Building a Career: My Path to Principal at Dreyfuss+Blackford

Having recently been named Principal at Dreyfuss & Blackford Architecture, I have done a bit of reflection and reminiscing. Typically, I fly under the radar, and reveal very little publicly, but there is a request for me to author this article.

I am incredibly grateful to be amongst colleagues who recognize and support my contributions to the firm. Thank you for seeing me.

I am humbled when I reflect upon the number of people who have encouraged, mentored, and challenged me throughout my time in this profession. Thank you for investing in me.

My affinity for buildings reaches as far back as I remember. I can recall the floor plan of every place I have lived since the age of two. The rooms, their relation to one another, and what those spaces meant to me is indelibly etched into my brain. When I was about three years old, LEGOS came to our household. In my recollection it was a huge box, and it was a gift from my mom to my dad at Christmas. My very tall dad sat on the floor, and we built all kinds of things on the coffee table. It did not take long for me to start building houses. So many houses! There were other building toys available, but LEGOS were my favorite. The wooden building blocks did not join, they all slid apart. Tinker Toys could allow you to build something large quickly, but the structures were flimsy (not enough shear!). Lincoln Logs, I was never a fan. The pre-determined log sizes were too limiting. I could not articulate it at the time, but looking back, I also objected to how rustic they were.

At about age four, I started building bigger houses. I had a blue plastic wagon, and I would load it up with books and blankets from my bedroom. I would take my wagon to the dining room and start building. My parents have a large oval pedestal table, and the pedestal branches out to four legs. I pushed all the chairs aside. I hung blankets all around the perimeter (and weighed them down with books), and I suddenly had a four-room playhouse.

I continued making my own spaces and my ‘forts’ became more elaborate. Thankfully, I had a tall bureau in my bedroom, and tucking a blanket into the front of that top drawer gave the fort such a high ceiling. I also inverted the couch cushions on the couch, and that was a ‘pillow house.’

When I was about ten years old, a quiet 30-minute show on Saturday mornings on PBS caught my family’s attention. This Old House with Bob Vila. We would watch old spaces become new. I saw how homes were put together. It was the first time this California native encountered Boston accents. The renovation of a single home would span an entire television season. Once per season, Bob Vila would visit an architect. The architect was an amiable guy in khaki’s, a button-down shirt, and wire-rimmed spectacles. He had a big drafting table and would draw the plans for all the changes to come. I was fascinated because there was a way to communicate in drawings all the things the tradespeople would later do. I was hooked.

Fast forward about ten more years, and I have graduated UCD with a BS in Design, with an emphasis in Interior Architecture and a minor in Textiles. I landed my first job in the industry at a small civil and survey firm. I mean small. We varied in size from three to five people. I learned so much there, they were so generous with their knowledge. The owner wanted me to go back to school, get another degree in civil engineering and form my own female-owned company. I appreciated his enthusiasm, but engineering was not my thing.

Several years later it was time for me to focus on architecture, so I changed jobs. Not only was it a change in subject matter, but the culture was also very different. This was a group of over a dozen people and it felt huge. I was the only female and this time I felt it. It had been a non-issue when I worked at the tiny firm, because there were so few people. I was enjoying my work at the new place (architecture, finally!), I had some great colleagues, and I was very intentional about not being ‘too’ female. I did not wear anything too frilly or feminine and I made sure to follow the published dress code which required collars on all shirts. I had almost no personal effects at my desk and only used blue or black pens. It felt particularly important to comply with the office norm.

I had a wonderful client (whom I adore to this day) who orchestrated a move for me to another architecture firm. I grew by leaps and bounds. I was working for a Project Manager who still has a heart for mentorship. I saw specifications for the first time, learned to make my way through the Sweets catalog, I was engaging with the 5-ring binders of the Building Code. I enjoyed learning new things and it was very fulfilling. (Figure 4, Circa 1999) The office culture was serious: we were held to a very high standard of work. The staff was a mix of men and women, so that was a breath of fresh air. There were no women in management positions, but at least they were in the building.

During my tenure at this firm, I encountered two strong, confident, capable women who both made an impact on me. We hired an outside permit expeditor, and she was so effective. She was a sole proprietor and did not take guff from anyone. She is Sandy Swett of Swett Equity, Inc (now closed). I would draw the plans, get them printed at Brownie’s (bluelines, of course), have them wet signed by the Architect, and Sandy would pick up the 6 or 9 sets as required by the various permitting agencies. Sandy was professional, polished, and stylish. She flawlessly permitted my projects for years. She held the plan checkers to their promised delivery dates. This skill was nothing short of miraculous.

Not long after meeting Sandy Swett, I met a new client. Suzanne Saunders became the Construction Manager for a number of my projects. Suzanne was always impeccably dressed (linen suits!), beautifully accessorized, and in charge of things. I had never met a female CM, but I was certain she was breaking some molds. She was organized, focused, and a great communicator. Suzanne was a fantastic bridge between the Architect and the job site. She had a lot of things on her plate, and she never seemed overwhelmed. I knew her for quite a while before I asked what she wore to the construction sites. Fun fact: she kept coveralls and work boots in the trunk of her convertible.

I was a job captain doing the AutoCAD drawings. Sandy was securing permits. Suzanne was getting the projects built. Girl power! It was reassuring to see women in the profession succeeding, earning respect, and doing really great work. It resonated with me. I was slowly finding confidence in being in architecture while being female. It turns out I could be both.

A heartfelt thank you to Sandy Swett and Suzanne Saunders. You both did admirable work at a time when I needed to see it. I reached out to both Sandy and Suzanne ahead of writing this article to let them know what a positive impact they had on me. They were each surprised, they felt like they were just doing their daily things. I say to anyone reading this: do not underestimate the reach you have. Spontaneous mentorship from unexpected sources is such a gift.

Fast forward a couple more decades and Architecture is a much more diverse profession than when I first joined. It is a great thing to witness. In my new Principal role, I endeavor to positively impact as many people as possible. If you and I are not already acquainted, reach out and introduce yourself. I am pretty girly, and whatever you are is just fine with me.