In this podcast episode, Tiffany Millner, an architect and author, recounts her professional journey, detailing her struggles in traditional architecture firms and her eventual shift towards a more rewarding career. She discusses the pressures of becoming a licensed architect, the challenges of being a black female in the industry, and her creative pursuits in photography and graphic design. Tiffany's story is one of resilience, emphasizing the importance of fulfillment and belonging in one's work.
Tiffany Millner is originally from Linden, New Jersey, and received her bachelor’s in architecture from Temple University. After graduation, she started working at well-established architecture firms and began her quest to change the world, by bringing order to chaos.
Millner founded the design consultancy AUX Collective, LLC, in 2010 and devoted her energy as a consultant in various professional capacities including - architectural & graphic design, website development, community engagement and photography services, with a focus on non-profits and artist development. To amplify her voice and increase her audience, Millner self-published a book called 200 Something. The title alludes to the fact that when she became a registered architect in 2009, she was only 1 of about 200 African American female architects in the nation.
Tiffany is the recipient of AIA Philadelphia’s 2021 Thomas U. Walter Award for her contributions to the design and construction industry on local and national levels, and her dedication to community service and advocacy. She grew a nationally known mentoring affiliate into one of the most successful in the country by providing opportunities for young people interested in a career in architecture, construction, and/or engineering.
Millner continues to work on both local and national levels, broadening her reach as a social Impact developer and advocate for the architectural profession. In 2023, Temple University recognized her as a distinguished Aluma for her career-long efforts in transforming the profession of architecture and awarded her seat within the Gallery of Success.
Currently, on the local level, she focuses on leveraging professional networks to provide support to historically under-invested communities post-development and provide opportunities and pathways to develop generational wealth for those underrepresented in real estate development and the design & construction industry.
On the national level, she strategizes the transformation of practice culture with regards to infusing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in the workplace and by authentically supporting the recruitment, development, and retention of those currently underrepresented in the architecture profession.