Roxanne Malek

As one of three managing partners at SmithGroup, Roxanne describes her work style as "intense," in the very best sense of the word. "Architecture isn’t just a profession, it’s a way of life," she remarks. "I had no idea how challenging it would be to be this passionate about what you do." In her tenure with the firm, Roxanne has worked with a long list of amazing clients, many of whom "are solving some of the world’s greatest challenges," she marvels. "What we do impacts how people live, work, learn, research and heal." She once had the privilege of meeting Jonas Salk, renowned for developing the polio vaccine—and among architects, also renowned for founding the Salk Institute of Biological Studies. Roxanne notes that she has "never been bored a single day at work." Then again, she doesn’t strike us as the boredom type. When asked what skill she’d like to learn, Roxanne responds, "Wingsuit flying. What could be more exhilarating than flying like a bird?"