November 6, 2024

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Strategic Councilor Jessica O’Donnell, AIA, Shares A Report from the AIA Strategic Council

Report from the AIA Strategic Council

by Jessica O’Donnell, AIA, Strategic Councilor, At Large Representative

Mission: The AIA Strategic Council advances the architectural profession by informing the AIA Board and other Institute bodies about important professional issues, opportunities, and threats. The Council has an outward and forward-focused vision with an emphasis on long-term goals and outcomes.

What Does the Strategic Council Do? To learn more about the role and activities of the Strategic Council, click HERE.

Our Value of Architecture report to the Strategic Council took place in late September and our group is now working on our final report to the AIA Board.
As we wrap up this year’s work over the next few weeks, we are also starting to prepare for 2025. A huge thank you to those who participated in the Big Think Survey to help us determine the Council’s areas of study for 2025. We will be sharing those topics later this year.

FROM THE MODERATOR + VICE MODERATOR

We had a busy and productive month in September, during which we elected three new at-large candidates who will begin serving on the Council starting in 2025. We encourage states and components to remind candidates who may not be elected through their representative selection process to consider applying for an at-large position on the Council next year. This is a great opportunity for those passionate
about contributing to AIA’s leadership. We also want to extend our gratitude to all the excellent candidates who shared their vision for the profession and their desire to work with the Council. Your passion and commitment are inspiring and critical to shaping the future of the AIA.

The Value of Architecture Study Group presented its findings to the Council, highlighting important research and recommendations on how architects create value for clients through design. A special thank you to the group for their hard work in developing and sharing this critical research. Their insights, along with the recommendations from the study group, offer valuable guidance for the profession’s future
growth.

The Moderator and Vice Moderator presented the work of the Council, including recommendations from all five study groups. to the Board of Directors. This year, the Board has asked the Council to prioritize these recommendations, with further updates to be shared later this year.

As we look ahead, we’ve begun the transition to our 2025 Council leadership. For those electing new Council members this year, please ensure you have notified AIA National of the results of your state’s selection process. We have also started planning for AIA Governance Week, which will take place in December. We look forward to welcoming the new Council soon.

Graciela Carrillo, AIA, 2024 Moderator + Josh Flowers, FAIA, 2024 Vice Moderator

 

Special thanks to our Steering Committee members who help guide our work and inform our decision-making process: Brad Benjamin, AIA (Best Practices Committee Chair), Alyssa Murphy, AIA (Communications Chair), Bruce Herrington, AIA (Elections Chair).

 

VALUE OF ARCHITECTURE STUDY GROUP REPORT

On September 25 th the Value of Architecture group presented their findings to the Council. The goal of this group was for AIA members, clients, partners and communicates to understand, appreciate and pursue the value of architecture. They found that collaboration, innovation, and growth are keys to enhancing our value. One proposed innovation is an integrated virtual collaboration phase, led by the Architect. They recommend ongoing evaluation of trends, collaboration with partner organizations, and the use of research methodologies that embrace AI technology.

 

WELLBEING STUDY GROUP REPORT

On October 15 th the final study group, Wellbeing, made their presentation to the Strategic Council. The group advised on next steps following the passage of the 2024 Wellbeing Resolution. These include forming a task force to advise on implementing the imperatives of the resolution, developing a Wellbeing Resource Catalog, and encouraging the Knowledge Communities to incorporate more wellbeing topics.
The group also recommended that the 2025 Council further develop case studies that could help AIA members communicate the impact of wellbeing with their clients and recommend action to celebrate schools and/or firms that prioritize wellbeing in the profession.

 

2023 DEMOGRAPHICS REPORT

The latest report on demographics within in the Institute is now available to download here. AIA is committed to advancing diversity and equity in architecture and design through the intentional recruitment and retention of people with underrepresented backgrounds. The 2023 edition of the AIA Membership Demographics Report shares an overview of AIA programs and initiatives that support our diversity
efforts—designing for equity and creating a sense of belonging at AIA.

 

AIA CALLS ON CONGRESS FOR EMERGENCY DISASTER FUNDING

In the wake of recent devastating storms, AIA President Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, NOMAC, sent a letter to congress on behalf of the 98,000 AIA members to provide immediate supplemental funding for several federal disaster relief programs. AIA Staff has also worked to coordinate support for AIA chapters and members and connect them with resources and opportunities to lend support.

 

Institute News

AIA ADVANCING CLIMATE ACTION

AIA continues to advance climate action within the built environment through cross-collaboration with industry partners and climate program milestones toward progress on building decarbonization and materials specification goals. This includes publishing the 2030 By the Numbers annual report, completing the first year of data reporting by the AIA Materials Pledge group, and participating in Climate
Week NYC. Read more here.

AIA WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
The Women’s Leadership Summit was held in Chicago October 8th-10th. The summit aims to advance equality and gender parity in the industry. The 2024 theme, Building Resilience, challenges traditional thinking to foster positive change by exploring resilience, adaptability in a constantly shifting landscape, and perseverance during difficult times. Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the first WLS gathering, over
800 architects commemorated a significant milestone: for the first time, women make up more than one-fourth—26.8 percent—of AIA’s total membership. This year also marks the second of three consecutive years with women serving as AIA national leaders, another first in the organization’s history.

For more events, visit the AIA events page at: https://www.aia.org/community/events

Feedback
We value input! If you have questions or ideas for the Strategic Council, reach out to us at StrategicCouncil@aia.org.
To learn more about the work of the Strategic Council, please visit the Strategic Council webpage at AIA.org.

 

 

By Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, AIA NJ Advocacy Consultant | Posted in AIA-NJ News, Uncategorized | Tagged: #AIANational, #AIAUpdate, #JessicaODonnellAIA, #StrategicCouncil | Comments (0)