Full Name: Stephenie King Harper
Current Title & Company: Senior Associate, Saam Architecture
Brief description of who you are professionally with concise accomplishments:
I am an architect and designer who has worked on projects at a variety of levels, from cabinet design to campus master planning. One of my favorite aspects of my job is trying to create the conditions for success. This begins with giving team members the tools (i.e. software, templates, information) they need to do their job and then clearly articulating a design idea so that builders can construct it.
Why did you join Tomorrow’s Women Today and what are you hoping to achieve as a member of the organization?
I joined Tomorrow’s Women Today to meet other professional women across different disciplines and learn how I can be both a better team member and a better leader. One specific thing I’d like to seek feedback on is how I can encourage and empower emerging professionals, especially those who tend toward introversion.
What is one of your most proud professional moments and what are you most looking forward to professionally in the next five years?
In general, my current employment is a proud professional experience. Saam Architecture has given me responsibility and authority. The firm has diverse leadership, including multiple women leaders – which is a rarity in the field of architecture. I was recently assigned leadership of a large planning project. With this project, I have the opportunity to coordinate and learn from a very smart group of architects and engineers, lead client meetings, and influence the design of a large building.
What do you do in your “free” time? Hobbies, interests…
My free time is largely spent caring for my two-year-old son, an elderly cat, and an unfortunately variable number of fish. I enjoy arguing about architecture with my (fellow architect) husband. Beyond that, I like to read: I get through at least part of the New Yorker and the Economist each week.
3 Core Values:
I should preface this by disclaiming that these are values I strive to, but don’t always embody perfectly!
Truthfulness: I primarily appreciate truthfulness because I find it much easier than keeping up pretense. I appreciate when people are direct with me, even if they are saying something negative. When delivering information, I try to prioritize accuracy over self-comfort.
Understanding: This is relatively simple. People have different needs, backgrounds, values, etc. Try to learn what they are.
Diligence: I expect that luck is an important component to success, but it is difficult to command. In the meantime, I keep working and trying to improve. I try to pace myself and moderate my expectations so that don’t get incapacitated by periodic failures.
Fun Fact/What makes YOU, you?
Several years ago, around 2007, I was ranked the #2 female air hockey player in the world.