Vayle Khalaf is of the Iraqi diaspora and was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. From a very young age she had a yearning for the arts. During her high school years she attended New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). Her chosen discipline was dance.

While rigorous dance lessons consumed most of her time, she developed a keen eye for visual arts that led to her attending interior design school at Louisiana State University. 

She learned to create inclusive environments that incorporate social and environmental sustainability and support the psychological, physical, and emotional well-being of the users in the space.

Through her work and from her studies in design school she has been inspired to continue her education, and is pursuing a masters degree. Vayle is currently enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Oregon. She is a concurrent student and is pursuing her masters of architecture and masters of interior architecture. She incorporates sustainability, social justice, equity, and community centered design into her design solutions. She is also a graduate employee and has aided professors in teaching classes. She has taught both Understanding Contemporary Interiors and Environmental Control Systems.

She is eager to solve complex design problems to improve the built environment for those who have never been a part of the conversation. Vayle recognizes the impact design has on communities and hopes to use it as a tool for inclusion.

She is currently based in Seattle, Washington working at a local design firm, Board & Vellum.