Heather Wilson
AIA Oregon EVP/CEO
Finding Our Momentum in the Post-March Madness Huddle
Dear AIA Oregon Members,
As the echoes of the buzzer fade from an exhilarating NCAA basketball season, I find myself reflecting on the lessons both on and off the court. This year's March Madness, with its upsets and triumphs, offers some surprisingly relevant insights for us here at AIA Oregon.
Elizabeth Lagarde, AIA
AIA Oregon Young Architect Representative
Hello AIA Oregon Community.
I am Elizabeth Lagarde, AIA, a licensed architect (licensed in California) and as of January 1, 2025, I am serving as Oregon’s Young Architect Representative to the Young Architects Forum.
The Young Architects Forum (YAF) is a national member group of the AIA organized to address issues of particular importance to Young Architects (defined by AIA as licensed architects with 10 years or less of first licensure). The YAF is made up of an 5 Directors serving on the Advisory Committee along with the Chair and Vice Chair, and 53 Young Architect Representatives (YAR) from all 50 states, plus D.C., Puerto Rico, and the International region.
Image Description: This is the YAF at Annual Meeting in Dallas. We are a diverse committee made up of young architects from each state, plus five directors all with similar goals of serving as a voice for young architects across the country.
It has been busy for the first three months in Q1 as a YAR.
In February, we gathered in Dallas for the YAF Annual Meeting where over the course of three days we met fellow state representatives, learned more about our roles and responsibilities, and kicked off the year with ACTION. The YAF aims to be a group of “architects in action, catalyzing for change” and most of our time in the annual meeting involved work sessions focused on planning programs and resources addressing this year’s priority areas:
Growth and career evolution (Q2 focus)
Steering the future of the profession (Q3 focus)
Driving wellness (Q4 focus)
To help guide our actions with these priority areas, each YAR participates in one of the six focus group throughout the year: Strategic Vision, Advocacy, Community, Knowledge, Communications, and Special Projects. This year I am honored to participate in the Advocacy focus group.
Image description: Roundtable Discussions
One highlight of the event that left me feeling excited to be a part of this member group were the round-table discussions. Before jumping into work sessions with our focus groups, we had round table discussions on the following topics that focused on the 2025 Priority Areas:
What does “career evolution” mean to you?
How have you seen mid-career architects steering the profession?
What changes have you experienced or seen in the role of an “architect” and/or practice?
How do you experience burnout?
How do you define wellness?
The conversations were engaging and left me wondering what fellow young architects in my state would answer these questions. Please share your response with me.
Since the Annual Meeting, the YARs have been meeting with their focus groups and holding virtual work sessions to continue planning or creating programs, events, and resources.
Image description: YAF Advocacy Focus Group excited to kick off for the year
I am pleased to share what the YAF has been up to and planned for Q2.
The Community Focus Group is hosting Knowing Your Worth and Finding Your Path on April 17, 4-5:30 pm EST focusing on explore growth and career evolution. Register for this FREE event.
The Communications Focus Group is bringing back the YAF quarterly publication: Connection. There is a Call for Submissions on the topic of Growth and Career Evolution. Draft deadline is May 2, 2025. Former Oregon YAR, Nicole Becker, is the Communication Director. Contact her if you have any questions: nicolejbecker@gmail.com
The Knowledge Focus Group has published two Now YA Know newsletters and publishes one each month.
The Advocacy Focus Group is engaging on the @AIAYAF Instagram page (I made a special appearance in one of the posts) and publishes weekly posts.
If you’re attending AIA25 be sure to check out Young Architects Forum: Bridging Generations Jun 7, 2025, from 01:00 pm to 02:30 pm EST.
… and much more as we continue to develop them.
Image description: Oregon Represent!
Oregon YAR, Elizabeth Lagarde, AIA and Communication Director and former Oregon YAR, Nicole Becker, AIA
That is it for now. Expect more updates from me about what the YAF is up to on Circle, T@3, and LinkedIn.
The enthusiasm and ambition of this group to advocate for the Young Architect community is so inspiring! I am thankful to be a part of this group and honored to embrace my role for 2025-2026. If you are interested in learning more about the YAF initiatives, please reach out through LinkedIn or by emailing elizabethxlagarde@gmail.com. Also share your thoughts and responses to the questions above. Your voice and perspective are invaluable as we work towards shaping a vibrant and inclusive future for our profession.
Molly Jacobs, AIA, Oregon Strategic Councilor
Senior Associate at Integrus Architecture
Corey Squire, AIA, At-Large Strategic Councilor
Sustainability Director at Bora Architecture & Interiors
Greetings! We’d like to introduce ourselves as the Oregon members of the AIA Strategic Council. For those unfamiliar with the Council and its work, it was established 10 years ago as the representative leadership body of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The Council is composed of representatives from each state and select U.S. territories, along with future and past AIA presidents and at-large members who bring unique perspectives and expertise to benefit the Council’s work.
While the AIA Board of Directors is responsible for leading the Institute today, the Strategic Council looks ahead—mapping out where we want to take the profession over the next decade. The Council also serves as a conduit between the National AIA and state chapters, reporting on AIA initiatives while bringing ideas from Oregon to the national organization, and vice versa.
Molly Jacobs serves as Oregon’s Strategic Councilor, appointed by AIA Oregon’s Executive Committee. She is an Architect and Senior Associate at Integrus Architecture in Portland and also serves on the National Committee on Architecture for Education (CAE).
Corey Squire is an At-Large Strategic Councilor, elected for his expertise in sustainability. He is currently Sustainability Director at Bora Architecture & Interiors in Portland and previously served on the National Committee on the Environment (COTE) Leadership Group, where he co-created the AIA’s Framework for Design Excellence.
With over 60 members, the Strategic Council is divided into study groups that function much like congressional committees. These groups explore new ideas and solutions to critical issues affecting the profession and its role in society, focusing on ideation, research, and generative thought-based activities to advance key topics.
Corey is serving on the Climate Responsive Design study group. This year, the group is focused on providing accessible and practical content to help practitioners design healthy, efficient, and resilient buildings. One initiative is a monthly “Climate Corner” newsletter, which will be shared with each state chapter. Look out for February’s edition on designing to mitigate extreme heat.
Molly serves on the Resilient Practice Model study group. With advancing technology, evolving industries, and a record number of firm owners retiring, the profession must adapt to remain strong. This group is exploring the future of architectural practice, focusing on firm culture and leadership, ownership models, and mentorship to ensure firms continue to thrive.
We are honored to serve as your Strategic Councilors and represent AIA Oregon. Our goal is to be a bridge between our state and the National AIA, fostering collaboration and bringing your insights forward. We want to hear from you! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns, or feedback.
We will also be hosting a “Meet Your Strategic Councilors” coffee hour at Water Avenue Coffee on April 15, 2025 at 9am. We’d love for you to join us, share your thoughts on AIA and the Strategic Council, and discuss our study group topics. We look forward to connecting with you!
