DIG names Bather managing principal Queens office

Queens, NY — DIG Architecture (DIG) has announced that Suzette Bather has joined the firm as managing principal in charge of its Queens office. Her appointment marks an important milestone for DIG as the firm continues expanding its presence throughout the Greater New York City Metro area following the full integration of Graf & Lewent Architects LLC into the DIG brand and platform.

In her new leadership role, Bather will oversee the strategic growth and direction of the Queens office while helping to strengthen DIG’s position across NYC and the surrounding metropolitan region. She will focus on cultivating strategic partnerships, expanding business opportunities and building upon the established expertise within the NY team across existing and new studio sectors. These include transportation, education, healthcare and civic development.

Bather added that she is particularly focused on helping the firm establish new partnerships throughout the aviation and transportation sectors while also creating opportunities for workforce development and community engagement.

Bather brings more than two decades of experience spanning business development, supplier diversity, real estate development, aviation and public-sector leadership. Most recently, she served as program director for business diversity at the Port Authority of NY and NJ, where she helped advance diversity and inclusion initiatives across major airport redevelopment projects, including the $19 billion transformation of John F. Kennedy International Airport.

During her tenure with the Port Authority, she also created the Institute of Concessions, an innovative aviation-industry program designed to help small businesses develop the tools, knowledge and connections needed to grow, succeed and be awarded airport in-terminal concessions opportunities.

Before joining the Port Authority, Bather held leadership roles with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises and the New York Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery, where she developed programs that significantly expanded opportunities for minority-, women- and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.

In addition to her professional work, Bather is actively involved in several nonprofit and community-focused initiatives, including the ACE Health Foundation’s ACE Global Leaders of Excellence Network, the Lincoln Terrace Tennis Association and the Caribbean Health and Wellness Foundation.

She holds an MBA in finance and strategy from Pace University, an executive certificate from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Binghamton University. She is also a licensed real estate broker and developer.