the snooze button or wake up immediately?
“I currently have 5 alarms for the morning, so yea … the snooze button and I are good friends.”