For East Coast native Courtnay, South Carolina is home — and where her alma mater Clemson University resides. Yes, you know she’s a loyal Clemson football fan. Go Tigers.

It was earning her Master of Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology that brought her to the Midwest. As a designer, she draws inspiration from her travels and observing how other cultures live and interact with architecture. “Traveling and studying historic buildings in general is one of my favorite things. I am constantly in awe of them.” You can find her spending her time reading, sketching, hanging out with her lab-mix Walker, and relaxing at the beach when Chicago summers roll around — or if she’s lucky enough to be traveling somewhere warm.

Courtnay once pet a shark while surfing — by accident of course.