Wilson (1918-1996) was born in New York City but later relocated to Southern California. She studied at the University of California, Berkeley, 1937-1940; later the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 1941; and graduated with a B. Arch from University of Southern California in 1947. Wilson was the only woman in her graduating class at USC that year. Her husband, a screenwriter, was blacklisted in 1952 after co-producing a film about New Mexico zinc miners. As a result the couple moved to Europe. While in Paris, Zelma pursued her post graduate studies at L’Ecole de Beaux Arts and her husband wrote "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and co-wrote "Lawrence of Arabia."

After working for the Los Angeles Planning Department, she obtained valuable experience in the offices of Richard Neutra, Victor Gruen Associates, R. M. Schindler, and Raphael Soriano. By 1957 Wilson was licensed and in 1967 she became principle of her own firm, Zelma Wilson and Associates, AIA, which she maintained continuously for over 20 years. She became a Fellow of the AIA in 1983 and guest lectured at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for 10 years. As her practice grew Wilson acquired two partners and changed the firm name to Wilson and Conrad, Architects, AIA (1979-1984). The name shifted again as staffing and partnerships changed to The Ojai Group (1985-1986[?]) and finally Zelma Wilson, FAIA (1987[?]-1995).

Her projects started with houses and grew to institutional work, churches, and private schools. Wilson served on the California State Governors Emergency Task Force on Earthquake Preparedness from 1979 until 1985. Her projects include Vandenberg AFB Child Development Center, Ojai City Hall and the Simi Valley Community Center. Asked once by a prospective male employer if she cried on the job, Wilson answered, "I don't, but I've made a few contractors cry."