Team

Jessica Mann-Amato, IIDA

What’s the biggest highlight of your career?

I’ve had the great fortune to work with some amazing clients and I am so proud of the spaces my teams have created for them. Every successful project is a highlight in its own regard.

The project I am most proud of is the Pernod Ricard New York Headquarters at 250 Park Avenue. When the project was completed in 2012 it was the first time I had ever done a project involving real workplace strategy, working directly with the client team. My team was very thorough in finding out who they were and who they wanted to be in future. This vital research allowed us to create a workplace that showcased their brand, enhanced their culture, and fostered more valuable collaboration. It was the beginning of a lasting relationship that has allowed us to evolve the design of their space for them as their culture has evolved.

Where is your favorite travel destination?

It’s hard to pick just one! I love to hike and take in the vistas of Cornwall, England, which are phenomenal. Cornwall is the Southwest tip of England surrounded by water on 3 sides and you can hike all over the county. When you are high up on cliffs, surrounded by beautiful meadows with the sea crashing into the cliffs below the colors are so vivid it almost seems otherworldly; it’s  just breathtaking. Who wants to go?

What drew you to working here at Mancini?

I’ve had a few sneak peeks at how Mancini is using technology in new and exciting ways to further the design process and it makes me incredibly excited to be part of the team. I’m especially interested in using 3D-printing to create custom products for projects that they can’t get anywhere else.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Peter Conant once told me that I should always be “working to do my boss out of a job.” I really took that to heart; it’s about consistently striving to do more and be better, to be the best we can be at our jobs. I use this saying with my teams all the time. Thanks, Peter!

What’s one accomplishment you’re most proud of?

I am most grateful for is my tenure as 2009-2010 International Interior Design Association (IIDA) NY Chapter President. I have connected with so many amazing professionals through IIDA and my time there taught me the importance of mentorship, advocacy, and the power that we all have to give back through involvement. It was invaluable in shaping me into the leader I am today.