Nolita Ryan
Summary
Accomplished Registered Architect with over 25 years of experience in the Construction Industry. Expertise in leading multi-disciplinary design and documentation teams across Education, Health, Commercial, and Defence sectors. Proven track record of client relationship management resulting in repeat business, coupled with strong design and operational leadership demonstrated as Jacobs' Education Sector Lead and Geyer’s Global Education Sector Lead. Recipient of NAWIC ACT 'Crystal Vision Award' in 2025, representing ACT in upcoming National Awards.
Overview
2026
2026
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Design Manager
Icon
10.2019 - Current
Role:
- Secured new work through strategic tendering, business networking and proposal development.
- Built the Education Sector and capability for Icon ACT.
- Engaging and managing design consultants, design program, budget, quality and methodology for ACT Projects.
- Optimised design recording/ reporting processes for ACT Government projects, creating templates which have been adopted by iCBR and issued with their tenders.
Sector Experience: Education, Health, Residential.
Clients: Infrastructure Canberra, ACT Health.
Global Education Sector Lead & NSW Manager
Geyer/ Valmont
12.2017 - 11.2019
Role: Building and promotion of Geyer's Education capability across the National and SE Asia businesses. Recruiting and developing an Education team and later the NSW team. Client-facing, tendering and managing staff resourcing, finances, workload and projects.
Sector Experience: Education, Commercial, Heritage
Clients: Australian National University (ANU), University of Sydney , University of Wollongong, KWM, Star Casino Group, UNSW.
Principal & NSW Practice Leader
Bickerton Masters Architecture
12.2015 - 11.2017
Role: Creation of a NSW Business for BMA, including sourcing commercial premises, recruiting and managing an architecture team, building a local client network, promoting the business profile and tendering new work.
Sector Experience: Education, Aged Care, Dementia Design, Heritage
Clients: ACT Government Schools, Anglicare , HammondCare, Scalabrini Village, Southern Cross Care, Twilight Aged Care.
Sector Lead - Education NSW & Senior Architect
Jacobs Engineering
01.2011 - 12.2015
Sector Experience: Education, Life Sciences, Masterplanning/ Site divestment, Defence, Health, Heritage.
Clients: ACT Health, Astra Zeneca, CSIRO, Concept Cosmetic Medicine, Department of Defence, Glaxo Smith Kline, NSW Health Infrastructure, Ochre Health, Pfizer, Roche Pharmaceuticals, Thales, University of Canberra, UNSW, University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), University of Wollongong.
Senior Projects Manager
Scientific Interiors
11.2009 - 01.2011
Sector Experience: Education, Life Sciences, Animal Facilities
Clients: Catholic Schools Office, University of New England, University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, UNSW.
Senior Design Architect
Douglas Wallace Architects & Designers
02.2007 - 06.2009
Sector Experience: Masterplanning, Residential, Commercial, Heritage
Associate & Senior Architect
MARCH Design (formerly McAleer Projects)
2005 - 2007
1998-2000 and 2005-2007.
Sector Experience: Residential, Multi-unit Residential, Heritage, Small Scale Commercial.
Education
Bachelor of Science (Hons) - Architecture
Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
01-1998
Diploma - Project Management
Advanced Learning Systems Online
01-2015
Diploma - Architecture
Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland
01-1998
Diploma - Management
T2
01-2012
Foundation Diploma - Training & Education
University of Galway, Ireland
01-2009
Registrations
- NSW Registered Architect, 2017 - Present, Credential ID: NSW ARB 9888.
- Defence Australia Baseline Security Clearance, Issued August 2012.
- Queensland registered Architect 2018 - 2020, Credential ID: QLD BOA 5333.
Publications
- Why Process is Paramount to Learning, Indesign - The Knowledge Economy Issue · May 1, 2019.
- What is Informal Learning? CIBSE ANZ Building Engineering · Sep 1, 2018.
- Information Age, Indesign - ‘Information Age' Issue · May 26, 2018
- The mind-craft microcosm: Incubator spaces up-close , Indesign Live · Mar 1, 2018
Awards
- 2025 NAWIC ACT Crystal Vision
- 2022 NAWIC ACT Business Woman of the Year (Runner-up)
- 2020 Icon New-starter of the Year
- 2015 NAWIC NSW Business Woman of the Year
- 2013 Sinclair Knight Merz: Global Excellence Awards, CEO Medal - High Commendation for Client Service Orientation
Timeline
Senior Design Manager
Icon
10.2019 - Current
Global Education Sector Lead & NSW Manager
Geyer/ Valmont
12.2017 - 11.2019
Principal & NSW Practice Leader
Bickerton Masters Architecture
12.2015 - 11.2017
Sector Lead - Education NSW & Senior Architect
Jacobs Engineering
01.2011 - 12.2015
Senior Projects Manager
Scientific Interiors
11.2009 - 01.2011
Senior Design Architect
Douglas Wallace Architects & Designers
02.2007 - 06.2009
Associate & Senior Architect
MARCH Design (formerly McAleer Projects)
2005 - 2007
Bachelor of Science (Hons) - Architecture
Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Diploma - Project Management
Advanced Learning Systems Online
Diploma - Architecture
Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland
Diploma - Management
T2
Foundation Diploma - Training & Education
University of Galway, Ireland