Celebrating Mentoring this International Women’s Day

This International Women’s Day we’re celebrating the achievements of HTA’s women. We’ve asked some of the team to share their journey into architecture and the strong women who have supported them along the way.

Eleni Stathi and Bianca Baidoo have had a mentor/mentee relationship for the last 5 years. Last year they were shortlisted for AJ100’s Mentor of the Year and New Talent awards.

“As professionals and as people we have a duty to give back at every milestone that we can” – Bianca

Here they talk about the value of their relationship and what mentoring means to them.

Sam Elbahja is a Part 1 Architect at HTA and joined us in September 2025 after getting to know the practice through her Beyond The Box CIC placement.

“People come to you and ask for advice and support. You find yourself being both a mentee and a mentor, and I think that’s really beautiful”

Here she speaks about the duality of mentoring and how it has made her feel at home in her new job.

Maribel Mantecon is a Senior Associate at HTA Design who mentors within the practice and beyond, something that she sees as a responsibility.

“Progression depends on what happens when you’re not in the room” – Maribel

Here she speaks about the importance of having someone fighting your corner as a young professional.

You can also read Maribel’s recent article in Inside Housing Living on strengthening women’s roles in the built environment here.