Senior Associate Ericka Colvin has been named a ‘Woman of Vision’ by the DJC Oregon!
This annual recognition honors women in the Portland AEC arena who are shaping the built environment with their technical skills, leadership mentoring, community involvement and creating opportunities for future generations of women.
Ericka is ‘visionary’ in that she has been working on the front edge toward design industry transformation on issues related to equity and sustainability for nearly two decades. As Director of Sustainable Practice with Integrus, she seeks to move the needle for sustainable success on client projects and educate co-workers on current sustainability trends and information. She was integral to creating several internal sustainable design tools to assist co-workers which include a “Sustainability Roadmap,” “Healthy Materials Framework,” and “Equitable Specification Database.” Ericka also initiated a carbon footprint audit process supporting our internal operational carbon reduction program. She also led participation of all three Integrus’ offices in the Just label program which transparently puts a company’s commitment to change and social justice status on view for others to see.
Ericka also co-leads our firmwide DEI interest group focused on fostering equitable and inclusive design to meet the needs of clients in the public realm. Consistent with her philosophy that designers should be “global citizens,” she also spearheaded an annual Integrus Service Day. Her personal commitment to increasing diversity in the profession is evident in her participation with the Architecture Foundation of Oregon’s “Architects in Schools” program and volunteering at the “Hip Hop Architecture Camp” to empower underrepresented youth.
Ericka is an asset to our team and we are thrilled to see her numerous ‘visionary’ efforts acknowledged in this way!