Strong Foundations

Catherine Tracy Sloan ’96 Designs a Career in Architecture

From blueprints to beloved homes, Catherine Tracy Sloan ’96 makes creativity the foundation of every project. As a professional architect, her designs combine classical elegance with authenticity, leading to a feature in the May/June 2025 issue of Veranda Magazine.

Sloan earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and went on to craft a career rooted in timeless design. For over two decades, she has brought warmth and character to the Nashville area with her own firm, designing classical homes that blend elegance with everyday livability. Sloan started her firm, Catherine Tracy Sloan, Architect, in 2008 and designs primarily in the Belle Meade and Green Hills neighborhoods in Nashville, bringing joy and excitement to all the families she works with.

For Sloan, the most rewarding part of the process is seeing her clients enjoy their new spaces and make new memories.

“The happiest moments are when the houses are finished, the clients move in, and they enjoy the house with their family,” Sloan said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Her intention with all of her homes is to fit them into their environment.

“I like to design houses that don’t look or feel new,” Sloan said. “The goal is to make them look like they’ve always been there and to fit into the neighborhood.”

Like her homes, her career started with a strong foundation. St. Mary’s provided opportunities for her to develop her interest in architecture. After a trip to Italy in fourth grade, Sloan took advantage of every opportunity to engage with art and design.

“I remember an architect coming to speak to us at St. Mary’s in fifth grade, and through taking art classes there and then studio art as a senior, I was able to focus on my interests,” Sloan said. “I knew that’s what I wanted to do, because I had an interest in design, but I also had an interest in art.”

For Sloan, St. Mary’s was the blueprint for her future success as she discovered her purpose and potential.

“St. Mary’s let us know from the very beginning that we could do anything that we wanted. Whatever we were interested in, they said, ‘We’ve got a class for that, or go to this college.’”

Growing up in Memphis nurtured Sloan’s appreciation for classical architecture. Neighborhoods such as Chickasaw Gardens and Hedgemoor introduced the traditions and history that now inform her work.

“I’ve always appreciated the history of buildings, and I’ve always loved art history,” Sloan said. “I like the tradition of architecture, and growing up in Memphis and being around those neighborhoods was formative.”

The teachers at St. Mary’s provided constant encouragement that led Sloan on a path cemented in confidence and leadership.

“St. Mary’s teachers encouraged us, which helped a lot, because architecture is a field where there aren’t many women, but I’ve just never really thought twice about it, because St Mary’s set me up from the very beginning,” she said.

While at St. Mary’s, Sloan built confidence and independence but also learned the importance of effective collaboration in her work.

“A lot of architecture is collaborating and listening. Group projects at St. Mary’s taught me to listen to other people’s ideas,” Sloan said. “The real world is about collaboration, and getting those skills at St. Mary’s was important.”

St. Mary’s also exposed Sloan to different ideas and cultures, which helped her discover what she wanted to do, and she is excited to see that St. Mary’s still inspires girls to take risks and go to new places.

“I think it’s great that St. Mary’s encourages travel through the trips they do. So much of what formed where I am was seeing the world and being exposed to the history and art, and then being able to implement that into what I do,” Sloan said. “I would encourage the students to travel and take advantage of those trips. Get out there and see as much as you can.”

Wallis Rogin ’25 worked as an intern for the Communications Department after graduating from St. Mary’s. She is studying journalism at Northwestern University.

Continue reading the magazine.