Message from Dave Mojica, Co-Chair of the Housing Advocacy Committee

Dave Mojica, Assoc. AIA
Housing Advocacy Committee (HAC) Co-Chair

Housing Oregon Conference Recap (on behalf of the HAC)

This September the AIA Oregon Housing Advocacy Committee (HAC) participated in the 2025 Housing OR Conference at the Portland Convention Center.  More than 1,300 housing advocates from across the state participated to share and discuss housing justice and how to expedite the creation of quality affordable housing.

Of the ninety-four workshops over ten percent featured AIA OR firms or members. Architects were able to share their expertise through presentations, panels, and one on one networking opportunities over two days. Topics included innovative modular and CLT techniques, Inclusive and Social Housing, and the Integration of Art in Architecture. The HAC hosted a Best Practices Panel on How to Work with an Architect, which centered on educating participants on how architects traditionally support development teams in balancing the design process with funding timelines, lead land use approvals, and permit reviews. This panel highlight the nuanced approaches they take for community engagement and managing stakeholder goals and requirements. In addition to being able to share knowledge we were also able to celebrate excellence in quality affordable design that features livability, community revitalization, and service integration. Congratulations to CPAH & Carlton Hart for receiving the Urban Golden Hammer Award for Plambeck Gardens.

For HAC and architectural participants this conference allowed them to interface with advocates, policy makers, developers, and local jurisdictions in a format not readily available in day-to-day practice. The Development Fundamentals and Finance tracks gave architects the opportunity to learn the details of the evolving circumstances that make affordable housing possible. The Policy and Advocacy track highlighted the ways senate bills have broken down design and approval barriers to increase housing production which noting the challenges that lie ahead. 

A key takeaway reinforced at the Lunch Plenary is that housing advocates need increased support and active involvement of architects to make change. Architects possess a unique ability to graphically and verbally bring form to housing concepts and guiding sentiments. The HAC looks forward to responding to this call and taking the lessons learned at this conference by increasing volunteer and advocacy opportunities for AIA OR in 2026. 

For updates and notification of where recordings from the conference are available sign up at:  https://sites.google.com/view/aiaohac/home.

Message From Heather Wilson, AIAO EVP/CEO

Heather Wilson
AIA Oregon CEO / EVP

A New Era: Welcoming Carole Wedge, FAIA, and Reflecting on the Search

Dear AIA Oregon Members,

The announcement of Carole Wedge, FAIA, as the new CEO of the AIA marks an exciting new chapter for our Institute. Please join me in offering her the warmest welcome. Carole brings not only a distinguished career as a practicing architect but also a proven record of leadership and transformation within the profession.

This successful transition is thanks to many hands. Deep gratitude goes to Search Committee Chair Kim Dowdell, AIA, for her steady leadership, and to the search team at Heidrick & Struggles for guiding a thoughtful and rigorous process that surfaced an outstanding slate of candidates. Staff, including Kiersten Fox and Stephen Ayers, FAIA, as Interim CEO, were key in maintaining the integrity and pace of the process. The AIA members who composed the remainder of the Search Committee are dedicated, thoughtful, passionate individuals who asked tough questions and deliberated thoroughly. I am thankful that I was a part of the process. I welcome any of you to reach out with questions.

Lessons Learned and the Road Ahead
Serving on the selection committee was an invaluable experience that clarified both the Institute's needs and the qualities required of its next leader. This will inform my service on the AIA Board of Directors (as the CACE Past President) immediately. The choice of an architect-rather than a traditional association professional-reflects a desire for a leader who can draw on the credibility of practice while guiding institutional change. The choice of Carole, specifically, reflects the Search Committee's agreement that what the association needs right now is a healer. I know, through my own experiences with Carole throughout the years, this is one of her greatest abilities.

To the AIA Oregon Member community: your role in this transition is essential. While Carole brings a practitioner's perspective, your insight as a chapter member volunteer and practitioner matter to Carole. As she transitions and makes her communication channels known, use them. Give her feedback, especially the positive kind! Everyone appreciates that and, as an architect, Carole understands that conscious critique is care.

 What excites me most about Carole’s coming into this position is that it signals the dedication of the Board to:

• Transform the Institute into a more nimble and responsive organization.

• Advance equity and belonging so every architect, from every background and practice type, feels welcome and represented.

• Strengthen collaboration among National, state, and local components.

The best way forward is through honest partnership and candid exchange. Together, we can provide Carole with the grounding she needs to lead with impact.

Message from John Flynn, AIA - AIA Oregon President

John Flynn, AIA
AIA Oregon President

Hello, Colleagues –

I hope that everyone’s Fall is off to a great start! AIA Oregon has had a quietly busy Summer and is looking forward to an even busier Fall. I’m writing today to give you a debrief and a look-ahead on what’s going on at AIA Oregon.

Summer Highlights

• Strategic Planning Retreat Members from all tiers of AIA Oregon leadership gathered in Bend in mid-May for our first Strategic Planning Retreat in several years. Board members, committee leaders, national representatives, and AIAO staff spent 2 ½ days working on optimizing our efforts as a member-services organization and elevating our profile in, and contributions to our communities. The results of this retreat are the first steps towards prioritizing strategic initiatives that will realize our mission and vision for the coming years. We are committed to revisiting our strategic plan on a biennial basis going forward. Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we share this important planning effort with you all.

• AIA25 In June, many AIA Oregon members traveled to Boston for the AIA Conference on Architecture & Design 2025. I was honored to vote on behalf of AIAO members at the Annual Business Meeting, where we elected new National Board members, amended selected by-laws, and passed a resolution on AIA’s policies toward artificial intelligence. This resolution calls for “a formal establishment of AI Usage Policies, an AI Education & Exchange Platform, an AI Ethical Framework (AI’s integration into [our] Code of Ethics), and incorporating AI into the next AIA 5-year strategic plan.”

• Big Sibs Conference August saw AIA Oregon host the annual Big Sibs Conference. Big Sibs is a peer group consisting of volunteers and staff from AIA’s 20 largest components. This two-day summit is an opportunity to share experiences and expertise, address common problems, and exchange best practices between components. Evelyn Lee FAIA, 2025 AIA President, was in attendance and also engaged with AIA Oregon members in a separate Q&A session. Thank you to AIAO Staff, who worked tirelessly before and during this successful event.

• Summer Socials Of course, Summer brings with it each Section’s Summer Social. I hope that you all had a chance to attend your local event and meet up with colleagues. We appreciate our Section Directors and Directors-elect for planning and organizing these always popular gatherings.

Fall Look Ahead

• 2026 Budget and Dues Increases Okay, this first one is important for everyone to know. On the cusp of Fall, the AIA Oregon Board of Directors, in conjunction with the Executive Vice President/CEO, begins to develop the organization’s budget for the coming year. One of the first questions is always, “What are we going to do about member dues?” Your member dues are divided into two parts: National dues and Component (State) dues. For 2025, AIA Oregon did not increase state dues for members. But for the coming year 2026, the Board has determined that a state dues increase will be necessary. Our reasoning is straightforward. We want to deliver clear and measurable value to membership. We want to provide more professional development opportunities, more accessible and reliable programming, and more opportunities for advocacy and community engagement. To achieve these goals, we need financial stability and solid reserve funds. We’ll be communicating more on this subject in October as we finalize our 2026 budget.

• Chris White Golf Tournament The Chris White Scholarship Golf Tournament is right around the corner. This is the tenth annual edition and it tees off on Friday, September 19th. REGISTRATION CLOSES TOMORROW! This event benefits the Chris White Fund for Emerging Professionals, which supports one of our newest and most successful programs, “Project ‘Almost’ Architect.” PAA provides study materials’ mentorship, and events that help guide emerging professionals towards licensure. I hope to see you there!

• Housing Oregon Conference AIA Oregon’s Housing Advocacy Committee (HAC) will present, and staff an outreach table, at this year’s Housing Oregon Conference, September 15th & 16th at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. The panel presentation will address bridging the gap between affordable housing policy and the practice of architecture. HAC’s goal is to promote the design community’s potential for direct effect on policy makers, developers, and local jurisdictions within the realm of affordable housing. I want to recognize committee co-chairs David Mojica, Assoc. AIA, and Molly Culbertson AIA for their unwavering dedication to this AIA Oregon committee and its efforts.

• New AIAO Committees We are proud to announce the formation of two new AIA Oregon Committees, coming this Fall. The Historic Resource Committee will advocate for architectural heritage and promote the role of the historic architect within the profession and the building industry. The Committee on Practice and Licensure will focus on equitable pathways to licensure for associate members throughout the state. And it will be the new “home” for Project “Almost” Architect.

• 2025 Oregon Architecture Awards Finally, later this Fall, AIA Oregon will present the Oregon Architecture Awards. Mark your calendars for Friday, October 24th at Revolution Hall in Portland. This year’s esteemed jury is led by Douglas Ito FAIA, Principal at SMR Architects in Seattle and Recipient of the 2024 AIA Whitney M Young Jr. Award. We’ve received over 50 submittals for recognition and the evening, as well, includes awards for Professional Achievement.

That’s all I’ve got for now. I hope that you all are looking forward to joining your fellow members in an exciting Fall season with AIA Oregon!