“At KMB architects, I get to do everything and experience things on my own. I was on a jobsite in my first week here. I wasn’t stuck doing CAD all day only producing technical documents. We’re in a lot of different market sectors so I’ve worked on many types of projects. I’ve really gotten to see the whole process, which is a different experience compared to some of my former classmates who went to bigger firms.”

Meet the Team | Emily

Coming from a long line of teachers, Emily Moneymaker knew she wanted to improve the experience for teachers and students through school design. As a teenager, she was first introduced to interior design through programming on HGTV, only to realize she truly enjoyed the entire design process, especially space planning. Emily was fortunate that her high school offered an architecture and drafting program where she spent two and a half years learning to draft before she entered the architecture program at Washington State University, where she was in the first class to complete the accelerated Masters of Architecture program, completing her degrees in five and a half years.

In the education studio, Emily has completed several early learning centers, where she enjoys using bright colors to enliven the space for young children. She’s earned a playful nickname of “tiny toilet expert” given the number of restrooms she’s designed for pre-kindergarten students. Emily’s work also includes high school and college facilities, including the STEM addition at her alma mater, W.F. West High School in Chehalis.

“It’s particularly rewarding when I get to go back and see a space in use. When I returned to W.F. West High School to photograph the STEM addition, I talked to the teachers and heard how much they enjoy the new space — a dedicated space for their specialized biochemistry and genetics equipment — as opposed to the old closet they were using before.”

Outside of work, Emily continues to hone her creativity. She creates what she calls “halfway homemade furniture” by refinishing and repurposing existing pieces, while her Anatolian Shepherd mix looks on, hoping it’s time for another hike at Mount Rainier. Gaming is another creative outlet for Emily, where she imagines new built environments in The SIMS video game or stumps her friends in Clue at their monthly board game meet-up.