MHM is honored to have received two awards at this year’s AIA East Tennessee Design Awards. Webb School of Knoxville Middle Innovation Center received an Honor award. The PreK-12 School in collaboration with Johnson & Galyon Construction consisted of 14,500 SF of renovations and additions.  The design focused on creating state of the art educational facilities to advance Webb School of Knoxville’s forward reaching educational pedagogies.

Additionally, The University of Tennessee Student Union, designed as a joint venture with BMa and constructed by Christman Construction, was honored with a Merit Award.  The 395,000 SF building which houses the largest auditorium on campus, meeting spaces and ballroom, offices, recreation, retail, and dining facilities, among other spaces, created a new heart of campus.

MHM Announces 2021 Team Promotions

MHM is pleased to announce the 2021 promotions of 11 team members who have shown exemplary leadership within our firm and community. MHM recognizes the invaluable dedication of these individuals to the success of our firm. Over their time here, each of these talented individuals have dedicated their unique gifts to the firm mentoring employees and clients alike through the design process. With COVID-19 we saw all these individuals step up to help our team navigate the situation and continue to provide high quality services. Their leadership, dedication and hard work represent �ѱ��’s core values and mission to create beautiful, functional, and sustainable architecture that makes each place better than before.

Aaron Miller, AIA, CSI has been promoted to Associate Principal. He has over 20 years of experience working in the architecture and construction industry. He is team player with excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills and strives to exceed client expectations on every project he touches. Aaron finds himself often giving back to the community and is currently serving on the board of the Construction Specification Institute (CSI).

Jennifer Bradley, AIA has been promoted to Senior Associate. As a project architect with 10 years of experience at MHM, she has recently taken on the Role as �ѱ��’s new Technical Coordinator.  An invaluable asset, Jennifer collaborates with all project teams to maintain consistent firm standards and a high level of quality across all projects and ensures that milestones concerning code compliance, sustainability goals, technical design, and final submission meet �ѱ��’s standards.

Drew Newman, AIA, LEED AP has been promoted to Senior Associate. Joining MHM in 2018, with project experience in large commercial, civic, healthcare and higher education, Andrew has developed a critical eye for detail and a passion for seeking out new trends in design & technology. He is a leader in �ѱ��’s computer-based design, presentation and delivery, recently heading the development and roll-out of updated documentation and BIM standards. 

Kathryn Greer, AIA has been promoted to Senior Associate. With MHM since 2017, she excels in project management with an unyielding attention to detail, thoroughness in communications, exceptional technical and construction knowledge. A member of the 2020 Knoxville 40 under 40 class, Kathryn is a leader in the East TN design community, donating her time to several organizations, including the AIA ETN Board of Directors.

Lauren Bush, AIA has been promoted to Senior Associate. Lauren has been with MHM since 2016 and as a Project Manager, excels at translating a project’s goals into beautifully designed, well-coordinated solutions. Passionate about the community, Lauren consistently pursues involvement outside the firm, including serving on the board of Keep Knoxville Beautiful.

Steven Whitmore, AIA has been promoted to Associate. Steven has been with MHM since 2016. As a recipient of �ѱ��’s inaugural research grant, Steven is fostering innovation and learning within our firm and community, developing potential architectural responses to climate change effects for at-risk East TN communities. His dedication to finding sustainable solutions is continued through his involvement on �ѱ��’s sustainability team, helping lead the commitment to the 2030 Challenge.

Bud Archer, AIA has been promoted to Associate. With MHM since 2016, he excels in project design and management, having worked on projects of all scales and types. As a leader in document and quality control standards, he has recently helped head the development and roll-out of updated documentation and BIM standards. Bud also helps lead our research initiatives as a recipient of a inaugural grant program, focusing on climate change for at-risk East TN communities.

Adam Buchanan, AIA has been promoted to Associate.   As part of our design team since 2016, Adam has worked on a diverse portfolio of projects. He is dedicated to fostering the development of sustainable design processes to meet the 2030 Challenge, chairing the MHM sustainability committee.  He is also collaborating with our research team, as part of �ѱ��’s inaugural research grant program, to develop architectural responses to climate change effects for at-risk East TN communities. 

Taylor Odom, NCIDQ has been promoted to Associate. Taylor Odom has been with MHM since 2016 and is a skilled and creative interior designer who has provided Interior Design services for many high profile projects, including UTK’s New Student Union, Zeanah Engineering Complex, Mossman Science Laboratory, and the City of Knoxville Public Safety Complex. Along with her digital graphics and visual representation skills, Taylor artfully conveys her designs to clients and builds consensus effectively.  

Alli Montgomery, AIA has been promoted to Associate. Alli joined MHM in 2017, and has over 5 years of professional experience in all phases of design on a variety of projects, with a focus on K-12 education. Alli rounds out her professional service by serving on the AIA State of Tennessee and AIA East Tennessee Board of Directors and is the committee chair for Emerging Professionals.  She is also on the East Tennessee Design Center Board and recently chaired the 2021 East Tennessee Design Center Gala.

Lauren Lucchesi, IIDA, LEED AP has been promoted to Associate. Lauren is a Senior Interior Designer and has fifteen years of professional experience working on all aspects of a project. Lauren has been able to work on a variety of project types from high-end commercial and residential to non-profits, which has given her a true understanding of how to listen and translate ideas into experiences while working within budget and time constraints.  In addition to her dedication to design, her mentorship of younger interiors staff has been invaluable to the success of our interior design program.

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The MHM team is guided by an approach to the delivery of planning and design services that has been developed over the 55-year span of its practice. �ѱ��’s collaborative effort between the design team and the client is paramount to the success of a project. The MHM approach is based upon our belief in the clarity of process, commitment to comprehensive documentation, and dedication to taking responsibility for the project from beginning to end. This design process, balanced by research, observation, and introspection, yields the best results when conducted through work sessions. MHM is dedicated to enhancing a client’s culture, image, and brand while balancing a project’s complex parameters. For more information, visit .

Several of �ѱ��’s team members exhibited work at the annual Art Salon. As part of National Architecture Week, the “First Friday pop-up gallery celebrates the vast range of original works of art created by architects and related professionals in East Tennessee.”

�ѱ��’s Michelle Benjamin is part of our Interior Design team and has an extensive art background, which includes abstract painting. Michelle exhibited two new pieces, “Reckoning” (above) and “Distant”. MHM Architect, Adam Buchanan exhibited his handmade banjos (above). Each piece is thoughtfully crafted from natural materials including gourds.

At MHM we pride ourselves on our team’s diverse creative backgrounds and interests outside of architecture. These artistic pursuits offer unique perspectives and critical thinking tools that inform our design process and the final spaces we create.

At MHM, we recognize the importance of being involved in improving our community.  We encourage employees to get involved in organizations they are passionate about by volunteering their time and resources.  One such organization, Center, is at the center of this year’s MHM installation.  The mission of Wesley House is to “empower and serve the Mechanicsville, Lonsdale and Beaumont communities in Knoxville, TN by providing high-quality, affordable, and accessible childcare, social connection in the senior citizen population, and fulfilling the emerging needs of the 37921 zip code”

PARK(ing) Day is an annual event that challenges us to re-imagine the use of downtown street parking to host a variety of uses, including architecture, that engage with the community and challenge our preconceived notions of how public space can be used.  Working with Wesley House Knoxville, our team developed an imaginative play space and arts and crafts activities that will be donated to Wesley House after this year’s event.  The MHM team was delighted to not only support Wesley House, but also to take home the 2021 Award for Best Overall Installation.

MHM was once again recognized as an We are proud to have been recognized for this award since its inception in 2017 and will continue to offer exemplary support and opportunities for Emerging Professionals to grow in our profession.