December 19, 2018
Reading Time: 4 minutes
The New York Times published an opinion piece suggesting reasons why architecture graduates, who are approximately 50/50 male to female, shift to 80% male and 20% female by the time they are registered. Check out the article here.
With a stocked pipeline like this, it is critical for those recent graduates to find female role models and mentors in leadership positions to support, encourage and demonstrate what a successful, influential, woman architect looks like. AIA New Jersey believes strongly in this idea and has been fortunate to attract such figures to serve in their leadership over the last 38 years, 7 years earlier than even AIA national!
1985 President Eleanore K. Pettersen, FAIA
2000 President Robin L. Murray, FAIA
2009 President and current Equity in Architecture Chair Stacey R. Kliesch, AIA
2015 President and current Communications Chair Kimberly L. Bunn, AIA
2018 President Verity L. Frizzell, FAIA
2019 President Judith Donnelly, AIA
Of particular note, each of these women has been or are a firm principal or sole practitioner during their term. They each have served with confidence and made a positive impact on the society during their tenure, resulting in the encouragement of future women climbing the ladder, each time more rapidly, behind them.
As AIA NJ begins the term of our 6th female president, Judith Donnelly, AIA, we think back to our first female president, Ms. Pettersen. Eleanore was not only a leader in our organization but an internationally renowned designer. After studying under Frank Lloyd Wright, Pettersen became New Jersey’s first female licensed architect and the first woman to open her own private practice, which was located in Saddle River. Read more about this great architect here.
2018 Sold-Out AIA NJ Women in Architecture Brunch
In 2019, 4 out of the 6 local sections of AIA NJ have female presidents, in addition to the female State President.
Immediate Past-president Frizzell is running for national office
Christina Amey, AIA, president of AIA South Jersey
Jessica O’Donnell, AIA, president of AIA West Jersey, in addition to her national position as Knowledge Director for the Young Architects Forum
Donna Terzano, AIA, president of AIA Central Jersey
AIA Jersey Shore President Marissa Iamello, AIA
Women in Architecture Chair Lauren Harris, Associate AIA
Regional Associate Representative Megan Pritts, Associate AIA
With such a force of female leadership plus the new AIA NJ Equity in Architecture and revamped Women in Architecture Committees alive and active, there is more opportunity than ever within AIA NJ for architecture students, associates and licensees to find a sister to show them the way to their own success story.
By Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, AIA NJ Advocacy Consultant | Posted in AIA-NJ News, Women in Architecture | Tagged: #AIA, #AIANJ, #ChrsitinaAmeyAIA, #diversity, #DonnaTerzanoAIA, #EleanorePettersenFAIA, #equity, #Inclusion, #JessicaODonnellAIA, #JudithDonnellyAIA, #KimberlyBunnAIA, #KimBunnAIA, #MarissaIamelloAIA, #RobinMurrayFAIA, #StaceyKlieschAIA, #VerityFrizzellFAA, #VoteForVerityFAIA2019, #WIA, #womeninarchitecture, #YAF, Architect, MeganPrittsAssociateAIA, Women | Comments (2)
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Retaining women in architecture is a component of the solution to the problem of not finding qualified candidates for employment. This is VERY important for the profession. This is WHY male architects should care.
We have four women in our office, All have been qualified by NCARB to take the exam. We have purchased study materials and have offered to pay for the initial test fees. Have even tried to set up an afternoon study group. They are not interested in taking the test. They instead have expressed that being LEED or Well certified is more important to them. Must be a millennium mindset.