We understand the dedication and effort required to study for and pass the ARE. Congratulations to the following members for passing their exams and gaining licensure. This is great news that thrills all of us and we are so proud to call you an architect!
Rebecca Barker, AIA (Richmond) Catherine Smith, AIA (Northern Virginia) James Morris, AIA (Northern Virginia) Brian Gore, AIA (Richmond)
Have you recently passed the ARE? Upgrade your membership to Architect using this AIA form. or send an email to your Member Services Director, Cathy Guske, cguske@aiava.org
Are you ready to get licensed? AIA Virginia has discounted 60-day Amber Book subscriptions. Read more about it here>>
Thank you to these members of AIA Virginia who shared their mental health experiences.
What Have You Done for Your Mental Health?
Seeking a community that supports my mental, spiritual, and physical well-being.
I actively go for walks in nature without using technology to process my thoughts to stay grounded.
As designers, we have high stress jobs with many competing demands and, especially as emerging professionals, we are constantly in unfamiliar territory doing things for the first time. It can be hard to stay calm. Often I can find myself so overwhelmed that my brain stops thinking and I can’t figure out what my next step should be.
When my office offered a series of mindfulness classes, I jumped at the chance to dive in. One of the key takeaways for me was to start to notice how and where anxiety expresses itself in my body. By developing a practice where I can take a pause many times throughout the day to do a body scan, take a breath, check in with myself, and notice how I am feeling, I can help diffuse the anxiety before it builds up to overwhelm. These check-ins are very brief, but help me notice how I am feeling and make space to consider what I need in order to take care of myself and stay calm. I joined the Brain Health Project an online, research-based program. The premise – a healthy brain leads to a healthier person, mentally and physically. It is a self-paced program with a wide range of interactive and multimedia tools.
Being conscious of the consequences of not taking care of my mental health. It became my priority in life.
Exercising, eating healthy and being in nature more often along with finding ways to be more organized so my time is better managed.
I’ve found that meditation, reading, and exercising helps me get through stressful times. Whatever shifts my mind towards more positive thinking.
I actively go for walks in nature without using technology to process my thoughts to stay grounded. Seeking a community that supports my mental, spiritual, and physical well-being.
Tried not to work so much.
Honestly, I started counseling. It helped me to realize the habits in my life that were compromising my physical and mental health. This included working too much and also separating home, social and work life.
What Mental Health Struggles Have You Overcome?
Postnatal depression
Depression and mental fogs
I grew up in the midst of a lot of trauma; it messed up our family and social units. Unfortunately, this is normal for a POC in America. Learning to work through my personal trauma and not taking on the trauma-related issues of those around has been a challenge.
Eliminated workaholic inclinations so I have time for R&R. Friends and family. Learned to say NO without guilt.
Join us in person to hear about vital developments with your professional society, elect officers, and conduct other business at the AIA Virginia Annual Meeting of the Membership. We will also be celebrating our newly licensed architects, emeritus members, new fellows, award winners and honorees for 2024. Earn 2 AIA LU|Elective. The meeting will be held after the keynote address at Architecture Exchange East, Nov. 6 starting at noon at the Downtown Richmond Marriott.
Register for the annual meeting through the ArchEx registration sitehere>>
For election, to serve the remainder of her predecessor’s term: Treasurer: Amber Hall, AIA (Coastal Virginia)
For re-election, to a second term: Secretary: Karen Conkey, AIA (Northern Virginia)
Additionally: Meagan Jancy, AIA (Northern Virginia) elevates from 2024 President-Elect to 2025 President Kelly Callahan, AIA (Central Virginia) progresses from 2024 President to 2025 Past President
AIA Virginia members can attend the annual membership meeting for free. If you are not attending anything else at ArchEx, but would like to attend the annual meeting, email cguske@aiava.org
As we transition from summer—hopefully with a few pool or beach days behind you—I hope you’re feeling refreshed and ready for an exciting fall. There are some fantastic opportunities on the horizon, especially for young architects and emerging professionals.
Erin Agdinaoay, AIA, NOMA
First, I highly recommend attending the 2024 ArchEx. Caitlin Morgan, Virginia’s STAR and the newly announced 2024 AIA Virginia Associates Award winner, and I are thrilled to be presenting and helping with the programming. We’re excited to connect with colleagues from across the industry and hope to see many of you there! The local YAF teams have been working hard to organize some great programming for students, emerging professionals, and young architects, so keep an eye out for a detailed guide soon.
On a national level, the Young Architects Forum (YAF) is exploring whether it’s time for a rebrand to better reflect the evolving identity of architects within their first 10 years of licensure. With more flexible paths to licensure available, the term “young” does not fully capture the diversity of this group, as licensure can occur at any age, especially as more-and-more barriers to licensure get removed. Over the past year, YAF has conducted research and surveys to explore a potential name change. In talking with other state Young Architect Representatives, many of us have noticed that while the YAF’s national role is focused on recently licensed architects, local engagement often blends with Emerging Professionals and Associates. This overlap can help boost engagement through density of shared interests, but it also raises the question: how do we maintain a focus on architects in their first 10 years of licensure at every level of the AIA? YAF is working closely with AIA National on this renaming effort, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to email me at erin@wparch.com.
In other exciting news, nominations are now open for the AIA National Young Architects Award! This is a fantastic opportunity to highlight someone you know who is doing exceptional work deserving of recognition at the national level. I’d love to see a Virginia architect win this year, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or need assistance. The nomination period is open until November 15, 2024. For inspiration, you can learn about some of this year’s winners here.
Lastly, if you’re not already following the YAF on social media, I highly recommend doing so. It’s an easy way to stay informed on the latest news, events, and resources.
Ah, September is here, and with it, the cool, crisp days of autumn have arrived! As we’ve mentioned, AIA Virginia leadership has been traveling around our Commonwealth, hosting Town Hall happy hours to enjoy some face time with each of the (5) local chapters. A few weeks ago, we hosted one in my home chapter of Central Virginia at Three Notch’d Brewing in Charlottesville. It was a beautiful and joyful evening with many attending including our emerging professional group which regularly gathers on the first Thursday of each month. Join us on October 3rd for the Northern Virginia Town Hall! We also hosted a warm reception for our local ELA alumni. This group continues to give back to their architectural community, (applications for the class of 2025 are now being accepted!). Our Allied Members at The Garland Company hosted a lunch for those actively leading and volunteering in AIA Central Virginia. It was a wonderful week reconnecting with friends, hearing about emerging programs, and meeting new members eager to step up!
Upon careful consideration of AIA national’s 2025 dues increase of 3.9%, and considering current economic expectations, the AIA Virginia board of directors voted unanimously to hold the state-level dues steady for 2025. As we continue to hone and improve the organization’s impact by elevating and expanding our membership, we are grateful to each of you.
On a more solemn note, we recognize with sadness the passing of Bob Boynton, FAIA, who was a dear friend and inspiration to many and who, for decades, served the AIA at all levels.
Looking forward to November, registration is now open for ArchEx 2024! It is with the greatest hope of seeing all of you there that I offer the following encouragement:
Let’s face it, we don’t keep in touch with people because, well, we’re just too busy. Take a few days to spend some down time with old friends, fellow alumni, and colleagues. And while you’re here, we promise that you’ll make a few new friends who share your path or your passions.
#4 Earn those pesky CEUs
This is a chance to earn all your 2024 CEUs in one glorious event! Choose between dozens of sessions to quench your curiosities, hone your technical knowledge, or glean a new process or product to take back to your work.
#3 Delve into immersive experiences
Whether it’s a building tour, a community workshop, or an urban sketching excursion, you can engage in hands-on experiences around our capital city. CNN Travel just named RVA as the #1 town in America to visit in 2024! C’mon, what are you waiting for?
#2 Attend the Awards Gala. It’s free!
Yep, this year, a ticket to Thursday night’s Visions Awards Gala is included in your ArchEx 3-day ticket price. It promises to be an evening of fun, frolicking, and celebration, while we recognize and honor the people and projects that inspire us most.
#1 Be inspired by our keynote speakers
This year’s theme of “Adapt” will frame the content as we delve into what it means to adapt to changes in our practices, our profession, and our planet. And Jeffrey Mansfield of MASS Design will headline a keynote not to be missed.
Have other reasons that you’re attending? Share your ‘Why’ on our Instagram feed!
Kelly D. Callahan, AIA 2024 President, AIA Virginia
We understand the dedication and effort required to study for and pass the ARE. Congratulations to the following member for passing their exams and gaining licensure. This is great news that thrills all of us and we are so proud to call you an architect!
Caleb Snyder, AIA (Northern Virginia)
Have you recently passed the ARE? Upgrade your membership to Architect using this AIA form. or send an email to your Member Services Director, Cathy Guske, cguske@aiava.org
Are you ready to get licensed? AIA Virginia has discounted 60-day Amber Book subscriptions. Read more about it here>>
Have questions about licensure? Contact AIA Virginia’s State Licensing Advisor, Gina Robinson, AIA, at gina.robinson@hdrinc.com
Transferred In Vladyslav Bobuskyi, Assoc. AIA (Central Virginia) from AIA Indiana Bianca Briscoe, Assoc. AIA (Richmond) from AIA|DC Daniel Cryer, AIA (Central Virginia) from AIA Pennsylvania Ronald Davis, AIA (Northern Virginia) from AIA Florida Jacob Johnson, AIA (Richmond) from AIA North Carolina Musa Kanneh, Assoc. AIA (Northern Virginia) from AIA New York State Christopher Leppert, AIA (Northern Virginia) from AIA|DC Andi Pretlow, Assoc. AIA (Central Virginia) from AIA North Carolina
Donna thrives at giving the ordinary – extra attention to obtain extraordinary results. This has been a career-long journey, executed one day at a time, in the art of growing a meaningful and productive creative practice. Her clients are exceptional people, and the exchange of ideas and knowledge with them affords her the audience and fellowship she enjoys today. As VIA’s founding principal she has learned that creativity is not a talent but rather is a way of operating. This is her art and the genesis of her design energies.
Donna Phaneuf, FAIA
She guides the firm’s strategic planning efforts and has transitioned VIA design into a firm in which clients seek out. Her work portfolio, inclusive of many building types, includes those within the ecology of urban redevelopment, the exploration of twenty-first-century research and learning environments, and the complexity of waterfront floodplain sites. Her passion for these 3 forward-thinking focuses has positioned VIA as a leading firm in the industry. To this note, VIA defines resilience differently than most, as their inspirations and motivations are focused on the future and “next time” with the notion of doing it better to last longer.
Donna is a known leader within her community and the architectural profession and she is recognized as such with an AIA Fellowship. Her commitments and influences are evident in the many positions held as Chair of multiple civic boards, arts boards, AIA committees, and City Council-appointed boards. She drives a positive firm culture and the vision for the firm’s future-forward as a business model. She is often called to make inspirational presentations on firm ownership and speak at industry conferences to demystify the value of the design profession. Her passion and relentless pursuit of design excellence continues to lead to AIA jury invitations for the work of students, design professionals, and civic design awards programs. “I’ve always enjoyed the endless pursuit of doing what you love and the resilience it brings as leadership is not about having great ideas; it is about ensuring light is brought to the best ideas and they are allowed to emerge.”
Where did you go to architecture school? Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bachelor of Architecture, 1983.
What do you think it takes to be an architect? Behavioral Practices:
A constant keen awareness of your surroundings and an aptitude for patience with the notion of making the built environment different
A creative, flexible mind willing to take risks
The ability to tease out the unspoken intentions of key objectives
Intuition
Grit and “stick-to-it-ness”
Humility
Humor
Compassion
Good Energy
A laser-sharp future focus
Is there an architect that particularly inspires you? Alvar Aalto. His work is masterful with form, light, and finish. Studying his work while in school hugely inspired my early career and I still find that influence emerging in various projects today.
What are you currently reading? I am continually in the middle of several writings that help me organize my current thought trends and stimulate future ones: A Clearing in the the Distance, by Witold Rybczynski, illuminates Frederick Law Olmstead’s role as a major cultural figure at the epicenter of nineteenth-century American history. I have been an outdoor sportsman: fishing, hunting, hiking, and observer of the patterns and beauty of nature on any given day or in any weather condition. These landscapes, through seasonal change, fascinate me; so does the life story of Olmstead. His story and influences are powerful in that he was a landscape architect before the profession was established. Moon Magic, by Diane Ahlquist: Clearly, the Moon is much more than something interesting to look at in the sky! It is powerful and impactful, mystical, and an influence to pay very close attention. Comfortable with Uncertainty, by Pema Chödrön: 108 teachings on cultivating fearlessness and compassion.
What’s the best meal you’ve ever had? There is continually one more “best ever” occurrence. Frankly, I have lost track! My husband and I love to cook, experiment in the kitchen, and test-drive new recipes on our family and friends. Our outdoor-adventuring lifestyle procures all the game and seafood that lands on our table without exception or waste. To this notion, managing our 3 freezers provide a diverse array of fowl, seafood, and large game. Our feathered friends are duck, brandt, geese, doves, quail, pheasant, and rails. Our antlered friends are white-tail and mule deer, elk, antelope, caribou and moose. We have even ventured with musk ox and grizzly from the more extreme hunts. The fin and shellfish catches are eaten mostly fresh to avoid too much locker time of which may include, striper, trout, tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo, blue crab, and clams. With all this, I do believe our local dish called “Crab Norfolk” trumps all! Our home has thus been nicknamed “Hook Hoof & Claw” and our table guests are always on standby.
Why do you volunteer with AIA? I returned home from my first architectural work experience at Bürgin & Nissen in Basel, Switzerland in 1984. At that time, I did not have any local architectural friends or established pathways to connect with other architects. A TGIF event introduced me to the AIA, and this was the beginning of my new network. Through this connection, my eyes were opened to the greater possibilities within our profession, leadership opportunities, meaningful social exposures and influences, and the concept of building my tribe of mentors. I was on my way because of the AIA. I appreciate and I am grateful for the constant voice which protects and upholds the importance of our role in our communities and in volatile political arenas. Double standards are not welcome and all are encouraged to continually raise the bar in professional performance and service. The separation between professional and private life is basically a blur when you are an architect and the AIA grooms and promotes model citizen behavior to help you calmly align this journey. Their Code of Ethics has been a guiding light in my career and I have always received more than I have given by adhering to this Canon. Thank you AIA!
Robert A. (Bob) Boynton, FAIA passed away unexpectedly over the weekend.
At AIA Virginia our hearts are sad – but also grateful.
Bob was an exceptionally active and impactful member of the AIA. If there was a position on any council or committee – at either the state or the local level – Bob had likely held it.
Bob was a Fellow, a recipient of the William C. Noland Medal (AIA Virginia’s highest honor). Bob served as President of AIA Virginia and also as the national President of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). Bob served on and presided over the APELSCIDLA Board; and was continuing that service as a special advisor.
A graduate of Virginia Tech, Bob was a proud hokie. Over his career, Bob collaborated in a number of firms before becoming a founding partner of Boynton, Rothschild, Rowland Architects PC.
I know many of you knew Bob well, you have my sincere condolences. For those who did not, I know you have encountered the manifold benefits of his dedicated service, as have we all.
We send our deepest sympathies to his wife Helen and daughter Jennifer. And we offer profound gratitude and respect for Bob and all of his accomplishments.
