Observations, ideas, insights, reflections from California’s leaders

2025 AIA Leadership Summit //byline Nicki Dennis Stephens, Hon. AIA – EVP, AIA California February 26, 2025 Nearly 50 of California’s architects traveled to Washington, D.C., for a three-day program focused on leadership training, professional development, and advocacy on behalf of the profession. During the AIA Leadership Summit, they found inspiration, built valuable connections, and engaged in insightful workshops to support their personal leadership development. Individual reflections and takeaways… “Show up and make noise.” Alexander Cochran, Esq. – AIA Chief Advocacy Officer  “There’s a real power in dialogue [is] to influence culture.” Erica Obertelli, AIA – AIA Santa Barbara “The word citizen is most powerful when exercised as a verb. In doing so, we deepen relationships, understand better each other’s perspective, and ultimately we are able to work together to inspire change that benefit the sum rather than just a part.” Katee Chard, AIA – AIA San Diego (reflection from Baratunde Thurston’s keynote presentation) “Architecture is a reflection of the culture; our culture cannot lose the plurality of who we are.” Illya Azeroff, FAIA – AIA President-elect “The cost of incivility. Everyone knows that happier employees are more productive, but seeing the research support this notion was eye opening.” Anton Foss, AIA, HOK – AIA San Francisco President (from Dr. Christine Porath, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Read more about the “cost of incivility” from the Harvard Business Review here: https://hbr.org/2013/01/the-price-of-incivility “Combat cruelty with care.” – Mary Margaret Zindren, CAE – AIA Minnesota “Work on what you can control and be resilient.”  Cesar Escalante, AIA – AIA San Francisco “The next generation is making us a better profession.”  Leah Bayer, AIA – Keynote Panelist and AIA Strategic Counselor “Leadership and teaching are deeply intertwined” – Stephen Ayers, FAIA – AIA Interim EVP/CEO “Lead by listening” – Evelyn Lee, FAIA – AIA 2025 President “Innovation funds innovation.” Ginger Thompson, AIA – AIA California President-elect “Every disruption is an opportunity” – Illya Azaroff, FAIA – AIA President-elect “How do we predict future resiliency needs?” Sammy Shams, AIA – HKS Architects “What’s the problem that needs to be solved by this space? Not just built but felt, embodied and experienced?” Ginger Thompson, AIA – AIA CA President-elect (reflection from Baratunde Thurston’s keynote presentation) “Facing hurdles we’ve never seen before is what architects do!” Carina Mills, AIA – AIA California President

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