AIA Women’s Leadership Summit: Looking Forward

aiawls — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:22:17 +0000

We will be posting pictures to our Facebook page taken by photographer, Kelly Braeckel, very soon. Be on the look out and make sure to tag yourselves to further the sharing of our event!

Thank you!
WLS 2011 Committee

Session VIII >> Changing the System=Altering the Culture // 2011 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit

aiawls — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 22:47:48 +0000

Over a hundred years ago, famed author and activist Harriet Beecher Stowe remarked that “Women are the real architects of society.” If we can get past her casual use of our title, we realize that she was absolutely right – then AND now. Throughout history, women have forged meaningful relationships and created strong support systems, thereby shaping healthy communities. As much or more than at any time in the past, that quality is an absolute necessity – for the profession and for the world – and is one that architects have the ability to cultivate and communicate. In this two-way dialogue, two women who have been at the forefront of the profession, each in her own way, discussed how Women Create Culture.

Key snippets from Twitter:

Presenters:
Nancy Alexander / Lecturer, Yale University
Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA / Executive Director, Virginia Center for Architecture

Session VI >> The Edge of Design // 2011 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit

aiawls — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 21:54:19 +0000

During ‘The Edge of Design’ discussion we heard from Lori Ryker, founder of Artemis Institute; Sylvia Smith, Senior Partner of FXFOWLE Architects; and, Susan Ubbelohde, Principal at Loisos + Ubbelohde Associates. These women are functioning in their markets a step beyond the norm. Different approaches, visions, and how they operate fueled the conversation.

Key snippets from Twitter:

Moderator:
Carol Burns, FAIA / Principal, Taylor & Burns Architects

Panelists:
Lori Ryker / Founder, Artemis Institute
Sylvia Smith, FAIA / Senior Partner, FXFOWLE Architects
Susan Ubbelohde / Principal, Loisos + Ubbelohde Associates

Session VI >> Design Profile: Leers Weinzapfel Associates // 2011 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit

aiawls — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:08:23 +0000

This session focused on Leers Weinzapfel Associates, a Boston-based practice founded in 1982 by Andrea Leers and Julie Weinzapfel. The work of Leers Weinzapfel ranges from infrastructure to community and education projects. In 2007, LWA was awarded the American Institute of Architects Firm of the Year award. LWA shared their history, their work, their ideas for the future and their wonderful personalities (we had a lot of fun!).

Key snippets from Twitter:

Presenters:
Andrea Leers, FAIA / Principal
Jane Weinzapfel, FAIA / Principal
Winifred Stopps, AIA / Senior Associate
Natasha Espada, AIA / Senior Associate

Session V >> Being the Buzz // 2011 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit

aiawls — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:59:09 +0000

This discussion was a continuation of “The Design Report” with a panel discussion from editors of magazines and publications and on-line bloggers who bring perspective on creating a PR plan that makes your firm and its work a part of design discussion. Susan Szenasy facilitated a dialogue with a group of media experts and journalists, discussing ways to share your message with a growing audience.

Key snippets from our #WLS2011 feed:

Moderator:
Susan Szenasy / Editor in Chief, METROPOLIS

Panelists:
Kathy Achelpohl / Principal, BNIM Architects
S. Claire Conroy / Editorial Director, Residential Architect
Hugh Hochberg / Principal, The Coxe Group
Steve Paul / Senior Writer + Arts Editor, The Kansas City Star

Session IV >> The Design Report // 2011 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit

aiawls — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 15:47:18 +0000

“What is the state of current practice around the country and how is design being done?” was the focus of Susan Szenasy, Editor in Chief of METROPOLIS, presentation. ‘Design Report’ hit on the current pulse of the industry, highlighting the firms, individuals and trends that are breaking new ground in architecture.

Key snippets from Twitter:

Presenter: Susan Szenasy / Editor in Chief of METROPOLIS

Session III >> Taking Your Success to the Next Level: Be More Than the Work // 2011 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit

aiawls — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:31:40 +0000

Attendees listened to specific steps they can take to begin impacting their career. Whether you are expanding your practice, preparing for succession, or determining your lasting professional legacy, there are tangible ways to guide that process.

Presenter: Rania Anderson / Owner, Meridian Consulting
Visit our Twitter page to view quotes from Rania.

Session II >> The Evolving Role of the Practice // 2011 Women’s Leadership Summit

aiawls — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:45:46 +0000

This panel featured 3 speakers that represent a broad spectrum of firms, each with their own role/definition of success within the practice of architecture. The three types of firms that were represented included a young boutique design firm/studio, a legacy firm and a very large multidisciplinary firm, made up of many successful firms of their own right, come together as one. What are the values/missions of each of these firms, How are each of these firms shaping the trends in the practice? How is success measured by each of these firms?

Moderators:
Sho-Ping Chin, FAIA / Principal, Payette
Heather Taylor, AIA / Project Executive, EYP

Panelists:
Margaret Cavanaugh, AIA / Associate, Studio Gang
Jacinta McCann, FAILA / Executive Vice President, AECOM
Carole Wedge, FAIA / President, Shepley Bulfinch Richardson & Abbott

Lunch Session >> The Glass Cliff // 2011 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit

aiawls — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:49:54 +0000

A discussion that covered the concept of an Industry Leaders Roundtable. Beverly Willis with the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation speaks about the now growing number of women in architecture. Did you know that from 1912-2005 NO women received Teaching Recognition? In 2005 the Foundation sponsored the formation of the Women’s Leadership Council of ACSA, and since then women have received much more recognition in academia.

Presenter: Beverly Willis, FAIA / Chair, Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation

Session I >> The Journey of Not Knowing // 2011 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit

aiawls — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:49:10 +0000

The most challenging aspect of being a leader, but the one that distinguishes leaders from managers, is the ability to be comfortable with the discomfort of not knowing. The leader has the job of setting the strategic direction of the organization and bringing the people along to realize that direction. Setting the direction requires the leader to look beyond the immediate business needs to see what is going on in the world outside and the possibilities it holds for strategic growth. The challenge is that there is no guarantee the leader has interpreted the world correctly, or that the direction he or she chooses is a good one. Only time and effort will tell.

To be a leader, one needs to be able to navigate through uncertainty. For many, it proves to be a scary place, scary enough to cause them to revert to various safe, tactical moves or to skip the leadership role entirely. To succeed, a leader must learn to push through fear towards creating a bigger idea, then bring others along to embrace that idea and make it happen. That is the definition of leadership.

This highly interactive session included discussions about what drives people to lead, the fears that get in the way and strategies for working through those fears. This session allowed its participants to:

Understand the key attributes of leadership
Discover core personal drivers that motivate them to lead
Learn what behaviors can get in the way of leading successfully—and how to overcome them.

Presenter: Julie Benezet / Owner, Business Growth Consulting, LLC