Q&A with the American Institute of Architects’ Leadership Team

This interview was originally published on AIA’s website.

2023 marks the start of a historic first for the American Institute of Architects (AIA): an all-female leadership team. AIA CEO/EVP Lakisha Ann Woods, CAE; AIA President Emily Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA; and 2024 President-elect Kimberly Nicole Dowdell, AIA, look to the future of the organization and the profession as they lead AIA’s commitment to building a more equitable and diverse profession and a more sustainable built environment.

How do you want to use your role to transform the profession:

Lakisha Ann Woods: I was drawn to AIA because of its strategic plan. I am inspired by the leadership team and their dedication to AIA’s goal. I want to use my role to develop clear and measurable steps firms can take to increase the diversity of their leadership teams. I want our team to share stories of success from other firms who have seen growth and innovation because of their focus on diversifying their leadership teams. We know that data shows that when companies focus on diversifying their leadership teams, they become more profitable and innovative.

Emily Grandstaff-Rice: My service in this role expands the conversation about how leadership comes through different voices and at different stages in one’s career. I am not what you expect an AIA president to look or sound like, due to my gender and age. I have been a strong advocate for equity and climate action in the profession. I will use my role to continue those efforts, as well as elevate the Framework for Design Excellence. I also want to focus on how the economic issues we face in the profession will position us well for the future.

Kimberly Nicole Dowdell: I am excited about working with AIA’s leadership to raise the public profile of the architect and help AIA members prosper. Our role as leaders is to secure the future, and I am interested in leveraging my position with AIA to bolster the recruitment and retention of the very best design talent. Architects have a bright future ahead if we become more intentional now about advocating for our value in the marketplace, creating more pathways for diverse talent to thrive in our profession, and ensuring that all architects are prepared to design for a more healthy and sustainable tomorrow. continued to page 18

What inspires you to lead?

ER: The members and the impact they have on the built environment. Earlier in my career, I didn’t always see myself reflected in the leadership, so in some way I am creating the change that I wanted to see.

KD: I am inspired by the tremendous potential within the profession of architecture, both for people who focus on the design of buildings and those of us who design solutions beyond buildings. I look forward to helping AIA empower all architects to thrive and improve the health of their communities.

PROFILE: Debora Juliao

PROFILE: Megan Helmer

ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER

Erland Construction

Debora Juliao started her career with Erland Construction in March of 2022 as an assistant project manager (APM). Born and raised in Brazil, she came to the U.S. as an international student studying to get her associate’s degree. During this time, she was employed as an administrative assistant for a contractor outside of Boston. From that moment on, she became passionate about construction and asked to take on more work dealing directly with projects. Debora returned to school to get her associate’s in construction management and was later promoted to APM of that firm. She’s currently studying for her bachelor’s in project management from CSU and excelling at Erland.

Debora isn’t afraid to step out of her comfort zone, continuously seeking opportunities to grow and support her colleagues. She recently stepped up and took on the role of helping to fulfill the LEED requirements for a lab-ready facility. By shouldering this responsibility, her team could focus their time on coordinating final materials and closeout milestones for project completion.

Native to South America, Debora is fluent in Portuguese with a working knowledge of Spanish, an incredible asset when working with bilingual tradespeople in the industry. She provides additional translation and vital communication between subcontractors when needed.

Debora encourages women to get into the trades: “Believe in yourself, be persistent, and don’t feel discouraged. Use every challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow. You don’t have to do it alone; surround yourself with people who’ll support you and whom you want to be.”

Megan Helmer is the purchasing administrator and training coordinator for Erland Construction. Megan joined Erland in June 2015 as front desk coordinator with limited experience in general contracting. She quickly grasped the company’s processes and culture. With a keen sense of Erland’s collaboration with the trades, Megan was fittingly promoted to purchasing administrator in 2016 where she supports the director of purchasing, maintains the subcontractor database, and processes Erland’s SDI requirements.

Purchasing Administrator And Training Coordinator

To Support Our Women In Construction

Erland Construction

Since joining the company, Megan has become a part of several internal committees, including the Employee Relations and Safety Committees. She also serves as director of Erland’s employee-founded charitable foundation, whose mission is to provide funding that makes a positive difference in the lives of selected groups in Burlington and neighboring communities. Megan is heavily involved with planning and executing the foundation’s annual fundraisers, including the organization’s Strike Out Autism Bowling Night event, which was held on Feb. 9.

Megan recently adopted the title of training coordinator for Erland’s dedicated safety program. In this role, she assists all employees with receiving the required safety training and additional industry courses that support their career advancement.

Megan says, “I enjoy working in construction because of the constant change and fast-paced environment. Being in purchasing and training allows me to build relationships and grow my network which in turn keeps me up to date on any challenges our subcontractors may be facing, as well as the latest safety trends. Any women looking into the construction industry, try it!”

PROFILE: Elisabeth Neville Ambler

Elisabeth “Lisa” Neville Ambler is a marketing coordinator with AKF Group in its Boston office. She holds a bachelor’s degree as well as master’s degrees in graphic & interactive design and photography from Northeastern University, where she was inducted into the Sigma Epsilon Rho Honor Society.

Elisabeth’s years of experience in the design, photography and AEC community has led to her work with the creative and seasoned team at AKF Group, preparing proposals, presentations and occasional event and site photography.

AKF Group

In addition to her position at AKF Group, she’s an adjunct professor at Northeastern University teaching digital photography and graphic design, and at Boston University teaching digital content creation for the master’s program at the School of Hospitality and Administration. Elisabeth recently published her book, Digital Photography: Shooting in Manual.

Elisabeth is an active member of the Boston chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) on the Outreach Committee, which allows her to participate in the local community. As a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), she keeps abreast of new trends and technology.

Inspired by the elements and stylistic science of color theory and photography, Elisabeth founded Neville Associates, a design and photography business for clients who seek customized product art that matches their business personality. In her personal life, you will often find Elisabeth, her husband and their two chihuahuas looking for the oddest objects and places to photograph.