Since opening our doors in 2002, Lusive has strived to be a leader in cultivating a diverse workforce, which is perfectly exemplified in the incredibly talented women that make up our team. Led by Sally Thomas Cooper, National Association of Women Business Owners award winner, Lusive is proud to have an array of accomplished women running a variety of departments throughout the company.
As an ode to them and their rich design history in the world of lighting, we want you to learn more about some of these ladies and how they contribute to make Lusive a leader in custom lighting.
Sally Thomas Cooper
Owner
Established Lusive in 2002
With a design career that spans from set designing for TV and Film to interior designing for residential and commercial clients, Sally started Lusive in 2002 and has led the company to be named one of Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing USA manufacturing companies and has received honors from the National Association of Women Business Owners for her leadership. Under Sally’s lead, Lusive has grown to become one of the leading custom lighting manufacturers around the world and continues to grow year after year.
Tell us a little bit about what brought you into the world of lighting?
As a design fan from an early age, I world in interior design then the film industry. I came to the US to design sets for a movie, then met a very nice lighting designer by the name of Jason Cooper - we started dating and then thought to ourselves “We could start a lighting company.....”
The rest, as they say, is history!
What’s the most memorable/favorite Lusive project you’ve been involved with?
So many great projects with so many great designers! One that is still near and dear to my heart is the Coral Ballroom feature installation at Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki.
I love that so many people remember this hotel as the site of their parents honeymoon or a special family vacation; and I love that we could create a stunning ‘coral reef’ of hundreds of hand cast ‘petals’.
Jason and I were in Venice to witness our glass artisans cast the first articles and we hand carried them back home the very next day.
What’s your idea of happiness?
Sunday morning coffee in bed after a long trip.
Which talent would you most like to have?
The ability to nap on any form of transport.
What’s something that no one else knows about you?
I’m really Australian (that’s a Kiwi joke...).
What’s the best aspect of working at Lusive?
Collaboration and creativity.
Carolyn Harris
Director of Project Design
Joined Lusive in 2017
After more than seven years in the field of lighting design, Carolyn came to Lusive in 2017 after working alongside some of the most recognizable and prolific interior designers and developers in the hospitality industry – such as Steelman Partners and Wynn Design, where she served as a Senior Lighting Designer at Wynn Design and Development in Las Vegas and a Lighting Design Manager for Wynn Macau. Carolyn not only brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in hospitality lighting design, but also an extensive background in management and production which gives her a skilled eye for detail and quality.
Tell us a little bit about what brought you into the world of lighting?
As a young interior design student over 15 years ago, the only thing that ever interested me was lighting. Don’t get me wrong, I loved space planning and materials, but there was always something about lighting that excited me.
When I met my first lighting designer at my first interior design job, I knew that’s exactly what I wanted to do with my career. From there, I was unstoppable. I got an internship under that same lighting designer and then was hired at a different firm as a junior level designer.
That was the start of my journey - since then I’ve designed and opened one of the most prestigious casinos in the world, converted two full hotel casino properties to LED, and designed three guest interfacing control systems.
What’s the most memorable/favorite Lusive project you’ve been involved with?
The jobs I love the most are the jobs that have significant design challenges that require everyone on the team (designer, architect, engineer) to work together to make something truly one of a kind.
If I had to name a few, they would be Tao Chicago, The Armory at MGM Springfield, and Kaos at the Palms.
What’s your idea of happiness?
Two things - there is nothing more magical than the first time the lights are turned on in a space, on a tower, or in a light fixture. It makes me giddy every time.
And Saturdays at home with my family are priceless.
Which talent would you most like to have?
I’d love to learn an exciting new talent, but I’m too busy changing diapers these days to enjoy anything but new mommyhood and lights!
What’s something that no one else knows about you?
I’ll never tell.
What’s the best aspect of working at Lusive?
The people that I get to design with and the clients I love to work alongside with - I learn so much from all of them every time we start a new concept together and bring it to completion.
Terra Clark
Vice President of Operations
Joined Lusive in 2009
After graduating with a degree in interior design in 2003, Terra Clark began her career working in the commercial design world until she transitioned into the residential market in 2005. Four years later, Terra Clark relocated to Los Angeles and began her upward trajectory at Lusive. Over the course of the last decade, Terra has gone from being Lusive’s Office Manager to becoming the company’s Vice President of Operations – directly overseeing the project management of hundreds of projects from inception to completion, ensuring that nothing but quality work leaves our studio.
Tell us a little bit about what brought you into the world of lighting?
I’ve always been enamored with lighting’s ability to be the jewelry of a space or completely set the mood and overall ambiance – so powerful and flexible! I was thrilled to fall into such a fabulous lighting career with the Lusive team when I moved to LA in 2009!
What’s the most memorable/favorite Lusive project you’ve been involved with?
I have two!
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas was the first large project I worked on with Lusive and one of the most memorable due to the sheer scale of the fixtures!My other favorite project was the Hilton Hawaiian Village – a large scale serpentine fixture mimicking coral that swirls through the ballroom spaces – a fun challenge to split up between the sections of the space and coordinate shipment from our Los Angeles factory to Hawaii!
What’s your idea of happiness?
My idea of happiness is finding satisfaction in what you do – personally and professionally – practicing gratitude, having wins (and learning from failures), inspiring others and engaging in a little bit of fun with everything!
Which talent would you most like to have?
I would love to be able to play a stringed instrument!
What’s something that no one else knows about you?
I’m great at keeping secrets, so probably plenty!That said, what do you want to know?
What’s the best aspect of working at Lusive?
The best aspect of working at Lusive is the culture and the people – both our team and our clients – we have a great pool of talent and inspiring people in the hospitality industry.The energy, pace and dedication of this crew of people is regularly inspiring and impressive!