Joy Cunningham

Background

About Joy Cunningham

Joy Noel Cunningham is an architectural Job Captain who provides design and technical production leadership and support at MG2 for the Client Programs market. Joy has achieved success with well-established companies such as Costco and Target, to name a few. As a rising leader at MG2, Joy is the 2021 winner of the Jerry Lee Community Engagement Award. She was also nominated for the Emerging Professionals Award. Representation is essential to attract Black talent to the industry. As a Black design professional, Joy has committed to exposing Black boys and girls, especially those in lower-income and marginalized communities, to architecture and design early. Joy is a mentor for the Competitive Employment Opportunities (CEO) Program, a premier mentoring and internship program for students with disabilities, for Washington DC Public Schools. Joy values the building of diverse collaborative environments, bringing powerful changes such as improving processes and business practices. She is an active member of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee and the Black Lives Matter Coalition at MG2. She recently became a member of the DC Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects. Joy has landed coverage in web and social media outlets that feature the contributions of diverse professionals in the architecture and design industry, including America's Hidden Gem and Beyond the Built Environment. Joy has dedicated portions of her free time to giving back to her community from a young age. During her time at MG2, she participated in AIA Northern Virginia's Canstruction competition two years in a row. Joy also joined MG2's Habitat for Humanity Women's Build team to help address Northern Virginia's housing problem. In addition to her external efforts for community outreach, Joy is the Client Programs market representative for MG2's Community Engagement Committee. Joy holds a Bachelor’s of Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Her undergraduate thesis project helped her realize her passion for designing buildings that leave lasting impressions on visitors and communities. She desires to transform and enhance surroundings and unify people of different ethnic backgrounds and demographics through her building design environments. Her thorough comprehension of green building principles and practice has earned her the LEED Green Associate credential. To reach her highest potential in her career, Joy is pursuing architectural licensure by completing NCARB experience hours and licensure exams.