003: Cynthia Kracauer: Speaking Up, Leading, and Connecting
On today’s Architectette podcast we welcome Cynthia Kracauer. Cynthia is the Executive Director of the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation. She is also an architect and has had a fascinating career working for a starchitect, leading architecture firms as a partner, and serving as the managing director of AIA NY. She is at the forefront of advocacy for women in architecture.
Please note a potential #triggerwarning. During the podcast, we discuss themes of sexual harassment.
We talk about:
- How childhood crafting led Cynthia to architecture school.
- The challenges and cultural nuances of being a member of one of the first co-ed classes at Princeton.
- How an early career experience led Cynthia to do what she does today: advocating for women in architecture.
- The most surprising part of having a baby and how it altered her career trajectory.
- When being a principal wasn’t what she thought it would be, especially after losing a large portion of her FDNY clients on 9/11.
- Transitioning to working for AIA NY and later, the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation.
- Cynthia's tips for how to succeed as an architect
Links:
Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation: https://bwaf.org/
Keep the Damned Women Out: https://bookshop.org/a/91133/9780691172996
Gabrielle Esperdy Article, "...Architectress...": https://placesjournal.org/article/the-incredible-true-adventures-of-the-architectress-in-america/
Susana Torre Articles: http://www.susanatorre.net/
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Music by AlexGrohl from Pixabay.
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