Studio

Nelle joined MZA in 2015. An East Tennessee native, she earned her Master of Architecture at Tulane University in 2002 before relocating to Nashville in 2005. She has designed and managed commercial, educational, residential, historic, and adaptive re-use projects. Nelle is a LEED Accredited Professional with specialization in Building Design and Construction through the USGBC. In addition to her architectural career, Nelle has designed soldered and beaded jewelry for private and retail commission since 1993. Her work has sold in retail shops in Tennessee, Virginia, and Louisiana. In Nashville, her pieces have sold at the Frist Art Museum Gift Shop, where she has been featured local artist during a Museum Member Preview Event.

Scott joined MZA in 2016 after moving to Nashville from Boston. Scott is a registered architect in Tennessee and has a strong educational and professional background in architecture in design. His professional education includes a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado and Master of Architecture from the Boston Architectural College. Scott has a diverse resume of professional design work. In addition to his residential, commercial and institutional work at architectural firms in Boston and Nashville, his design experience includes designing and installing green roofs, working under the ADA on universal and accessible design projects, and developing prospective residential projects for the City of Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development.

Matt is a Virginia native who has lived in Nashville since 1995. Prior to becoming MZA’s office manager in 2007, he attended the University of South Carolina and owned and operated a pioneering independent record store in Nashville’s 12 South neighborhood. Now that Matt has become a member of the Manuel Zeitlin Architects worker’s collective, he walks around like he owns the place.

Juliana hails from Upstate New York where she received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cornell University’s Interior Design program. Following graduate school, she worked at a historic preservation architecture firm in Syracuse on projects including Main Street façade programs, religious properties, and housing rehabilitation. Music brought Juliana to Nashville, where she joined MZA in 2016. Her work ranges from large scale hospitality interiors, educational facilities, adaptive reuse projects, and residential properties. She is a member of the Urban Land Institute and MZA’s Sustainability Committee.

Chris graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor’s of Architecture in 2004. He is a registered architect in Tennessee and North Carolina, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) certified, and a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Chris is a former head of his neighborhood’s Architecture Committee, where he was tasked with reviewing, commenting on, and approving local construction projects. His past and current design projects range from conceptual carport additions to adaptive reuse to large scale master planning; and he’s been the lead designer or assisted on projects in Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina.

Originally from East Tennessee, Brad earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Tennessee in 2006. Over the past ten years, in a wide range of offices, Brad has worked on projects as large as the Music City Center and as small as holiday cards. He is licensed in Tennessee, an AIA member and NCARB certified. As a guest juror at Watkins College of Art, Brad enjoys the opportunity to dovetail the art and architecture worlds. Be it reviewing academic projects to award scholarships or professional projects to bolster Nashville’s artist communities, Brad finds inspiration on both sides of the equation.

Andy joined MZA in 2015, returning to Nashville after 17 years in Western Massachusetts. He is a registered architect in Tennessee, Michigan and Ohio, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) certified, and a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He has managed educational, residential, commercial, and hospitality projects. Andy earned his B.A. in English at Vanderbilt University (1994) and then spent a decade in the construction industry with an emphasis on historic restoration. He completed his Master’s in Architecture at Boston Architectural College (2010), where he graduated at the top of his class.

Lesley came to Nashville in 2005 after working many years as an architect in Mississippi. He has been a part of the MZA team since arriving and has seen the firm grow from six people working on smaller projects to the vibrant multidisciplinary place it is today. During that time he has designed a wide variety of building types in a breadth of architectural styles including single family residential, multi-family, office, medical, and hospitality.

Ethan studied architecture at The University of Tennessee and abroad in Krakow Poland. He joined MZA in 2013 when he relocated to Nashville from Hawaii with his family. He is a licensed architect in Tennessee, Colorado, and Hawaii and is National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) certified, a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and a LEED accredited professional. Several of the projects Ethan has led while with MZA have received AIA Middle TN design awards. Prior to joining MZA, he owned and operated his own architectural firm in Honolulu.

Manuel established Manuel Zeitlin Architects after moving back to Nashville in 1981. After more than four decades of shaping Nashville’s built environment and creative culture, Manuel retired from the firm at the end of 2025. Manuel continues to collaborate with the firm on select projects. A Nashville native, Manuel received a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture in 1976 from Washington University in St. Louis and a Bachelor of Architecture in 1981 from the Boston Architectural Center in Boston.

Mark joined MZA in 2004 after moving his family from NYC to Nashville. A graduate of the University of Kentucky and Columbia University, Mark’s attraction to MZA came from the seemingly spastic work variety, the opportunity for greater work-life integration, and the joy of never knowing what tomorrow brings. Mark is involved in the community through public schools, having served as PTO president at his kids’ schools for 3 years, and through Boy Scouts, where he serves as a District Committee member. Never afraid of leaving his scarred shell, Mark seeks out project types that don’t neatly fit into a box, and things that defy what we’ve “tried before”. If we have done it already, how do we improve it? And if we haven’t done it, how do we exceed expectations on what it could be?

Caroline joined MZA in 2020. She moved to Nashville in 2017 after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Architecture. She has experience working in hospitality, commercial, institutional, mixed-use multi-family, and residential design for firms in Nashville and New York City. She loves collaborating with local makers and artists on projects and is passionate about contributing positively to the growing, changing urban fabric of Nashville. Caroline is also a proud dog mom to Mila, who loves to go to work and can usually be found napping under her desk.

Originally from Houston, Texas, Britta serves as MZA’s Marketing & Business Development Lead, bringing a strategic and people-focused approach to how the firm communicates and grows. She oversees the firm’s marketing and business development efforts, shaping brand positioning, client engagement, and overall growth strategy while translating design work into clear, compelling narratives. Britta is passionate about connecting thoughtful architecture with meaningful impact, with a particular interest in projects that support affordable housing, nonprofit organizations, and the continued evolution of Nashville’s urban fabric. Outside of MZA, she is actively involved in the community, serving as Marketing Chair for the Nashville Junior Chamber and Business Development Chair for the American Heart Association’s PULSE Board, and enjoys exploring Nashville’s coffee scene, supporting local businesses, and finding inspiration in the city she now calls home.