Legacy, Service, and Commitment: 4 AIA NJ Past-Presidents Shaping the Profession

 (1.5 LU )

AIA New Jersey Women in Architecture presents a conversation with four AIA NJ Past Presidents, Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, Kimberly L. Bunn, AIA, Verity L. Frizzell, FAIA, and Judith A. Donnelly, AIA, examining how women in architecture can shape the profession through leadership, service, and long-term engagement.

Each has served AIA New Jersey at the highest level and contributed across committees and initiatives that support professional practice, advocacy, and organizational development. Their leadership reflects the broader mission of the American Institute of Architects to advance design excellence, support practitioners, and strengthen the role of architecture in the built environment, including its impact on public health, safety, and welfare. Panelists will share their paths into leadership, the responsibilities of guiding a statewide organization, and the value of sustained engagement over time, including how leadership decisions can shape policies, standards, and practices that affect communities and the built environment.

Moderated by Erin Sharp-Newton, M. Arch, Assoc. AIA, this session will explore how we can extend our impact beyond individual projects to influence professional culture, governance, and public engagement.  The discussion will frame legacy as a multi-dimensional construct, including institutional influence, organizational stewardship, and personal commitment. Participants will gain insight into how leadership within professional organizations contributes to a more resilient, inclusive, and effective profession, and how these contributions support healthier, safer, and more equitable environments. 

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify how leadership and service within the American Institute of Architects can influence policies, standards, and practices that impact public health, safety, and welfare in the built environment.
2. Analyze how architects in leadership roles contribute to advancing equitable, resilient, and healthy design outcomes through advocacy, governance, and professional engagement.
3. Evaluate the role of organizational leadership in shaping industry priorities, including sustainability, well-being, and community impact.
4. Develop strategies to integrate leadership and service into professional practice in ways that support safer, healthier, and more inclusive built environments.

Featuring: Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, Kimberly L. Bunn, AIA, Verity L. Frizzell, FAIA, Judith A. Donnelly, AIA.  Moderated by: Erin Sharp-Newton, M.Arch, Assoc. AIA

Please join us as we continue to celebrate the legacy and enduring spirit of women in architecture who have dedicated their lives to service, leadership, and the profession.