NEWH - Winter 2016 - 28

Q&A

One-on-One with
Brittany Johnson

NEWH secretary, North Central chapter past
president, and associate, Cuningham Group
Architecture

How did you become involved with NEWH?
A longtime friend and colleague, Stephanie Thompson, invited
me to a chapter meeting. I signed up to be secretary and by the
end of the year my position was vice president, development
and delegate. Seeing the North Central chapter's potential was
exciting and I have been proud to be a part of its growth these
last five years.
What has NEWH done for you, both personally and professionally?
Professionally I have learned so much about leadership and
follow-through. I love that at the chapter level, if you have an
idea or an initiative there is so much support for you to take
your idea to fruition. Personally, it feels so rewarding to be a
part of an organization that does so much good for an industry
that I love.
What are you looking forward to for the rest of 2016 and the
beginning of 2017 in your role with NEWH?
I am excited to see the North Central chapter continue to set
goals and obliterate them. I love being part of a family that
challenges each other and raises each other up.
What were some of the highlights from the first part of 2016?
The North Central chapter has held some great events already
this year. We held our fourth annual Portfolio Roundtable;
congratulations to all the students that attended eager for
networking and feedback. We also held our third annual Blank
Canvas textile competition this year and, in the near future,
we'll have our scholarship fundraiser. Lastly, Minneapolis is the

28 www.newh.org

recipient of a brand new NFL stadium for the Minnesota Vikings
and we hosted a VIP tour in September.
Tell us a bit about your company and what's new.
It's important that we cross-collaborate as much as we can,
meaning while I work the majority of my time in hospitality I've
been known to dabble in education and corporate design. I love
that it keeps our interiors group fresh, growing, and learning.
What I love seeing right now is how important hospitality as a
concept in space planning and design is becoming important
to many other markets, like senior living, multi-family housing,
healthcare, and corporate spaces.
Latest travel highlight or plan?
Last year I was lucky enough to spend almost three weeks
touring Italy!
Trend you're paying attention to in the industry? One you wish
would go away?
My personal push right now is to stop giving into trends! Design
with the location and story at heart. Your spaces should tell the
story your client is trying to tell, regardless of trends.
When you aren't working or at an NEWH event, where can we
find you?
Either with my family, imagining my next travel experience or house
remodel, or enjoying entertainment of some sort. I fell in love with
theater and movies at a young age and haven't looked back. ❙❘❚
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NEWH - Winter 2016

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