The purpose of the Wednesday Warrior project is to elevate those that have impacted the profession or built environment in Tennessee. This week we’ll introduce our March recipient, Kelsey Oesmann, AIA.
Kelsey Oesmann is an architect and 0568r of Design & Development with @urbanhousingsolutions, Nashville’s leading nonprofit provider of affordable housing. Kelsey came to Nashville in 2017 as an Enterprise Rose Fellow, and has since contributed to the construction or preservation of more than 700 affordable homes. She is a relentless advocate for designing more equitable communities, including housing, transit, public health, and resilience. As an extension of this work, Kelsey designed @thegameofrent, a community teaching tool to combat harmful stereotypes and misconceptions about affordable housing.
Before moving to Nashville, Kelsey designed mixed-use and multifamily projects in the Washington, DC area. In 2016, she biked from Virginia to Oregon with the nonprofit @bikeandbuild to raise funds and awareness for affordable housing. She earned her Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech in 2014 and is originally from New Jersey, so she maintains high standards for bagels and pizza. Kelsey also finds joy in cycling and hiking, traveling, being a dog-mom, and spending time with friends and family. She runs on strong coffee and live music, and never leaves home without a good pen.