SPOTLIGHT ON: NAVYA TUMMALA
Mez Joseph
Spotlight On is our tradition of interviewing team members to celebrate them and get to know them better. Our next Spotlight On feature of 2025 is Navya Tummala. A valuable asset to the team, Navya joined Liollio in 2024 and is a graduate of Savannah College of Art + Design (SCAD), where she earned his Master of Architecture degree. Navya is dedicated to creating spaces that foster connection, inspire creativity, and promote sustainability. In an ever-changing world, she sees architecture not as static structures, but as dynamic reflections of our values and aspirations. By listening to the needs of the public, embracing the principles of unintrusive design, and practicing with intentionality, Navya strives to create spaces that resonate with the human spirit and stand the test of time. We sat down for a Q+A session with our newest Spotlight On feature:
Where did you grow up?
Frisco, Texas – a suburb in the DFW area.
Are you married
No
Do you have children?
No
What do you like to do for fun?
Play with my dog, crochet, read
Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
I have a two-year-old dog named Oakly! He is a super sweet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who does pretty much everything with me.
Favorite place(s) to go locally?
Since I try and find things my dog can do with me, pretty much any parks or walking trails around Charleston are our most frequented spots.
Favorite restaurant?
There is a brewery in Savannah called Hopatomica that has the best pizza.
Favorite food?
Either burritos or pizza
Least favorite food?
I think I can eat anything honestly!
Favorite book?
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is incredible, very emotional but an amazing book.
Do you play any instruments?
I played piano growing up but I am very out of practice now.
What song is at the top of your most played list?
I get fixated on a new song every couple of months, but right now it is I’m Still Fine by the Red Clay Strays.
Favorite musical artist or genre?
Folk/Country
Favorite visual artist?
I love any contemporary or mixed media artists. I think my favorites are reserved for my friends I went to college with who are amazing illustrators and creatives.
Favorite television show?
Our Planet; or anything with David Attenborough
Favorite book or author?
Kristin Hannah and Khaled Hosseini are both writers whose books I always enjoy.
Favorite podcast or blog?
This American Life or Armchair Expert
Favorite movie or genre?
I don’t think I have a favorite movie, but I can never go wrong with some kind of historical fiction.
Last movie you watched?
Wicked
Favorite place you have traveled to and why?
I traveled to Kenya a few years ago, and that was incredible. Being able to see wildlife and animals that candidly is indescribable.
Favorite style of architecture?
Anything where local craft is visible. The most meaningful pieces of architecture I have seen or interacted with that have struck me most were ones where I could observe local materials and means of construction; seeing the hand of the people in which the architecture serves in its construction makes the physicality of it even more connective for users.
What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you?
I grew up visiting small temples in different villages throughout Southern India. I was most inspired by these buildings because of what I stated previously in that each one had its unique identity based on its location and community that built it.
What would the book or movie about your life be called?
Navya?
Who would play you in a movie about your life?
I would love to see an interpretive rendition of my life preformed by my dog, Oakly.
If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
An otter so I could float in the water all day.
Are you messy or organized?
Organized
What’s your pet peeve?
Seeing anyone being disrespectful
Guilty pleasure?
I don’t think I have one.
Tell us a random fact.
I have the same birthday as Barack Obama.
If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
Jane Goodall
If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?
I try not to glamorize historical events because there’s a lot more nuance to events that have taken place than I am sure I realize, but witnessing New York City on V-J Day I am sure would be a unique experience.
If your house was burning down, what is the one non-living thing you would save?
My glasses or contacts
What three traits characterize you?
Organized, welcoming, and friendly
What’s your astrological sign?
Leo
What is your personal philosophy?
To give others and myself grace
What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
My loved ones
What is your greatest fear?
Honestly, losing someone I love.
What is your superpower?
I can remember conversations pretty verbatim; months can go by and I’ll be able to recall what someone else and I talked about word-for-word.
What inspires you most?
The people I love
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Raising my dog
What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
The inclusivity and diversity of the office, there is not one person with the same background or experience and all that diversity creates such a rich and welcoming team to work within.
What does true leadership mean to you?
Being a representation of the ideals most valuable to a team/workplace (i.e. being respectful, inclusive, etc.)
If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
Wildlife conservationist
What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
Nothing is that serious.
How do you define success?
Feeling fulfilled in staying true to your ethos as a person, but also challenged in your craft.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
My boyfriend always gives me amazing advice, and one of the things he told me was to tend to the parts of the garden you can see. It is part of one of his favorite quotes but it is something I replay in my head a lot when things feel turbulent in work, school, etc.