Nona’s great passion project has been the groundbreaking Vertical Harvest (VH) project in downtown Jackson Hole. Vertical Harvest, begun in 2009 by Nona and co-founder Penny McBride, is a stunning vertical greenhouse with a 1/10 acre footprint that produces over 100,000 pounds of produce every year. A working expression of form supporting function, VH addresses issues and values of great importance to Nona and our community: agricultural integrity, economic sustainability, accessibility and quality employment for the differently-abled, all addressed through a rigorous design-driven process.

Nona graduated from the University of Michigan and then earned a Masters degree in architecture from the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. Previous to GYDE, Nona was privileged to work with Reiser+Umemoto in New York and 13 years with Jefferson Ellinger, her partner in E/Ye which eventually moved from New York to Jackson, Wyoming. Highlights from her work included recognition from the Museum of Modern Art as a finalist their Young Architects Program, the flagship Stio Mountain Studio in Jackson, Persephone Bakery, Picnic, and Orsetto Italian Eatery.

A mother and wife, Nona also serves on governing boards for the Center for the Arts and local radio station, KHOL, where she enjoys a loyal following as a DJ. Once introduced at the SHIFT Festival as “The Renaissance Woman of Jackson Hole”, Nona loves good books, new music, and great food.