About Us

Sarah, the visionary behind Locus Design Collaborative, is not just a Registered Architect and LEED-accredited professional. With over 25 years of experience in commercial interiors, Sarah’s unique, hands-on approach has garnered a loyal clientele in New York City, Fairfield County, CT, and Westchester County, NY—some of whom have been with her for over two decades.

Since its establishment in 2017, Locus Design Collaborative has been a testament to Sarah’s commitment to a balanced work-life dynamic, which is evident in our projects. Her expertise lies in Corporate Interior Design, with a wealth of experience in the financial services, legal, retail, and medical sectors. Many of her enduring landlord relationships have resulted in ongoing, high-quality building marketing, stacking, and repositioning work.

Sarah received her BFA in Architecture & Urban Design from New York University. Over the years, she’s been passionately involved with local community and philanthropic groups, including volunteering with Literacy Volunteers in Stamford, supporting the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women initiative, and joining the Fairfield County chapter of Real Estate Divas.

Outside of work, Sarah and her husband are raising two girls. To recharge her creative batteries, Sarah enjoys hiking, reading, eating, and seeing live music – especially her husband’s band.

Sarah, a seasoned leader, has been a Project Manager at Locus Design since 2018. In 2022, she stepped into the role of Associate Principal, where she excels in marketing and firm management. Prior to her tenure at Locus Design Collaborative, Sarah honed her skills in the residential design industry for over a decade. Her journey began after she earned her Master of Interior Design from the Pratt Institute in 2008. She then spent several years as a Project Manager for a prestigious residential architecture firm in New York City. Her career took her to Connecticut, where she established her own residential design firm, catering to clients in Fairfield Country and beyond.

Sarah’s recent achievements include successfully managing the build-out of several 10,000 – 20,000 square foot spaces. As the main point person on these projects, she demonstrated her exceptional coordination skills, working seamlessly between the internal design and architectural team, MEP engineers, and other consultants (structural, acoustic). She also managed relationships with demountable wall vendors, furniture dealers, Project Managers, and Clients, showcasing her ability to navigate complex project landscapes.

Christina brings a signature thoroughness to all her projects. In her 15+ years in design/architecture, she has overseen projects from high-end residential and retail, to cultural and commercial interior renovations.

Here at Locus Design Collaborative, Christina shepherds projects from design inception through project completion, coordinating and collaborating with the internal team, consultants, contractors, and clients.

A New Jersey native, Christina earned her Architectural degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Outside of work, she adores raising her daughter (especially building Legos together).

Out in the Great Outdoors, you’ll usually find Christina and her husband on long bicycle rides, when they’re not canoeing on the Hudson River.

Amanda brings 19 years of project organization and coordination to the Locus team. Born in Moab, UT she sampled several states in the Northeast before settling down in New York, where she’s lived for the past 27 years.

Amanda earned her Interior Design degree from Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY and spent the bulk of her career at a respected architectural firm working on corporate interiors and healthcare suites across the country.

When she’s not project-managing, Amanda can be found hanging with her French Bulldog, Diogee, knitting, and playing board games. Sometimes all at the same time!

Nicole is a Senior Interior Designer here at Locus. She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design from New York School of Interior Design, and her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design at Paier College of Art.

Throughout her 15-year career, Nicole has solved design challenges for clients in hospitality (here and at Haverson Architecture), high-end residential (New York City), commercial (8 formative years), and multi-family design. Nicole has a way of capturing the client’s vision, navigating the demands of on-site construction – always keeping a keen eye on budget and schedule.

It won’t surprise you that Nicole once owned a jewelry company that specialized in spiritual pieces for the edgy soul – that’s so Nicole. A native of Bristol, CT, she spends her personal time hanging with her family and channeling her non-stop creativity into gardening and crocheting – that is, when she’s not deal-hunting at HomeGoods.

Hitoshi Amano has spent over twenty years as a project architect and design architect in Greater New York City.  Before joining LDC, Hitoshi worked at Rivkin/Weisman Architects and Fox & Fowle Architects, based in New York City.  During his time there, he accumulated extensive experience in commercial office buildings, corporate interiors, building renovations and rebranding, and high-end residential construction.  He oversaw all phases of architectural projects, from preliminary studies to schematic planning, design development, documentation, construction administration, and post-occupancy services.  Hitoshi enjoys collaborating with clients, users, builders, and design professionals to envision and realize innovative solutions to all types and scales of architectural projects.

Hitoshi holds a Master of Architecture and B.A. degrees from Princeton University and is licensed to practice architecture in New York and Connecticut.

Hitoshi was born in Japan and grew up in Queens, NY, and is fluent in Japanese. He currently resides in Ossining, NY, with his wife, two young daughters, and two cats. He enjoys spending his free time with his family and exploring the rich cultural and natural offerings of the Greater New York area.

Melissa joined the firm in 2017 as a Job Captain/Project Designer and has collaborated on many of our high-end commercial projects. Her wheelhouse: meticulous construction drawings, detailed design presentations, and engaging 3D modeling.

Melissa is a graduate of Cazenovia College, where she received her Associates Degree in Interior Design, and continued her studies at Rochester Institute of Technology, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design.

Before joining Locus Design Collaborative, Melissa served as Project Manager at Granoff Architects and Esposito Design Associates for countless financial and hospitality Commercial Interior projects.

When not architecting, Melissa is a serious half-marathoner and one Tough Mudder – fitness is definitely her passion. That, and spending time with her twin 10-year-old boys, two dogs, and one cat. Lesser-known Melissa trivia: she’s a mean lip-syncer on TikTok.

Michel is the newest designer to join Locus Design Collaborative and brings more than 15 years of diverse design experience to the team.  Born in Colombia and raised in Madrid, Spain, Michel studied interior design at School of Design in Madrid.

Michel’s experience includes design for hospitals, airports, restaurants, and other interiors.  He starts his design process by thinking of the first feeling that a person will have entering that space.  He’s inspired by unique color choices and enjoys the small details of the construction process.

When not working, Michel spends his time with his growing family, cooking, enjoying Korean food, and traveling.

Ania is one of our rising design stars – she studied Interior Design at Suffolk University in Boston, completed a 6-month internship at Parker Torres Design, then another six months as Interior Design Assistant at Kellie Burke Interiors.

Ania is enthusiastic, committed, and hungry for opportunity – which Locus is happy to provide. She hails from Poland and came to the U.S. when she was 13, we’re lucky to have her.

Outside Locus, Ania loves to dance, cook, and keep her dog on his toes. Fun fact:
Ania and her brother share the exact same birthday – but he’s 12 years older.

Jordyn is another new designer with enormous potential. She studied architecture in Los Angeles at Woodbury University, and Interior Design at the University of New Haven.

Before joining Locus, she served as Interior Design Assistant for a residential firm in Dobbs Ferry, NY for two years, and learned the ropes as a drafter for a furniture company in New York City for three years. Valuable experience, and a solid foundation for great things ahead.

Originally from Montreal, Jordyn grew up in Darien, CT and now lives with her cat Moose. She loves writing and working with her hands. Fun fact: she recently taught herself tufting (rug-making)!