Meet the Team

Michelle Troxell

Owner and Head Designer

Michelle has a life-long passion for design. A native of Connecticut, Michelle always had a desire to own her own business, having grown up in an entrepreneurial family. She spent her youth working for several businesses owned by her father and older brother. She realized her dreams when she founded her firm in 2011 after several years working for a well-known design firm in Northern Virginia. As the firm’s head designer, Michelle oversees all design projects and is also responsible for keeping the firm on the pulse of the latest innovations and trends to create designs that combine an elegance with comfort and functionality. 

Margaret Grimaldi

Director of Operations

As Director of Operations, Margaret oversees the implementation of all design projects including budgeting, ordering, delivery and inspection. Her efforts ensure that all the details of a design from Grace Thomas Designs are implemented accurately, flawlessly, efficiently and cost-effectively. She is also responsible for managing and maintaining the relationships the firm enjoys with its long list of vendors and suppliers. Margaret has a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from George Mason University and has several years of experience with a mid-sized accounting firm in Northern Virginia. She is a self-professed lover of spreadsheets and her 22 years as a Certified MOM prepared her well for the demands of running the operations of our firm.

Callie Gobes

Senior Interior Designer

Callie earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Design from Virginia Tech in 2018. While at Virginia Tech, art and design ruled her extracurricular life as well as her studies, as she spearheaded both the Virginia Tech chapter of Design for America and an off-campus art gallery. Because of these experiences, Callie is well versed in applying the design process to practical applications of many sorts. Callie started her career at Grace Thomas Designs as an intern for the summers of 2015 and 2016, and spent an additional summer gaining commercial design knowledge. She came on board full time at Grace Thomas Designs soon after graduating from college. Outside of work, she can be found helping out at community events at the Heurich House Museum in DC or at dog adoption events here in Leesburg.

Catherine Troxell

Project Manager