The AIA College of Fellows Quarterly Q3 2025

AIA College of Fellows

Founded in 1952, the College of Fellows is composed of members of the Institute who are elevated to Fellowship by a jury of their peers. Fellowship is one of the highest honors the AIA can bestow upon a member. Elevation to Fellowship not only recognizes the achievement of the architect as an individual, but also elevates before the public and the profession those architects who have made significant contributions to architecture and to society.

Cover

Courtesy of Tim Hawk, FAIA.

In this Issue | Q3 2025

Celebrating Fellows Elected to NCARB Leadership Positions

AIA25 and Investiture Recap

The College Inspires K-12 students at AIA25

Chancellors Cup Tournament Updates

Interview with Kelly Hayes McAlonie, FAIA

2025 Excellence in Public Architecture Recipient

Expanding Our Impact: Why Your Investment Matters

Remembering Chancellor James D. 'Jimmy' Tittle, FAIA

2024 COF Component Grant Recipient: AIA Oregon: Mentor Madness

The Align Mentorship Program: Group 2 - Then and Now The Fellows Collection

2020 COF Component Grant Recipient Update: Empowering the Next Generation: AIA Shanghai

How do we Grow New Architects? Editorial by Shannon Christensen, FAIA

So you got your license. Now What? Previously Published in YAF Connection Q2 2025

Recalling the State Government Network (SGN): Editorial by Trey Wheeler, FAIA AIA Governance Task Force Updates

Fellow Spotlight: Where Does Your Medal Live?

2024 COF Component Grant Recipient: AIA Columbus: Mentorship2024 Fellows Remembered

Chancellor

Vice Chancellor Bursar

Secretary

Kate Schwennsen, FAIA

Jeanne Jackson, FAIA

William Hercules, FAIA

Steven Spurlock, FAIA

Editor-In-Chief

Associate Editor

Chair, Regional Representatives

Executive Director, College of Fellows

Jessica O'Donnell, AIA

Beresford Pratt, AIA

Stuart Pettitt, FAIA

Muza Conforti

COF RESOURCE GUIDE

COLLEGE OF FELLOWS NEWSLETTER

COLLEGE OF FELLOWS COMPONENT OPPORTUNITY GRANT APPLICATION

COLLEGE OF FELLOWS REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE

WELCOME PACKET COLLEGE OF FELLOWS FORMER CHANCELLORS

DIRECTORY YAF CONNECTION ARCHIVE

Message from the Chancellor

By Kate Schwennsen, FAIA

What a wonderful time was had on Thursday June 5th in Boston at AIA25! Although it’s now months past, the Investiture of the 2025 class of AIA Fellows continues to provide me with joy and inspiration. The “class photo” is my screensaver. Looking at those proud, smiling faces regularly reminds me of the individual and collective accomplishments of these architects; of those who came before; and of those who will come after.

That day, listening to the Jury of Fellows Chair, Carl D’Silva, FAIA, read the 35-word summary statements of all 93 new Fellows and Honorary Fellows, I was both impressed and humbled. These architects are truly doers, thinkers, changemakers, visionaries, and transformational leaders. They are remarkable examples of the power and reach of architects to design a better world. Thank you again to the jury, and congratulations again to our newest Fellows. Several people have asked for my Investiture remarks to be published. Those remarks and some Investiture photos conclude this message.

Of course, there were Fellows throughout the conference teaching and taking seminars, leading and attending tours, and bestowing and receiving awards. The feature story by Steven Spurlock, FAIA, Secretary, in this issue provides a great overview of the various events that Fellows enjoyed throughout

the conference. In addition to those events, the Executive Committee of the College enjoyed a lunch with the Regional Representatives, where the RR’s shared with each other the Fellows activities within their regions. We also had an enjoyable breakfast meeting with the former Chancellors of the College, always a great opportunity to share information and gain from their experience.

The outcomes of the most recent Latrobe Prize research, “CommonSENSES: Standards for ENacting Sensor networks for an Equitable Society”, were presented at a Saturday session by members of the research team, demonstrating how sensor networks can inform architects and the communities with whom they work.

At the Business meeting “Bylaws Amendment 2.41: Motion to amend the qualifications for Fellowship”, amends the qualifications of Fellowship to allow members who apply but become deceased during the jurying to continue to qualify. We spoke in favor of this motion. The motion passed with 99.31% of the vote.

Prior to the Conference there were changes approved to the Rules of the Board regarding the Jury of Fellows. These changes were recommended by most recent Jury Chair, Carl

D’Silva, FAIA, and jury members and endorsed by the COF Executive Committee. Carl and I had the opportunity to discuss the proposed changes with the AIA’s Secretary’s Advisory Committee. The most substantive change and improvement is that the size of the Jury of Fellows has been increased from 7 to 9 members. According to several former Jury Chairs this will result in a more robust voting pool and a clearer rotation of 3-year terms. Rules for recusal for voting on individual candidates often severely limits the number of eligible voters when the panel is only 7 members.

The AIA Conference on Architecture & Design and Investiture are definite highlights of the year, but your Executive Committee has been busy with many other activities. As part of our fiduciary responsibilities Bursar Bill Hercules, FAIA, has been leading a review of the investment policy, performance, and advisors of the College of Fellows Fund. Vice Chancellor Jeanne Jackson, FAIA, has been leading review and revisions of the College of Fellows Fund Bylaws, the College of Fellows Bylaws, and our Standard Operating Procedures. We hope to have all revisions completed by the end of this calendar year. She will share the major proposed changes with members of the College at our annual business meeting on October 16, 2025

Secretary Steven Spurlock, FAIA, was one of a team of 3 former Jury Chairs, (also including Lisa Lamkin, FAIA, and RK Stewart, FAIA), who significantly revised the content of the “Path to Fellowship”. A totally updated Powerpoint was presented via AIAU on April 30 to a couple hundred folks interested in pursuing Fellowship. You can download the PPT here and access the AIAU course here Feel free to use this PPT and share it with your Chapters. Please note that the 2026 Fellowship cycle is open, with Sanford Garner, FAIA, appointed by AIA President Evelyn Lee, FAIA, as the Jury Chair. We hope that many of you are serving as mentors, sponsors and/or references for our next class of Fellows.

Finally, the process of selecting the recipient of the $150,000 2025 Latrobe Prize is in full swing. We were delighted to receive 40 proposals, the highest number of proposals yet received for this significant research award. The jury, chaired by Kirk Hamilton, PhD, Emeritus FAIA & FACHA, FCCM, EDAC, will complete their 2-round selection process by the middle of October, in time to announce the recipient at the Annual Business Meeting of the College. At about that same time we will be publishing a special issue of The Quarterly, a retrospective of the previous 11 Latrobe Prize supported research projects.

It is my honor and privilege to serve as the 2025 Chancellor of the AIA College of Fellows.

Schwennsen, FAIA 63rd Chancellor

AIA College of Fellows

Kate

Demystifying the FAIA: Your Path to Fellowship is a free course on AIAU

The 'Path to Fellowship' slides can be downloaded here

CHANCELLOR’S 2025 INVESTITURE REMARKS

Congratulations AIA Fellows class of 2025! You have achieved a momentous point in your architectural careers. Through this recognition you join over 3,500 other living Fellows of the Institute. I know you know what it took to get here, but I want to remind our guests.

AIA Fellows are recognized with the AIA’s highest membership honor for their exceptional work and contributions to architecture and society. To be elevated to Fellow, it’s not enough to just be good or even excellent at what you do. New Fellows are judged by a jury of their peers on the significance and impact of their accomplishments, on the ripple effect of their work.

Have they made a difference?

Class of 2025 Fellows, your presence here proves that your work has made a difference, that your work has rippled. You’ll remember this day as a high point of your career, not only because of the recognition by your peers and the presence of family and friends, but also because of this venue, Trinity Church, the creation of which was led by one of America’s great architects, H. H. Richardson, FAIA.

I’m an educator, and I can’t pass up this opportunity to share a little about this church and its architect. Trinity Church opened in 1877. It is home to an active parish of the Episcopal church, is a National Historic Landmark, and named by the AIA as one of the Ten Most Significant Buildings in the country. Special thanks to Jean Caroon, FAIA, for helping us to secure this venue. With Trinity Church, Richardson introduced American worshipers to a new style of church architecture. According to the architectural historian James F. O'Gorman, Richardson, "scrapped his first sketches, which called for a classic design typical of Gothic Revival Episcopal churches of the time, and, instead, sketched an unconventional Greek cross plan. This approach represented a radical departure for American ecclesiastical design. It presented an inclusive, open auditorium plan closer in spirit to the emerging needs of democratic contemporary American congregational practice, than to the hierarchical, conventional Episcopal designs and worship practices of the day".

According to Francis Russell, “Richardson was determined that the interior would be alive with color, a decision that led to his collaboration with various artists, including William Morris and John LaFarge. What Richardson wanted was nothing less than for the spirit of the age to take up residence in Trinity Church". HH Richardson, was born in 1838 in St. James Parish, LA. He studied at Harvard and Tulane, and in 1860 began studies at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, only the second U.S. citizen to attend. He is one of few architects to be immortalized by having a style named after him. "Richardsonian Romanesque". His designs triggered a decade of Romanesque Revival in America, and had a significant impact on the Chicago School of Architecture and its pioneering skyscraper designs.

In 1867 he was advanced to Fellowship. Richardson was known as having boundless energy and enthusiasm for others and for his work, and is remembered for saying, “I’ll plan anything a man

wants, from a cathedral to a chicken coop. That’s the way I make my living.” He died in 1886 at the age of 47. On his last day, he signed an informal will directing his three assistants to carry on the business, which today is the well-respected 150-yearyoung firm, Shepley Bulfinch.

Richardson’s career was short, and the number of his works was small compared with the attention they attracted and the influence he left behind him. Like today’s new Fellows, there is no question that his work had a ripple effect, through:

• Design innovation in Trinity Church and the Richardsonian Romanesque style;

• Practice innovation in the establishment of his atelier in Brookline, and the planned transition of his firm beyond his passing;

• And practice culture innovation in mentorship and collaboration with builders, artists, and craftspeople, helping shape the careers of many.

Class of 2025, each of you have been recognized as a leader of the profession of architecture, but you’re not done yet. This Investiture should be seen not as a lifetime achievement award, but as your commencement into the next phase of your professional life, advancing the profession, and taking on your new role in the College of Fellows. We look forward to your assistance in advancing the missions of the College: Advising others to aspire to Fellowship; Mentoring young architects; Supporting research efforts; And helping to sustain the College so that our legacy continues well into the future.

It is customary for the Chancellor to conclude this program by issuing a charge to the new class. My charge to you, 2025 Fellows, learns from H H Richardson and this church.

• Be an enthusiastic innovator in advancing the profession of architecture.

• Be a mentor and teacher.

• Be a collaborator who helps shape the careers of others.

• Settle for nothing less than “the spirit of the age”, whatever that may be.

• And as you work on anything and everything from a cathedral to a chicken coop, continue to make ripples.

Congratulations again on your outstanding accomplishments. You are valued members of the AIA College of Fellows.

Chancellor Schwennsen, FAIA delivering her Investiture remarks inside Trinity Church. Photo Credit: AIA.

Announcements

The American Institute of Architects College of Fellows

Path to Fellowship

RESEARCH UPDATES

The process of selecting the recipient of the $150,000 2025 Latrobe Prize is underway. 40 proposals were submitted, the highest number of proposals yet received for this significant research award, this year focused on “Architecture’s Contributions to Human Health”. The jury, chaired by Kirk Hamilton, PhD, Emeritus FAIA & FACHA, FCCM, EDAC, will complete their 2-round selection process by the middle of October, in time to announce the recipient at the Annual Business Meeting of the College.

MENTORSHIP HIGHLIGHTS

AIA Chicago's Bridge Mentorship Program recently hosted 150 alumni for a 15th year reunion celebration, a three-hour "progressive" event with appetizers, dinner and drinks at the Bosch/Gaggenau showroom and dessert/drinks at Haworth. The second part of the evening included awards for long-standing mentors as well as a 15 foot long pinup of the entire genealogy of Chicago Architecture firms from the 1800s to 2012- with plenty of pens for attendees to help (Photo by Carl Sergio, AIA.)

WAYS TO ENGAGE

Our 2025 COF Annual Business Meeting will be held virtually on October 16, 2024, starting at 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada).

There is no formal registration, so please add this information to your calendar today!

aia.zoom.us/j/87144943806

Meeting ID: 871 4494 3806

FELLOW SPOTLIGHTS

In episode 616, Mark R. LePage sits down with Jim Zack, FAIA an accomplished architect and master craftsman, and Je’Nen Chastain, a business strategist and creative entrepreneur, to explore the path to achieving AIA fellowship as an architect in a small firm.

Listen to the podcast now!

FELLOWSHIP CANDIDATES - TAKE NOTE

Get an overview and best practices for the Fellowship application directly from the Chair of the 2026 Jury of Fellows.

Fore more information about applying for Fellowship, visit aia.org/design-excellence/awards/fellowship

Fellowship Submissions are open for the class of 2026 - apply by October 8, 2025

REGIONAL UPDATES

The Michigan Fellows launched an ad campaign for the Fellows Fund for Equity (F2E) grant through the Michigan Architectural Foundation to the AIA Michigan component chapters to raise awareness of the applications process to apply for the grant. The applications are due September 15. The grant is for recently licensed architects practicing in Michigan that have outstanding student loan debt and are from underrepresented populations in the profession. This year’s grant is $4,500.00.

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTORS

The COF Executive Committee and editorial team invite you to contribute to upcoming editions of the Quarterly. We welcome the submissions of relevant content that aligns with our theme for each issue (Q4: Research).

For more information visit: https://forms.gle/mbByMsDeyAC565a58

Celebrating Fellows Elected to NCARB Leadership Positions

Congratulations to our Fellows who are continuing to make an impact on society through their leadership roles with the National Council ofArchitectural Registration Boards!

Edward T. Marley, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP

Marley of Tucson, Arizona, was elected as FY26 President of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) during the organization’s annual meeting on June 21, 2025, in Scottsdale, Arizona. With over four decades of experience in healthcare, hospitality, and educational design, Marley is passionate about leading the organization through the next year. During his presidency, Marley will lead the organization through a transitional period as its programs and services evolve within NCARB’s ongoing Pathways to Practice initiative, which aims to modernize the architectural licensure process.

Miguel A. Rodriguez, FAIA, NCARB, NOMA

Rodriguez, of Coral Gables, Florida, was elected FY26 Secretary/Treasurer of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) during the organization’s annual meeting. Rodriguez brings strong financial stewardship and operational expertise to the executive team. Rodriguez’s involvement with NCARB began in 2002, when he was first appointed to the Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design. During his tenure on the board, he has served a term as the board’s chair, as well as on several of the board’s committees.

Catherine C. Morrison, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C

Morrison, of Charlotte, North Carolina, has been elected Director for Region 3 of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB)’s Board during the organization’s annual meeting. A seasoned leader in sustainable design and licensure, Morrison will bring new perspectives to the national board. She has served on several NCARB committees, including the Regional Realignment Work Group, the Governance Work Group, the Experience Committee, and the Strategic Focus Group.

AIA25 Recap

By Steven Spurlock, FAIA

Conference Activities for the Fellows:

Following the successful changes in 2024, Thursday was again the centerpiece at the Conference for the College of Fellows.

Fellows Luncheon:

Thursday’s activities started with the New Fellows lunch which was a combination sit-down lunch and networking event held in the Conference Hotel. Attendees, well over 200, included most of the new Fellows, many former Chancellors, former Presidents, AIA President Evelyn Lee, FAIA, AIA President elect Illya Azaroff, FAIA, AIA Interim EVP Stephen Ayers, FAIA, current Fellows, guests and family members. The seating was assigned to place the new Fellows in alphabetical order with some current Fellows at each table to stimulate conversation and make the “newbies” feel welcome and belonging to the College.

Chancellor Schwennsen delivered welcoming remarks with a reminder that this was not a business

meeting, that will be held virtually in October, but a celebration of the new Fellows and Fellowship, both the upper- and lower-case meanings. After the introductions, Kate took a few minutes to update the group on the current activities of the College. Highlights include the 2025 Latrobe Prize which is now $150,000, component grant programs, various mentoring programs, YAF activities and ongoing COF communications.

This was also not an instructional meeting. The ExCom held a virtual preparatory meeting with the new Fellows in May to provide instructions about the Conference and Investiture. The virtual meeting was a big success and will become an annual event following the announcement of the new class of Fellows.

Immediately after lunch, buses were waiting to take the new Fellows, former Chancellors, and the Executive Committee members on a short ride to the historic Trinity Church, the venue for the 2025 Investiture.

Investiture:

Following the success of last year’s program, the Investiture ceremony was again combined with the presentation of national AIA honor award recipients. The afternoon commenced with a traditional procession led by the AIA President and COF Chancellor. They were followed by former AIA Presidents, COF Chancellors, and the Executive

Committee, with the newly inducted Fellows already in their seats. First up were the award presentations for the five Young Architects Awardees, followed by the Honorary AIA award, Rebecca Johnson, Hon. AIA, the winner of the Topaz award, Thomas Fisher, Associate AIA and finally the winner of the Excellence in Public Architecture Award, Kelly Hayes-McAlonie, FAIA.

Photo Above: On left, former Chancellors, 2025 Chancellor Schwennsen, FAIA and 2025 Vice Chancellor Jackson, FAIA. On the right, former AIA Presidents and 2025 AIA President Lee, FAIA. Photo Courtesy of AIA.

Upon completion of the AIA awards, remarks were given by AIA President, Evelyn Lee, FAIA, Chancellor Kate Schwennsen, FAIA, and Fellows Jury chair, Carl D’Silva, FAIA. Kate’s remarks were delightfully connected to the venue, Trinity Church, one of H.H. Richardson’s masterpieces. She built a wonderful story of his work and career and how Richardson, like the current class of Fellows, had made a ripple to the profession and society. She closed advising the new Fellows that they would receive a copy of the Red Book, which includes both their name and Richardson’s.

Following tradition, the jury chair read each of the new Fellows “zingers” as the medals were placed around their necks. The ceremony ended with the Chancellor’s charge and the traditional recessional. All in all, it was a festive and joyous afternoon. Combining the awards presentation with investiture increased the audience and strengthened the bond between younger AIA members and the College.

Photo Above: President Lee, FAIA and Chancellor Schwennsen, FAIA during the processional entry. Photo courtesy of AIA.

Photo Above: Jury Chair Carl D/Silva, FAIA delivering his welcoming remarks. Photo courtesy of AIA.

Photo Above: View before the ceremony started. Photo Credit: AIA.

Awards Gala

Completing the busy day for the new Fellows was the rebranded AIA Awards Gala, held at the Conference Hotel Ballroom. The black-tie event was attended by approximately 1,000 people and included recognition of the new Fellows and dozens of project-based award winners. The Gala closed with an afterparty with dancing and more celebration.

2 + 2

One of the annual Conference highlights, the College sponsored session 2+2 Achieving Outstanding Design, was held on Friday afternoon. Moderated by Chancellor Kate Schwennsen, two award winning emerging architects were paired with two established Fellows for a presentation of their work and panel discussion of questions from the audience. Without doubt, this was one of the best sessions of the Conference and highlighted a core mission of the College, the strong bond between Fellows and emerging architects.

Photo Above: 2+2 panelists Megan Martin-Campbell, AIA, Darguin Fortuna, AIA, Steve Dumez, FAIA, and Angie Brooks, FAIA taking questions as Chancellor Schwennsen moderates.

Photo Above: 2025 Class of Fellows. Courtesy of AIA.

Cheers! Celebration with the Fellows

The Fellows closed out Conference festivities on Friday evening at Cheers! Celebration with the Fellows. This year the event was hosted by Payette in their stunning downtown Boston office. About 250 Fellows and their guests gathered for the party, one of the best turnouts in recent memory. Good food and spirits facilitated great conversations and networking. Chancellor Schwennsen made congratulatory comments to the new Fellows along with some comments about current College activities. It was a great success; the proceeds will benefit the AIA College of Fellows Fund in support of the Latrobe Prize and COF Component grants.

Next up, AIA26 in San Diego! We’ll see you there.

Photo Above: President Evelyn M. Lee, FAIA delivering her Investiture remarks. Photo Credit: AIA.

Photo Above: 2025 Class of Fellows. Courtesy of AIA.

The College Inspires K-12 Students at AIA25

Inspire Architecture at Camp AIA

Empowered by Design High School Charrette

By Jessica O'Donnell, AIA

For the third year in a row, the College has sponsored local elementary and high school student engagement activities at the AIA national conference in collaboration with AIA’s Integrating Design Education through Architecture (IDEA) Advisory Group.

THURSDAY’S EMPOWERED BY DESIGN HIGH SCHOOL CHARRETTE

Continuing to build upon the event’s success in previous years, the AIA25 high school activations had a unique twist – it was the culmination of a design project started at the schools during Architecture Week in April 2025. With a focus on an undeveloped parcel of land in Seaport Square, students walked to a site visit and then collaborated with architects and landscape architects to make an inviting place for teenagers while incorporating sustainable features to accommodate challenges like rising sea levels.

After sketching designs and receiving feedback from AIA25 attendees, students participated in a guided exploration of the expo floor, visiting several booths including NOMA, NCARB, AISC and the AIA’s NextGen Lounge.

Help make programs like this possible by donating or honoring someone with a gift to the College of Fellows Fund today!

High School Students working on their Empowered by Design projects at AIA25. Photo Credit: AIA

FRIDAY’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ACTIVATIONS AT ‘INSPIRE ARCHITECTURE AT CAMP AIA’

Elementary students from the Boston Holmes Innovation School went on a tour-de-conference experience during their time at Camp AIA that included building with blocks and foam dice, learning to sketch with Moh’d Bilbeisi, and going on a local neighborhood architectural walking tour with David Silverman, FAIA. Other activities included book readings and a treasure hunt on the expo floor.

The IDEA Advisory group is already preparing for similar events at AIA26 in San Diego.

If you are interested in joining these activities, please reach out to Devon Davis, AIA’s Senior Manager of K-12 Initiatives and Engagement, at devondavis@aia.org

Photo Above: Group 3 of 4 local Boston elementary students stopping at the NOMA booth during there scavenger hunt on the Expo Floor.

Photo Above: Elementary school students during their buidling block activity at Inspire Architecture at Camp AIA. Photo Credit: AIA

Photo Above: Elementary school students during their sketching activity at Inspire Architecture at Camp AIA. Photo Credit: AIA

Chancellor's Cup Tournament Update

By RK Stewart, FAIA

Hello Golfers! Hope everyone is having a great Summer on the golf course. We’re in heart of the season now and discovering of all that time on the driving range practicing has led to better scoring. I know I can use more time on the range!

While we were in Boston for AIA25 I appreciated the conversations I had with many of you about the Chancellor’s Cup Tournament. A lot of good ideas for future editions of the Tournament came from those conversations, thanks for sharing them with me.

Currently we are in the pre-planning stage for the 2026 Tournament in San Diego. With so many great golf courses in the region we’ve begun exploring venues that can accommodate us and excite our members. Based on many recommendations and our own research five courses are currently under review. Yes, Torrey Pines is on the list. I’ll not get into the full list at this point. What course do you think we play? Especially if its hidden gem you know and love. We can add them to the list at this early stage of our research. We have begun discussions with AIA San Diego’s leaders to collaborate and coordinate with them. I believe it’s important to engage early with AIA San Diego so the Tournament is a success for the local AIA members as well as those of us who will be visiting. Our Tournament sponsors are an important component to the event’s success. We will be reaching out to former sponsors in the months ahead to determine their interest in joining us again. New sponsors are always welcome to become part of the event. If you have any suggestions or recommendations, please let Muza or me know as develop our

sponsor contact list. We are always happy to have additional members of the Committee help guide the Tournament each year. In September we will begin the Committee’s regular meetings as the planning for 2026 intensifies. If you want to raise your hand to join the fun as a Committee member you know who to call.

For now, hold Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in your calendar for the Chancellor’s Cup Tournament in San Diego. It’s going to be fantastic.

We’ll include an update of the Committee’s on planning efforts in the next Quarterly. Until then if you have other questions or suggestions, please let me know at rk@rkstewartconsultants.com or contact Muza Conforti, the Executive Director of the College, at COF@aia.org

Now get out there and keep your drives in the fairway!

Feature | 2025 Excellence in Public Architecture Recipient

Interview with Kelly Hayes McAlonie, FAIA

By Jessica O'Donnell, AIA

Great public architecture embodies the identity and values of a society. The Award for Excellence in Public Architecture recognizes architects in the public and private sectors who design distinguished public facilities and public officials, or other individuals, who advocate for the design excellence of public spaces.

Kelly Hayes McAlonie, FAIA, LEED AP is the Director of Campus Planning at the University at Buffalo. Her work involves overseeing the implementation of the university’s Comprehensive Master Plan and the strategic planning for UB’s three campus environments. Kelly has dedicated her career to educational architecture and educating the public. She has presented widely on the impact of pedagogy on design and the future of higher education. She has spent the past 20 years researching the life and career of Louise Blanchard Bethune, FAIA, the first professional woman architect. Kelly has written and presented widely on her and recently released her biography, Louise Blanchard Bethune, Every Woman Her Own Architect.

Jessica O'Donnell AIA, is the 2025 Editor-in-Chief of the AIA College of Fellows Quarterly publication.

Jessica O'Donnell (JO): Congratulations on receiving the 2025 Award for Excellence in Public Architecture! What does this recognition mean to you?

Kelly Hayes McAlonie (KHM): Thank you! This award acknowledges all facets of my 30-year career, which has been devoted to educational architecture AND educating the public on the value of design in the public realm. When I worked in private practice, I fought the expectation to choose between K-12 and higher education and instead focused on the impact the built environment has on learning and learning outcomes. Similarly, as a public architect, my work is often considered an “alternative” practice for those in the private sector. And finally, my volunteer work has often been considered an outside activity. But my day-today practice, research, and volunteer advocacy are all part of my career and my body of work. I appreciate the AIA for acknowledging public architects and the importance of public architecture in the built environment.

JO: What is your favorite part of campus planning and why?

KHM: Campus planning involves both aspirational/big picture thinking and detail-oriented / tactical work. I enjoy the entire approach, especially the scenario-planning that must occur to account for uncertainty in funding or other fluctuations. I am most interested in how the built

environment impacts learning and learning outcomes, so creating buildings that respond to the academic program of a school or department greatly interests me. I co-chair the Pedagogy & Design committee at UB (along with Prof. Korydon Smith, former chair of architecture), which is focused on creating classrooms and learning precincts that preface the student and faculty experiences and foster a sense of belonging. I really enjoy that work and our conversations as a committee.

JO: You oversee strategic planning across three campuses - from your perspective, what is the most critical element that should be considered when shaping the future of spaces that inspire and engage students?

KHM: For the past few years, I have been researching the impact the built environment has on the student experience and the architectural components that encourage a student centric campus. At the heart of that research is creating environments that foster belonging or place attachment. Architecturally, that means providing welcoming spaces that both inspire yet feel authentic. It also means thinking about the scale of your institution and providing spaces that allow students to develop their unique community with smallscale learning and engagement yet also provide spaces for the entire campus to connect so students feel they are part of something larger than themselves. My colleague, Kory Smith, advocates engaging the student through the following senses: calm, self, home, grace, ideals, and reality. I reference this strategy a lot in my own work.

JO: What is your favorite part of educating the public about design excellence? What have you found to be the most challenging part of those conversations?

KHM: My approach to discussing design excellence with the public is through storytelling. Since 2006, I’ve written articles about neighborhoods and buildings in our area for Buffalo Spree, a local lifestyle magazine. I also write profiles on leading architects in our area for the magazine. From 2008 — 2018, I had a regular series, titled “Buffalo by Architecture”, where I wrote about specific neighborhoods or styles of residential architecture, describing their historic context, the defining characteristics, and then profiling one or two homes and their owners. This series was very well received, and it enabled me to advocate for design excellence to the public in a non-combative or pedantic manner. I also enjoyed the research, which enriched my understanding of how architecture reflects a society’s values and principles.

JO: What has been your greatest challenge when advocating for design excellence in public architecture? How did you navigate your way through that??

KHM: There is a general belief among the public — and sometimes within the construction industry — that design excellence means frivolity and additional cost. To combat this, I often replace the word “design” with “quality,” and I advocate for design excellence in terms of the return on investment. I find that this simple reframing allows for a much more productive conversation, especially when we are going through cost reconciliation exercises.

JO: You are a fierce advocate for gender equity. If you could have a 60-minute conversation with one person (living or deceased), who would you choose and what topic(s) would you talk about?

KHM: It is probably no surprise to anyone who knows me that I would dearly love to speak with Louise Bethune, FAIA (1856—1913). I spent twenty years researching her life and career, and I would like to know how close my portrayal came to her lived experience. I am particularly interested in Bethune’s experience with the Columbian

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo The project was completed in 2017 by HOK. Copyright credit: Douglas Levere, dlevere@buffalo.edu

Renovation of Undergraduate Crosby Hall at the University at Buffalo, home of the undergraduate architecture and planning studio program. The project was completed in 2023 by Andrew Berman Architect. Copyright credit: Douglas Levere, dlevere@buffalo.edu

Exposition Woman’s Building Design Competition of 1891. As a bystander, she watched women clients undermine the work of their architect, Sophia Hayden, a recent graduate from MIT who suffered a nervous breakdown during construction and never practiced architecture again. I would love to know Bethune’s assessment of the drama that unfolded and how it impacted the public’s perception of women architects at the time.

And if I’m dreaming, I would also love to chat with Esther Marjorie Hill (1895—1985) the first woman architect in Canada and Marcia Mead (1879—1967) the American architect who trained her. Mead ran a successful all-women practice and mentored her employees and other women architects. Hill sought Mead out because she could not find work in Canada after graduating in 1920. It would take decades for her to develop a practice in her home country. The juxtaposition of women helping women in Hill and Mead’s case versus that of the Columbian Exposition Woman’s Building design is very interesting to me.

JO: You have been an active AIA leader and trailblazer in your own right. Describe an initiative you are most proud of and why?

KHM: The Architect Barbie project was an initiative I led, along with friend and colleague Despina Stratigakos, in 2011. She and I advocated to Mattel to consider architecture as a Barbie career of the year. We worked with them throughout 2010 — 2011 on the design and launch of the project. I worked directly with the AIA to hold the launch event at the AIA National Conference in New Orleans, where we invited over 400 little girls from that area to the convention center to learn about the architectural profession and the many amazing women architects in our country. These little girls (aged 7 — 9) had grown up in the shadow of Hurricane Katrina. One of my career highlights was taking them through a design exercise to show them how they can rebuild their community through architecture. Architect Barbie has taken on a life of her own. She was featured in the prologue of the Barbie movie in 2023. And now I regularly meet architectural students who played with Architect Barbie as children, which is incredibly gratifying.

JO: Mentors play a vital role in our profession and our society. Describe a meaningful mentoring moment that stands out in your mind.

KHM: Last year, I gave a keynote address on inclusive leadership at a Women in Architecture event at AIA Buffalo/ WNY. Sitting at my table were Carol Siracuse, AIA, who has been my mentor in private practice from 1999 — 2010, and Linsey Graff, AIA, who worked with me at UB as a campus planner from 2013 — 2016 and is now at the University of Tennessee. Carol was one of the first women to graduate from Princeton University and was a mentor and staunch advocate for me while I was developing my skills as an architect and educational planner. Similarly, I took Linsey under my wing as she was learning, and we have been close ever since. (Incidentally, we recently discovered that I gave a presentation on becoming an architect to Linsey’s graduating class when she was a senior in high school — so we have a deep connection). I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the notion of mentor lineage, or the lessons you learn from your mentor and how they impact your mentees. It is special to be part of an all-female educational planning lineage!

Kelly with mentee Linsey Graff. Copyright credit: Kelly Hayes McAlonie

Launch of Architect Barbie at AIA National Convention in 2011 Copyright credit: Mattel Inc 2011

Kelly with mentor Carol Case Siracuse, AIA. Copyright credit: Kelly Hayes McAlonie

JO: Some people say an investment in the public realm is an investment in our future society. What are your thoughts on that?

KHM: I agree with that statement. Our public parks, city halls, courthouses, university campuses, and schools all reflect our values as a society. Visit any town in the country — large or small — and you get a good sense of its current and historic priorities by looking at the design of its streets, parks, and public buildings. For decades, society has chosen to reduce our investment in our public realm, and it shows. Many streets in our cities, which were once tree-lined, are now barren due to a lack of investment. Schools and hospitals are outdated because of a lack of investment. Our public universities are struggling to offer affordable tuition and maintain their campuses because of reduced state and federal support. We adults reaped the rewards of investments in our public realm and infrastructure from decades earlier. I ask everyone to reflect on the investments being made (or not) today for future generations.

JO: You have written several articles and a book on Louise Blanchard Bethune, the first woman architect in the United States. What initially drew you to her story and what was the most surprising thing you discovered along the way?

KHM: Bethune practiced in Buffalo, NY, where I have lived since 1998. In 2004, I was gifted a cache of research on Bethune from the retiring architect, Adriana Barbasch, AIA, who had been researching Bethune since the 1980s. This cache formed the foundation of my research on Bethune and compelled me to tell Bethune’s story — first in the form of short articles, then in presentations and exhibitions, and finally in my book, Louise Blanchard Bethune: Every Woman Her Own Architect, by SUNY Press in 2023. When I first started researching Bethune, I was under the impression that Bethune had not been interested in women’s equality. I have since determined the opposite. Bethune cared very much about women’s emancipation and strongly advocated for pay equity and co-education, especially for women attending schools of architecture.

JO: Describe how unveiling hidden histories has shaped your work? What is the most interesting or unexpected thing you have uncovered?

KHM: Only 8% of the monuments in the public realm in the United States recognize women. Additionally, only two percent of our national parks (or 9 of 411) are dedicated to women and women’s stories. In our collective histories, this lack of acknowledgment of women’s roles and those of other underrepresented minority groups has been coined a hidden history. I’m a founding member of the Trailblazing Women of Western New York, which is an initiative of the Erie County Commission on the Status of Women, to place monuments and markers for women who have impacted our community. In 2024, we unveiled three bronze statues in honor of Louise Bethune, FAIA, (1856 — 1913), Mary Burnett Talbert (1866-1923), an international human and civil rights leader, and Geraldine “Gawo:sid-Tah” Green (19292009), a devoted educator and Haudenosaunee faithkeeper.

Through this effort, we seek to provide a deeper and more rich history of our community. I am also working with the University at Buffalo Special Collections to create a ‘women in architecture’ archive to collect the stories and remember the legacies of local women architects. I encourage other chapters or fellows to consider establishing similar initiatives in your community.

The most interesting fact I found out about Bethune was that she was the first woman to own a bicycle in Buffalo, which cost $150 in 1892 or $5,000 in 2025. Bethune was also a founding member of the Buffalo Wheel & Athletic Club in 1888, which was the second women’s bicycling club in the US. Bicycling was highly popular around the world at this time, but it was largely seen as a young man’s sport. When the ‘safety’ (a bicycle much like the one we ride today) was invented in 1887, there was finally a bike that could be ridden by men, women, young, and old. However, women still faced challenges because it was initially considered inappropriate for them to ride due to their clothing of corsets and long skirts. Bethune was part of a small cohort of professional women who made ‘wheeling’ acceptable for women in society. She rode around town to her office and the construction site. Susan B. Anthony stated that wheelers had “done more for women’s equality than anything else.”

Kelly Hayes McAlonie, FAIA standing with statue of Louise Bethune, FAIA. This is part of the Trailblazing Women of Western New York Monument Program. Copyright credit: Meredith Kulwicki Forrest, mlforres@buffalo.edu

Expanding Our Impact: Why your investment matters

By William J. Hercules, FAIA, FACHA, FACHE and David J. Silverman, FAIA

For many years, the College of Fellows Executive Committee has been asking the questions: “What more can we do to scale our impact across our architectural profession? What additional investment domains should be explored to deepen our mission? How might we fund that type of expansion?”

The Executive Committee has recognized the need for two primary revenue channels. One channel is the tradition of generous donations to the College of Fellows Fund by Fellows. While only 3% of the Fellows currently contribute to the Fund, the ExCom is resolute in growing the fund and have identified reasons to invest in the College of Fellows Fund:

• It shapes the future of our profession through practical applied research by the Latrobe Prize, and also our partnership with AIA around the Upjohn Research Initiative. In 2025, 40 proposals were received for the $150,000 Latrobe Prize – the highest number ever by a considerable margin.

• It connects and mentors young architects to seasoned and experienced practitioners through Component Grants. More than $50,000 was given to ten Component Grant awardees in 2025, most of which involved leveraging local or regional Fellows with important mentorship to benefit young architects – the highest amount reinvested back into our profession.

• It supports the distinguished gravitas of significant career achievements through Fellowship investiture and its associated celebrations.

• It sustains the aspirational long-term career goals of

younger architects to continually reach higher, through our direct influence with the 20,000 members of the Young Architects Forum AND the 20,000 AIA Associates.

• It recognizes individual leaders among leaders who have demonstrated the true meaning of Fellowship with the Leslie N. Boney Spirit of Fellowship Award.

• It holds together the community of the highest professional architectural achievement.

• It creates opportunities to advocate, debate, and resolve matters of professional importance in solidarity as exemplars of our profession.

Secondly, the Executive Committee is commissioning an exploratory team to engage with external funding sources outside of the Fund’s traditional channels, and not compete with other components of our profession, such as the Architects Foundation. Key questions will include:

• What are the critical value propositions that matter to the public and targeted grant opportunities?

• Which external foundations naturally align with the goals of the College of Fellows?

• Practically, how can the College directly connect with these funding sources to cultivate additional financial support?

• With the potential of additional funds, how might the College of Fellows expand its impact?

Fellows interested in working with the College of Fellows Bursar to launch and sustain this initiative are encouraged to contact the Executive Director at COF@aia.org.

Remembering Chancellor James D. 'Jimmy' Tittle, FAIA

By Dan Hart, FAIA, PE

James D. “Jimmy” Tittle, FAIA, October 15, 1927—June 22, 2025, died at 97 where he was born, Abilene, Texas. Jimmy practiced in Abilene his whole career leading his firm through various evolutions in partnership, including the Tittle Luther Partnership, which merged with Parkhill in 2012. Jimmy served as Chancellor of the College of Fellows in 1999.

Dan Hart, FAIA, PE, is the Executive Vice President of Architecture of his firm, Parkhill, which merged with the Tittle Luther Partnership in 2012. Dan served as AIA’s National President in 2022.

Jimmy Tittle had a deep and far-reaching impact on me— long before I even knew who he was.

When I was seven years old, our family friends, Tom and Nettie Wilson, were the coolest people I knew. They were witty, smart, cosmopolitan. Visiting them in Eastland, Texas, felt like stepping into a different, better world. In retrospect, it was mostly their

house that made me feel that way—it was unlike anything I’d ever seen. It did not occur to me that there was a mind behind it. I didn’t even know architects existed.

Years later, in 2010, AIA Abilene invited me to speak. I agreed—on one condition: I wanted to have lunch with the great Jimmy Tittle. I’d heard so much about him and wanted to see what the fuss was about.

Lunch in public with Jimmy was less a conversation than it was a rolling, impromptu greeting line—Abilene’s finest coming by in a steady stream to say hi and to give him a hug. We didn’t get to much depth at lunch. But that afternoon, we drove around town looking at Jimmy’s work. It wasn’t just impressive—it was everywhere: the Taylor County Courthouse, the airport terminal, Cooper High School, the Elmwood West Shopping Center, Dyess Air Force Base’s front gate, and the Abilene Zoo.

We saw Abilene Christian University’s iconic Biblical Studies Building, Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon Chapel, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Baker Heights Church of Christ, and

the tiny Perini Chapel in Buffalo Gap. Regionally modernist homes dotted our route including his own on Lytle Lake—later featured (famously or infamously, depending on who in Abilene you talk to) in 'Playboy' magazine.

What stood out wasn’t just the volume or variety, it was his vision. Jimmy wasn’t interested in monuments to himself. He saw how each project could serve people and strengthen community. That resonated deeply with me. I quickly realized our firms shared that core belief. Less than two years later, Tittle Luther Partnership and my firm, Parkhill, had merged.

By then, as Jimmy liked to say, he had moved from being the batter to the third base coach. He was still in the game— watching, guiding, encouraging. He knew when to hold a young architect at second and when to wave them home. He could see the whole field—because he cared deeply about the bigger picture: the good of the community.

It was only after we’d become colleagues, partners, and friends that I discovered Jimmy had designed the Wilsons’ house in Eastland—that very house that had inspired me as a boy. I had unknowingly been walking in his creative influence all along. It was featured in Lisa Germany’s book, 'Great Houses of Texas' (alongside houses by other luminaries such as Phillip Johnson,

Bruce Goff, Paul Rudolph, O’Neil Ford and Steven Holl). An excerpt:

“WhenJimmyTittlewasinhissenioryearatTexas A&M…hisclass[went]onanextraordinarytrip[tothe northeast,meetinganumberofthegreatestarchitects ofthe20thcentury]. …MiesvanderRohe;…Eero Saarinen;…PhilipJohnson…;and…WalterGropius… Whenschoolwasoutthefollowingyear,oneofhis best friends went to work for Mies van der Rohe in Chicago,whileothersheadedtoDallasorHouston. As forTittle,hecouldn’twaittogetbacktoAbilene…

…‘IwasbornandraisedinAbileneandwe…thought wecoulddogoodworkhere. Thenwewouldn’thave totravelallovertheplace.’ Andsoheand[Jack] Lutherstartedtheirfirm,theTittleLutherPartnership, in1958,andovertheyearstheymanagedtostayput andstaybusyimprovingtheirbelovedlittlecity.”

Jimmy also helped shape Abilene’s cultural life. He helped launch the Paramount Performing Arts Series and the

Photo Above: Jimmy Tittle, FAIA (center) and Dan Hart, FAIA (right) at the grand opening of the Gayle and Max Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center (SERC) at Abilene Christian University. Photo courtesy of Chad Zellner Works.

Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit. He served on the boards of the Grace Museum, the Abilene Chamber of Commerce (where he was once president and named Outstanding Citizen in 1988), the Texas Commission on the Arts, and the Texas Cultural Trust—leading both of the latter as president.

Professionally, he was widely honored. He was a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and rose to serve as Chancellor of the College of Fellows. He received the AIA’s Edward C. Kemper Award for national service, the Llewellyn Pitts Gold Medal for lifetime achievement by the Texas Society of Architects, and was recognized as an Outstanding Alumnus of Texas A&M in 2023—the university’s highest honor.

People often described Jimmy as debonair, witty, a sharp dresser, an excellent dancer—and perhaps Abilene’s most eligible bachelor. But those of us who knew him well saw the depth beneath the charm: he was humble, shy about praise, deeply loyal to friends, devoted to his hometown, and endlessly kind.

Several weeks before he died, I visited Jimmy for the last time. We sat in his beautiful home, looked out over the lake, and remembered our long friendship. His body was failing, but his mind was sharp, his warmth steady, and his wit intact. Our conversation was small, casual, but also weighty. I knew his time with us was short and I told him I loved him.

It’s astonishing, really—how far I came from being that wideeyed seven-year-old, enchanted by a house in Eastland, Texas, to becoming an architect, to admiring Jimmy’s work, to meeting him, to partnering with him, to sitting with him one last time as his friend.

He stayed put, but Jimmy Tittle went far too. He was living testimony that you don’t need to travel all over the place to do it. And because he did, Abilene—and all of us, everywhere—are better for it. Consistent to the end, Jimmy made a generous gift to the College in his estate.

Photo Above: Jimmy Tittle, FAIA, in his office at the W.A. Minter House. The Tittle Luther Partnership moved its operations into the historic house in 1970. Parkhill’s Abilene office has used the space since the merger in 2012. Photo courtesy of Chad Zellner Works.

THE HERITAGE SOCIETY OF THE AIA COLLEGE OF FELLOWS

WhatwillyourLegacybe?

The primary purpose of the Society is to formally recognize those individuals who have demonstrated a life-long commitment to the mission and programs of the AIA College of Fellows with a revocable estate bequest.

By virtue of having included a commitment in their estate plan of a bequest for the future benefit of the College and its programs, the following distinguished individuals are the Members of the Heritage Society of the AIA College of Fellows:

Joseph A. Boggs, FAIA

Ellis W. Bullock, FAIA

John A. Busby, Jr., FAIA

Donald Wesley Caskey, FAIA

John Castellana, FAIA

William David Chilton, FAIA

Betsey Olenick Dougherty, FAIA

Brian Paul Dougherty, FAIA

Harry M. Falconer, Jr., FAIA

Dr. Robert Allen Findlay, FAIA

L. Jane Hastings, FAIA*

Russell V. Keune, FAIA

Ed Kodet, FAIA

Lisa Lamkin, FAIA

Howarth L. Lewis, Jr., FAIA

Ivenue Love-Stanley, FAIA

Frank Lucas, FAIA*

Robert Ooley, FAIA

Burton L. Roslyn, FAIA

Jeffrey Scherer, FAIA

Roger L. Schluntz, FAIA

John Sorrenti, FAIA

Steven Spurlock, FAIA

William J. Stanley, III, FAIA

Ed Vance, RA

William F. Vosbeck, FAIA

Membership in the Society is conferred upon formal notification to the College of a planned estate gift with a minimum value of $10,000.

We cordially invite you to undertake a similar, revocable, commitment in your estate plan, and thereby becoming a member of the Heritage Society. It’s simple to accomplish and it costs nothing!

With additional Members the future support of our programs and long-term viability of the College will be substantially enhanced and extended well into the future. For additional information and application, please contact Muza Conforti, cof@aia.org.

*Denotes a deceased member.

Mentor Madness

2024 COF Component Grant Recipient

AIA Oregon

Mentoring holds paramount significance for AIA Oregon, serving as a cornerstone for professional and personal growth within the architectural community and an essential component of AIAO’s Social Justice Action Plan. Mentor Madness (MM) is a rapid, fast-tracked way to build connections, network, and gain insights into AIAO and beyond, specifically those new to the profession and/or state component each March with a growing capacity to offer the program beyond once a year. This program merges personal growth, connection, and engagement with community and professionwide perspectives. The program pairs a group of Emerging Professional applicants or those new to AIAO with AIAO Fellows and experienced professionals. These pairings allow for geographical collaboration within Oregon, enhancing mentors’ and mentees’ ability to connect beyond the MM program. After the pairings are made, Cohort Sessions include all participants in the program and entail a speaker followed by breakout groups that include cross-collaboration beyond the direct mentorship pairing. Additionally, scheduling in-person 1:1 Sessions between mentors and mentees each month of the program is encouraged.

Grant Objectives:

• Objective 1: Nurtures a supportive mentoring network in Oregon, encouraging collaboration and innovation and preserving architectural excellence across generations

Photo Above: A participant of AIA Oregon's Mentor Madness.

• Objective 2: Expand networking beyond the existing Emerging Professional Committee events and create greater stat-wide collaboration and communication.

• Objective 3: Give a platform for emerging thought leaders to present during Cohort Sessions.

• Objective 4: Provide exposure to organizations specific to the Oregon AEC Community.

Use of Funds

The grant funds were used to support the execution of the program. Specific expenditures included:

• Speaker Fee for Session 2

• Oregon Design Conference Registration (mentors + mentees)

• Architecture Books for Mentees

• Hotel and travel Stipend

• Lunch for participants

Program Activities

Activity 1: Cohort Session 1

Completion Date: 4/19/2024

Results/Outcomes: First introduction to the program and mentee/mentor introductions.

Participants heard from local AIAO representatives about the different opportunities within AIAO to get engaged as well as an overview of the AIA organizational structure to de-mystify state engagement on a National level, including hearing from a Strategic Council rep. Participants also heard from the Architecture Foundation of Oregon, NOMA PDX, CSI Portland/Willamette Valley, and Design Museum.

Activity 2: Cohort Session 2

Completion Date: 5/03/2024

Results/Outcomes: AIA Oregon gave an introduction to their Social Justic action plan, The Immigrant Architect Coalition’s new book was presented and Dr. Ray Chong gave a lecture about the history of Systematic Discrimination in Chinatown and Japantown in Portland’s downtown development. Following, mentors and mentees participated in breakout sessions for lively discussion and takeaways from the presentation.

Activity 3: Cohort Session 3 – Oregon Design Conference (ODC)

Completion Date: 5/10/224

Results/Outcomes: Program participants met in person at the Oregon Design Conference thanks to generous sponsor matching funds to provide opportunities for emerging professionals to attend by limiting barriers. After the session introduction, participants broke out into groups for discussions on barriers EPs face in connecting and communicating with firm leadership and vice versa, barriers in the profession from both firm leader and EP perspective, and what firms are looking for in EP hires.

Activity 4: Cohort Session 4

Completion Date: 5/31/2024

Results/Outcomes: This session gave a panel discussion on fellowship followed by breakout discussions. The panel was moderated by AIAO President, John Flynn, AIA and consisted of a panel of five Fellows, including guests Emily Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA, and Jeanne Jackson, FAIA. The breakout discussions helped address career goals, what the fellowship process is like, and advice for mentees seeking career advancement.

Photo Above: Attendees

Photo Below: AIA Oregon's Mentor Madness Session.

Photo Above: AIA Oregon's Mentor Madness.

Outcomes and Impact

Beneficiaries: 25 participants (12 mentors and 13 mentees)

• Mentors are defined as: emerging professionals and/or those new to the Oregon architecture community

• Mentees are defined as: Fellows and experienced professionals looking to share their wisdom and guide the next generation of designers.

Key Achievements:

We had participants from all but one of the AIAO Sections (Objective 2 priority) and all the mentees were new to participating in AIAO events. Mentees expressed the value in being able to meet with more than just their mentor during the breakout session and the benefit to attending ODC in person (Objective 1 & 2). We had the ability to attract speakers such as Dr. Ray Chong and Emily Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA (Objective 3), and we had excellent participation in Session 1 from the local AEC community (Objective 4).

Long-Term Impact:

Network of a with a larger cohort than just a 1:1 mentor/mentee relationship. Opportunities to participate in future programs and to take on leadership within AIAO and allied organizations within the Portland AEC community. Our ODC session attracted a larger visibility and participation than the program itself, creating continued commitment to mentorship in Oregon.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

We didn’t receive a diverse pool of applicants, specifically mentor applicants. We plan to do more intentional and broader outreach of advertisement in the future as well as encouraging diverse experienced and notable Oregon architects to apply for fellowship.

Some of our sessions had too much content in the first half, leaving not enough time for discussion.

We received feedback that the discussion portion was extremely valuable and frequently cut short. For future sessions, we will limit the number of speakers in a single session and the amount of content covered to allow sufficient discussion time.

For some pairings, they had trouble scheduling 1:1 sessions, in future sessions the program chairs will be more intentional about checking in with mentor/mentees to facilitate one on one meetings.

Future Plans

We are currently finalizing the “wrap up package” for the mentees which include architectural books.

We plan to continue offering the Mentor Madness program biannually in conjunction with the Oregon Design Conference. This mentorship program spurred discussion about additional program needs, specifically for peer support between entrylevel and mid-level peers and more focused program topics, specifically ARE study support.

This program inspired our 2025 Oregon Emerging Professionals cohort to pursue a COF grant to start a statewide mentor program specifically for ARE preparation. This program will be a hybrid of in-person and virtual events with special consideration given to providing firm sponsored stipends for members outside of Portland.

Help make programs like this possible by donating or honoring someone with a gift to the College of Fellows Fund today!

Photo Above: Attendees

Photo Above: Participants from AIA Oregon's Mentor Madness.

Regional Representative Message

By Stuart Pettitt, FAIA

On June 6 in Boston, as is our tradition, the College of Fellows Council of Regional Representatives met for our annual lunch get together. In addition to all four members of the Executive Committee, 23 of the 40 Regional Representatives attended. In total, 15 of our 19 Regions were represented. Chancellor Kate Schwensen welcomed the Regional Representatives and thanked them for all their efforts leading Regional Fellows’ activities and especially for creating the communication link between all the other Regional Representatives and the Executive Committee.

After Kate’s comments, each Regional Representative discussed what Fellows are doing in their Regions for a bit of cross fertilization of ideas. It is remarkable the many different ways that Fellows are still active, particularly in mentoring and leading the younger Architects. That myth about becoming a Fellow and retiring from professional activities was proven false again.

One of the great benefits of being a Regional Representative is getting to know other Fellows better both around the country/ world and in your own Region. If you would like to take part as a Regional Representative, now is the time to consider this opportunity. Please discuss this position with your current Regional Rep to discover how the Regional Reps are selected in your Region. For the upcoming three-year terms starting

in 2026, Regional Rep likely openings are for the following Regions:

• California (3)

• Central States

• Gulf States

• Illinois

• New Jersey

• New York (2)

• Ohio Valley

• Pennsylvania

• Texas

This is a wonderful opportunity for all Fellows, especially new Fellows, to get involved by volunteering. It is not overly time consuming and encourages whatever creative energy is available. We hope to see lots of interest!

Each of you will be contacted by your Regional Representative over the next couple of months about investing in the College of Fellows Fund by contributing. Most of the Regional Reps have already contributed to the Fellows Fund for 2025, and they will be asking you to do the same. All of us contribute to various causes and your support of the Fellows Fund allows the following important missions of the College of Fellows to continue and flourish:

• Focus on Research through the biennial Latrobe Prize that provides practical leading-edge research applications and the Upjohn Research Initiative.

• Focus on Emerging Professionals through Component Grants and the Young Architects Awards Program.

• Focus on Allied Professional Groups – Young Architects Forum and National Associates Committee.

• Focus on Professional Leadership by speaking out on matters of professional importance.

• …and to achieve success in the above aspirations, we need to continue to sustain the College of Fellows through annual contributions!

The Align Mentorship Program: Group 2 - Then and Now

By Beresford Pratt, AIA, NOMA

The Young Architects Forum (YAF) and College of Fellows (COF) Align Mentorship Program is a longrange initiative (think ten years, not one) that connects young architects with AIA Fellows. Developed through a series of meetings starting in February of 2019, this collaboration between the COF and YAF has engaged over 100 individuals since its pilot year.

Through a grouping system referred to as “pods”, the program pairs four to six recently licensed architects with two to three Fellows, facilitating professional and leadership development. This is as much about peer to peer mentorship as it is about YA to COF mentorship. The Align program is different from local mentorship programs that are already established. Instead of competing with what already works, Align supports those conversations by building a ten+ year long standing relationship.

The program’s objectives are:

• To support young architects in defining their legacy within the profession while navigating their career paths.

• To create a vehicle for mentorship and career development that connects young architects and Fellows with peers across the country.

• To accelerate contributions of young architects and develop regionally diverse collectives to contribute more in the future.

The number of 'pods' (sometimes refered to as cohorts or groups) organized each year depends on the amount of member interest. They are organized by focus area (PracticeInstitute Leadership and Design,Scholarship - Education and Research, and Civic - Community and Public) and experience level (Focused Engagement, Refinement Effort, and Defining Legacy).

The call for the class of 2026 Align participants will open this fall. Stay tuned!

Wendy Ornelas, FAIA

Wendy Ornelas, is a Professor and an Associate Dean Emerita from Kansas State University. As the first female in her extended family to attend a university, Wendy has focused her professional career mentoring young people to be more than they thought they were capable of. She believes elevating the work of others in her family, community and the profession is her life’s work. Wendy has received numerous recognitions and awards over the years, including being the first and only female and Latinx Fellow of the AIA in the State of Kansas.

Beresford Pratt (BP): Describe your professional and volunteer circumstances in 2019 and 2025. What has changed, and were any of those changes influenced or supported by your Align group?

Wendy Ornelas (WO): In 2019 I had recently returned to teaching from a decade in the dean’s office at KState. For the fifteen years prior to this I had dedicated my time to helping young professionals weave the teachings of academia with the professional world. Beside teaching, I had been the ACSA West Central Regional Director, and a liaison to the IDP Coordinating Committee; President of NAAB, helping to revamp the accreditation standards; Central States Regional Director of the AIA, liaison to the Young Architects Forum, and co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Council. When I stepped down from all of that I missed and felt a strong need to re-engage with our regional and national young architects. It so happened that a colleague from our time together on NAAB – Ryan McEnroe, FAIA came to an AIA College of Fellows Regional Representatives meeting to pitch the idea of Align. Before he left the room I had signed-up to participate, not knowing what we were getting ourselves into.

While I was still teaching, I had several of my pod colleagues share with my students their expertise – either through crits or lectures. If they personally could not help, they knew colleagues who might. They widen my pool of knowledge as well as collaborators.

BP: What has being part of this Align group meant to you? If you could look forward to 5 years from now; how do you hope to continue being supported by this group?

WO: I have been retired from teaching for several years and still feed the need to mentor and give back to the profession. I still volunteer for our professional organizations, but my heart still has a soft spot for the Align pod we have all nurtured. Three of the original members and one that was adopted have all earned a Young Architects Award, and one was advanced to the College of Fellows!

Because of our continued interaction we have grown close and have found a safe space to discuss hard challenges and issues both personally and professionally. Each of us has learned so much from everyone in our pod – which to the extent it has, has been profound. We all have had different paths through the profession and as such we have a wealth of knowledge to share with each other.

A recommendation to others starting in the program – get to know each other monthly at first, then quarterly, but be consistent. Make the time. In knowing each other we gained the trust to ask the hard questions and knew that our colleagues would speak truth, but also have our backs. The crazy piece for me is that I have known Mike Ayles for twentysomething years, but the first time I met any one of the young architects in our pod in-person was at a YAF meeting in St. Louis in 2023! By that point I felt like I had known them all forever. My hope is that five years from now, we will still make time and support each other in any way we can. I look forward to having several of them advance to Fellowship, participating in key leadership positions in their firms and our professional organizations, and making a difference in their community and with their families. I am humbled that I got so lucky to be a part of this group. Their accomplishments bring me great joy and happiness.

F. Michael Ayles, FAIA, NCARB

FMichael (Mike) Ayles, FAIA, is President of Antinozzi Associates in Bridgeport, CT. His AIA career began in the mid-1990’s as an Associate AIA member and progressed to chairing the Young Architects Forum (2004), Committee on Leadership Education (2008), and Center for Civic Leadership (2012). He received the 2005 Young Architects Award and was elevated to Fellowship in 2017. Mike joined the AIA Connecticut (AIA/CT) Board of Directors in 2019, and will serve as the 2026 AIA/CT President. Mike had past leadership roles with the ACE Mentor Program, NCARB, and Construction Institute. At home, he is serving in his 5th elected term on the town Board of Finance, serving as Chairman since 2017. Obtaining his B.Arch. from Roger Williams University, he was named the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year and served on the RWU Alumni Board for a number of years.

Beresford Pratt (BP): Describe your professional and volunteer circumstances in 2019 and 2025. What has changed, and were any of those changes influenced or supported by your Align group?

Michael Ayles (MA): It’s hard to believe that it has been six years since I first learned about the Align program from Ryan McEnroe. At the time, I had taken a bit of a break from AIA activities both locally and nationally, with the exception of remaining involved with NCARB as the Architect Licensing Advisor for Connecticut and submitting my application for AIA Fellowship in 2015 and 2016. Once I was elevated to Fellowship in 2017, it reinvigorated me to get involved again, and it was coincidental that I was asked by our state chapter’s new Executive Director why I hadn’t served locally on the AIA/ CT Board of Directors. With my past national involvement, along with the composition of the chapter’s leadership, it was perceived that I was not interested and did not fit the local “mold”. That changed quickly in 2019 when I started my first term on the AIA/CT Board, was elected to serve a second term, and then was elected to serve on the Executive Committee.

When Align started in 2019, it was an absolute no-brainer to get involved. Having my early AIA experiences serving on the Intern/Associate Committee (the former and much smaller version of the National Associates Committee) and Young Architects Forum, I wanted to give back to those who were where I was, and maybe give a more direct one-on-one perspective and mentor opportunity than I had. This is not to say that my involvement with several AIA-based leadership

committees were not gratifying, but the Align program seemed much more personal and I thought that could be very beneficial.

Based on the progress and achievements of those younger architects in our initial group in 2019, I would have to say that Align has, in fact, been beneficial and rewarding on both sides … we learn from each other. And when any of us, young architect or Fellow, have news or accomplishments to tell, we all share in the individual’s success. For our group, I think the proudest achievement is that we have remained intact as a group all six years, and have even added members. Most groups I have heard about no longer meet or exist.

BP: What has being part of this Align group meant to you? If you could look forward to 5 years from now; how do you hope to continue being supported by this group?

MA: Although I don’t feel like being part of this Align group has made a substantial difference to me professionally, I believe it has made at least a tangible impact on those who are part of the group with me … and that is why I became involved. Going in, I wasn’t expecting to receive much in terms of mentoring, guidance, or recommendations… I was expecting to give. It turns out that I have received more than I thought from all of our group in terms of encouragement for some of my issues, and assurances that my participation has made a difference.

Five years from now, I would expect that all of us in our group will remain supportive of each other on each member’s path to Fellowship. Even if that does not take place and some decide not to go that route, we are all leaders who can learn from each other. I would also hope that we can add a couple of more individuals since we are not always all available to make calls. This would at least give us a reasonable amount of diverse views and input when a couple of us have a last minute conflict so we don’t have to cancel or have 2-3 people present.

Photo Above: Michael, Abi, and Kate at AIA24

Jessica O’Donnell, AIA, NCARB

Jessica is a senior project architect at Urban Practice in Camden, New Jersey where she specializes in affordable and attainable multi-family housing. Jessica is passionate about creating places of belonging and empowering individuals to positively impact our global community. Through national volunteer leadership with AIA, NCARB, ACE Mentorship, and NAAB, Jessica amplifies diverse thoughts and ideas that elevate the built environment. Her significant contributions to the AEC industry have been recognized with the 2022 AIA Young Architects Award, and ENR New York Top Young Professional.

Beresford Pratt (BP): Describe your professional and volunteer circumstances in 2019 and 2025. What has changed, and were any of those changes influenced or supported by your Align group?

Jessica O’Donnell (JO): In 2019, I had been working at a 75 person multidisciplinary firm called Kitchen & Associates in Collingswood, New Jersey, for about three years. I was in my first year of a two-year term as the Knowledge Director on the Young Architects Forum Advisory Committee and President of my local AIA West Jersey Chapter. As an emerging leader in several arenas, I was grateful for this group to help me navigate through everything.

Since our initial meeting, our Align group has celebrated retirements, new jobs, promotions, elections to boards and committees, Young Architect Award honors and an elevation to Fellowship. Along with all of the feelings of stress and possible imposter syndrome that can often go along with those milestone events, this group has consistently provided a safe space to remain grounded and hopeful about what is next.

I currently work at a 30 person architectural firm called Urban Practice, in Camden New Jersey, which is the strategic partner and in-house architect for The Michaels Organization, a national affordable housing developer. I am an At-Large Representative on the Strategic Council and was elected as the 2025 Moderator, member of both the Board Knowledge Committee and the Governance Task Force, as well as 2025 President-Elect of AIA New Jersey.

BP: What has being part of this Align group meant to you? If you could look forward to 5 years from now; how do you hope to continue being supported by this group?

JO: I was excited by the possibilities the Align Program offered when I sent in my application and over the past six years, this program has far exceeded my expectations.

I knew Abi, Kate, Jason, and AJ before this cohort was formed through our collective time on the Young Architects Forum, but I was fortunate to almost instantly form a similar connection with Wendy and Mike through our monthly chats. It was fun to discover that Mike, Abi, and I actually met back in 2016 at the AIA Speak Up event in Washington DC, and both Wendy and I have close ties to Oklahoma State University.

From sharing personal stories and celebrating successes to offering support through challenging times and being a sounding board for all things professional and volunteer, I could not have asked for a better group of cheerleaders. Whether it is something big or small, the advice and inspiration I have received from the members of this group has made an impact on how I have moved forward.

As I look forward to the next five years, I am excited to see what is in store for each of us. We are all on unique and exciting journeys, both personally and professionally, and I know we will continue to meet regularly to catch up and support one another through whatever comes next.

Photo Above:Cohort virtual meeting, July 2025

Abigail R. Brown, FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP BD+C

Abi is a project architect at Gensler in Washington, DC. Specializing in large-scale mixed-use, hospitality, and cultural projects, she excels at bridging concept design and execution to transform ambitious design ideas into dynamic, real-world experiences. Abi has been recognized for her leadership and service, receiving the 2020 AIA Young Architects Award and the 2016 AIA DC Emerging Architect Award. She was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2024.

Beresford Pratt (BP): Describe your professional and volunteer circumstances in 2019 and 2025. What has changed, and were any of those changes influenced or supported by your Align group?

Abi Brown (AB): In 2019, I worked at Hickok Cole in Washington, DC, as an architect specializing in multifamily residential projects. I had just stepped into the role of Staff Operations Committee Chair, where I began advocating for our firm’s first internal DEI initiatives. This work led to Hickok Cole receiving a JUST label in 2021. I also launched a Fireside Chat series, through which I ultimately hosted 15 interviews with firm leaders about topics ranging from project roles to firm ownership to entrepreneurship. After six years with the AIA DC Emerging Architects Committee, I was taking my first steps toward AIA National leadership. In 2019, I was in the second year of my two-year term as the AIA Young Architects Forum (YAF) Community Director, where I led my work group in developing toolkits and resources that support AIA components and emerging professionals nationwide.

In 2025, I celebrated my third anniversary at Gensler’s Washington, DC, office. The shift to Gensler allows me to touch a much broader portfolio of project types, including the net-zero mass-timber Under Armour global headquarters in Baltimore, a casino and modular hotel for the Oneida Indian Nation in New York State, and projects within our growing Culture + Museums practice. I serve on Gensler’s Inclusion Committee, where I co-lead a workshop series called Beyond the Baseline that promotes design strategies for accessibility and inclusion. At AIA, I’m in my second year representing Washington, DC, on the Strategic Council. This year, I also colead the Strategic Council as Vice Moderator. I’m also serving on the Secretary’s Advisory Committee, the 2025 Strategic Planning Committee, and as an At-Large Director on the AIA DC Board.

Since 2019, I’ve grown from an emerging to an established leader who shapes national AIA strategy and firm-wide impact. I switched jobs, expanded my project portfolio, progressed into greater project and AIA leadership roles, advanced DEI initiatives, and served as YAF Chair during the pandemic, culminating in my elevation to AIA Fellowship in 2024. My Align group played a key role in that growth, helping me clarify my values, make tough decisions, and stay accountable to long-term goals. Their support encouraged me to take meaningful risks, trust my leadership voice, and embrace bigger opportunities. That consistent encouragement has been a powerful force behind the personal and professional transformation I’ve experienced over the past several years.

BP: What has being part of this Align group meant to you? If you could look forward to 5 years from now; how do you hope to continue being supported by this group?

AB: When our Align pod formed in 2019, I knew most of the other young architects through YAF, but I had never met Wendy or Michael. Since then, we have all become incredibly close friends. We’ve supported each other through job changes, retirements, election campaigns, award submissions, sticky situations, and moments of global and professional uncertainty. I could not have navigated the AIA Fellowship process without Wendy’s guidance and the group’s steady encouragement. I know that many other Align pods have dissolved, but I am proud that ours has withstood the test of time and remains strong.

Looking ahead five years, I hope we continue to grow alongside each other as we celebrate milestones, navigate setbacks, and hold space for reflection. I hope this group remains a source of honest feedback, deep connection, and shared purpose as we each evolve in our paths. And I hope that every member has been welcomed into the College of Fellows so we can continue our AIA service together through COF!

Photo Above: Jason, Jessica, Abi, Michael, and Kate at AIA25

Kate Thuesen, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED AP

Kate strives to create inclusive, human-centered environments where people feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive. Through intentional leadership and bold empathy, Kate shapes organizations that reflect the future we want—equitable, inspiring, and full of possibility. A 2023 recipient of the National Young Architect Award, she also founded the LFRT/YAF Future Forward Grant to support innovation in practice, and is also called mom by two of the most awesome kids on the planet.

Beresford Pratt (BP): Describe your professional and volunteer circumstances in 2019 and 2025. What has changed, and were any of those changes influenced or supported by your Align group?

Kate Thuesen (KT): 2019: Professionally I was working in a part time capacity at DLR Group in an architecture & client leader role while balancing caring for young children and my own mental health. I had been at DLR Group since 2007 and had learned and grown incredibly through my tenure, working in architecture, marketing, business development, recruiting, internal program development, and employee development. I didn’t know it then, but I’d move into HR in 2020 and in a role that intentionally supported people through the Emerging Professional Experience Program. That eventually brought me to leading the Talent Acquisition team at the firm. In my volunteer role, I was in my second - two year tenure as the Young Architects Forum Regional Director for the Central States Region (remember when we had regions?) which included Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Oklahoma. In 2021, I’d become the Director of Strategic Vision for the Young Architects Forum, which is when I became involved in Align, supporting its creation and becoming an inaugural member of the program.

2025: Professionally, I joined CannonDesign in October 2024 as the Vice President and Director of Business and People Partnership at CannonDesign, where I design employee experiences, support leaders to align their business strategy and people strategy, and interface directly with employees to enhance their work journeys. For volunteering, I’ve largely taken a break from volunteering for the last 2 years to focus on my new role, mental health, and family, but I’m actively investigating what might be the next step for me to serve our profession.

There’s been a lot that’s changed! Moving from the firm I’d been at my entire career to a new one, experiencing a significant change in my trajectory (architecture to HR), having notable growth in my responsibilities (leading a team of 6 direct reports and interfacing with executive leaders to implement strategic change), and undergoing tremendous developmental and personal evolution.

BP: What has being part of this Align group meant to you? If you could look forward to 5 years from now; how do you hope to continue being supported by this group?

KT: Having my Align pod - friends - has been invaluable, as they’ve been some of my biggest champions along the way. We frequently discuss our career and personal ambitions and realities, and they’ve cheered me on every step I’ve taken. From offering to write reference letters or be an accountability partner in completing my National Young Architect Award application, to asking me to participate as a guest lecturer on professional practice (thanks, Wendy!), to hashing through life’s challenges on a boat in the Charleston Harbor, these connections facilitated by Align have been invaluable in helping shape who I am.

Looking forward, I’m genuinely excited to supporting the others in the group as they’re continuing to grow - From Jason as an AIA National Board member to Abi and Jessica making strides in the Strategic Council, to Wendy as she explores the world and the best fishing holes, and Michael as he continues to boldly lead his firm - this is what brings me joy. And, it’s not just the fun, shiny accomplishments - we’ve also been there for each other through some truly difficult times, having authentic and challenging conversations as we’ve each worked through things that have stretched us in ways we weren’t anticipating. But this is part of why I am so grateful to be in this group - we’ve found an authenticity with one another that isn’t common in many of the professional or volunteer spheres we’re in, and I’m looking forward to a space where we each continue to be valued, invested into, and celebrated.

Photo Above: Jason, Kate, and Abi after the YAF annual meeting 2022.

Jason Takeuchi, AIA, NCARB, NOMA

Jason Takeuchi is an Associate at Ferraro Choi in Honolulu, focused on building the resilience of his local community. In the AIA, Jason served as 2024 Chair of the AIA Young Architects Forum and was elected in 2025 by AIA delegates as the 2026-2028 At-Large Director on the AIA National Board. Jason received the 2018 AIA Associates Award and 2023 Young Architects Award.

Beresford Pratt (BP): Describe your professional and volunteer circumstances in 2019 and 2025. What has changed, and were any of those changes influenced or supported by your Align group?

Jason Takeuchi (JT): 2019 was the first year I was introduced to the YAF, and became the first member from Hawaii on the committee. The history of the YAF and its impact has always been legendary and I had vowed to do my best to represent the Northwest and Pacific Region while serving. Being one of the only Asian-Americans and from a geographicallyunderrepresented state meant that my representation mattered. Due to the overwhelmingly positive experience and not wanting to leave my community of peers, I continued as YAF Knowledge Director.

It was then that I had an opportunity to enter my first Align group with Peter Kuttner, FAIA and Jaime Sobrino, FAIA as mentors. Our group met regularly during the pandemic, but discontinued communication after a year and a half. However, Align strongly contributed to my desire to stay involved with YAF and helped answer questions about practice that are often not spoken about through committee work.

In 2023, I continued serving on the YAF as Vice Chair and Chair in 2024. This role snowballed into so many invaluable opportunities, such as juries, presentations and serving on the AIA Finance and Audit Committee. Wendy Ornelas, FAIA also came to visit Honolulu in 2023, where we drove around the island for a day and got to know one another better. It was in 2024 that I was welcomed into a new Align group, with Wendy and Michael Ayles, FAIA, who have been unbelievably supportive. Having also known most of the others in the cohort made the group feel like family.

Currently, I serve as 2025 Past Chair and have recently completed a successful campaign for AIA At-Large Director on the AIA National Board. That experience was easily the most difficult AIA accomplishment I’ve experienced to date. It was very much a shared achievement with the dozens who have supported me, including my current Align cohort.

BP: What has being part of this A__lign group meant to you? If you could look forward to 5 years from now; how do you hope to continue being supported by this group?

JT: This group means everything because they welcomed me when they realized I was no longer part of my former Align group. I’m so fortunate to have served on the YAF with Jess, Abi, Kate and AJ through the years. We’ve traveled together and accumulated lasting memories that will live on for decades to come. This invaluable bond is why I feel grateful for this group.

In five years, I imagine that we’ll continue to stay close because many of us desire to continue our service in the AIA. All of us will enter eligibility for Fellowship and I hope to support my colleagues in achieving Fellowship. We’ll also all be in very different professional and personal circumstances. Some of us may have kids for the first time, some of us may start our own business for the first time, and some of us may live in another city. But because being diverse, forwardthinking and passionate is who we are, I know these traits will keep us connected beyond five years and well into our careers.

Photo Above: YAF Advisory Committee at Fallingwater, 2022

Abram Sustaita Jr., AIA, LEED AP

AJ Sustaita, AIA is a second-generation architect that brings a rich and diverse design portfolio to DLR Group, with a particular focus on K-12 education design. His deep-rooted passion for creating a legacy through architecture is evident in the success of the design teams he has built and the strong relationships he has nurtured throughout his career. Sustaita’s commitment to excellence also includes mentorship of the current and incoming generation of architects and designers.

Beresford Pratt (BP): Describe your professional and volunteer circumstances in 2019 and 2025. What has changed, and were any of those changes influenced or supported by your Align group?

Abram Sustaita (AS): I was fortunate enough to be a part of the inaugural class of Align in 2019. At that time, I was a Senior Associate, Project Manager and Business Development Director in the K-12 sector of Corgan in Houston. The following year, in the height of the pandemic I was promoted to Vice President and K-12 Studio Leader. This was a challenging time for us all, and perhaps even more so for us that had to balance work and homeschool. Work-life balance is always a challenge but this was a particularly difficult time in this regard. On the volunteer front, I had just been appointed president-elect of AIA Houston and was rolling off the YAF Advisory Committee where I served as the Public Relations Director.

During my time with Align there has been a significant evolution of both the volunteer and professional aspects of my career. My tenure as President of AIA Houston was an amazing experience. One of my proudest accomplishments was to overhaul our nominations and selection of AIA Houston Board members to provide a more equitable and transparent process. In 2021, I was honored by AIA Houston with the Ben Brewer Award for excellence in design and outstanding contributions to our profession. Currently, I am on the ArCH Foundation Board here in Houston, as well as, The ACE Mentorship Board of Directors. In 2023, I accepted a position as a Principal of DLR Group’s K-12 practice in Texas.

BP: What has being part of this Align group meant to you? If you could look forward to 5 years from now; how do you hope to continue being supported by this group?

AS: Being alongside this amazing group of Align members for the past six years has kept me sharp and motivated to excel. All of my Align colleagues are such brilliant, accomplished and knowledgeable professionals, it’s impossible not to be inspired. I also really appreciate that Align has provided a venue that encourages camaraderie in what can be a challenging profession. In five years, I hope to be supporting new members of the program in achieving their professional goals.

Photo Above: AJ and his wife Melissa celebrating at the Architecture Gala ’22; during his tenure as AIA Houston Chapter President.

The Fellows Collection

The College is pleased to offer the following items for purchase through the AIA Design Shop!

A. SMALL FAIA PIN

The small COF lapel pin measures 1/2 inch in diameter and contains 1/10 10K yellow gold.

B. LARGE FAIA PIN

The large COF lapel pin measures 5/8 inch in diameter and contains 1/10 10K yellow gold.

designshop.aia.org/products/college-offellows-small-pin?_pos=1&_sid=66951cbed&_ ss=r&variant=16399195201

2-BALL SLEEVE WITH POKER CHIP

Perfect for gifting, each clear tube contains 2 COF Titlest TruFeel balls, and 1 COF single side resin domed Poker chip.

designshop.aia.org/collections/aia-items/products/ cof-2-ball-tube?variant=43164947972141

COLLEGE OF FELLOWS EARRINGS

The earrings measure 1/2 inch in diameter and contain 1/10 10K yellow gold.

designshop.aia.org/products/cofearrings?_pos=4&_sid=66951cbed&_ ss=r&variant=15331517530157

AIA COLLEGE OF FELLOWS MUG

12oz mug has natural clay variations in the base to give each piece unique artisanal character. Mug is handwash only and microwave safe.

designshop.aia.org/products/aia-cofmug-in-white?_pos=3&_sid=66951cbed&_ ss=r&variant=43153026908205

COF FINE TWILL CAP

Represent the College of Fellows in style with this fine twill hat from Port Authority. Fabric: 65/35 poly/cotton twill

Closure: Self-fabric slide closure with buckle and grommet designshop.aia.org/collections/shop-aia/ products/college-of-fellows-port-authority-finetwill-cap?variant=43454299668525

TRI-FOLD GOLF TOWEL

This tri-fold golf towel with our COF embroidered logo features 100% Turkish ultra-soft cotton velour.

Dimensions: 16" x 24"

designshop.aia.org/products/cof-tri-foldgolf-towel?_pos=6&_sid=66951cbed&_ ss=r&variant=43171128639533

COF MOLENA FLEX NOTEBOOK

The Molena is a smooth, vinyl like material and the books feature a perfectbound spine, flexible wraparound cover, and 100 sheets of ruled paper. Dimensions: 5.5" x 8.5" designshop.aia.org/collections/shop-aia/ products/college-of-fellows-molena-flexnotebook?variant=43451415756845

Empowering the Next Generation: AIA Shanghai's Emerging Professionals Program

2020 COF Component Grant Recipient Update

AIA Shanghai

In 2019, AIA Shanghai received a $5,000 grant from the AIA College of Fellows to launch a new Emerging Professionals (EP) Program. The chapter matched the contribution, and with a total of $10,000, the platform was launched with three key pillars: Mentorship, Business of Design, and ARE Study Preparation. Spearheaded by Jason Holland, the program was immediately well received and has since become a cornerstone of AIA Shanghai’s efforts to foster leadership, community, and career development among earlycareer architects.

The program launched with an event titled Pivotal Moments, hosted at the Shanghai office of B+H. The evening featured three creative entrepreneurs who shared critical turning points in building their design practices: Justin Bridgland from MDO Architecture, Wang Fang from LogOn, and Sui Tang from The Orange Blowfish. The speakers represented a range of disciplines—architecture, interiors, and branding—and offered candid insights into the identity-shaping decisions that guided their companies. A spirited panel discussion followed, with over 120 attendees engaged in Q&A. The event not only set the tone for the EP program but also established a valuable crossdisciplinary dialogue about the business side of design.

Shortly after, the inaugural AIA Shanghai Mentorship Program launched with 13 mentor-mentee pairs, for a total 26 people.

Photo Above: Jason Holland, AIA speaking on Panel at Pivotal Moments

The program served both early-career professionals navigating entry-level challenges and mid-career individuals considering launching their own firms.

KICK OFF SESSION:

To set expectations and offer tools for success, professional business coach Marc Fogel from Dragon Thinking Consulting led a kickoff workshop focused on how to be an effective mentee. Topics included goal-setting, relationship boundaries, and maximizing the value of mentorship. Many mentees described this session as the most impactful, particularly those who had experienced less structured programs elsewhere.

Meticulous attention was paid to matching mentees with mentors whose career trajectories aligned with their goals. Each pairing was encouraged to meet monthly over a 12-month period. Mentor Chris Chan and Mentee Jingbo Yan shared the journey of their personal program and the lessons learned while elevating the mentorship to a friendship. Jingbo said “the kick-off session was one of my favorite parts—it gives people an idea of how to start the mentorship sessions and what they can expect.”

Mentorship Year 1:

Recognizing the challenges of licensure for architects trained in the U.S. but practicing in China, the EP Program organized an ARE-focused lecture featuring Patricia Ramello and Harry Falconer from NCARB. Topics included recent changes to the exam format, AXP hour tracking, and international reciprocity. The session, initiated by mentee Jamar Chase, who was

navigating licensure himself, served as a key knowledgesharing moment for emerging professionals with international credentials. Additionally, mentee Jiayi Hu shared her personal story of the ARE testing process in China and used her first-hand perspective to answer questions from the virtual audience.

As the program matured, its ripple effects spread. Senior AIA Shanghai members became active participants and contributors. For example, James Lu, Managing Director of Perkins+Will China, hosted a Business of Design workshop outlining three core principles of running an international architecture firm. The behind-the-scenes insights—on P&L, company structure, and timing a new venture—were rare and deeply appreciated by early-career attendees. To conclude the session, we heard from a mentee alumni, Pan Wang Huo, from our Year 1 program that had used his learnings to start his own architecture company. He shared his learnings from starting a design business and how the mentorship program helped him navigate the path. This also served as the formal announcement for application to the Year 2 mentorship program.

Building on the success of Year 1, the second year of the Mentorship Program launched with nearly 30 mentor-mentee pairs. Zhang Qiao volunteered to co-lead the progam with Jason Holland, and offered immense connections to key architecture leaders and professors in Shanghai that served to grow the program to new heights. The professional coaching kickoff returned—this time hosted at Perkins Eastman—with a session titled Mentor, Boss, Coach: Knowing the Difference. Coach Marc Fogel’s memorable story about Tiger Woods having four different coaches (physical, mental, technical,

Photo Below: Feedback

Photo Above: Pan Wang Huo, former mentee, sharing his lessons learned and journey to start to start his company after the mentorship program

strategic) challenged participants to see mentorship as a multifaceted, lifelong process.

Participants were encouraged to meet monthly, but also adapt their own schedules to meet their needs. Some mentors enriched the experience by organizing site visits to active projects in Shanghai, offering mentees valuable real-world exposure.

YEAR 2 MENTORSHIP MOMENTS:

The year concluded with a celebratory gathering at Jerde’s Shanghai office, where certificates of appreciation were awarded and several pairs shared personal reflections from their mentorship journeys.

The program also extended its reach to students as other chapter members were eager to grow the program. Partnering with Wenzhou-Kean University, home to the only AIAS chapter in China, AIA Shanghai, led by Chris Chan and Tianle Zhang, organized a bus trip and overnight visit for 25+ AIA senior leadership members to conduct speed mentoring, resume reviews and career development workshops. The engagement with students fostered a bridge between academia and practice and expanded the chapter’s influence to the next generation of architects.

The EP Program has become a signature initiative of AIA Shanghai—one that attracts new members, energizes the chapter’s leadership pipeline, and demonstrates the value of shared knowledge. Nearly all current board and ExCom members have participated in some way. The program has become more than a series of events; it is a platform for sustained growth, leadership development, and community building.

AIA Shanghai is now preparing to relaunch the program after a period of chapter restructuring. With strong foundations and proven impact, the next chapter of the Emerging Professionals Program is poised to continue shaping the future of architecture in China.

The chapter is grateful to the College of Fellows for the component grant to launch this meaningful program and proud to share its success. The impact of the program has expanded beyond its initial ideation and continues to influence emerging designers in the local community through the relationships it catalyzed.

Photo Above: Wenzhou Trip

Photo Above: 2023 Mentorship Wrap up Poster

How Do We Grow New Architects? `

By Shannon Christensen, FAIA

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” is a question often answered with well-known and shared professions like teacher, firefighter, policeman, doctor, sports star, and even YouTuber. Less talked about professions, like architecture, design, and engineering aren’t exposed to younger audiences who may very well develop a love and interest for these and other STEM careers early on in their lives.

The Architecture Job Market Gap

In regard to architecture, as of 2025, there were about 116,000 working architects in the United States, according to the National Council of Architecture Registration Boards. There are about 8,500 openings for architects each year and many of those are expected to result from a need to replace workers who exit the workforce, often for reasons such as retirement.

This is to say that architecture is a field that requires constant pruning, much like a prized plant. To meet the output necessary for architectural positions — which are undeniably essential for urban planning and development, historic preservation, business development and growth, and residential development — there must be a consistent watering, trimming, and propagation of architects to meet the demands of the world.

Photo Above: Shannon interacting with a 5th grade student during The Amazing Shake at Beartooth Elementary in Billings, Montana.

As we know, becoming an architect often takes years and includes schooling, on-the-job experience, and licensure, which further complicates the job market. Those who may be interested in this creative, strategic, rewarding, and stable profession are required to begin planning accordingly, years in advance, which brings to light the need for early architectural mentorship.

The Importance of K-12 Architectural Mentorship

I decided to be an architect in seventh grade, even though I didn’t know a single architect. If it wasn’t for my seventhgrade shop teacher who assigned us to hand draft stacks of blocks, learning the basics of plan, elevation, and isometric drawings, I might never have known architecture was an option for me. Well, there was also the fact that I loved drawing out a house plan or planning out my bedroom furniture as a kid, but other children may engage in these kinds of activities without understanding that this creative practice could develop into an affinity for architecture.

Luckily, my father knew some architecture students in college and as such was quite encouraging to me in my pursuits. As previously mentioned, children are unable to explore fields they aren’t exposed to. K-12 mentorship programs are critical to reach students at all levels to expose them to architecture and design. This is why I, and Cushing Terrell, participate in educational initiatives and volunteering efforts for schools. Mentorship Programs for Children and Teens.

One such program, which is nearing an almost 30-year partnership with Cushing Terrell, is our support of Newman Elementary School. What started as reading fluency support has now expanded to mathematical enrichment and other STEM activities. It’s during these interactions with kids that I make sure to introduce myself as an architect and explain what my job is just in case there’s another little one out there who has never heard of the wonderful world of architecture. You never know who may be sparked by those conversations.

Additionally, programs exist like:

ACE Mentor Program

• For highschoolers across the country to learn about architecture, engineering, and construction

NOMA Project Pipeline

• Gives 6th-12th grade students of color the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of architecture and design

AIA Dallas Designing My Future

• A hands-on program that teaches students ages 6-18 about the world of architecture and design

AIA New York Summer Programs

• Week-long classes for students in 3rd grade through 12th that are held at the Center for Architecture

Photo Above: Students learning how to measure and draw a dog house at Cushing Terrell’s interactive booth at Girls in Science hosted at Montana State University Billings.

Photo Above: AIA Montana and Montana State University AIAS hosted the Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming for a hands-on day learning about architecture.

If you don’t live near one of these programs, there are still chances for you to get involved. You can reach out to a local school, Girl or Boy Scouts troop, etc. to find out how you can help. AIA has many child-centric resources on “What is an Architect?” as well as specific lesson plans and worksheets for K-5 and grade 6-12 classroom projects that are ready to go for instant architectural engagement.

Mentoring Architecture at the College Level

What’s more, you can connect with local colleges or universities to encourage students to keep up their studies and remind them why they started in the first place. Sometimes, when you’re in the thick of mid-terms, studio deadlines, and finals you need that extra push of encouragement and the spark of desire to reignite your “why” and follow through on your aspirations — and not every student, especially those who are very new to the field, has that built-in support system. Things that have beneficial outcomes can be challenging to keep up with and sometimes, it just takes that one impactful voice to set someone up for success.

Programs such as the Wing Mentorship from AIA Chicago and AIA Atlanta Student Mentorship Program pair architecture students with working professionals, letting them see architecture in practice and can help young people truly envision it as a viable career.

Furthermore, universities may have an advisory council that connects professionals with students. For example, the AIA Montana School of Architecture Advisory Council hosts formal, one-on-one and informal mentorship opportunities. These mentoring sessions may include panel discussions, resume and portfolio workshops, networking events, mockinterviewing, and more.

Becoming a mentor for young architects can be as fulfilling and rewarding as you make it. It may be as simple as providing a firm tour and making yourself available for questions or interviews, or as deep as one-on-one mentoring and becoming a pillar of architectural education to your local K-12 community and beyond.

Photo Above: Shannon reads “Iggy Peck, Architect” to students outside of Orchard Elementary during Reading Rocks, the summer reading program of the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools.

So, you got your license. Now what?

By James Wesala,AIA

Previously published in YAF Connection Q2 2025

James Wesala, AIA - Architect at SmithGroup, Professor at The Design School, Secretary on AIA Phoenix Metro Board, NAAB’s Accreditation Review Committee member, and co-host/co-producer with “Tracing Architecture Podcast”.

For many of us, the thought of finishing your education, gathering all required experience and passing the ARE’s, is the finish line. The reality is, this is just another beginning in your professional career. Many acquire their license with the intent to never actually seal drawings, viewing it more as a pathway to freedom. Regardless of why you sought licensure, the question remains: what's next?

Well, that is the question AIA Phoenix Metro Chapter sought to answer. In the summer of 2021, as an offshoot of several introductory meetings between the new AIA Arizona Executive Director John Czarnecki, Assoc. AIA and local firms, James Wesala, AIA (at the time AIA Arizona’s AIA10 Director) pitched a Young Architect program event idea. An idea to create a

Photo Above: Workshop Flyer

workshop to discuss what licensure in Arizona is about. But being John’s first year as Executive Director, the effort was considered too ambitious, so the workshop was shelved.

Fast forward three years and James, at this time appointed to be AIA Phoenix Metro Chapter’s AIA10 Director, was again asked to serve AIA. The once shelved workshop was immediately reinitiated with the potential to be a premier event for newly licensed architects in Arizona. James led the conversation, while collaborating with the AIA10 committee members, to begin planning the early 2025 workshop. Over the course of 2024 the workshop was planned and marketed to newly licensed members and non-members.

The workshop was planned as a half-day event on a Friday afternoon, with prominent local speakers from the profession that delved into several conversations about how to use a newly acquired license and ways to protect oneself from liability.

Additionally, a critical facet of the workshop was to tailor this event as an opportunity to introduce the benefits of AIA membership to non-members. Thus, the workshop was open to non-members as a membership recruitment effort.

The workshop was planned to hit on several key areas to assist newly licensed architects to develop their careers while using their newly earned seals in a responsible manner.

The workshop kicked off with a brief introduction about AIA and the several key benefits that membership offers, highlighting three key items (cost, knowledge, and engagement) by Executive Director John Czarnecki and James Wesala.

The first key benefit of AIA Arizona membership as a newly licensed member is the stepped dues program that offers early members a discount that increases the dues over several years here in Arizona.

The second key benefit of membership, offered at the National level, is knowledge sharing through the Knowledge communities as well as other resources with AIA Trust and AIA Contracts.

Finally, there is a multitude of local AIA subcommittees where a diverse area of interest are covered - from the unique podcasting subcommittee with Tracing Architecture to The Women in Architecture subcommittee, to the more nationally echoed subcommittees such as the COTE committee and EDIB subcommittee.

After the brief intro, Rachel Green Rasmussen, AIA, a Partner at Architekton in Tempe and current President-Elect of AIA Arizona presented her topic - Path to Leadership - Strategies to elevate your career at a Firm.

Rachel is well versed to speak on Leadership as an innovative architect with over 17 years of experience, she is known for creating spaces that balance functionality and inspiration. Rachel shared her story of how she grew into her current position with her early experiences at Architekton, where as an intern, she designed a facade screen element, went to school and 3D printed it, then brought the model into the office, where it was developed into the final design. By demonstrating her initiative and self-drive, she quickly impressed her superiors and colleagues that started her career elevation.

Next up, we had James B. Wright, a local attorney and member of Clark Hill’s Construction Law group. He presented his topic - Architect's Seal - Legal responsibilities and potential Liabilities - Strategies for Protection.

With his background in law, he provided a unique perspective on all the topics he spoke about using an Architect’s seal. He started by explaining what an Architect’s seal was and what they meant. He followed up with the technical requirements for seals and required use of the seal. The next two topics, "Restrictions on Use of Seal" and "The Regulatory Consequences of Improperly Sealing Documents" seemed to spark the attendee’s interest. Overall, James’ presentation had the greatest engagement throughout the workshop, which was surprising as his presentation had no graphics.

Our next workshop presenter is a prominent local architect, the founder and principal of Jones Studio, Eddie Jones, FAIA. Born in Texas and raised in Oklahoma, Eddie spoke

Photo Above: Seal holder provided to attendees

about his great passion and ways to multiply his efforts with - Moonlighting / Side Work - Self-Development as an Architect.

Eddie holds the rare ability to create responsive architecture, timeless in design yet bound distinctively to its place, an ability that is represented by his numerous design awards. He talked with the group about how he moonlights from his own firm, which allows him to take on smaller design projects that enable him to experiment and try new design elements. As a proponent of design in any fashion, Eddie advocates for his colleagues at his studio to take on sidework and moonlight as a mechanism for development.

As a pause between speakers, we took the time to recognize all the newly licensed architects in attendance and presented them with a seal holder. The seal holders were hand crafted by members of the AIA committee.

Then the fourth presenter was Ryc Loope, FAIA, a practicing architect and retired faculty from the design school at ASU. While at ASU he served as the Inaugural Director of ASU’s first trans-disciplinary master's degree program in real estate development (MRED) and with his Harvard Business School training he was well prepared to present his topic - FinancesSeparating and Protecting personal assets for professional liability.

During Ryc’s presentation, he spoke about the process and benefits of creating an LLC and how to separate your personal asset from your business. One item of note is to place any assets owned outright within a trust to shield it from possible liability.

Our final presenter was Caroline Lobo, AIA, the founding Principal of suoLL architects. Her firm practices a design sensibility that transcends time, is experimental, experiential, sustainable and well rooted in its local environment. She has grown into a prominent firm by developing relationships with people in our profession and was well prepared to speak on her topic - Fostering Connections: People+Place+Experience.

Caroline, a very engaging storyteller, related how when she started her firm a key relationship facilitated her landing a large contract. Her existing relationship with a general contractor was the lynch pin in the owner’s decision to go with Caroline’s new firm, which demonstrates the fact you never know who your greatest ally will be.

The workshop culminated with a social mixer at a local establishment where a drawing was held for all attendees to win gift credit at the AIA online store.

Photo Above: Wesala presenting congratulatory stamp holder.

Photo Above: Wesala providing a workshop introduction

Recalling the State Government Network (SGN)

By Trey Wheeler, FAIA

It has recently come to light that many of our members at large – perhaps most – along with a significant portion of our Strategic Council and our current staff, are unfamiliar with the history and purpose of the State Government Network (SGN). Given its impact and [what should be] continued relevance, it seems timely to share a little about what it was, why it mattered, and why it deserves to be renewed with clarity of purpose.

The year was 2010. I found myself recently elected as Vice President of AIA Tennessee (still not quite sure how that came about). It must have been one of our early board meetings that year when I learned that our state board held a seat on what was then known as the State Government Network or “SGN”, and that it was somewhat expected that I might serve as Tennessee’s representative. It seemed simple enough, if not innocuous, at that point. There was a “list serve” (yes, I’m dating myself with that term) where members could pose questions and share ideas with peers across the country. There was one in-person meeting each year, and the costs of the meeting were covered. The point of the group? To discuss matters of advocacy, primarily at the state government level, with our peers engaged in the same from each state in the country. I believe US Territories were also included. The notion seemed like a good one: the meeting schedule and locations generally seemed reasonable, the time commitment “just enough, but not too much”, and the subject matter was certainly quite relevant. I agreed and I signed up.

Little did I know that involvement with SGN would prove to be of paramount importance to our advocacy efforts at the state level in Tennessee. Nor did I have any idea that such involvement would alter the course of my career to some

large extent. The network consisted of some of the brightest minds in AIA, both volunteers and staff. The issues at hand were many and quite significant to the profession as a whole. Given that membership was limited to one or two individuals from each state, the group was “right-sized” to cover complex issues in an efficient but incredibly informed and thoughtful manner. Progress on the various matters would typically flow back to members’ home states in accordance with the original intent of the SGN.

The impact of SGN also extended far beyond our individual states: Policies, insights, and best practices regularly influenced AIA’s broader federal efforts. The knowledge shared found its way to other destinations as well. By way of example, I was personally involved in what might be called an “ad-hoc committee” focused on project delivery approaches, specifically exploring if, when, and how public/ private partnerships might be best utilized (and in a mutually beneficial manner). The work that committee did was actually referenced by The Environmental Law Institute, The World Bank, and others in the years that followed.

We celebrated the 25th anniversary of SGN in 2015 with an unforgettable gathering (I had the privilege of riding in a covered wagon and “ax throwing” with Bob Ivey at the time!). But after that, things began to shift. The network started to get “watered down” as “someone” decided it needed to be rebranded as the “SLGN” (now “state and local” matters were to be discussed). Be that as it may, the group continued, though perhaps with slightly less impact, through 2019. Unfortunately, and despite a couple of “rebranding” efforts, failed attempts at various online meetings, etc., the SGN did not fare well over the course of what a friend of mine refers to as “the great pause” in the years that followed.

I would be remiss to not mention – AIA Minnesota has done a wonderful job of trying to get the ball rolling again. They have (presumably mostly at their own expense) hosted SGN meetings concurrent with their state conference over the past two years. Minnesota’s staff and volunteer leadership has done a noble job working to pull this back together. That said, it is time for AIA National to carry this forward. I daresay the SGN was one of the most effective purpose-driven networks AIA has ever established. It is time to bring it back - with the clarity, purpose, and the same spirit of collaboration that once made it so impactful many years ago.

Memorandum

Date: April 11, 2025

Memorandum

Updates from the AIA Governance Task Force

Date: April 11, 2025

Memorandum

To: AIA Board of Directors

Memorandum

Memorandum

Date: April 11, 2025

Memorandum

To: AIA Board of Directors

Date: April 11

Memorandum

To: AIA Board of Directors

To: AIA Board

Date: April 11, 2025

Memorandum

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; Caitlin Couture, CAE, Senior Director, Governance & Awards

Date: April 11, 2025

To: AIA Board of Directors

Date: April 11, 2025

Background

Memorandum

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

Date: April 11, 2025

To: AIA Board of Directors

Memorandum

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

Date: April 11, 2025

To: AIA Board of Directors

Memorandum

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance CAE, Senior Director, Governance &

From: Mickey CAE,

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; Caitlin Couture, CAE, Senior Director, Governance & Awards

Memorandum

To: AIA Board of Directors

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; Caitlin Couture, CAE, Senior Director, Governance & Awards

Date: April 11, 2025

To: AIA Board of Directors

Memorandum

Date: April 11, 2025

Background

Memorandum

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

Background

Date: April 11, 2025

Background

Date: April 11, 2025

Background

To: AIA Board of Directors

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established by the AIA Board of Directors in response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, convened for its inaugural meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed to assess the effectiveness of AIA’s governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the needs of the membership, and build on past recommendations particularly those of the Member Voice Task Force (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, inclusion, and crossorganizational collaboration.

Memorandum

Date: April 11

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; CAE, Senior Director, Governance & Awards

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, CAE, Senior Director,

Memorandum

To: AIA Board of Directors

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; Caitlin Couture, CAE, Senior Director, Governance & Awards

Subject: Update Background

To: AIA Board

Date: April 11, 2025

Memorandum

Background

To: AIA Board of Directors

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

Date: April 11, 2025

To: AIA Board of Directors

Subject: Update on the Governance

Background

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance CAE, Senior Director, Governance &

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; Caitlin Couture, CAE, Senior Director, Governance & Awards

Governance Task Force:

Background

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; Caitlin Couture, CAE, Senior Director, Governance & Awards

From: Mickey CAE,

Memorandum

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established by the AIA Board of Directors in response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, convened for its inaugural meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed to assess the effectiveness of AIA’s governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the needs of the membership, and build on past recommendations particularly those of the Member Voice Task Force (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, inclusion, and crossorganizational collaboration.

To: AIA Board of Directors

The Governance Task response to a 2024 resolution meeting on March 31, governance structure, build on past recommendations (MVTF) with a renewed organizational collaboration.

Background The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established by the AIA Board of Directors in response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, convened for its inaugural meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed to assess the effectiveness of AIA’s governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the needs of the membership, and build on past recommendations particularly those of the Member Voice Task Force (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, inclusion, and crossorganizational collaboration.

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the build on past recommendations particularly those of (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, organizational collaboration.

Date: April 11, 2025

Background

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

To: AIA Board of Directors

The Governance Task Force is charged with working with an external governance consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, examine AIA’s current governance structure, and provide recommendations to enhance communication across the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

Memorandum

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force

To: AIA Board of Directors

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established by the AIA Board of Directors in response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, convened for its inaugural meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed to assess the effectiveness of AIA’s governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the needs of the membership, and build on past recommendations particularly those of the Member Voice Task Force (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, inclusion, and crossorganizational collaboration.

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; Caitlin Couture, CAE, Senior Director, Governance & Awards

Governance Task Force:

Date: July 31, 2025

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

Background

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

Background

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; CAE, Senior Director, Governance & Awards

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

To: AIA members

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, CAE, Senior Director,

Date: April 11

Subject: Update Background

The Governance Task Force (GTF), response to a 2024 resolution approved meeting on March 31, 2025. The group governance structure, ensure it continues build on past recommendations particularly (MVTF) with a renewed commitment organizational collaboration.

To: AIA Board

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established by the AIA Board response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, convened meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed to assess the effectiveness governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the needs of the build on past recommendations particularly those of the Member Voice (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, inclusion, and organizational collaboration.

The Governance Task Force is charged with working with an external governance consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, examine AIA’s current governance structure, and provide recommendations to enhance communication across the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

The Governance Task Force is charged with working consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, governance structure, and provide recommendations the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

Governance Task Force:

Background

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

The Governance Task Force is charged with working with an external governance consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, examine AIA’s current governance structure, and provide recommendations to enhance communication across the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

Governance Task Force:

Subject: Update on the Governance

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

The Governance Task consultant and AIA staff governance structure, the Institute and cultivate Governance Task Force:

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

Background

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established by the AIA Board of Directors in response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, convened for its inaugural meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed to assess the effectiveness of AIA’s governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the needs of the membership, and build on past recommendations particularly those of the Member Voice Task Force (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, inclusion, and crossorganizational collaboration.

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance CAE, Senior Director, Governance &

From: Mickey CAE,

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; Caitlin Couture, CAE, Senior Director, Governance & Awards

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

Governance Task Force:

Background

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

Governance Task Force:

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member Group)

The Governance Task Force is charged with working with an external governance consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, examine AIA’s current governance structure, and provide recommendations to enhance communication across the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; Caitlin Couture, CAE, Managing Director, Governance & Awards

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

The Governance Task Force is charged consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance structure, and provide recom the Institute and cultivate a culture of

The Governance Task Force is charged with working with an external consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, examine governance structure, and provide recommendations to enhance communication the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established by the AIA Board of Directors in response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, convened for its inaugural meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed to assess the effectiveness of AIA’s governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the needs of the membership, and build on past recommendations particularly those of the Member Voice Task Force (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, inclusion, and crossorganizational collaboration.

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the build on past recommendations particularly those of (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, organizational collaboration.

The Governance Task response to a 2024 resolution meeting on March 31, governance structure, build on past recommendations (MVTF) with a renewed organizational collaboration.

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force

• Mickey Jacob,

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

• Anne Hicks Harney,

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

Governance Task Force:

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established by the AIA Board of Directors in response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, convened for its inaugural meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed to assess the effectiveness of AIA’s governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the needs of the membership, and build on past recommendations particularly those of the Member Voice Task Force (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, inclusion, and crossorganizational collaboration.

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

Date: To: From: Subject: Background The response meeting governance build (MVTF) organizational The consultant governance the Institute Governance

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

Subject: Update Background

• Anthony Rohr,

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member Group)

Governance Task Force:

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Carol Rickard

• Cheryl McAfee,

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025 President, Strategic Councilor)

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive Committee)

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic Council Moderator)

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established by the AIA Board response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, convened meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed to assess the effectiveness governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the needs of the build on past recommendations particularly those of the Member Voice (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, inclusion, and organizational collaboration.

The Governance Task Force (GTF), response to a 2024 resolution approved meeting on March 31, 2025. The group governance structure, ensure it continues build on past recommendations particularly (MVTF) with a renewed commitment organizational collaboration.

• Curt Wilson,

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member Group)

The Governance Task Force is charged with working with an external governance consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, examine AIA’s current governance structure, and provide recommendations to enhance communication across the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

The Governance Task Force is charged with working consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, governance structure, and provide recommendations the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025 President, Strategic Councilor)

Governance Task Force:

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

The Governance Task Force is charged with working with an external governance consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, examine AIA’s current governance structure, and provide recommendations to enhance communication across the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Darral Tate, AIA

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member

• Gabriella Bermea,

The Governance Task consultant and AIA staff governance structure, the Institute and cultivate Governance Task Force:

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive Committee)

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member Group)

• Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA (CACE)

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic Council Moderator)

Governance Task Force:

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025 President, Strategic

• Heather Wilson

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

On July 28, 2025, the Governance Task Force convened for its fifth meeting to advance its work on AIA’s governance assessment and prepare for the development of formal recommendations. The meeting centered on defining foundational concepts trust, inclusion, representation, and member voice which will be used to shape the task force’s direction and ensure alignment in its forthcoming work.

• Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Susan Chin, FAIA (Knowledge Community)

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive Committee)

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA

• Mickey Jacob,

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

The Governance Task response to a 2024 resolution meeting on March 31, governance structure, build on past recommendations (MVTF) with a renewed organizational collaboration.

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established by the AIA Board of Directors in response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, convened for its inaugural meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed to assess the effectiveness of AIA’s governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the needs of the membership, and build on past recommendations particularly those of the Member Voice Task Force (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, inclusion, and crossorganizational collaboration.

The Governance Task Force (GTF), was established response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the build on past recommendations particularly those of (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, organizational collaboration.

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

• Jessica O’Donnell,

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic Council Moderator)

• Anne Hicks Harney,

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC

The Governance Task Force is charged with working with an external consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, examine governance structure, and provide recommendations to enhance communication the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

The Governance Task Force is charged consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance structure, and provide recom the Institute and cultivate a culture of

• Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member Group)

• Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA (CACE)

• Anthony Rohr,

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Leah Alissa Bayer,

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

The Governance Task Force is charged with working with an external governance consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, examine AIA’s current governance structure, and provide recommendations to enhance communication across the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

• Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA (CACE)

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025 President, Strategic Councilor)

Governance Task Force:

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

Governance Task Force:

• Susan Chin, FAIA (Knowledge Community)

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Susan Wyeth, AIA (Resolution Sponsor)

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive Committee)

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Carol Rickard

• Nicki Dennis

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

• Susan Chin, FAIA (Knowledge Community)

• Susan Wyeth, AIA (Resolution Sponsor)

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025 President, Strategic Councilor)

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic Council Moderator)

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive Committee)

• Timothy Hawk, FAIA (Past Board of Directors)

Governance Task Force:

• Cheryl McAfee,

• Susan Chin,

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Susan Wyeth, AIA (Resolution Sponsor)

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member Group)

Key Discussion Areas and Outcomes

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic Council Moderator)

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

• Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Timothy Hawk, FAIA (Past Board of Directors)

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Curt Wilson, AIA

• Susan Wyeth,

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic

• Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA (CACE)

Governance Task Force:

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member Group)

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025 President, Strategic Councilor)

• Timothy Hawk, FAIA (Past Board of Directors)

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Darral Tate, AIA

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

The Governance Task Force is charged with working with an external governance consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, examine AIA’s current governance structure, and provide recommendations to enhance communication across the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

The Governance Task Force is charged with working consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, governance structure, and provide recommendations the Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Timothy Hawk,

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member Group)

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member

• Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA (Member

• Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA (CACE)

• Gabriella Bermea,

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

Governance Task Force:

• Susan Chin, FAIA (Knowledge Community)

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025 President, Strategic Councilor)

• Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon.

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive Committee)

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025 President, Strategic

• Susan Chin, FAIA (Knowledge Community)

• Heather Wilson

The Governance Task consultant and AIA staff governance structure, the Institute and cultivate Governance Task Force:

• Susan Chin, FAIA (Knowledge

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive Committee)

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Susan Wyeth, AIA (Resolution Sponsor)

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic Council Moderator)

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Susan Wyeth, AIA (Resolution Sponsor)

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

• Mickey Jacob,

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive Committee)

• Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA

• Susan Wyeth, AIA (Resolution

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic Council Moderator)

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at

• Timothy Hawk, FAIA (Past Board of Directors)

• Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA (CACE)

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member Group)

• Advancing the Recommendation Process: The task force reviewed a proposed timeline and process for developing governance recommendations. Members affirmed their commitment to a structured, transparent approach that includes opportunity for stakeholder feedback throughout the development cycle. This process will build on learnings from past efforts and incorporate current perspectives from across the Institute.

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic Council Moderator)

• Jessica O’Donnell,

• Anne Hicks Harney,

• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Timothy Hawk, FAIA (Past Board of Directors)

• Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Timothy Hawk, FAIA (Past Board

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC

• Leah Alissa Bayer, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member Group)

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA (CACE)

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

• Susan Chin, FAIA (Knowledge Community)

• Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Leah Alissa Bayer,

• Anthony Rohr,

• Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member

• Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA (CACE)

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025 President, Strategic Councilor)

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

• Susan Chin, FAIA (Knowledge Community)

• Susan Wyeth, AIA (Resolution Sponsor)

• Nicki Dennis

• Carol Rickard

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025

• Heather Wilson (CACE 2025 President, Strategic Councilor)

• Susan Chin, FAIA (Knowledge Community)

• Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive Committee)

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Susan Wyeth, AIA (Resolution Sponsor)

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Susan Chin, FAIA

• Cheryl McAfee,

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive Committee)

• Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive

• Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

• Susan Wyeth, AIA (Resolution Sponsor)

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic Council Moderator)

• Timothy Hawk, FAIA (Past Board of Directors)

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Susan Wyeth,

• Curt Wilson, AIA

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic Council Moderator)

• Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic

• Timothy Hawk, FAIA (Past Board of Directors)

• Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

• Timothy Hawk,

• Timothy Hawk, FAIA (Past Board of Directors)

• Darral Tate, AIA

On July 28, 2025, the Governance Task Force convened for its fifth meeting to advance its work on AIA’s governance assessment and prepare for the development of formal recommendations. The meeting centered on defining foundational concepts trust, inclusion, representation, and member voice which will be used to shape the task force’s direction and ensure alignment in its forthcoming work.

Key Discussion Areas and Outcomes

• Advancing the Recommendation Process: The task force reviewed a proposed timeline and process for developing governance recommendations. Members affirmed their commitment to a structured, transparent approach that includes opportunity for stakeholder feedback throughout the development cycle. This process will build on learnings from past efforts and incorporate current perspectives from across the Institute.

• Building Foundational Consensus: To support consistent and meaningful progress, the task force engaged in a collaborative discussion to define core values that were previously identified through the stakeholder interviews that should underpin AIA’s governance structure and processes:

Date: April 11, 2025

o Trust: Centered on mutual respect, transparency, and accountability.

o Inclusion: Acknowledges and values diverse voices and experiences.

o Representation: Ensures that AIA’s structure reflects the breadth of the profession and membership.

AIA Board of Directors

o Member Voice: Affirms mechanisms for member feedback and influence in decision-making.

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; Caitlin Couture, CAE, Senior Director, Governance & Awards

These definitions will serve as guiding principles as the task force drafts recommendations and develops proposed governance models for AIA consideration.

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

The task force also discussed the importance of consistent messaging and proactive engagement with stakeholders. The task force is committed to clear, honest communication and to fostering a shared understanding of the governance review

Background

Governance Task Force (GTF), was established by the AIA Board of Directors in response to a 2024 resolution approved by the membership, convened for its inaugural meeting on March 31, 2025. The group was formed to assess the effectiveness of AIA’s governance structure, ensure it continues to reflect the needs of the membership, and build on past recommendations particularly those of the Member Voice Task Force (MVTF) with a renewed commitment to transparency, inclusion, and crossorganizational collaboration.

process. The next key step will be further refinement of messaging and preparation for upcoming outreach, including the September 8 working session in Washington, DC.

Next Steps

The task force is on track to present preliminary models in Fall 2025 and will begin outlining a stakeholder engagement plan to gather feedback on their final recommendations The task force will continue to provide regular progress updates to AIA leadership, stakeholder groups, and membership

Governance Task Force is charged with working with an external governance consultant and AIA staff to conduct a governance assessment, examine AIA’s current governance structure, and provide recommendations to enhance communication across Institute and cultivate a culture of trust and transparency.

Governance Assessment Feedback

We encourage your participation by providing feedback and submitting questions related to the Governance Task Force’s work. These can be submitted to the task force at Governance Assessment Feedback or directly to any member of the task force. The feedback link will remain available until August 30.

Governance Task Force:

Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair (Former President)

Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA (Director at-Large)

Anthony Rohr, FAIA (Member at-Large/LFRT)

Carol Rickard-Brideau (Member at-Large/LFRT)

Cheryl McAfee, FAIA (Member at-Large)

Curt Wilson, AIA (Member at-Large)

Darral Tate, AIA (Young Architect/SAC Rep)

Gabriella Bermea, AIA (Member Group)

Heather Wilson (CACE 2025 President, Strategic Councilor)

Jeffrey Gill, FAIA (CACE Executive Committee)

Jessica O’Donnell, AIA (Strategic Council Moderator)

Memorandum

Date: July 10, 2025

To: AIA members

From: Mickey Jacob, FAIA, Chair, Governance Task Force; Caitlin Couture, CAE,

Senior Director, Governance & Awards

Subject: Update on the Governance Task Force Work

On June 30, 2025, the Governance Task Force held its fourth meeting to advance discussions on AIA's governance structure. The meeting focused on the findings from governance stakeholder interviews and the next steps.

In opening the meeting, Mickey Jacob, FAIA, emphasized the need for the task force to develop tangible and implementable actions across structure, operations, and culture. Suzanna Kelley, FAIA, Chief Experience Officer at McKinley Advisors, presented interview findings and led the task force in a preliminary discussion regarding their observations, early opportunities for positive change and potential barriers to success. Key themes and discussion points

• Historical Review of Past Governance Work: The task force has access to and has been actively reviewing past efforts to review and recommend changes to the AIA’s governance structure. AIA staff provided a summary document reviewing AIA’s progress in implementing recommendations from 2014 repositioning effort, governance evaluation (2017), the regions task force (20182020) and the most recent work of the members’ voice task force (2021-2023) to inform the ongoing work of this task force. The summary also highlighted recommendations from past efforts that were not implemented. These gaps may have contributed to persistent concerns the task force is now addressing namely, communication, trust and transparency, clarity of roles, and representation

• Stakeholder interviews: McKinley Advisors, AIA’s governance consultant, facilitated stakeholder interviews with 30 members from across AIA, including Architects Foundation, CACE, Young Architects Forum, College of Fellows, Former Presidents, Strategic Council, AIA Board of Directors, and Knowledge Communities The interviewees were presented to the Task Force by each stakeholder group to represent a wide range of viewpoints, experiences, and suggestions. The task force also engaged in discussion about the depth and breadth of stakeholder outreach, acknowledging that while the interviews provided valuable insights, some nuances may remain that need to be further explored to recognize and acknowlege expressed differences in perspectives from members / components / staff.

• Themes from feedback: Four (4) consistent themes emerged throughout the stakeholder interviews: communication, trust and transparency, role clarity, and representation. Across those areas, the McKinley team shared the core challenges, insights that deepen our understanding of the challenge, and suggestions for positive improvement shared by the interviewees. McKinley also observed tension and a disconnect between perception and reality across AIA, emphasized the need for ongoing stakeholder feedback in this process, and noted that it is critical that AIA clarifies the role of the Strategic Council as a core part of the governance recommendations.

• The task force members discussed the feedback, focusing on communication challenges, organizational trust issues, and leadership pathways within AIA.

Work Timeline

Focus Area

Reflect, review, and discuss based on information derived from the Member Voice Task Force Report, AIA Bylaws, Rules of the Board, interviews, one-on-one conversations with Component Executives and members, input from AIA Staff.

Engage in a work session to explore potential governance models (Board, Strategic Council, Knowledge Communities) for structural organization, roles and responsibilities, communication/transparency process, decision and policy reporting to Components and membership.

Share preliminary recommendations with the membership and key stakeholder groups.

These preliminary recommendations will be shared with the Board, Strategic Council, as well as the Component network and individual membership, with the opportunity to provide input, reaction, and suggestions to be used in determining a final governance model recommendation.

Timeline

Now

Late Summer 2025

Fall 2025

Make final recommendation to AIA Board of Directors December 2025

Next Steps

The Governance Task Force will hold an in-person meeting in Washington, DC, in late August or early September to further develop recommendations. The task force will continue to provide regular progress updates to AIA leadership, stakeholder groups, and membership.

Governance Assessment Feedback

We encourage your participation by providing feedback and submitting questions related to the Governance Task Force’s work. These can be submitted to the task force at Governance Assessment Feedback or directly to any member of the task force. The feedback link will remain available until August 30.

Fellow Spotlight Series: Where does your medal live?

Where to Hang My Medal?

After being elevated to the College of Fellows this year, I faced a serious design problem: where to store my medal? I knew it couldn’t live in its case, hidden in a drawer for most of its life. I wanted it displayed with my certificate and other mementos from that incredible day in Boston.

After being elevated to the College of Fellows this year, I faced a serious design problem: where to store my medal? I knew it couldn’t live in its case, hidden in a drawer for most of its life. I wanted it displayed with my certificate and other mementos from that incredible day in Boston.

I sketched a concept for a shadow box that would live inside the main frame and then took it to CAD. The real solution came when I decided the shadow box for the medal had to be removable. This would allow the medal to be worn for AIA events while the display remained intact.

I sketched a concept for a shadow box that would live inside the main frame and then took it to CAD. The real solution came when I decided the shadow box for the medal had to be removable. This would allow the medal to be worn for AIA events while the display remained intact.

I took my meticulous design drawing to my trusted local gallery that does all my framing. As expected, they chuckled, signed, and said, “Architects,” with a knowing wink. Their final product, however, exceeded all my expectations.

I took my meticulous design drawing to my trusted local gallery that does all my framing. As expected, they chuckled, signed, and said, “Architects,” with a knowing wink. Their final product, however, exceeded all my expectations.

I’m sure I’m not the first to devise such a plan, but I was proud of the result. It gives everything from that memorable day the prominence it truly deserves. I look forward to our work together in the future. You can critique or find some inspiration from my design drawing located here

I’m sure I’m not the first to devise such a plan, but I was proud of the result. It gives everything from that memorable day the prominence it truly deserves. I look forward to our work together in the future You can critique or find some inspiration from my design drawing here.

Jeff Seabold, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP Class of 2025, Object 3

Do you have a story to share about where your medal lives? Contact the College's Executive Director at COF@aia.org with your written description and photos for consideration in an upcomign spotlight!

FAIA,

AP 2025 College of Fellows, Object 3

Jeff Seabold,

NCARB, LEED

MENTORSHIP2024 ` Feature | Why We Give

2024 COF Component Grant Recipient

AIA Columbus

The MENTORSHIP2024 program was a year-long initiative by AIA Columbus aimed at fostering mentorship, networking, and professional development among young architects, emerging professionals, Fellows, and experienced architects. The program’s primary objectives were to bridge generational gaps, pass on institutional knowledge, and nurture the next generation of architectural leaders.

The events were organized, each blending formal mentorship with interactive activities:

• Fireside Discussion: Shaping Your Career - Focused on career planning and leadership development.

• Speed Networking: Generational Differences - Addressed workplace diversity through structured networking and social engagement.

• Mentoring the Next Generation of Firm Leaders – Will provide insights into managing firm operations and leadership dynamics.

These activities collectively served an audience of approximately 60 young members/emerging professionals, 10 Fellows, and 20 experienced architects. They were carefully designed to align with AIA Columbus's strategic goals of supporting emerging professionals, diversifying leadership pipelines, and enhancing the role of architects. Outcomes included strengthened intergenerational connections, actionable career insights for participants, and the establishment of lasting mentoring relationships.

Photo Above: Nurturing the next generation of architects.

Grant Objectives:

• Objective 1: To foster meaningful connections and mentorship between young architects, emerging professionals, and Fellows, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experience across generations.

• Objective 2: To provide structured opportunities for professional development, focusing on career planning, leadership skills, and understanding the business side of architecture.

Use of Funds

The grant funds of $2,500 were used to support the execution of the program. Specific expenditures included:

• Food and beverages for events, enhancing the networking and social aspects of the sessions.

• A wine tasting fee to accompany the "Speed Networking" event.

• Miscellaneous materials, such as badges and event resources, to ensure a smooth and professional experience for participants

Program Activities

Activity 1: Fireside Chat: Shaping Your Career @ BBCO Completion

Date: March 12, 2024

Results/Outcomes: The outcome was a deeper understanding among participants of how to take actionable steps toward purposeful careers. The session also facilitated meaningful mentorship connections, empowering Emerging Professionals and Young Architects to contribute to the future of the architectural field through leadership and giving back.

Activity 2: Speed Networking: Generational Differences + Wine Tasting @ JBAD Completion Date: May 30, 2024

Results/Outcomes: The Speed Networking and Wine Tasting event successfully brought together Emerging Professionals, Young Architects, and AIA Fellows to explore generational differences in the workplace. Through a structured networking exercise, participants rotated through multiple groups, fostering meaningful dialogue and collaboration across generations. The informal wine tasting component created a relaxed environment that encouraged open communication and strengthened professional relationships. The outcome was an enhanced understanding of diverse generational perspectives, improved intergenerational collaboration, and new connections that support mentorship and teamwork within the architectural community.

Adjacent Activity 3: Pride March Completion Date: June 15, 2024

Results/Outcomes: Energized by the program, over 30 young architects and emerging professionals participated in Columbus Pride, further strengthening their connection to the broader community.

Photo Above: Attendees

Photo Below: Pride March 2024.

Photo Above: Mentorship2024 event.

Outcomes and Impact

The program engaged approximately 60 Emerging Professionals and Young Architects, 10 AIA Fellows, and 20 experienced architects. The initiative fostered meaningful connections across generations, benefiting both mentees and mentors.

Key Achievements:

• Strengthened intergenerational mentorship by facilitating structured networking and collaboration at well-attended events.

• Enhanced professional development with practical guidance on career planning, leadership, and firm management.

• Built a vibrant community where young professionals felt supported in their career journeys, as evidenced by positive feedback from participants. See below comments and quotes.

Long-Term Impact:

The program established enduring mentoring. Emerging Professionals gained actionable insights into career progression and leadership, while Fellows had opportunities to give back to the profession by sharing their knowledge and learning from younger architects’ perspectives. This fosters a sustainable pipeline of leadership within the architectural community. This also jump-started our EP Committee, who had struggled during the pandemic. It also spurred energy into creating the LGBTQIA+ Alliance group.

Supporting Data:

• Attendance averaged 30 Emerging Professionals and 15 Fellows and experienced architects per session.

• Participant testimonials highlighted the value of structured networking and the informal atmosphere for building professional relationships.

• Feedback indicated improved confidence among younger members in navigating career challenges and pursuing leadership opportunities

Challenges and Lessons Learned

Engagement Variability: While the program achieved solid attendance overall, reaching and engaging a larger portion of the Emerging Professional and Young Architect demographic proved challenging, particularly for those with demanding schedules, including family obligations.

Resource Allocation: Coordinating venues, materials, and volunteers required significant staff time, stretching administrative resources despite careful planning.

Value of Informal Networking: Combining structured sessions with relaxed social elements, such as the wine tasting, significantly enhanced participant engagement and connection-building. This seems to be a winning formula.

Future Plans

The success of the program has revitalized the Emerging Professionals (EP) Committee, which struggled during the pandemic. The program provided a foundation for sustained engagement.

Help make programs like this possible by donating or honoring someone with a gift to the College of Fellows Fund today!

Photo Above: Attendees

Photo Above: Speed Networking event.

2025

Fellows Remembered

Robert Odermatt, FAIA

Paula Burns McEvoy, FAIA

Franklin T. Ferguson, FAIA

Harry Granville Robinson III, FAIA

Graham Gund, FAIA

Robert Franklin Brown, FAIA

Hugh Clark Miller, FAIA

Jodi dan der Wiel, FAIA

Charles M. Davis, FAIA

David M. Childs, FAIA

Barbara (Bobbie) Goldberg Neski, FAIA

John Edward Mahlum, FAIA

Raymond ("Skipper") George Post, Jr. FAIA

Danie Johnson, FAIA

Ronald Gene Brown, FAIA

David E. Sellers, FAIA

James R. Grieves, FAIA

Dean Bahr, FAIA

Robert Stanley George, FAIA

Gretchen K. Pfaehler, FAIA

James D. "Jimmy" Tittle, FAIA

2024

Freidrich St. Florian, FAIA

Yoshio Taniguchi, FAIA

David E. Lawson, FAIA

Curtis J. Moody, FAIA

Roger K. Lewis, FAIA

Henry G. Meier, FAIA

John Q. Lawson, FAIA

James Gatch, FAIA

Howard Backen, FAIA

Chiu Tse-Chan, FAIA

Ronald Wommack, FAIA

Stan Boles, FAIA

Michael Watson, FAIA

Wayne S. Schmidt, FAIA

Aric Lasher, FAIA

Charles "Chuck" Schwing, FAIA

Doris Danna, FAIA

Benjamin H. Weese, FAIA

Tom Posedly, FAIA

Leonard S. Wicklund, FAIA

L. Jane Hastings, FAIA

Lee Hahnfeld, FAIA

Frank Hope, III, FAIA

Charles E. Dagnit, Jr. FAIA

David Body, FAIA

Harry Kennard Bussard, FAIA

George W. Acock, FAIA

Ryamond Grenald, FAIA

Antione Predock, FAIA

Roscoe Reeves, Jr. FAIA

David Holtz, FAIA

Clyde Warner, FAIA

Marsha Maytum, FAIA

John W. Weekes FAIA

William N. Larson, FAIA

H. Carelton Godsey, Jr, FAIA

Les Tincknell, FAIA

C. Robert Campbell, FAIA

I. Donald Weston, FAIA

Emanuel Kelly, FAIA

Dwight E. Holmes, FAIA

Legacy Donors of the

AIA College of Fellows

LEGACY DONORS

($10,000 and above cumulative donations)

New 2024 Legacy Members shown in Bold Face

LEGACY 50

($50,000 and above)

Frank E. Lucas, FAIA*

LEGACY 40

($40,000-$49,999)

L. Jane Hastings, FAIA*

Jeanne Jackson, FAIA

Edward J. Kodet Jr., FAIA

Victor A. Regnier, FAIA

Roger Schluntz, FAIA

LEGACY 30

($30,000-$39,999)

Harold L. Adams, FAIA

S. A. Klatskin, FAIA

John R. Klai II, FAIA*

Peter P. Marino, FAIA

Donald E. Neptune, FAIA

Robert L. Ooley, FAIA

Ronald L. Skaggs, FAIA

Joseph G. Sprague, FAIA

John Sorrenti, FAIA

Steven L. Spurlock, FAIA

LEGACY 20

($20,000-$29,999)

Betsey Olenick Dougherty, FAIA

Brian P. Dougherty, FAIA

Donald J. Hackl, FAIA

Ivenue Love-Stanley, FAIA

Lenore M. Lucey, FAIA

Robert A. Odermatt, FAIA

Ted P. Pappas, FAIA

William J. Stanley, FAIA

William F. Vosbeck, FAIA

LEGACY 10

($10,000-$19,999)

Ronald A. Altoon, FAIA

Louis D. Astorino, FAIA

Paul H. Barkley, FAIA

Sigmund F. Blum, FAIA*

Joseph Boggs, FAIA

Ellis W. Bullock, FAIA

John A. Busby Jr., FAIA

Donald W. Caskey, FAIA

John J. Castellana, FAIA

William D. Chilton, FAIA

Gary B. Coursey, FAIA

Sylvester Damianos, FAIA

William A. Edgerton, FAIA

Michael Enomoto, FAIA

Thomas B. Gerfen, FAIA

Debra Gerod, FAIA

Manuel G. Gonzalez, FAIA

Graham Gund, FAIA*

Daniel Hart, FAIA

John F. Hartray Jr., FAIA

Russell V. Keune, FAIA

Stephen J. Kieran, FAIA

Peter G. Kuttner, FAIA

Norman L. Koonce, FAIA

Carroll J. Lawler, FAIA

Lawrence J. Leis, FAIA

Rev. Howarth L. Lewis, FAIA

Paula J. Loomis, FAIA

Steven Loomis, FAIA

William Mahan, FAIA

Marvin J. Malecha, FAIA

Clark D. Manus, FAIA

Judsen R. Marquardt, FAIA

George H. Miller, FAIA

Amy Miller Dowell, FAIA

John Pearce, FAIA

Thompson E. Penney, FAIA

Raymond G. Post Jr., FAIA*

William A. Rose Jr., FAIA*

Burton Roslyn, FAIA

Albert W. Rubeling Jr., FAIA

Harry Rutledge, FAIA

John A. Ruffo, FAIA

Jeffrey A. Scherer, FAIA

Bruce Sekanick, FAIA

Robert I. Selby, FAIA

Jim M. Singleton IV, FAIA

Kalavati Somvanshi, FAIA

Jonathan Sparer, FAIA

Douglas L. Steidl, FAIA

RK Stewart, FAIA

Kim M. Tanzer, FAIA

James D. Tittle, FAIA

Edward T. M. Tsoi, FAIA

Edward A. Vance, RA

R. Randall Vosbeck, FAIA

Chester A. Widom, FAIA

Douglas Wignall, FAIA

Joseph J. Wisnewski, FAIA

F.M. Wong, FAIA

Enrique A. Woodroffe, FAIA

Hofu Wu, FAIA

Raymond Ziegler, FAIA

*Denotes a deceased member.

Contributors to the College of Fellows Fund 2024 Calendar Year

The AIA College of Fellows is grateful to everyone who contributed in 2024 to support the College of Fellows Fund. Your generosity is genuinely appreciated. Your gifts are extremely important to the College as they allow us to continue and increase support for our Mission and three primary Goals:

• Promote Research and Scholarly Work

• Mentor Young Architects and Emerging Professionals

• Sustain the College

On behalf of those who benefit from your donations, especially those who will become Fellows and the AIA leaders of tomorrow, the College of Fellows Executive Committee and all Fellows thank you for your generous donations!

Kate Schwennsen, FAIA 2025 Chancellor

ANNUAL DONATIONS IN 2024

(Contributions of $1,000 or more shown in BOLD FACE)

ARIZONA

Henry Tom

CALIFORNIA

Glenn Bauer

Gordon Chong

Andrew Cupples

Samuel D'Amico

Betsey Dougherty

Brian Dougherty

Stuart Eckblad

Michael Enomoto

Eric Haesloop

Richard Heinz

William Mahan

Frederick Marks

Joyce Polhamus

Victor Regnier

Lee Salin

James Spencer

Joel Tomei

William Valentine

Francis Zwart

COLORADO

Sarah Broughton

Blake Chambliss

Albert Davis

Gary Desmond

Gregory Friesen

Alan G. Gass

Andrew Nielsen

Sarah Semple Brown

R Randall Vosbeck

CONNECTICUT

F. Michael Ayles

Phillip Bernstein

Gina Calabro

Jonathan Humble

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Anthony Barnes

William Bonstra

Yolanda Cole

David Haresign

Jonathan Herz

David Insinga

Constance Lai

Lenore Lucey

Chris Morrison

John Pearce

Jonathan Penndorf

Andrew Pressman

Brenda Sanchez

Sean Stadler

Steven Spurlock

James Voelzke

FLORIDA

Gregory Burke

Nathan Butler

Charles Clary

Jacquelyn Hale

Bill Hercules

David Metzger

Marilys Nepomechie

Clemens Schaub

Joseph Valerio

HAWAII

John Ida

Carol Sakata

IDAHO

Jack Smith

ILLINOIS

Martha Bell

Jeff Bone

Joseph Burns

Jane Cameron

Joseph Caprile

Philip Castillo

David M. Chasso

Dave Eckmann

Rand Ekman

Jeanne Gang

Holly Gerberding

David Hovey

Helen Kessler

Nathan Kipnis

Lawrence Livergood

Paul O'Shea

Dawn Schuette

Mark Schwamel

Gracia Shiffrin

Jonathan Solomon

John Syvertsen

Grant Uhlir

Peter Weismantle

INDIANA

Steve Alspaugh

Sanford Garner

Lisa Gomperts

Dean Illingworth

Jonathan Spodek

Drew White

Contributors to the College of Fellows Fund 2024 Calendar Year

IOWA

Rod Kruse

Tim Schroeder

Kate Schwennsen

KANSAS

Robert Condia

Wendy Ornelas

KENTUCKY

Randall Vaughn

LOUISIANA

Ronald Blitch

Creed Brierre

Raymond Post*

MASSACHUSETTS

Janette Blackburn

Jean Carroon

Philip Chen

Emily Grandstaff-Rice

Margo Jones

Thomas Kearns

Peter Kuttner

Britt Lindberg

John Martin

Louis Sirianni

Peter Vieira

MARYLAND

Lance Davis

Kathleen Lechleiter

Tom Liebel

Janet Pogue McLaurin

Joseph Ruocco

Kevin Sneed

Karl Stumpf

MICHIGAN

John Allegretti

James Chaffers

Alan Cobb

Brian Craig

Jan Culbertson

Michael Guthrie

Douglas Hanna

Eric Hill

Gene Hopkins

Brian Hurttienne

Dennis King

Elisabeth Knibbe

Bryan Lijewski

Saundra Little

Thomas Mathison

Michael Neville

J. Stuart Pettitt

Victor Saroki

Gary Skog

Benedetto Tiseo

Stephen Vogel

Robert Ziegelman

Dawn Zuber

MINNESOTA

Stephen Fiskum

Tom Hysell

Edward Kodet

Rosemary McMonigal

Julia Robinson

Bruce Wright

MISSOURI

Karl Grice

MISSISSIPPI

Anne Decker

Roy Decker

NORTH CAROLINA

J Richard Alsop

Charles Boney

Benjamin Cahoon

Teri Canada

Heister Cease Jr

Turan Duda

Kristen Hess

Jeanne Huntsman

Bruce Johnson

Donald Kranbuehl

Alan McGuinn

Kevin Montgomery

Jesse Peterson

J. Rand

Dennis Stallings

Michael Stevenson

Philip Szostak

Walton Teague

Cheryl Walker

NORTH DAKOTA

Susan Schaefer Kliman

NEBRASKA

Don Horn

John Klai

Thomas Trenolone

James Walbridge

NEW JERSEY

Robert Cozzarelli

Gerard Geier

Glenn Goldman

Robin Murray

Pamela Rew

NEW MEXICO

Richard Pugh

Roger Schluntz

NEVADA

Jonathan Sparer

NEW YORK

Joseph Aliotta

Dennis Andrejko

Raymond Beeler

Heidi Blau

Howard Decker

Karen Fairbanks

Rocco Giannetti

Cheryl Gilbert

F. Goshow

Frances Huppert

Susan McClymonds

Michael Plottel

Jeremy Shannon

Barbara Spandorf

OHIO

Jack Bialosky

Yanitza Brongers-Marrero

John Hedge

David Hughes

Judson Kline

Greg Mare

Elizabeth Corbin Murphy

John Rogers

Charles Schreckenberger

Michael Schuster

Bruce Sekanick

Stephen Sharp

Terry Welker

OKLAHOMA

Lisa Chronister

Jack Morgan

Fred Schmidt

OREGON

Roderick Ashley

Ronald Gronowski

Kurt Haapala

Robert Hastings

Alison Kwok

Nancy Merryman

Jeffrey Scherer

Bill Seider

Michael Tingley

William Wilson

PENNSYLVANIA

Nan Gutterman

Christine Mondor

Jeff Pastva

Michael Prifti

Contributors to the College of Fellows Fund 2024 Calendar Year

Gregory Scott

RHODE ISLAND

Kenneth Filarski

Erik L'Heureux

Martha Werenfels

TENNESSEE

Robert Gee

David Powell

Mark Weaver

Barry Alan Yoakum

TEXAS

Norman Alston

Laurence Burns

Robert Clough

Daniel Hart

Julie Hiromoto

Gregory Ibanez

Lisa Lamkin

Michael Malone

Steven Schultz

Bart Shaw

Ronald Skaggs

Mark Wellen

UTAH

RK Stewart

Roger Jackson

Jeanne Jackson

VIRGINIA

Stanford Britt

Corey Clayborne

Harold Davis

Helene Dreiling

Robert Dunay

S. Michael Evans

Lori Garrett

Walter Gilpin

H. Randolph Holmes

Robert Holzbach

David Keith

Joseph Lahendro

Mary Katherine Lanzillotta

M. Celeste Novak

Wesley Page

Donna Phaneuf

Mel Price

Jane Rathbone

Elizabeth Reader

Rob Reis

Joanna Schmickel

Robert Steele

Terri Stewart

Charles Swartz

Nicholas E. Vlattas

VERMONT

Brian Mac

WASHINGTON

Jim Hanford

L. Jane Hastings

Daniel Huberty

Douglas Ito

Mary Johnston

Lorne McConachie

Amy Miller Dowell

Burcin Moehring

J Todd Scott

James Suehiro

Scott Wolf

WISCONSIN

Lisa Kennedy

Judith Kinnard

Kenneth Schwartz

INTERNATIONAL

Sherif Anis

FIRMS & COMPANIES

CSNA Architects

Jensen Architects

Krueck Sexton Partners

MTFA Architecture PLLC

Redstone Architects, Inc

*Denotes a deceased member.