2025 Women in CRE: Elizabeth Peabody, AIA, NCARB, The Architectural Team (TAT)

What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? I tend to get the biggest reward out of the biggest challenges, and my colleagues and I at TAT are fortunate to work on exciting and complex projects all the time. My most rewarding to date has been Alexan Harrison, a two-building, 450-plus-unit development with structured parking, multiple finish schemes and intricate construction detailing. This project was never short of challenges, but through collaboration and effective coordination with the client and the broader project team, we found ways to overcome every hurdle to deliver a very successful project.

What advice would you give to a woman considering a career in commercial real estate? To other women considering a career in commercial real estate, I would say this field can be very empowering and validating. Seeing your hard work come to life is exciting. My best advice is to block out the noise and focus first on defining what you want out of your career. You are limited only by the goals you set for yourself.

What’s a challenge you faced early in your career, and how did you overcome it? Early in my career I really struggled with accepting that I didn’t know everything, I thought it meant I wasn’t suited to this or I wasn’t effective. It caused an incredible amount of stress and overwork. I am still improving, but expanding my comfort level with not knowing, and trusting in my skill to find the right solutions, has allowed me to take on more and more challenging work.

What drew you to commercial real estate, and what keeps you passionate? I originally thought I would focus on single-family residential construction, but I found myself drawn to designing at a bigger scale. Working on large mixed-use developments and innovative multifamily projects has helped me fulfill that aspiration. Being able to think creatively, leave a lasting impact on the built environment, and provide thousands of units of housing across a wide range of affordability levels is very satisfying for me and keeps me passionate about designing and building more.