I wanted to begin this statement by introducing myself to those of you whom I don’t have the pleasure of knowing personally. My name is Brett Dougherty and I have the distinct honor of serving all of you as the 2021 AIA California President. I am truly excited that my Presidency this year falls upon my 10 year anniversary of service to the profession through the variety of positions I have held at both the local and state level of the AIA. And, while the focus between the two AIA tiers have a number of distinct differences, they are united in their core mission. What they share is a passion for the profession and a deep seeded belief that the architects of the past, present, and future have been, and continue to be, uniquely positioned to affect positive change both in our local communities and around the world. This unique focus amongst professions allows us to contribute to local and global conversations and will continue to be a fundamental priority this year and beyond.
2021 will no doubt be a year unlike any other, (a tall order given what we all experienced in different ways in 2020.) Gone are the recent days where we would constantly look forward to the next year in an attempt to put the past behind us. This is the year where our profession emerges stronger, more resilient, and with a renewed focus on what our profession is capable of not only doing, but also for what we can stand. As we already quickly approach the end of this year’s first quarter, I wanted to extend my heartfelt appreciation to our members for their own personal and professional endeavors, and for the support for our organization’s efforts that the leadership and staff have felt here at AIA CA.
I look forward to sharing future updates with all of you and I hope that you find new ways to engage and take part in the many conversations happening at the local, state, national, and international levels. Let’s work together to make this a year of which we can all be proud.
I wish all of you, your colleagues, families and friends, the best of health, and I sincerely hope that growing optimism and action are in the days ahead for us all.
Brett Dougherty, AIA
