Updated: March 14, 2007

Women's History Month – Vilhelmina Guthrie

For Vilhelmina Guthrie, family is inspiration. Watching her father build their home brick by brick as a young child fostered her early predilection for architecture. Her father’s scrupulous attention to detail and her mother’s belief in education and independence guide her current work as Project Manager for DEP.

In this role, Vilhelmina is responsible for the comprehensive oversight of several DEP projects, and ensures that all work fulfills DEP’s own standards as well as its commitment to the public. Vilhelmina is particularly interested in the aesthetic character of a project, and recognizes that this aspect defines DEP’s public image.

As a registered New York State architect, Vilhelmina has received many awards, including the Mayor’s Honorable Mention for Art, the VEACNY 1st Prize for Architectural Design and the Award for Excellence in Design as a member of DEP’s Shaft 21 Superstructure. She has also enjoyed the signal honor of having her work shown at the Salmagundi Art Club at NYU.

Outside of her professional life, Vilhelmina enjoys a broad range of activities including watercolors, photography, traveling, listening to Joe Frank’s NPR monologues and several outdoor sports. She cites Da Vinci, Ayn Rand, Oprah Winfrey, Marie Curie and others as important inspirations in her life and thanks her husband Michael for his continued support of her creative endeavors.

Drawing from these inspirations and her rich professional life, Vilhelmina’s advice to future generations is to “do everything wholeheartedly and with great pride. Live each day as if it was your last. Be kind and respectful. Always make room for a smile.”