AIA Oregon Elevate

Overview

AIA Oregon Elevate is a set of strategic actions designed to strengthen and serve Oregon’s architecture community. It is a reimagining of our presence in Oregon, a reconsideration of our relationship with people and places, and a reinforcement of our chapter’s strong foundation in the state.

After an 18-month visioning process that reached and engaged hundreds of members, the Board of Directors adopted AIA Oregon Elevate in January 2024. The recommendations include:

  • Hire additional AIA Oregon staff to support sections and grow member engagement

  • Invest in new, statewide programs – and provide clarity and resources for anyone involved in planning events

  • Reimagine the structure of section steering committees to provide more support to volunteers, nurture leaders, and encourage broader participation

  • Boost advocacy and civic involvement at the board level and beyond

  • Develop a mini grant program to support architectural initiatives in Oregon communities

  • Reimagine our Allied Professional membership, with an eye toward building stronger bonds throughout the A/E/C community

The recommendations represented a paradigm shift in a process that started with the goal of defining AIA Oregon's new HQ. After deeply listening to our community, we questioned our assumption that the answer to our challenges lay in a new space or spaces. The HQ Task Force – a collaboration of members, staff, and consultants – instead proposed this people-centered, community-led vision for elevating our chapter.

We are eager to bring these recommendations to life in the coming months and years. Check back for more updates as we progress!

Read the Recommendation Report

Check out the Recommendation Presentation to the AIA Oregon Board

Updates

April 2024: Welcome to the AIAO Team, Paul!

We are excited to welcome Paul Davis to the AIA Oregon team! Paul will serve as our member recruitment and retention manager, deepening our capacity for member engagement, partnerships, and programming. His hiring is a direct result of the AIA Oregon Elevate process and what we heard from members statewide.

Paul brings eight years of experience working with creative and technical teams for a range of organizations, from small Portland-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies. In his new role, he will craft initiatives that attract new talent, engage existing members, and cultivate a sense of belonging for all. He has hit the ground running, interviewing members about their AIAO experiences to guide program development, managing AIA Oregon's social media to attract new members, and supporting steering committees by designing graphics and creating other assets for volunteers. 

Get to know Paul at upcoming gatherings and events, in your committee and section meetings, or by reaching out to welcome him or share your ideas. You can email him at pdavis@aiaoregon.org. 

Initiative Background and Document Library

AIA Oregon Elevate resulted from an 18-month visioning, outreach, and engagement process focused on how AIA Oregon can serve members better. The documents below provide insight into the process, the participants, the results, and the important pivots along the way.

  • Final Recommendations (January 2024): The HQ Task Force presented its final recommendations to the AIA Oregon Board of Directors. The recommendations focus on engagement, programming, and capacity building and contain specific guidance to elevate and strengthen Oregon’s architecture community. The board adopted the recommendations unanimously.

  • Summer Engagement Analysis (August 2023): In summer 2023, the HQ Task Force joined section events around the state to discover what members want for our chapter. These events reached 300+ attendees, giving them the opportunity to share their ideas through conversation and interactive activities. The feedback received at these events led the HQ Task Force to pivot away from pursuing space and toward engagement, programming, and capacity building.

  • CACE Survey Results (February 2023): Thirty members of AIA’s Council of Architectural Component Executives (CACE) responded to a survey regarding current and future HQ/Center for Architecture solutions in their chapters. The survey asked about programming considerations, financing models, EDI/access, and other big picture considerations.

  • Member Survey Findings (February 2023): AIA Oregon members responded to a survey that focused on two main questions: Where should the new HQ space or spaces be located? And what should they be used for? The HQ Task Force analyzed the results and made interim recommendations.

  • Project Brief (June 2022): AIA Oregon staff and consultants kicked off the project by defining core guiding factors such as goals, values, audiences, strategic assumptions, and roles.