Message from the Legislative Affairs Committee Co-chair

Kim Olson, AIA

AIA Members:

My name is Kim Olson, and I’m an Associate Principal at Mahlum in Portland. Alongside my day to day work, I’ve been involved with the AIA in varying capacities since 2015 when I joined the board of AIA Portland as a Director. I’ve found involvement in the AIA to be both personally and professionally fulfilling, and have continued to look for ways to be involved and serve this profession. Recently, my interests have brought me to serve as part of the steering group for the Legislative Affairs Committee.

The state AIA council was formed in the middle of the last century to coordinate legislative advocacy between the local chapters (this is the group we called “AIA Oregon” prior to our restructuring). The primary committee of the council was the Legislative Affairs Committee (LAC). The current operation of the LAC dates back a few decades. In the early days, our legislative advocacy was focused on firm-centric issues, such as Qualification-Based Selection, encroachment on the practice of architecture, coordination with the Board of Architect Examiners and Building Codes Division. Starting in the early 2000s, the focus increased to include built environment advocacy, including energy reach codes, and sustainable rating system requirements. More recently, this has included the creation of the Oregon Resiliency Offer, and funding requirements for green energy technology. In 2019, the committee worked to pass bills related to expanding the triggers for substantial completion and was an active participant and advocate for the profession in the Modernization of Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) – driving the conversation towards value-based components. Additionally, we worked for the successful adoption of the Oregon Safety Assessment Program. As with all our committees, these achievements required the work of a dedicated group of people within the AIA.

Looking forward to our next legislative session, we’ve organized our committee to focus on three key areas:

1) Sustainability and Resiliency:

On September 16th of this year, the AIA introduced the “Where We Stand: Climate Action” plan, making the climate crisis the top priority of the institute. Recognizing the effect the built environment has on greenhouse gas levels and the resulting negative impacts, as well as our ethical obligation to the health, safety, and welfare of building occupants, we realize the significant responsibility we have to drive forward measures that support sustainability and resiliency. This subgroup of the LAC will focus on these issues and work to influence associated policy at the state level.

2) Code:

Our initial focus will be on expanded training opportunities and possibly code discussion groups, and if successful, we intend to expand our effort to address the ICC code adoption process.

3) Business Policy, via the Firm Roundtable:

As architects, we are exposed to many different requirements via the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS). These items affect areas such as our professional liability, contractual verbiage, and how we can pursue work, etc. Our Firm Roundtable meets at regular intervals to discuss issues that we see impacting the business side of our profession and works to establish revisions to the ORS that better supports our profession.

I am joined in these efforts by several talented and dedicated colleagues. The steering committee members include Chris Forney, AIA, Joe Pinzone, AIA, Jay Raskin, AIA, Eric Sandoval, AIA, and Curt Wilson, AIA.

The work of the Legislative Affairs Committee has a deep impact on the work we do as Architects. We can have a tremendous amount of influence on the world in which we live and practice – but it takes being proactive and it takes being involved. If you are interested in being part of the change, please contact me at Kolson@mahlum.com. I’d love to add your energy to our committee!

Message from an AIA Oregon At-Large Director

John R. Flynn, AIA
Member since 1991

Hello, Colleagues –

My name is John Flynn and I’m serving on AIA Oregon’s Board of Directors in an At-Large capacity with a focus on Communications.  I’ve been active as a Board Member for the past several years, contributing my efforts as the state-wide AIA structure has transitioned to a single-state chapter entity with multiple Sections.  Reconstituting ourselves as a single state Chapter has emphasized the need for improved communication across all membership and increased member involvement in committees, programs, and professional outreach.

Members from across the state recently gathered in Portland for a day-long work session focused on several strategic initiatives for the coming year.  These initiatives stem from our reorganization and a self-imposed challenge to improve the value of membership for all within AIA Oregon.  We are a member-driven institute and we want the best experience that we can give ourselves.

Previous Thursday messages have mentioned the four strategic initiatives that were developed and in today’s communiqué, I’d like to update readers on the latest actions that the initiative groups have advanced.  (And give a shout-out to the member volunteers who are leading the charge.) 

Strategic Initiative 1 – Elevate the Member Experience
Group Leader – Colin Dean, AIA (Eugene)
Board Liaison – Jim Satzinger, AIA (Bend)

One of the great benefits of AIA membership is the sharing of knowledge among design professionals.  Our single state chapter presents a great opportunity to provide continuing education to members in every Section – comprehensively and simultaneously!  As part of our commitment to members and member-services, the group leading Strategic Initiative 1 is focused on the necessary steps to have Sections host continuing ed webinars that are available to all members throughout the state.

The first of these simulcasts is scheduled for January 10, 2020 at noon.  “2109 OSSC Updates,” a two-hour class covering the latest building code changes, will make two continuing education credits available to AIA attendees in Portland (live) or at any other Sections’ remote class locations.  Event details, including registration, are available on the AIAO website. 

Strategic Initiative 2 – Enhance Professional Development
Group Leader – Chris Moore, AIA (Bend)
Board Liaison – Andy Owen, AIA (Southern Oregon)

One significant goal for this strategic initiative is to improve the operation of our committee structure to support state-wide relationships.  It’s clear that we accomplish a significant majority of our programs and development of knowledge content through the work of the committees.  And although many committees are locally situated, all are AIA Oregon committees.

AIA Oregon is actively coordinating committees throughout the state as they develop resources and content that can be shared by members.  This strategic initiative group has begun initial steps to coalesce resources that can be available on our website as a resource library for members.

 Strategic Initiative 3 – Improve Our Communities
Group Leader – Dana Ing Crawford, AIA (Southern Oregon)
Board Liaison – John Flynn, AIA (Portland)

This strategic initiative embraces the collective power of architects working together and looks to communicate that through outreach and advocacy for the profession.  Architects get engaged with their communities in many ways – through design, design advocacy, and civic involvement.  It’s important that the general public know who we are, what we do, and that we architects are making a difference in the issues that concern our communities.

The group has initiated several tasks that will communicate architects’ advocacy successes and identify opportunities for issues-based community enhancement activities.  The team will look to create outreach avenues that will promote the role of the architect in the betterment of our communities.

Strategic Initiative 4 – Adapt to the Changing Profession
Group Leader – Joseph Sis, Assoc. AIA (Southern Oregon)
Board Liaison – Daniel Roth, Assoc. AIA (Salem)

Architects lead the way in preparing for a better future.  Whether it’s forward-thinking design, leading-edge building technology, or environmental stewardship, we collectively hold a wealth of ideas and resources that can make an improved difference in peoples’ lives.

A specific action that this group is working on is identifying 12 “hot” topics that can be organized into a monthly resource posting on our website.  We foresee an exchange of knowledge and resources similar to the Knowledge-Based Communities sponsored by AIA National.  The group is developing ideas around how this “Resource Blog” can be integrated into our website.

As you can likely tell from the brief reports above, AIA Oregon is stepping up to increased communication, engagement, and activity.  Our organization needs members to bring their interests and energy to our strategic initiatives (and our committees, as well.)  If you’d like to get involved, contact any of the Strategic Initiative Team Leaders listed above directly or through AIAO staff.

Look to these weekly messages for future updates on Strategic Initiative progress!Thanks and don’t forget to attend your upcoming Section Holiday Party!

Message from an AIA Oregon At-Large Director

Krista R. Phillips, AIA
Member since 2003

My name is Krista Phillips, I am licensed in Oregon and Alaska, and I have been an active member of the AIA since 2003.  I truly believe it takes all of us to make change.  I am an architect, a change maker, a thought leader, a mother, a wife, and a passionate citizen and human being.  In 2017, after 25 years of generalist, global experience in architectural practice--8 of those years as a firm owner in an award-winning pacific-rim regional firm--I sharpened my focus on education.  A brief stint in the K-12 setting made way to my current position as Managing Architect for Portland Community College, Oregon’s largest higher education institution serving over 70,000 individuals.  My responsibilities include overseeing PCC’s $200 million 2017 bond program, as well as providing thought leadership to campus-wide facilities stewardship and planning.   I advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion in the profession and for developing the pipeline of future architects.  I have served for over 10 years—5 as Chair-- as an AIA practitioner representative to the NAAB on architecture program accreditation visits, for 6 years as Alaska's State IDP (AXP) Coordinator, and for over 8 years as an Architect Licensing Advisor.  I have served since 2009 as an AXP Supervisor and 80% of my mentees are now licensed architects.  I have mentored some of these individuals for almost 20 years and counting; this truly is one of the most rewarding achievements I can share:  a methodical and consistent hand of ‘paying it forward’ is growing our pipeline and supports a more diverse generation of 21st century practitioners. 

My Story:

My mother was a lifelong K-12 educator.  My father was a self-made entrepreneur in the construction industry.  Inspired by their work ethic, creativity and problem-solving abilities, I discovered architecture in 3rd Grade and I have not looked back since.  I cannot imagine doing anything else. 

Architects have the ability and duty to make a marked difference in our world.  I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting into as a young student, but I was a restless artist drawn to this experiment of science and art.  My first plane ride anywhere was to Milan, Italy when I was 21.  I studied overseas for a year in Berlin, Graz, and Venice—which changed my lens on life and humanity.  I graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1993 with a BArch degree.  I visited Portland with my husband-to-be as a student and fell in love with this place.  Come graduation day, we migrated across the great continental U.S., leaving horse country, college basketball, and the foothills of Appalachia, settling down in NE Portland, intent to forge our careers. 

With a handful of years under our belts (my early years were with ZGF and Lee Winn in Portland) we lived and worked in Alaska for a short time, an amazing state and living laboratory to bear witness to our changing climate.  Fast forward to early 2000s:  living, working, and attending graduate school in Sydney, Australia.  Returning to Portland in the immediate post-9/11 era with little work opportunity, we set our sights again on Alaska--the next chapter..

The Programs Committee:

15 years later, our family returned to NE Portland in 2018 with amazing lived experiences.  From these places and experiences, I am honored to be leading AIA Oregon’s newest statewide committee:  the Programs Committee, and am beginning a term of service as AIA Oregon’s newest At-Large Director.  Programs are a pivotal component of our membership experience.  We need to feel centered and well-supported as a statewide group of professionals and we can bring this sense of support to AIA Oregon by the types of, quality, and delivery methods of member programming we offer. 

The purpose of the Programs Committee is to help hone our identity as a ‘one Chapter, many voices’ organization through programming.  This committee’s charge is to support the membership from a statewide perspective by assisting the AIAO board as thought leaders to the overarching membership experience in programming and in assisting members with statewide programs planning.  When I returned to Portland last summer and realized that AIA Oregon was newly accredited as one Chapter, I felt compelled to volunteer my time and service  to assisting through this transition.  AIA Alaska, my former Chapter, is a single Chapter with 3 Sections:  Northern, Central, and Southeast.  Even though much of Alaska’s population is greatly scattered, there has historically been a robust membership banded together by a few geographic centers (thus the 3 Sections) and supporting each other to advance the profession. They accomplish this through the statewide Chapter’s support of an international design-focused lecture series, a robust Emerging Professionals focus, an annual statewide conference on architecture, as well as an established design awards program tailored to Alaska’s many micro-climates, drawing diverse entries statewide. 

Reach Out:

Have you ever thought about ideas for a program, series, or event you’d like to experience as an AIAO member?  What could we do to bring us together in learning, fellowship, and change?  Our profession is changing and so must we.  What are our most pressing areas of concern to be curated into a programming experience?  Share your thoughts with me at kristarphillips@hotmail.com and I will reach back.  If you would like to join me on the Programs Committee--defining a programming strategy that speaks to ‘one Chapter, many voices’-- email me with interest and I will share a committee overview.  To those of you I met and worked with in my early years in Portland and have not seen since I returned last summer, I look forward to seeing you again and I hope it’s at an upcoming AIA Oregon program, event, or committee meeting! 

AIA Oregon is on a pathway to promote quality in statewide programming, education, and advocacy in support of our membership experience.  I am honored to work with all members statewide to bring us together as ‘one Chapter, many voices’.