Shaping the future: women in design at Treanor

At Treanor, we believe that designing the world we want to live in starts with the people who imagine it. In the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, women are often underrepresented in leadership positions (in 2024, women made up only 24% of principals/partners at AEC firms, according to the AIA). Amplifying female voices gives future professionals relatable insight into what it’s like building a career in the field.

We asked women across Treanor to reflect on their career journeys, the challenges they’ve overcome, and their goals for the future of our industry. What they share is inspiring and a testament to what’s possible when design is powered by diverse perspectives.

What is the best part of your job?
Exploring old buildings and dreaming of what we can do with them to make them useful again.

When did you first become interested in design?
When I was a kid, my dad always had a home improvement project and my mom was always sewing, crafting, and making something beautiful and useful. In high school, I found art and architecture. It was like finally finding my thing.

Who have been your female role models?
Nadia Zhiri, of course! Also many women in design like Zaha Hadid and Coco Chanel. Joan Finney was governor of Kansas when I graduated high school and I studied other women in leadership like Margaret Thatcher and Madeline Albright. I suppose it didn’t occur to me that I couldn’t do what they and so many others have done.

What barriers do you believe prevent more women from advancing to leadership roles in AEC?
Confidence—in themselves and from others in them.

What does success look like for a design leadership role?
Keeping a step ahead of the team and moving towards the vision.

What is the best part of your job?

The projects, the clients, our teams.

When did you first become interested in design?

After graduating from high school.

Who have been your female role models?

Nadia Zhiri and Joy Coleman.

How do you get your creative inspiration?

It seems to be a part of my DNA. With years of practice, it just comes naturally to me.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in AEC? 

Commercial interior designers seem to be a second priority to architecture. We are seen as “color pickers” without the understanding that we have the talent to support architectural teams in all aspects of interior design in the interior built environment. I have battled this stigma my whole career.

What do you think AEC firms can do to further support and uplift women in design?

Mentorship, empowerment, equal pay, and the ability to fulfill our dreams.

If you could pick your ideal design project, what would it be?

In my career, I have been blessed to work on all types of design projects. But, my passion is for corporate design.

What is your design superpower?

I seem to innately understand what a client wants and how to get a team assembled to deliver an experience that is meaningful.

Did you ever feel like gender played a role in your career progression? 

Sometimes, and when I did, I pushed on around it and worked it out.

What leadership skills have you gained over the years, and what helped you improve?

How to deliver what you say you will do, build a strong and competent team around you, and build trust in people.

What does success look like for a design leadership role?

Great work, with great clients and a great team. There is nothing better and more rewarding than that, at the end of the day, the process was exciting, and the project design was successful.

What is the best part of your job?
I am part of the Historic Preservation Studio. I enjoy the fieldwork and the opportunity to get your hands dirty. During the early stages of a project, we perform condition assessments where we understand the building’s existing condition and construction. I also love seeing mockups installed—the process matters as much as the outcome. Visiting construction sites and seeing our team’s vision come to life is inspiring and humbling.

When did you first become interested in design?
I got interested in design in the 10th or 11th grade. I didn’t want a desk job and thought architecture would give me the chance for more hands-on work—drawing, building models, visiting construction sites. Travel was a big part of my architectural education, and I loved that.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in AEC?

Juggling my family and career when my daughter was young was challenging. I had a 4-year-old daughter when I started my first job in this country, and could not participate in many after-office events. I had also requested that I come in a little a late and leave late to adjust daycare pickup and drop-off times with my husband. That closed several career growth opportunities early on as I could not socialize with colleagues for them to know me well and show up for those critical early morning meetings or site visits. This was pre-covid when people worked in the office 40 hours a week. I did not have close family to support with childcare at that time. I finally had to move to a better paying job with which I could afford to hire a babysitter. It really helped me balance career and family life.

What do you think AEC firms can do to further support and uplift women in design?

Offer women flexibility and keep them part of the conversation and decision-making. Even when I could afford a babysitter, I needed to find someone I could trust my child with. Just as we have a record of good contractors and consultants to work with, I wish firms could provide some informal resource for recommended child care, or if known friends who could offer that help. Sometimes you are new to a place and do not have that network.

Another area that needs to be addressed is building confidence in women to lead starting very early in their career. Women are more self-critical, and somehow, we tend to fall behind in our careers. As a young single woman, it is hard to reach out and network, and we feel we need the experience before we assume certain roles. Networking sends the wrong signal socially sometimes. Offering mentorship in that area, like senior staff taking junior women staff out for a BD meeting or a marketing meeting would help.

What is your design superpower?

What I enjoy most is imagining new uses and designing new spaces in historic or existing contexts. There are so many philosophical, practical, and technical challenges on how to maintain continuity.

Did you ever feel like gender played a role in your career progression?

I never felt the gap until I started working. I found that in my first job after graduation (not in the U.S.), a male with less experience, was earning more than me. He was getting to go to construction sites and was earning more because of that. I always felt I did not have the adequate construction experience. When I moved to this country I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, and when I got the opportunity, worked for a waterproofing consultant. The fieldwork is intense and I really gained a lot of confidence.

What does success look like for a design leadership role?

When people take your design ideas seriously and want to present it to the client and give you a reasonable opportunity to push for it. They do not ask you to draw it up just to humor you and then overlook it. At least constructive feedback should be given, not that “it is a great idea but the client will not like it.” I remember one project when it was not a building design but a visual diagram of a preservation process we had to come up with for the client to be used by the maintenance staff. It was not a favorite with my boss, but we had no time so we just presented it. The client loved the diagram and it became a part of the project. The office eventually started using that theme for other projects.

Many firms have initiatives to increase diversity in leadership. What strategies do you think actually make a difference?

It is not the big gestures that matters, sometimes it seems obvious. It is giving opportunity for people to excel at what they are good at and offering flexibility. Having a standard stereotype career progression is not very inclusive. It is also helps leadership mentorship early on.

What is the best part of your job?

Being able to make a difference by preserving buildings both as an advocate and a professional.

When did you first become interested in design?

Around third grade, I started drawing floor plans of houses and showing them to my mother.

Who have been your female role models?

My best friend and later professional colleague Kate Ottavino. A role model for how to behave in a professional setting, how to prove your worth by bringing work into the firm, and how to engage in community and professional activities in leadership roles.

Where do you get your creative inspiration?

Everywhere!

What challenges have you faced as a woman in AEC?

Basic discrimination when an employer offered a male colleague the role of construction administration on site full-time after the client asked for me – the project architect. Luckily, the client chose me. I ignored it and stuck it out. Another challenge has been more subtle comments about looks, hair and clothing – which I also ignore. Ignore and keep going was the motto.

What do you think firms can do to further support and uplift women in design?

Simply treat them equally.

If you could pick your ideal design project, what would it be?

Work for a sophisticated client (perhaps an architect) who lets me use my judgement 100% of the time! Any kind of preservation project would do! Just want to do it fully and very well, without much interference from client, budget or schedule.

What is your design superpower?

Conceptualizing the approach and solving problems.

Women still account for a minority of AEC industry leadership positions. Why do you think that is the case, and what are your suggestions to help narrow the gap?

History of a male-dominated profession. The gap is already narrowing, but it takes time.

Did you ever feel like gender played a role in your career progression?

Absolutely, but I decided early on to pretend that it did not play a role and to ignore it. That was my and my female architect friend’s approach in the 1980s when I started working!

What leadership skills have you gained over the years, and what helped you improve?

To model the behavior you seek to inspire. Learning from other role models, male and female (mostly male) has helped tremendously, along with books and articles, and being a little bit introspective.

To you, what does success look like for a design leadership role?

Leading and training others in the profession. Encouraging and sharing a love for the profession.

What barriers do you believe prevent more women from advancing to leadership roles in AEC?

No absolute barriers, but it is harder for women and they have to compensate for that, which is not easy to do with family commitments in addition to the work.

Many firms have initiatives to increase diversity in leadership. What strategies do you think actually make a difference?

Help with work-life balance by being flexible with work schedules and expectations for excessive overtime.

What is the best part of your job?

The variation in what I work on from day to day.

When did you first become interested in design?

By the age of six, I had made up my mind to be an architect.

Who have been your female role models?

Julia Morgan was innovative.

Where do you get your creative inspiration?

From being in nature.

If you could pick your ideal design project, what would it be?

Restoring a historic structure in Yosemite. I love the park and the architecture there.

What is your design superpower?

I enjoy construction administration. I find that it is when I learn the most.

What is the best part of your job?

Winning a project and finishing a project are easily the two best parts of the job.

When did you first become interested in design?

I have always been fascinated with construction and loved art. I first became interested in architecture as a career just before my freshman year in college and thought I would give it a try.

Who have been your female role models?

I have many female role models from my grandmothers – one who raised five kids on her own while working full time and the other who always found a way to incorporate her art practice into her life – to Alice Carey and her group of “Caryatids” all of whom were/are formidable female leaders in the Bay Area architecture community.

And I would be remiss to not mention two Cornell grads who had a great impact on my focus in architectural history – Ethel Goodstein – the most engaging and assertive architectural history professor anywhere – and Nancy Goldenberg – who taught me early in my career about the role of preservation planning with the practice and later how to take on the leadership role of principal. These few certainly do not include all the women who have inspired me and who I continue to learn from on a daily basis.

Where do you get your creative inspiration?

From the buildings I work on, their histories, and their original designs.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in AEC? 

Many of the challenges have been ones that are not limited to the AEC industry and can be found in every industry. One of the biggest is simply getting my voice to be heard and my opinion to carry the same weight as the others in the room. It is important to be assertive and confident when speaking up and not to let others push you into second-guessing yourself.

What do you think firms can do to further support and uplift women in design?

Continue to encourage women to take on roles of leadership at all levels.

If you could pick your ideal design project, what would it be?

My ideal project would have a realistic and generous schedule and a budget that allows for carefully crafted details. It would be a project that focuses on the architecture and not just schedule and cost.

What is your design superpower?

I love figuring out difficult plans in confined existing conditions – it is a like a puzzle and so satisfying when you can get all the pieces in the right place.

Women still account for a minority of AEC industry leadership positions. Why do you think that is the case, and what are your suggestions to help narrow the gap?

I think women need to see themselves in leadership roles and always work knowing that they do deserve a seat at the table.

Did you ever feel like gender played a role in your career progression?

Absolutely. Especially navigating parenthood and a career as a mother is typically more challenging than for fathers. This comes from both societal and personal expectations. Taking time away for children may slow down a career, but it doesn’t have to end it. I found it very important to continue to work when my kids were little, so as not to lose my own momentum and growth.

What leadership skills have you gained over the years, and what helped you improve?

Learning to delegate is a skill that I am always working on. It is hard to let go, but the only way to allow others to grow.

What does success look like for a design leadership role?

Maintaining focus on moving projects forward and keeping design goals in the forefront. It is important to stand strong for your team and support them through the stress of project deadlines and pressures.

What barriers do you believe prevent more women from advancing to leadership roles in AEC?

Motherhood is a challenge to navigate, and making sure your voice is heard and included.

Many firms have initiatives to increase diversity in leadership. What strategies do you think actually make a difference?

Supporting women in leadership roles and supporting them in joining organizations focused on women’s leadership.

When did you first become interested in design?

When I was a senior in high school, I participated in Women in Design’s annual Day of Shadowing. I got to visit a local firm and learn about the profession and decided it was for me! This year, I’m the co-chair for Women in Design, and we’ve been planning for the Day of Shadowing, so it’s been a surreal full circle moment!

What is the best part of your job?

Getting to be creative and always learning something new.

When did you first become interested in design?

Since I was a kid, I was always curious about the built environment. So much so that I experimented with my room and our family house, rearranging furniture and playing with paint colors—thanks to my Mom, who always let me be creative and curious!

Who have been your female role models?

Without naming anyone specific, I appreciate when women go against the grain and speak up for what they believe is right: protecting women’s rights and values. This can be daunting and scary, and the women who have done this despite the fear of criticism are to be admired.

Where do you get your creative inspiration?

I am a sucker for Pinterest! I have a Pinterest board for everything. I also love to find inspiration through design magazines. Sometimes I find inspiration when I am out and about and I see something that interests me that I feel like I can incorporate into a design.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in AEC?

I have experienced female discrimination in the past in this industry, and it’s always a challenge. As a woman, trying to address these issues can be tricky because you don’t want to appear overly emotional or sensitive, which may, unfortunately, be the stereotype. It’s a careful balance of assessing the situation and approaching it with professionalism and a critical eye. Sometimes, these situations can be complex, and you will encounter situations that don’t necessarily have a clear solution, but addressing more of these issues is how I personally feel that more people can be made aware of discriminative behaviors toward women.

What do you think firms can do to further support and uplift women in design?

Providing support and encouragement is something Treanor does especially well, and I have experienced this firsthand. Too many times, I have heard stories of female colleagues at other companies not being provided with the same opportunities as a male counterpart or discovering they are getting paid less for the same job. Providing equal support to women as men is the key, so women can feel just as supported in their roles to aid in their success in the industry.

If you could pick your ideal design project, what would it be?

A boutique hotel with all the premium spaces: dining, spa, lounge, etc. It would be an opportunity for the utmost of imagination, a large budget, premium finishes, and so much creativity producing the design!

What is your design superpower?

Interior architecture: melding the practice of interior design and architecture to form space to create a specialized interior experience.

Women still account for a minority of AEC industry leadership positions. Why do you think that is the case, and what are your suggestions to help narrow the gap?

If we think about the evolution of women in the workforce, women only started joining the workforce more prevalently in the mid-20th century. It’s hard to believe that until the 1970s, a woman couldn’t even get a credit card on her own without a male co-signer. It has been a long road for women’s rights in the professional workforce and general rights in the world. It would be amazing to see this percentage grow, and I believe it can grow more if employers encourage women and provide the opportunities to do so.

Did you ever feel like gender played a role in your career progression? If so, how did you navigate those challenges?

Sometimes, and if I felt like I was being held back in any way, I would change my situation for the better and seek out opportunities to help me grow.

What leadership skills have you gained over the years, and what helped you improve?

Being able to lead a team, manage, and mentor have been wonderful experiences that have personally helped me develop in my career. Having mentors, both male and female, has also helped me to improve and continue to learn within the profession.

To you, what does success look like for a design leadership role?

Being able to listen to others as much as being the one speaking. I think it’s important to lend an ear to others in this profession, because learning can happen on both sides of leadership.

What barriers do you believe prevent more women from advancing to leadership roles in AEC?

Reducing the pay gap is an important next step. Providing the same opportunities no matter the gender is something that needs to be a norm—which means breaking down stereotypes and providing equal opportunities for advancement.

Many firms have initiatives to increase diversity in leadership. What strategies do you think actually make a difference?

Providing learning opportunities and training to those who wish to grow into leadership roles. These opportunities shouldn’t be limited to people based on gender or any other status.