Archer & Buchanan Partner Michele Thackrah Named Power Woman

November 21, 2024

The firm is excited to congratulate Archer & Buchanan partner Michele Thackrah on being named a Power Woman by Main Line Today magazine. Michele and twenty other outstanding women who positively impact the companies, organizations, and communities that they lead and serve across the Main Line and western suburbs of Philadelphia were honored at the 2024 Power Women Summit.

“We are fortunate to have amazing women leaders in the Delaware Valley. The Power Women Summit allows us an opportunity to share some of their stories and hopefully inspire all of us to reach higher and pursue new opportunities,” said Main Line Today Publisher Michael Reath.

While we think that this recognition would not come as a surprise to Michele’s colleagues, friends and family, we are pleased to see her receive a formal nod for her commendable performance as a leader and role model.

Accomplishments and Achievements

Since the start of her professional architecture career in 1993, Archer & Buchanan partner Michele Thackrah has steadily advanced in position and knowledge; today she is co-owner and partner of the West Chester-based firm. Early signs of Michele’s ambition and dedication were evident during her education at Penn State University where she founded Women Students in Architecture, a group with the goals of ensuring adequate representation of women students within the program and offering support to each other within the male dominated major. Following graduation, she devoted her early career to working with highly esteemed, custom residential design firms in Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania. She became a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional in 2009 and passed her architectural registration exams in 2010. Michele joined Archer & Buchanan in 2003, rose to the role of firm Principal by 2011, and was named Partner in 2018. She is the only individual invited to share partner status since Founding Partners Peter Archer and Richard Buchanan launched the firm in 1996 and, obviously, the only woman leader in the firm.

In addition to her role at Archer & Buchanan, Michele has remained involved in various professional groups throughout her career. Memberships and affiliations have included the American Institute of Architects; Chester County Adaptive Reuse Guide Advisory Committee; Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry, Women Influencing Business Committee; Chester County Historic Preservation Network; Delaware Valley Green Building Council; Habitat for Humanity; Institute of Classical Architecture & Art; Manor Oaks Architectural Review Committee; Thornbury Township Historic Preservation Commission; Township and Historical Architect for Thornbury Township; and the Windridge Architectural Review Committee.

Michele also dedicates time to various philanthropic and service groups which have included The Junior League of Philadelphia, The Daughters of the American Revolution (current Chester County Chapter Regent and Webmaster), and The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (current Recording Secretary)—the last two whose objectives hold historic preservation at the forefront.

In addition to the many achievements listed above, Michele would undoubtedly count her daughter, Julia, as one of her most important and treasured “accomplishments” to date.

Leadership qualities and traits

Michele is a very present leader, spending much of her time in the office and therefore being available to co-workers. She leads by example, setting an extremely elevated level of expectation of herself and openly sharing the means by which she achieves success. Regarding leadership qualities and traits, Michele:

• Is extremely thoughtful and makes no decision hastily.
• Has a keen sense of fiscal responsibility.
• Does whatever is needed for the betterment and growth of the firm. She does not eschew any task because of her position.
• As a design leader, has a strong design vision and understanding of what a client wants and needs, and excels at communicating this to teammates.
• Is open to new ideas and suggestions, giving teammates a sense of ownership and inclusion.
• Works to understand the full breadth of an issue to find the best outcome.
• Is extremely organized and always prompt.
• Exudes approachability, warmth and an expansive knowledge of the practice of architecture. She without exception earns the trust and respect of her clients and colleagues.
• Recognizes the importance of and takes the time to mentor staff at all levels. She genuinely wants people to succeed.

Influence

As Archer & Buchanan firm partner, Michele raises the bar. Within the architectural design and building profession, her attention to detail, broad knowledge, strong design sense and overall commitment to excellence positively influences the outcome of each project with which she is involved because she motivates people to rise to the standard she sets.

Michele’s professional focus is on the design of bespoke homes. She literally has changed the lives of hundreds of families by working with them to build a new or modify an existing home to be completely theirs. The pandemic served as a powerful reminder of just how important “home” is. Michele is also an advocate for historic preservation and works to preserve and grow respect for treasures of the past.

The same traits so vital to Michele’s professional influence also are applied in the various professional, philanthropic and service groups with which she is involved. She genuinely believes in each and is fully committed to her roles within them. She accesses existing conditions and pushes for change when she sees an opportunity for improvement. Then she rolls up her sleeves and helps to make it happen.

Career obstacles and adversity

Michele has achieved undeniable success in what is surprisingly still a male-dominated profession. Additionally, the building industry as a whole—including construction and the various engineering disciplines involved—also remains tipped towards a male majority. But Michele’s talent and her reputation as a thoughtful and detail-oriented designer and project manager is widely recognized and acknowledged within her professional and peer group. Her deep understanding of construction and the way a building goes together enables her to anticipate potential issues, communicate clearly, and facilitate the overall design and construction process. To rise above what at times can be seen in the field as a sexual bias against women and to gain the respect and admiration of contractors and colleagues is a testament to Michele’s ability to overcome obstacles and adversity.

Inspiring others

Michele inspires others with her own success and the humility and grace by which she achieves it. Others see Michele and want to emulate her. The way she carries herself, approaches and solves problems, rises above the moment, and the way she dedicates herself so wholly to whatever she does serves as inspiration to peers and colleagues. Michele is the epitome of a life-long learner. She does not stagnate but continuously furthers her professional knowledge as well as her understanding within her outside interests and pursuits. In the words of one Archer & Buchanan staff member, “She’s inspiring because it seems there is nothing she cannot do. She wears so many hats, and she wears them all well!”

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