PHOENIX, AZ — SmithGroup, an integrated design firm, elevates Michelle Romero to serve as Workplace Studio Leader in its Phoenix, Arizona, office. In this role, Romero will lead Workplace Interiors efforts and partner with organizations throughout the Southwest to develop environments that support and transform the way they work.

With more than 21 years of interior design experience, including 12 years with SmithGroup, Romero transitions into this leadership position from the role of Principal, Interior Designer and succeeds Mark Adams, who was recently promoted to Workplace Practice Director for the firm. Romero has worked on a variety of corporate office, tenant improvement, and interior architecture projects such as the General Motors Austin IT Innovation Center, Valley of the Sun United Way Headquarters, and Liv Communities. She is currently overseeing a major renovation of SmithGroup’s Phoenix office, which is scheduled to open this summer.

“Now more than ever, organizations are looking at how workplaces shape behavior and performance and support company goals,” Adams said. “Michelle is an exceptionally talented designer who not only helps companies translate their programmatic vision into project solutions, but also plays a vital part in envisioning and shaping the future of workplace design.”

“As a design leader in the community, Michelle possesses a unique understanding of local markets, conditions, and trends in Arizona and beyond,” said Brad Woodman, Vice President and Director of SmithGroup’s Phoenix and Denver offices. “A true added value to every team, Michelle excels in client relations, particularly during one-on-one visioning sessions.”

Romero will guide Workplace Interiors teams in the Phoenix office and partner with Michelle Ray, Workplace Architecture Studio Leader, to strengthen the practice’s position as a leader in the field. SmithGroup’s Workplace practice creates design solutions at every scale, from innovative small workspaces to complex corporate campus developments for public- and private-sector clients throughout the world.

Romero graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Arizona. She is a licensed Interior Designer and National Council for Interior Design Qualification Certified Professional.