AIA Philadelphia’s President Message | February 2025

Hello! And welcome to the first installment of the “President’s Corner” of AIA Philadelphia’s monthly newsletter. We add this section so that you, our members, can hear directly about Board leadership priorities and progress. Now it’s on me to share and deliver!

Transition. It’s all around us. From sweeping changes by elected leaders at the national level, to the “curveball” development decisions in our city’s center that impact communities, many of us are adjusting to new realities beyond our control and waiting for what’s next. 

While this creates uneasiness and fear, it’s also a call to take action.

I’m in the midst of a significant professional transition now. I stepped down from a nonprofit leadership position at the end of 2024, and now I am taking time to evaluate what’s next for me in my urban design and civic leadership focused career. Being in this state of not-knowing has moments of uneasiness, AND it is quite invigorating because I am making time for things that matter to me. I am sketching daily. I’ve enrolled in an online class. I am meeting colleagues for lunch and coffee, updating my portfolio, reassessing my brand, and "seeing what’s out there.”

Oh, and I am spending a good amount of time making sure that the AIA Board is moving forward with our top priorities. Each President has only one year, and ⅙ of it has already passed. So there is no time to waste! 

This year for 2025, we are focusing on elevating AIA Philadelphia’s thought-leadership and advocacy position in Philadelphia and the region. That means being a resource to our elected officials, by being at the table while Mayor Parker’s H.O.M.E Program (plans to build, preserve, or repair 30,000 housing units) and the development plans for Market East are being evaluated, developed, and implemented. We have a strong Advocacy Committee and its leaders are building it out with subject matter experts on housing, climate, and building codes so we can advocate proactively and more effectively on our values.

Also, as recommended by AIA National’s Strategic Counsel, we are focusing on enacting initiatives that will help architects and firms thrive financially. A key initiative will be considering non-conventional services that architects could offer for consistent revenue sources. Expect us to hear from us throughout the year as we develop and test these ideas.

We understand the tremendous value and financial support our allied members bring to the Chapter, so this year, and going forward, we are enacting plans to deepen our relationships with consultants, contractors, and product representatives who faithfully support AIA Philadelphia. Each board member is personally reaching out to a principal of our allied firms to see how we can serve them better. 

Lastly, we are focusing on strengthening the Chapter’s operations and facilities to be as effective as possible. Our use of the Center for DesignPhiladelphia has changed over the years due to real estate, financial and pandemic related issues. This year we will be taking a hard look at what’s best for the Chapter going forward.

If you’d like to be involved in any of the above efforts, or want to just touch base, please email me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you. As we begin to transition from the depths of winter to the promise of spring, I wish us all curiosity, resiliency and motivation to step into the unknown and take action.