A: This is a pivotal moment to align our values with our future. I believe we can transform the AIA into a more connected, responsive, and people-focused organization.

A: It means focusing our collective efforts to build a unified profession where values and action come together. One year of service can lay the foundation for long-term change when we lead together.

A: By advocating for tools that protect firm profitability, support emerging talent, and make design sustainability more accessible across scale.

A: I will expand leadership pathways, create mentorship connections, and strengthen platforms that elevate new voices and fresh perspectives.

A: I lead by building bridges, not silos. My leadership is rooted in empathy, deep listening, and a commitment to systems-level transformation.

I believe in a Future Ready AIA, an Institute that is financially resilient, trusted by its members, and unapologetically people first. That means advancing justice and belonging as business imperatives, strengthening alignment across components, and making equity and sustainability financially accessible. I want an AIA that does not just advocate for architecture, but for architects.

Because I do not just talk about change, I design it. I listen deeply, act with integrity, and lead with structure and care. I have helped shape the profession we have. And I am ready to help lead us into the profession we deserve. Let’s build a Future Ready AIA. Together.

I bring systems leadership. I have built equity strategies at a global firm, led accreditation reform under legal pressure, and helped chapters translate values into practice. I have led from inside institutions, not just adjacent to them. I connect vision to structure and structure to change, and I have done it in firms, classrooms, and national committees. If you want a President who delivers outcomes, not just ideas, that is the kind of leadership I offer.

Rebuilding trust requires both humility and structure. First, I would establish a framework or council to give chapters a formal seat at the table before national decisions are finalized. Second, I would lead transparent, two-way communication practices with regular listening sessions and public board action summaries. And third, I would center accountability, owning missteps, correcting course, and leading with integrity. Trust is not rebuilt through messaging. It is earned through action.

The AIA must act as a real-time resource hub and national economic radar. I would advocate for scenario planning tools, firm resilience training, and stronger advocacy around public project pipelines. We also need to forecast and interpret shifts in federal funding and procurement, especially for regions impacted by cuts. My goal is to equip members with tools to adapt while advocating for our value as essential to public well-being.

I would prioritize firm health as a national strategic goal. That includes providing business continuity tools, recession-responsive practice strategies, and client engagement support. I would also advocate for increased federal and local project access, especially for small and minority-owned firms. Resilience is not just about surviving. It is about designing smarter systems to thrive in changing conditions.

Alignment across NAAB, NCARB, ACSA, AIAS, and AIA is essential. I have already worked across these lines during the NAAB reform process, advocating for shared values and mutual accountability. As President-Elect, I will prioritize regular convenings, joint strategic frameworks, and stronger member-facing communication about where our efforts intersect.

I will champion licensure acceleration as a core AIA priority, especially by supporting mentorship, transparency in firm pathways, and national advocacy for reducing systemic barriers. My work as a professor at Howard University has shown me how critical it is to invest in the next generation, not just through policy, but through daily practice.

We need to make equity and resiliency good business practice, not just moral imperatives. That means data-driven impact measurement, practice management resources for small firms, and advocating for funding and incentives that help firms embed these values in real, sustainable ways.

I would advocate for more equitable resource distribution and tailored toolkits that empower smaller chapters to thrive. That includes access to business development support, partnership networks, and flexible funding to pilot local solutions with national backing.

Academia is a powerful incubator for innovation. I believe AIA must build stronger pipelines between research, practice, and policy. That means elevating architectural research, funding practice-based collaborations, and making academic knowledge more accessible to firms of all sizes.

People first leadership means every decision is grounded in dignity, inclusion, and care. It is not just about who is in the room, but how power is shared and how systems are shaped to support everyone. That mindset has shaped my work in firms, communities, and now in education, and it will guide my leadership as AIA President.

This is not just a platform. It is a practice. One that begins and ends with people.

If you share this vision of an AIA built on trust, care, and collective power, I invite you to stand with me. Let’s build a Future Ready AIA. Together.