The roots of Heather H. Lenkin’s approach to design were already clear in her years at the University of Arizona, where she studied architecture, interior design, and landscape design, earning two degrees and spending eight semesters as an honors student. Her subsequent career, working with five national and international design firms and now as President of Lenkin Design in Pasadena, California, shows the evolution of her interest in fostering the beauty and utility of interior and exterior spaces.

Her style was developed not only at the University of Arizona and subsequent work at the University of Southern California, but also in her studies abroad in Copenhagen and the Grand Lycee d’Antibes in France. As a young professional, she gained design, marketing, management, and other vital experience in several large architecture, design, and engineering firms. She has also used her visual skills and eye for detail on a very broad scale in the world of marketing, serving as senior vice president and national director of marketing at Public Storage, Inc., a 5000-employee real-estate development management company. As President of Lenkin Design, she provides formal estate design and consultation to a variety of clients.

Heather has won many honors and awards for her architectural and landscape designs, which employ a classical eye. As a long-time member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, she has the interest and knowledge to bring history to life in places like the Madison Residence in Pasadena, where she was able to integrate a historic landscape with mid-20th century architecture. The combination has won much praise—and a Golden Trowel Award, (best garden in America) sponsored by Garden Design magazine. The Madison garden has been featured on several prestigious garden tours, and the garden was featured in an eight-page magazine article.

As an honors student at the University of Arizona, Heather had the first-hand experience of the value of challenging herself to achieve excellence. Honors academic work enables students to engage very actively with the material, learn about scholarly and creative processes by participating in them, and personalize learning experiences through imaginative critical analysis and application. The honors approach is one that Heather has employed throughout her career, and it has resulted in satisfied clients, award-winning projects, and beautiful landscapes, interiors and architecture.

In recognition of her outstanding career and continuing application of honors principles to design, the Norton School has designated an area in its new building the Heather Henricks Lenkin Honors Student Center. The student center will provide students with a dedicated place to work individually and collaboratively on the intensive and creative projects honors-level courses require.