In honor of Women’s History Month, Wold Architects and Engineers is celebrating several women leaders on our team who are paving the way for others. Throughout the month, we are asking the women of Wold important questions on their unique experiences as a female in the architecture, engineering and design industries and at Wold.
In our second installment of the series, Healthcare Principal Rachel Bartling tells about her passion for healthcare planning and design and what it means to be a female in architecture at Wold. With over 23 years of healthcare experience in design, planning, real estate development and construction, she brings creativity and a collaborative spirit to create the best healthcare delivery models for our communities.
Based on your experience prior to Wold, how would you say our approach differs from other firms?
What I love about Wold is that there is not a rigid management hierarchy. The "chain-of-command" structure is not as prevalent and decisions are often made at the project team level. Wold ensures that the focus is truly on building strong relationships both internally and externally.
What’s one action every woman can take to support the advancement or success of women around her?
Every woman can find the strengths of a young professional, mentor her, be a champion, and most importantly, celebrate her success!
What does it mean to you to be a female in architecture?
In my experience, male and female architects are all generally creative and technical people who must wear multiple hats to succeed. That said, I have always been true to myself, don't hold blame, work hard, and continue to learn as much as possible to be the best architect and human being I can be, and that is what is most meaningful to me.
