Women’s History Month: Redefining Leadership in Architecture and Interiors with Bhavini Hardev and Lisa Haude
To commemorate Women’s History Month, in this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen speaks with Studio RYS principals Lisa Haude and Bhavini Hardev about what women’s leadership looks like in today’s AEC industry—and what still needs to change.
Lisa and Bhavini discuss progress worth celebrating, including more women stepping into leadership and reshaping collaboration, while also naming persistent gaps: credibility and visibility challenges, mentorship access, toxic “always-on” expectations, and the stark reality of pay inequity. The conversation explores what “principal-level leadership” means beyond hierarchy, such as showing up with empathy, building psychological safety, mentoring with intention, and learning through real project context.
The guests also share how their complementary backgrounds in interior design and architecture help break down discipline silos, and how Studio RYS’s recent rebrand reflects an evolution toward a fully integrated practice rooted in storytelling through design. The episode closes with practical advice for emerging and mid-career women aiming for leadership roles in the next phase of their careers.
Meet Our Guests
Bhavini Hardev, AIA, Principal-Interior Architecture, Studio RYS
Bhavini Hardev is a highly skilled architect known for her keen design sensibility and ability to seamlessly integrate interior architecture with broader architectural elements. She brings a unique, problem-solving approach that ensures a cohesive design process and story that unfolds from the inside out. With focused leadership and a collaborative spirit, Hardev delivers expert guidance and meticulous attention to detail in every project.
With over 19 years of award-winning experience, Hardev’s portfolio spans luxury branded and independent hospitality, boutique hotels, large-scale properties, restaurants, historic landmarks, commercial, and retail projects.
As a Principal at Studio RYS, Hardev plays a key role in guiding the firm’s vision, mentoring teams, and shaping every design with clarity and purpose, ensuring that each project reflects the firm’s distinctive storytelling approach.
Education: University of California - Berkeley, Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
The Bartlett at University College London - London, England - Master’s of Architecture in Architectural Design
Registered Architect in multiple states
Lisa A. Haude, ASID, RID, NCIDQ, NEWH | Principal-Interior Design
Lisa A. Haude is a creative visionary known for leading her teams with grace and crafting memorable spaces that blend beauty, luxury, comfort, and a welcoming sense of familiarity. Her designs bridge hospitality and residential sensibility, creating environments that feel both personalized and refined.
A storyteller in her own right, Haude is known for creating one-of-a-kind spaces that speak authentically and celebrate a property’s unique history and identity. With over twenty-five years of award-winning experience, she is widely recognized as an influential voice in the industry, sharing her expertise through her work, media stories, speaking engagements, mentorship, and international accolades. Her expertise spans hotel brands, boutique hotels, large-scale properties, spas, restaurants, historic landmarks, resort destinations, and luxury branded and independent hospitality projects.
As a Principal at Studio RYS, Haude applies her deep expertise and passion for design to every facet of the firm’s work. Her intuitive leadership, strategic insight, and collaborative approach help foster strong client relationships, expand the studio’s design capabilities, and ensure every project embraces a thoughtful approach rooted in storytelling and innovation.
Education: Baylor University, Bachelor of Science, Interior Design
Registered Interior Designer in multiple states
Key Moments in This Episode
00:00:11 — Introduction | Why Women’s History Month Still Matters in AEC
Robert Nieminen frames the episode around women’s leadership in AEC, spotlighting progress alongside persistent barriers like visibility, mentorship gaps, pay inequity, and work-life pressures.
00:01:53 — Guest Introductions | Meet Studio RYS Principals Lisa Haude + Bhavini Hardev
Bhavini Hardev shares how architecture drew her in for its creative openness, while Lisa Haude describes an early passion for interiors rooted in art, curiosity, and lifelong experimentation.
00:04:07 — Women’s History Month | What’s Worth Celebrating and What’s Still Unfinished
Bhavini highlights gains: more women in leadership, technology adoption, and inclusive collaboration. Lisa names what still needs work: credibility gaps, pay disparities, access to mentorship and role models, recognition, and normalized work-life balance.
00:07:56 — Leadership Philosophy | Principal-Level Leadership Beyond the Title
Lisa defines modern leadership as “how you show up”—centering collaboration, psychological safety, imagination, and the responsibility to mentor emerging professionals.
00:12:01 — Barriers + Bias | The Structural Obstacles and Everyday Frictions Women Face
Bhavini breaks down how male-dominated leadership, unconscious bias, unequal access to visible projects, “always-on” culture, and burnout expectations can quietly compound over time.
00:13:47 — Career Accelerators | Mentors, Collaboration, and Building a “Village”
Lisa reflects on running her own firm as a growth accelerant and explains why intentionally building a diverse network of mentors (inside and outside design) can expand leadership capacity.
00:16:29 — Cross-Discipline Leadership | Architecture + Interiors as One Integrated Story
Bhavini shares how long-term collaboration—and working across architecture and interiors—helped her become fluent in both worlds, reinforcing Studio RYS’s integrated practice.
00:18:44 — Being Heard on High-Stakes Projects | Confidence, Calm, and Credibility
Bhavini offers tactical guidance for navigating male-dominated rooms: speak with conviction, choose tone intentionally, use silence strategically, hold firm without escalating, and let steadiness build reputation.
00:20:55 — Partnership + Culture | Two Disciplines, Shared Values, One Unified Voice
Lisa describes the trust and “work marriage” dynamic that comes from decades of collaboration—how shared vision and mutual respect reduce silos and strengthen decision-making.
00:24:52 — Studio RYS Evolution | Preserving the Foundation While Pushing Creative Boundaries
Bhavini explains Studio RYS’s non-negotiables—listening deeply to clients and crafting stories through design—while evolving toward more artistic creativity, bold thinking, and a fused architecture + interiors process.
00:26:38 — Mentorship in Practice | How Studio RYS Operationalizes Growth + Visibility
Lisa outlines what mentorship looks like day-to-day: regular check-ins, principals working alongside staff, encouraging independent problem solving, and structured milestone debriefs to strengthen process and confidence.
00:30:18 — Outcomes | How Inclusive Leadership Improves Results
Bhavini shares how psychological safety drives initiative—team members proactively explore new tools, build efficiencies, and reduce errors—while Lisa emphasizes curiosity and learning as the cultural engine.
00:33:08 — Rebrand Story | From “Architecture Firm” to Full-Service Storytelling Studio
Bhavini explains how the rebrand signals a broader identity: architecture, interiors, artistry, and storytelling under one roof—built on joy, craft, relationships, and a creativity-first culture.
00:35:12 — Practical Takeaways | Advice for Emerging and Mid-Career Women Leaders
Lisa urges listeners to “be a sponge,” learn the full ecosystem, and build a trusted support network. Bhavini adds: say yes to stretch opportunities, practice leadership before the title, and be intentional about skills and relationships.
00:37:39 — Where to Learn More | Studio RYS Links + How to Connect
Lisa points listeners to studio-rys.com and Studio RYS on LinkedIn and Instagram, inviting connections and conversation around projects and mentorship.
About the Author
Robert Nieminen
Market Content Director
Market Content Director, Architectural Products, BUILDINGS, and interiors+sources
Robert Nieminen is the Market Content Director of three leading B2B publications serving the commercial architecture and design industries: Architectural Products, BUILDINGS, and interiors+sources. With a career rooted in editorial excellence and a passion for storytelling, Robert oversees a diverse content portfolio that spans award-winning feature articles, strategic podcast programming, and digital media initiatives aimed at empowering design professionals, facility managers, and commercial building stakeholders.
He is the host of the I Hear Design podcast and curates the Smart Buildings Technology Report, bringing thought leadership to the forefront of innovation in built environments. Robert leads editorial and creative direction for multiple industry award programs—including the Elev8 Design Awards and Product Innovation Awards—and is a recognized voice in sustainability, smart technology integration, and forward-thinking design.
Known for his sharp editorial vision and data-informed strategies, Robert focuses on audience growth, engagement, and content monetization, leveraging AI tools and SEO-driven insights to future-proof B2B publishing.