Message from the President-Elect2024 AIA Leadership Summit The 2024 AIA Leadership Summit brought together members from over 200 local and international chapters to Washington DC. The event featured keynote addresses, informative sessions, a visit to Capitol Hill to advocate for important architectural policies, and speeches from the 2025 candidates for the AIA National President-Elect. On AIA Lobby Day, President Andrea Cabalo, Executive Director Camille Leon and I met with the offices of our representatives Judy Chu and Adam Schiff. Across Capitol Hill, 400 other AIA members from chapters nationwide engaged with their local policymakers to advocate for H.R. 964/S.366 to ensure the local community input in the design of federal buildings, repeal of the harmful research and development amortization tax provision through H.R. 7024 and eliminate arbitrary fee limitations on A/E Federal Contracts to address growing scope and complexity of federal projects. The summit included a Disaster Response for Chapter Components 101 which was about safety assessment after a disaster. The session reviewed how local chapters can provide strategies to be a resilient and supportive community force in the face of disaster. The presenters also described the Safety Assessment Program (SAP). SAP training provides architects, engineers, building officials and inspectors with the knowledge and protocols to evaluate homes, buildings and infrastructure following a disaster. Stay tuned for a SAP training course where our Pasadena & Foothill members can become SAP certified! Three candidates running for the 2025 AIA National President-Elect gave speeches; Ryan Gann, AIA, Illya Azaroff, FAIA and AIA Pasadena & Foothill Chapter member and former chapter president, Steven Lewis, FAIA, who delivered a truly inspiring speech. I continue to be amazed and inspired by the leadership that has emerged from our 450 member chapter. “Architects are responsible for protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public through design excellence, environmental stewardship and securing the future of our communities” said AIA 2024 President Kimberly Dowdell, FAIA, NOMAC. “ It is critical for our voices to be heard on Capitol Hill. We must advocate for legislation that acknowledges and reinforces the pivotal role of the architecture profession in society. More in ‘24: The AIA 2024 slogan is “More in ‘24.” More money. More members. More mission.
2024 AIA California Board of Directors Meeting The 2024 AIA California Board of Directors meeting was led by President Winston Thorne, AIA who is a former Pasadena & Foothill Chapter President. The meeting brought together members from the 21 different chapters from across the state to Sacramento. The event covered an advocacy update, housing policy, the future of the profession, a presentation by the California Architectural Foundation (CAF) Board of Regents and voting for the AIA California Awards. The AIA California Awards recognizes individuals and firms who have had significant contributions to the built environment or in the case of the Norma Sklarek Humanitarian Award, for their social reponsibility. Board members voted for each of the categories and the winnners of the 2024 AIA California Awards are:
Scott Gaudineer, AIA CAF Board of Regents, AIA California Strategic Councilor and Pasadena & Foothill member spoke of the fundraising efforts for the California Architectural Foundation (CAF). CAF is an organization that is dedicated to promoting excellence in architecture through scholarships, grants, and educational programs. You can learn more about the good work the California Architectural Foundation is doing here - calarchfoundation.org The firm, California Advocates who provide professional advocacy services to AIA California, gave an legislative update. Every year, approximately 2,500 bills are introduced by the California State Legislature. Our Director of Government Relations, Scott Terrell reviews all bills introducecd each session to determine which ones have a direct impact on California architects and may be of interest to AIA California members. You can learn more about the legislative positions of AIA California here - aiacalifornia.org/advocate/legislative-positions Michael Bohn, AIA and Bruce Monighan, AIA gave Housing Policy updates that followed with a breakout discussion that included topics of local barriers in developing housing, local implimentation strategies and resources and education that architects need to participate in this important conversation. The pathway to becoming an AIA California Board Member is through our local chapter. Please reach out to AIAPF Executive Director cleon@aiapf.org if you would like to become involved with our chapter, as we currently have committee positions open. Thank you for supporting AIA Pasadena & Foothill and your commitment to quality in architecture! Michael McDonald, AIA, NCARB 2025 President-Elect
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