Member Spotlight: Co-Chairs of the EDI Committee, Laura Casaccio and Sergio Duran

This month we are highlighting our new Co-Chairs of the AIA Philadelphia Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee: Laura Casaccio, AIA and Sergio Duran, AIA.  The EDI Committee is critical in helping AIA Philadelphia advance one of its strategic goals: prioritizing equity and justice.  The EDI Committee since it's inception has sponsored multiple education programs and was responsible for curating and producing last year's inaugural Culture Change Initiative program. Details coming soon on the 2023 iteration of that program.

We are grateful to have the leadership of Laura and Sergio and wanted to profile each of them in this month's Member Spotlight.

Laura Casaccio is a Project Architect at CICADA.  She was an architecture student in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. This encouraged her decision to join AmeriCorps giving her significant appreciation in the value of collaborative efforts and human nature’s indomitable spirit.

Laura participated in the National Intercultural Leadership Program, as well as the Culture Change Initiative last year.  She is passionate and persistent in advocating for a more equitable and inclusive architectural profession.  

Sergio Duran is a Designer at WRT, LLC and is pursuing licensure.  He is interested in Urbanism, Urban and Regional Planning as well as Historic Preservation and Architectural Heritage.  Sergio has been a member of the EDI Committee for a few years, but has stepped up into a leadership role this year.  

The goals for the EDI Committee this year are (1) More diverse firm positions (owner, mid-career, and emerging) are represented in all discussions; (2) EDI programming adds value to AIA member firms through employee and leadership participation; and (3) grow program participants into advocates for culture change within our profession and industry. 

Learn more about the EDI Committee here: https://aiaphiladelphia.org/clubs/view/edicommittee