Influential Woman · Architecture

Mona Hodge

Principal, Smith Gee Studio

Nashville, TN

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Dual degree in Architecture and Interior Architecture from Auburn University Degree Summer abroad program in Mexico studying trilateral architecture with Mexico Degree United States Degree And Canada Cert LEED Accredited Professional Member Nashville Civic Design Center Board Member National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Member American Institute of Architects (AIA) Member U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Member East Bank Development Authority Board (Chair)

Her Story

About Mona

I originally went to school to be a veterinarian and had even secured a summer internship at the University of Knoxville to study veterinary medicine before college. But once I got to Auburn University, I was coming out of chemistry class and saw some students doing an egg drop - dropping something from the roof of a building wrapped in a structure to keep the egg from breaking. That problem-solving was so intriguing to me that I walked into the dean's office and said I wanted to switch to architecture. They laughed at me and said architecture is really hard, that I couldn't just decide on a whim, but I took the Intro to Architecture class and got through their summer option program, which is very rigorous and starts with about 100 people and whittles it down to 25. I knew from then that I must be on the right path because the chemistry classes for veterinary medicine weren't working, but I just started to ace everything in architecture - all the things clicked. I learned to follow the things that click for me. Throughout my career in architecture, I have said yes to the things that click and have passed on the things that don't. That has worked out - I've made it through two recessions without ever being laid off and continued to see value in switching departments to be able to elevate that department with my positive attitude. Now I am one of only two Black female partners of an architecture firm in the entire state of Tennessee. I work in affordable housing, and the majority of the projects I've done throughout my career have been to design and implement affordable housing to deconcentrate poverty without gentrifying the current residents. I have been very successful in that, and I'm very proud of that work. When I look at the body of work that I've done, it's mission-based, it's purposeful, and it's impactful to people. That attitude has been contagious to where I've been able to influence other architects to see the value in pursuing that as their specialty.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Mona

01What do you attribute your success to?

I truly attribute it to my mom. I'm the only child of a single mother, and the hand I was given should not be as successful as I am, but we worked together with resilience. I get knocked down, but I get up again - that's what I attribute to my success. Every time there was an opportunity, I said yes. I want to learn, I want to be a part of it, give me the feedback to let me grow. I would say I keep having a growth mindset and having a mom that taught me to never give up and to keep hope alive. When I graduated and got into the field, there didn't seem to be a lot of structured learning, so it was learn by doing, learn by messing up and fixing your mistakes. I had to have a curious attitude because when nobody's going to teach it to you, you have to take the knowledge for yourself. Rather than just accepting a task, I was very curious and asked why am I doing this, so I can understand the process of what's in your brain, because I want to understand how your brain thought about this so that my brain can think about it that same way and I can learn faster.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would say don't be afraid to be wrong. That would be my advice - don't be afraid to get it wrong and then quickly pivot and start again. I think that has been the most helpful for me, is that I put myself out there, I get it wrong, I correct it quickly, and I pivot again to get back out there again. So it's a different way of saying resilient, but it's also forgiving yourself and not feeling like because you got it wrong, you're not worthy of it, and that you can do it again. You only live once, so just do it again.

03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

It's a challenging field. It's a service-oriented field, so you have a client that has a scope of work. You have to deal with metro agencies, so you have city agencies and codes that you have to understand. You have to deal with consultants, you have to have an understanding for mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, all of these things that you didn't go to school for. So the challenge is being able to understand multi-system agencies and be able to bring those all in as you're designing something and problem-solve along the way to implement something that is usually impacting somebody that was not even a part of what you talked about at the beginning. But it's also so awesome. I mean, if you love problem-solving and if you love being able to pull out of the matrix and see the forest for the trees, then you're going to love it.

04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Resiliency and curiosity are the values most important to me. These are the qualities that have guided me throughout my career and personal life.

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