Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program

A huge thank you to our wonderful speakers who made session 06: Community Engagement so interactive and engaging! Anna McCorvey, RA McCorvey, AIA, DC-based architect, champions design's transformative potential. As Senior Equitable Development Manager for the 11th Street Bridge Park, she addresses community displacement in Anacostia, promoting inclusive urban development. With a background in affordable housing and community projects, Anna engages in youth outreach and was honored as a 2021 Public Interest Design Lab fellow. She holds degrees from Howard University and UC Berkeley, balancing advocacy with personal passions for running and gardening. Bill Spack, AIA, co-founder of CGS Architects since 1986, is celebrated for collaborative architecture that reflects client values and community identity. A leader in Arlington County's design review and AIA|DC Chapter boards, Bill specializes in award-winning institutional projects fostering connectivity and change. His career spans innovative solutions in architecture, shaping vibrant, inclusive spaces across DC, Maryland, and Virginia. David Rubin, FASLA, FAAR, founding principal of DAVID RUBIN Land Collective, pioneers empathy-driven landscape architecture. Educated at Connecticut College and Harvard, his studio integrates social justice into urban design, renowned for projects like the National World War I Memorial and Grand Junction Park. A Fellow of the American Academy in Rome, Rubin's work spans global locations, shaping resilient, socially purposeful environments. Mark Hamala, an Urban Planner with 7 years' experience, specializes in zoning and project review across the DMV area. As Senior Zoning Specialist at the DC Office of Zoning, he collaborates with various agencies and the public to enhance the special exception and variance processes, aiming to streamline urban development and regulatory efficiency. #community #engagment #architecture #equitable #stakeholders #futureofarchitecture #change #ckldpdc2024 #aiadc #aia #designleaders #emergingleaders #designyourfuture #washingtondc

Looking forward to today’s session, Community Engagement. This session has been put together by scholars Fijoy Fisiy, RA, AIA and Dailong Ma, Assoc. AIA, and will be hosted by Teass \ Warren Architects. A big shoutout to the session sponsors GCS-SIGAL, and One Source Associates, Inc. for making their vision come to life. This session seeks to expand the dialogue surrounding architects’ roles and responsibilities in contributing to successful community engagement initiatives. By fostering a dialogue about effective and inclusive engagement strategies through the analysis of case studies, scholars will leave the session with knowledge on working with diverse voices to aid in the development of projects that address issues of site and local context in a manner that promotes inclusion and equity. #community #engagment #architecture #equitable #stakeholders #futureofarchitecture #change #ckldpdc2023 #aiadc #aia #designleaders #emergingleaders #designyourfuture #washingtondc

Introducing 2024 Scholar, Dailong Ma, Associate AIA Dailong is a Senior Designer at Teass \ Warren Architects in Washington, DC, where he has worked since 2017 after receiving his Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. His recent work focuses on various scales of residential projects, institutional church renovations, and commercial retail design. As an emerging architect at Teass \ Warren Architects, he has consistently demonstrated exceptional design talent and a commitment to fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment. Dailong possesses a unique ability to translate conceptual ideas into innovative solutions, showcasing both creativity and a deep understanding of architectural principles and design constraints. In addition to his design talent, Dailong has actively engaged in mentoring younger staff members, exemplifying his leadership potential. He is responsible for organizing office pinups that have strengthened the culture of design in our office. He is also dedicated to community service and volunteer activities, reflecting a strong sense of social responsibility. To find out more about the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development program, see link in bio. #ckldpdc2024 #aiadc #aia #designleaders #emergingleaders #designyourfuture #washingtondc #architect #designer

Introducing 2024 Scholar, Fijoy Fisiy, RA, AIA. Fijoy Fisiy is a talented architect at CGS Architects in Washington, DC. Born in Yaounde, Cameroon and raised in Alexandria, Virginia, Fijoy earned her Masters of Architecture degree at the Boston Architectural College. Fijoy’s project experience runs across various sectors - ranging from mixed-used multifamily to community projects and campus master plans. Fijoy’s current body of work is centered on educational and institutional design with a focus on delivering innovative educational spaces that inspire. When not engaging in the practice of architecture, Fijoy devotes her time and energy to issues surrounding youth capacity building and design access to under-served communities. To find out more about the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development program, see link in bio.#ckldpdc2024 #aiadc #aia #designleaders #emergingleaders #designyourfuture #washingtondc #architect #designer

Some highlights from Session 5: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. The day concluded with a panel discussion featuring four firm leaders who are leading DE&I efforts in their practice - Jessica Bantom, Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, SHRM-SCP, Emily Pierson-Brown, & Oscar Gomes. The discussion covered a wide range of topics including actionable strategies, securing full firm buy-in, initiative implementation, and how to benchmark progress. Panel members discussed different metrics for measuring success such as qualitative surveys, retention percentages, and embedding DE&I principles into firm policies. #edi #equity #diversity #inclusion #equityscaling #equitybaseddesign #empower #enable #leadersoftomorrow #ckldpdc2024 #aiadc #aia #designleaders #emergingleaders #designyourfuture #washingtondc

Some highlights from Session 5: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. As a leader in Universal Design, Edward Steinfeld began Act 2 with an introduction to the Universal Design core principles and their importance in architectural practice. He discussed how several case studies incorporated these strategies and the profound impact the design had on the communities. Christian Calleri, AIA, ICAA, CNU showcased the Reservoir District project along North Capitol Street NW, D.C., which is a redevelopment that includes public space, housing, retail, office and more. He emphasized how inclusivity allows more opportunities for people from different backgrounds to experience the built environment. The success of the project is largely through the inclusivity and engagement of community members through numerous group and one-on-one meetings during the design process, and ensuring all stakeholders were onboard with developing a public space meant for all. #edi #equity #diversity #inclusion #equityscaling #equitybaseddesign #empower #enable #leadersoftomorrow #ckldpdc2024 #aiadc #aia #designleaders #emergingleaders #designyourfuture #washingtondc

Some highlights from Session 5: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion The session began with an activity using the “Live Your Values” deck, a set of cards designed to help identify and align your core values. This activity prompted open conversations by highlighting the foundational values essential for diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I) initiatives and fostering a collaborative and thoughtful beginning for the session. Each group of scholars selected the top five values on the cards they believed to be crucial for creating an environment that supports DE&I. The selected cards were visible for the remainder of the session to help guide discussions. Presentation #1 focused on actions and principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Shalini Agrawal kicked off the presentation by leading scholars through visualizations and discussion around people’s lived experiences, to uncover biases they have experienced and implicit biases they have held. This sparked engaging conversations on how to unlearn these implicit biases and influence the built environment to be more responsive to community inequities. Jessica Bantom highlighted the importance of diverse representation in the design field and explained valuable DE&I habits and tools, and how to incorporate them into the design industry while still providing value to clients. She relayed the importance of the ability to understand, appreciate and interact with cultures, lifestyles, backgrounds, experiences different than your own. #edi #equity #diversity #inclusion #equityscaling #equitybaseddesign #empower #enable #leadersoftomorrow #ckldpdc2024 #aiadc #aia #designleaders #emergingleaders #designyourfuture #washingtondc

A huge thank you to our speakers for Session 05: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. Their input and engagement led to a great session! Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, SHRM-SCP is a medical planner, Principal, and Global Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at HKS in Washington, DC. Co-founder of LA.IDEA and founder of the WIELD event, she received the 2022 AIA Young Architects Award. Yiselle is dedicated to equitable practices, community wellness, and creating inclusive spaces that celebrate diversity and foster belonging. Emily Pierson-Brown, AIA, AICP, NOMA, LEED GA, is an Associate Principal at Perkins Eastman in Pittsburgh, focusing on equitable, healthy senior living communities. As the firm’s global PEople Culture Manager, she leads DEI initiatives across 24 offices. Emily received the Sho-Ping Chin Grant (2019) and the AIA Pennsylvania Impact Designer Award (2022). She co-founded Women in Design Pittsburgh to support women’s leadership and mentorship in architecture. Jessica Bantom is the Global Leader of Equity, Diversity, and Belonging at DLR Group. With over 20 years of experience, she helps designers enhance cultural competence. Jessica has worked with universities, global associations, and government agencies. Her book, Design for Identity: How to Design Authentically for a Diverse World, underscores her commitment to inclusive design and meaningful outcomes for diverse communities. Oscar Gomes, PE, is a Principal and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at EwingCole, with over 20 years of experience in design and construction. He specializes in healthcare design, leading projects like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's outpatient facilities and Essentia Health’s St. Mary’s Medical Center. Oscar holds a degree in Architectural Engineering from Drexel University and is a frequent speaker and author on industry topics, with his projects earning numerous awards. #edi #equity #diversity #inclusion #ckldpdc2024 #aiadc #aia #designleaders #emergingleaders #designyourfuture #washingtondc

A huge thank you to three of our speakers for Session 05: Equity. Diversity & Inclusion. Their input and engagement led to a great session! Shalini Agrawal, an interdisciplinary designer in the Bay Area, specializes in co-designing public spaces through inclusive workshops. Founder of @Public Design for Equity and co-director of Pathways to Equity, she pioneers equity-focused practices and was recognized with the 2020 NOMA NAACP SEED Award. As an Associate Professor at California College of the Arts and core organizer at Dark Matter University, she advocates for anti-racist architecture education and explores spatial justice at the University of Oregon. Edward Steinfeld, Arch. D, FAIA, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Architecture at the University at Buffalo, has over 50 years of expertise in inclusive design. Co-author of the Principles of Universal Design and innovator of the isUDTM Certification, he shaped the ANSI A117.1 Standards. Founder of the IDEA Center, he authored "Universal Design: Creating Inclusive Environments." Recognized with NEA and ACSA awards, he mentors future leaders and champions DEI in architecture and design. Christian Calleri, AIA, ICAA, CNU, is an Associate Principal at Perkins Eastman with over 30 years of experience. His expertise spans from designing houses to university buildings and masterplans to neighborhoods, specializing in Large Scale Mixed Use. Christian fosters internal discussions on human diversity in architecture and has been integral to the McMillan Park redevelopment project for 10 to 15 years, poised to break ground. #edi #equity #diversity #inclusion #ckldpdc2024 #aiadc #aia #designleaders #emergingleaders #designyourfuture #washingtondc

Looking forward to today’s session, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. This session has been put together by scholars Deshona Nelson, Assoc. AIA and Diana Paola Vaccaro, Assoc. AIA, CDT and will be hosted at Perkins Eastman. A big shoutout to the session sponsors Architessa, HITT Contracting Inc. and Palindrome Design Associates for making their vison come to life. In session 5, we will discuss why DEI competency is important for design professionals and the profession. How can we balance client needs and goals with the public’s interest and safety in mind, incorporating DEI values? What kinds of initiatives could be implemented, actionable strategies, or policies that attract and retain diverse talent? We will examine how to build inclusive environments that foster culture, minimize bias, and address systemic inequities. There will be shared discussions with DEI firm leaders examining how DEI strategies have shaped the industry and the role of leadership in shaping the future of the industry with diverse representation. #edi #equity #diversity #inclusion #equityscaling #equitybaseddesign #empower #enable #leadersoftomorrow #ckldpdc2024 #aiadc #aia #designleaders #emergingleaders #designyourfuture #washingtondc