Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelly-Anne Tulia Scott.
Hi Shelly-Anne Tulia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Shelly Anne Tulia Scott is an award-winning architect, leader, and community advocate with over 20 years of experience spanning architecture, interior design, and urban storytelling. A native of Trinidad & Tobago, Tulia brings an international perspective and deep cultural sensitivity to her work, merging design excellence with community impact. She currently serves as the AIA Strategic Council Georgia Representative and the Past President of the Atlanta chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMAtlanta). Her leadership is rooted in mentorship, equity, and social purpose. An advocate for design justice, Tulia focuses on inclusive design, public-interest architecture, and the power of space to heal, gather, and inspire. She is committed to mentoring future architects, supporting grassroots community efforts, and guiding clients through the design process. In recognition of her impact, Tulia is the 2025 recipient of the Carmen Stan Elevation of the Profession Award.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Despite many successes in her career, Tulia has had challenges throughout her journey. The first was in finding a path to study architecture that was not cost-prohibitive. She initially studied Interior Design at Miami International University of Art & Design (MIU), which was formerly known as the International Fine Arts College (IFAC). While there, she worked on campus and was the Resident Advisor for the student housing. to help afford the cost. She then studied at the University of Technology, Caribbean School of Architecture in Jamaica, and then completed her Master of Architecture degree at Florida A&M University, living at the Southern Scholarship Foundation house and working on campus. Following each degree, she worked to be able to afford the next leg of education.
Determined to become a Registered Architect, she stayed the course, completing the long journey of the Intern Development Program (IDP), gaining professional work experience, and passing the licensing exam. As a licensed black woman, she now represents 0.4% of the total licensed architect population in the U.S. There are approximately 121,000 licensed architects in the US.
As a licensed architect in the profession, she had to navigate her career path in a male-dominated profession, continually learning and growing to be the best. She has also focused on mentoring and helping other professionals in the industry.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Tulia currently works as a Senior Associate and Senior Project Manager with HOK, working on Science & Technology and Higher Education projects. In her career she has experience in several project types – Libraries, Mixed Use, Religious etc. managing teams and in the execution and production from conceptual design and through Construction Administration. She has great combo background in Interiors, problem solving, and space planning which lends itself to all her projects. A couple of her memorable projects include the Holy Vietnamese Catholic Church and the Wolf Creek Library in Georgia and the Five Forks Branch Library in South Carolina.
Outside of her professional architecture work, Tulia has served on several professional boards like the AIA Strategic Council, NOMAtlanta, FAMU SAET Alumni Advisory Board and several others. She has been an advocate for mentorship and licensure in the profession.
One of her favorite quotes by Samuel Mockbee: ““Architecture has to be greater than just architecture. It has to address social values, as well as technical and aesthetic values. On top of that, the one true gift that an architect has is his or her imagination. We take something ordinary and elevate it to something extraordinary.”
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Her journey to becoming an architect started in Secondary School (High School) where she was the only female in her technical drawing class and first fell in love with science and technical side of architecture. She was always fascinated with the design of buildings, public space and the sense of community created by the architecture which framed it. One of her favorite architects growing up was Colin Laird who designed the Brian Lara Promenade and the Central Library in her home country. Growing up she wanted to study Technical Drawings, French, Spanish and Art.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tuliascott/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuliascott/
- Other: www.hok.com
Image Credits
Image 1 – Volunteering at the NOMAtlanta Project Pipeline Summer Camp Image 2 – Book signing for Letters to Ms 1000 in Kansas City as part of the NOMA Conference Image 3 – On a jobsite at the Five Forks Branch Library in Greenville, SC Image 4 – Volunteering for a Women’s Build Habitat for Humanity, Greenville, SC Image 5 – At the AIA Conference in Washingto,n DC (American Institute of Architects) Image 6 – Part of the AIA Next to Lead Cohort Image 7 – Panel Discussion at the Atlanta Design Festival Creative Futures Conference 2025 | Breaking Barriers, Building Futures – Featuring four African American women Architects discussing their path to success
