Mercedes E Miley
President
AIA, NCARB, LEED Green Associate, CPHC
Mercedes Miley is a licensed architect, incremental developer, and urban designer with nine years of experience in a variety of project types, scales, and methods. She has facilitated architecture works from $2M to $95M with a focus on housing and civic projects. In the planning and urban design realm, her work has mainly impacted underserved or underrepresented communities across seven states. With her diverse project portfolio, Mercedes can communicate effectively across clients, communities, and consultants, leading a strong team behind a cohesive mission. She believes everyone sits at the table. You can expect Mercedes to be a consensus builder and calm facilitator—no matter the stakes.
Outside of the office, Mercedes advocates for the education and empowerment of women and girls through longstanding partnerships with local organizations. She served 23 years in a variety of roles for Girl Scouts of America, on the Board of Directors for Women in Planning & Development (WPD), on the 7th Ward Community Advisory council, and as a mentor to elementary, high-school, and college students on the STEAM career path. Her current commitments include Co-Founder of Home 42, a development company focused on preserving attainable rental units in Chicago’s Southside communities, and as Co-Founder of Chicago’s Parent’s Forum, a networking and skill building enterprise for parents in the AEC industry.
Mercedes earned a Master of Urban Design from UC Berkeley and a Bachelor of Architecture from Oklahoma State University. A transplant from Oklahoma, she has called Chicago’s Southside home since 2018 and now lives in Pullman with her young family.
Contact:
LinkedIn
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Licensed Architect: IL, IN, MI
Phius: Certified Passive House Consultant
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Community Advisory Council: 7th Ward, Chicago, IL
Chicago Parent’s Forum: Co-Founder
Women in Planning & Development: Board Member & Professional Development Chair
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Landmarks Illinois & IMI Annual Historic Preservation Event: Panelist, Lawson House Case Study, March 2025
AIA Illinois: The Future of Work Conference, Panel Organizer, “Doing it All: Balancing Work and Parenthood Post-Covid,” October 2024
LISC/NextGen: Guest Speaker, July 2024
Illinois Green Alliance: Panelist, “Lawson House Retrofit: Pushing the Envelope,” April 2024
AIA Chicago: Professional Parents Forum, Co-organizer, April 2024
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Quilting!