Elizabeth Cavallaro
Elizabeth Cavallaro-Feist was raised in a small town in Upstate New York. As a child, she first experienced the freedoms of design through the virtual worlds offered by The Sims video game series. This outlet offered relief from day-to-day stress and other mental and physical wellness challenges experienced throughout her developmental years. The difficulties experienced firsthand by Elizabeth and those near her provided a better understanding of the accessibility shortcomings prevalent in many public locations. This perspective, and the willingness to motivate change, sparked the idea for her senior thesis project.
Omny's mission is to provide a public cafe and scheduled appointment therapy office designed to be universally accessible from the beginning instead of including accessibility as an afterthought. A common difficulty facing those with mental, physical, and sensory disabilities is the lack of inclusive design, or the obtrusiveness of poorly designed accessibility features. This facility hopes to provide nurturing drinks and inclusive care in an accessible, aesthetically pleasing environment.
Elizabeth plans to pursue obtaining her NCIDQ license upon completion of her degree in May 2024. She currently works as a Lab Designer for a medical diagnostic equipment company. She enjoys contributing to an industry that she has previously positively benefited from and hopes to also explore opportunities in residential design.