Mrs. LaForest is a recent graduate of the architectural program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. As a student Mrs. LaForest participated in an eleven-week travel program throughout Western Europe to study architecture and culture through photography, sketching, and writing. She also had the honor of being one of eight finalists (out of over one hundred candidates) for the Pella Prize, which is given to the best student thesis project each year. In the short period of time she has practiced architecture on a professional-basis, Mrs. LaForest has been involved in the design and construction of educational and religious facilities, where she has made significant contributions to these projects though her ability to quickly become facile in working with the complicated issues faced in the design process.

Mrs. LaForest's fundamental interest lies in exploring ways in which the nature of architecture can be empowered to create special places. This idea translates through all scales: site, building, occupancy, even down to individual details, and can be applied when addressing issues of context and how new architecture can respond to, and be complementary of, the essence of that context. Through studying the surrounding environment, whether natural or man-made, and applying this knowledge to the design process, Mrs. LaForest aspires to create architecture solutions that make a positive contribution to the evolutionary landscape.