HDR Hires Whitney Swanson as Office Principal
Swanson brings multidisciplinary expertise, a vision for regional growth and collaboration to HDR and Tennessee
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (July 29, 2025) — HDR, a leading professional services firm specializing in engineering, architecture, environmental, and construction services, announces the addition of Whitney Swanson as office principal in its Brentwood, TN office.
As office principal, Swanson will lead and support the office of multidisciplinary professionals, fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture, and driving strategic growth across the region. She is deeply committed to building strong, interconnected teams and cultivating a culture of excellence. She also champions sustainable, inclusive design practices rooted in community development and impact.
Swanson has previously led a wide range of projects, from small to mega. She was most recently at Gensler managing a multi-national team on a major $12 billion data center campus. Before that, Swanson was a Project Manager at HDR and worked at Alan Ford Architects PC, Seabold Architectural Studio PC, Midtown Partners Inc., and Mississippi State University’s Jackson Community Design Center.
“I am excited to take on this new role as office principal at HDR’s Brentwood office,” said Swanson. “My goals include strengthening cross-sector collaboration, mentoring emerging leaders, and expanding our portfolio through innovative, client-driven strategies. I’m also focused on reinforcing HDR’s reputation for excellence and empowering our teams to thrive.”
An NCARB-certified Architect, Swanson comes to Tennessee with a Bachelor of Architecture from Mississippi State University and nearly 20 years of experience leading high-impact projects across civic, education, transportation, healthcare, and data center sectors. She began in Mississippi working on sustainable development strategies for mid-sized cities, and from there spanning architecture, planning, community development, and construction.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Whitney back to HDR in this leadership role,” said Kyle Guthrie, HDR’s regional manager for Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. “Her depth of experience across sectors, combined with her passion for community-focused design and involvement, makes her the ideal leader for our Brentwood office. Whitney brings not just technical excellence, but a vision for how design can elevate both our projects and our community.”
About HDR
HDR is a 100% employee-owned professional services firm. Founded over a century ago to bring electricity to a changing world, we are a global company specializing in architecture, engineering, environmental and construction services. Our success in the built and natural environments continues as we collaborate to solve our clients’ and communities’ most complex challenges.
HDR’s Brentwood, Tennessee office delivers innovative design, engineering, construction, environmental, program management, and strategic communication services that impact markets such as multi-modal transportation, water, levees, dams, power, building engineering, maintenance facilities, and resources. Some of our most notable current projects include program management for the development of the East Bank, servicing TDOT’s General Engineering Contract, restoration of the historic 8th Avenue Reservoir, development and support of Nashville’s Choose How You Move program and managing Silicon Ranch Owner’s Engineering Program.
