During her years as a student she had several internships, including at the Guggenheim Museum and at Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects.
[3] After graduation, Ninivaggi moved to New York City where she began her career at Rockwell Group in the fall of 2002.
She said that she received the job at ShoP Architects through a softball league that also proved to be an ideal networking opportunity; she played on the field with people who later became her colleagues.
[3] Ninivaggi later left ShoP Architects to found her own firm, K&Co, which specializes in hospitality and large-scale multi-family residential interiors.
[5] Ninivaggi's expertise in material innovation was also the basis for her contribution to flooring company Tarkett's "Collections Infinies".
Ninivaggi is one of the "five creative stars" who were invited to develop designs to be digitally printed on Tarkett's luxury vinyl tile.
[3] At Ninivaggi's own company, K&Co, one of her most high-profile works was a rainbow pool at residential complex Manhattan Park on Roosevelt Island.