Celebrating Women’s History Month 2025
Closing out Women’s History Month, we spoke with Principals, designers, and operational staff across our studios, asking them to reflect on how mentorship, role models, and community have impacted their career paths, and the advice they’d share with their younger selves.
Within SWA, 50% of our staff identify as women and make up over a quarter of leadership roles (Principals and Associate Principals) across eight offices. As representation advances within the AEC industry, we are excited to celebrate those women pushing the field forward.
Xiao Zheng
Landscape Architect
Principal, Laguna Beach
“I’m grateful to have worked alongside many talented, strong women in the design industry who have supported and helped me grow as a professional. As women, we have incredible resilience and the power to shape our industry.
Embracing challenges boldly and fearlessly is not about gender, but about recognizing the unique strengths each of us brings.”
Erika Curry
Office Manager
Dallas
“My greatest mentor was my late mother, Barbara Ann Walters, a military wife with five children. She taught us to fight for what we believe in, to care for ourselves so we can care for others, and to dream big. She reminded us that we only fail when we stop.
My husband and I are raising our daughter with my mother’s ways in mind, knowing she will benefit from these lessons.”
Wenxin Deng
Landscape Designer
Associate, Shanghai
“For me, practicing design as a woman means noticing details others miss, collaborating from a place of empathy, and finding beauty in unexpected places. These aren’t just observational qualities — they’re active strengths that empower me not just in my career but everyday life.”
Ashton Williams
Landscape Architect
Associate, Houston
“I graduated with the cheesy phrase ‘bloom where you are planted’ inscribed across my cap. As a landscape architect, I now know only species suited to their environment are capable of sustained growth. My advice to my younger self is pursue resilience and excellence while embracing the wisdom to recognize when your environment suits you. I feel fortunate to work in such a diverse garden today.”
Shuyi Chang
Landscape Architect
Principal, Shanghai
“Relocating to Shanghai pushed me out of my comfort zone, expanded my professional network, and helped me grow. Embracing change taught me resilience and adaptability, proving that taking risks can lead to growth. I’ve learned from many mentors at SWA, coming away with the message that design isn’t about creativity alone — it’s the art of solving problems with elegance and intention.”