Serving as the 80th president of AIA California has been a great honor, and I’m coming to the last days of this role. I am so grateful to our next two presidents for their collaboration and friendship over the past few years, and I look forward to seeing Ginger Thompson, AIA, and Drew Weigl, AIA, step up to lead, bringing their own creativity and passion while helping ensure the continuity of the organization.

I am proud of the synergy we had with this year‘s Executive Committee. This team brought so much support and commitment to tackling big challenges, and I know our time spent together brings greater value to the future of this organization.

If you ask anyone involved, they will tell you I was determined to make meaningful changes. I asked our leadership team to stop swimming in lanes and start playing water polo together – this was the analogy for two years. We stopped reporting on our own respective portfolios and started collaborating more meaningfully about the future of the organization as we formed this new Executive Committee, the strategic stewards of the organization. From the top down, I was determined to make everyone’s time spent with AIA California feel more valued.

We were successful because no single member of the group was so attached to their elected role and the legacy of that work that we couldn’t move forward on a new governance model, with an efficient resized board, that can more nimbly tackle issues pressing the profession. I could not have been successful in this role if it was not for the humility and curiosity of my fellow leaders this year. In the midst of these changes, we were still able to address legislative issues, climate action agendas, ongoing continuing education, and awards programs, while hearing from members that committee engagement was being streamlined.

I thrive on organizational improvement and hearing that people feel their time and talent are optimized. This has been my goal with AIA and in my work, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to facilitate. I know that I have gained deeper wisdom and expanded connection through AIA, especially forums like the national AIA Leadership Summit, formerly known as Grassroots, this gathering of AIA leaders has transformed my understanding of what leadership means. Observing Evelyn Lee, FAIA, and Stephen Ayers, FAIA, as they led us through our gatherings this year offers me an example of a type of leader I aspire to be—not afraid to pursue change, and never insensitive to the challenges the change brings.

For me, the call to leadership has been one of service. I am energized by helping, and fascinated by the most difficult and complicated challenges. I am grateful to have put my passion to use as we move through an overdue reorganization. I am confident that the changes we are implementing now will help improve engagement and leadership development for membership across the state.

I do believe strongly about sticking around to see things through, and I look forward to honoring that commitment. I will continue to be engaged as a Past President advisor to the California Architectural Foundation, and I am excited to move on to represent California on the national AIA Strategic Council. I also hope that I can do more to support the culture shift initiative in coming years.

As I transition to working at the national level, I take the insights from California to help inform an ongoing conversation on the value proposition we offer to the public. While there are many ways to capture the hearts of the public, and I look forward to exploring more, I’m grateful for the collaboration this year with America ByDesign and look forward to more next year.

One powerful result of spending so much time and focus on the value discussion is that I have come to a greater understanding of my own personal value. 2026 will be a great new adventure for me, and I hope you all will be following along as I continue to strive to make this a more inclusive, healthier, and happier profession for all of us.