Meet the Emerging Leaders in Architecture class of 2026! This year’s class of 15 comprises of architects and associates from around the state and students from Hampton University and Virginia Tech. We will be traveling around the state throughout the year for our educational sessions and focusing on the Richmond, Virginia area for this year’s class project.
Would you like to support the class as they travel around the state? Contact Delaney Ogden, dogden@aiava.org for more information and please be sure to follow the ELA Instagram account at ela_aiavirginia to follow their progress throughout the year!
Atheeni Eacharath, Assoc. AIA Brett O’Brien, Assoc. AIA George Hiss, AIA Hafsa Ramay, Assoc. AIA Mars Ben, Assoc. AIA Ramatoulie Matengu, AIA Rebecca Barker, AIA Amanda Harlow, Assoc. AIA (AIA Central Virginia Nominee) Hanna Keplinger, Assoc. AIA (AIA Northern Virginia Nominee) Harshit Verma, Assoc. AIA (AIA Blue Ridge Nominee) Adeline (Pei Lin) Chen, Assoc. AIA (AIA Coastal Virginia Nominee) Talia Moore-O’Neil, Assoc. AIA (AIA Richmond Nominee) Camille Ramirez, AIAS (Hampton University) Sydney Johnson, AIAS (Hampton University) not pictured Taylor Wypyski, AIAS (Virginia Tech)
Not pictured: Chris Brown, AIA, Chair of 2026 ELA program.
R. Corey Clayborne, FAIA was in the inaugural ELA class of 2009. Corey has served at local and state AIA components and now is the AIA Senior Vice President, Knowledge & Practice. Corey is a strong believer in increasing diversity in the profession and offering opportunities for all to gain knowledge and advancement in their careers.
In 2022, AIA Virginia established a scholarship in Corey’s name to honor his dedication to emerging professionals and provide financial assistance to those interested in participating in the ELA program. The R. Corey Clayborne, FAIA ELA Scholarship is available to any ELA applicant with financial need, either to cover tuition or travel expenses for their class year.
The scholarship is awarded to 2026 class member Atheeni Eacharath, Associate AIA, Community Planning + Design Manager at Pillars Development.
In her application for the scholarship, Eacharath commented “I am committed to pursuing licensure and being active in both APA and AIA, yet the pathway for urban designers is not always direct. Our work sits between planning and architecture, requiring additional time, investment, and mentorship—resources that are not always equitable or accessible. Still, I am determined to bridge that disciplinary space. The ELA program offers a structure to deepen this commitment—to build a web of relationships among architects, planners, policymakers, and community members so our decision-making systems become more collaborative, resilient, and humane. This scholarship would allow me to fully participate, engage in conferences, connect with mentors, and continue growing as a community-centered designer—grounded, hopeful, and dedicated.”
Congratulations, Atheeni!
Donations to the R. Corey Clayborne, FAIA Scholarship can be made through the AIA Virginia Foundation here.
ELA is an intensive program of educational sessions structured around presentations, discussions, team exploration, analysis, consensus-building, collaboration, and case study activities undertaken over the course of a year by a small cadre of participants selected for their potential to be outstanding contributors to the profession and the community. Facilitators and mentors who are established leaders in the building, finance, non-profit, development, university, legal, consulting, and design professions and in the community at large develop and deliver the sessions, designed to provide participants with advanced knowledge and skills related to specific areas of leadership and practice.
The program consists of monthly, day-long seminars, work sessions, or class project presentations, culminating with a presentation at Architecture Exchange East in November.
The seminars are interactive, drawing on real examples and actively involving participants. They rotate among sites in Roanoke, Charlottesville, Richmond, Alexandria, and Norfolk in conjunction with each area’s firms, schools, and the local AIA component.
The class project for 2026 will be in Richmond, so many sessions and the project workdays will be located in the Richmond area.
How to Apply The committee seeks applicants from three categories:
Component Nominees: Each of the five AIA Virginia local component Boards may nominate one or more individuals for admission to the program. One participant will be selected from each component for a total of five. If interested, please contact your local AIA chapter representative. Each chapter sets its own deadline and application requirements for these positions.
Student Nominees: Any student enrolled in a Virginia architecture program or a professional architecture degree program may apply. A maximum of 2 student participants will be selected each year for the class.
Open Applications: Applicants may apply independently or be nominated by someone else. Participants will be selected from among these applicants to fill the class.
Are you an emerging professional? See what our AIA Virginia Associate Director and Young Architect Representative are looking forward to at ArchEx 2024.
From Ashleigh Walker, Assoc. AIA Associate Director, AIA Virginia Board of Directors
Craftsperson’s Crawl – it’s always great to visit the shops of local craftspeople, and get a better understanding of how built elements are constructed.
Designing for Designers: How to Create Spaces for Creatives
Building in the Park – an Integrated Relationship with Nature
Innovative Preservation: Digital Twins & Historic Buildings
2024 AIA Virginia Design Awards Winners
IS AI / NOT AI: Dispelling Myths and Deciphering Hype vs. Practical Applications of AI in the Design Industry
Visions for Architecture Cocktail Reception + Gala
An Architect’s Cheat Sheet to Carbon-Free Interiors
From Erin Agdinaoay, AIA Young Architects Representative
April Drake, Emily Hogan, and Andrew McKinley will be recognized with the Virginia Emerging Professional Award at the Visions for Architecture gala on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019, at the Hilton Downtown Richmond. Launched in 2015, the Virginia Emerging Professional Award is intended to recognize the accomplishments of emerging leaders in Virginia for their contributions to the profession in one or more of the following categories: design, research, education, or discourse; service to the profession; mentorship; or service to the community.
“In the midst of challenging projects, she never loses sight of her top priority: building up the next generation of architects, while delivering to them and future generations a profession that values equity and inclusion.”
-Jessica Anderson, PE and Jonathan Oswald, AIA with HDR
April Drake, AIA
Throughout her 15 year career, April C. Drake, AIA, has been a dedicated leader in the profession. She has been a passionate advocate for underrepresented voices and committed to building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive profession. She regularly attends, plans, and presents at local, regional, and national events, highlighting the achievements of women and minorities in architecture.
In addition to her role as a senior project architect with HDR,
Drake currently serves on the AIA Northern Virginia Board of Directors and is
the past chair of the Women in Architecture (WIA) committee. As a WIA leader, she
championed her own innovative STEM event for local Girl Scout troops and
focused her efforts on introducing school-aged girls to the field of
architecture.
But, her service to the profession isn’t limited to the AIA
— since 2014, she has helped NCARB navigate the transition from ARE 4.0 to ARE
5.0 through involvement on a Mapping Task Force and development of case studies
for the exam. For the past two years, she has served on the NCARB Examination
Committee which oversees development of several subcommittees and task forces
and is a thought leader for NCARB regarding licensure assessment both now and
into the future.
Her contributions to the profession, service to the community,
mentorship of others, and efforts to engage students will have an indelible
impact on the profession in the Commonwealth and beyond.
“As an architect, Emily Hogan represents her profession’s best qualities. She demonstrates an artistic creativity combined with a thoroughness and a keen eye for detail, whether engaging and guiding stakeholders through discovery, translation, and implementation phases successfully or in the role of advocate.”
–Andrew Pearson, Director of the Library, Bridgewater College
Emily Hogan, AIA
An award-winning architect with Quinn Evans Architects, Emily Hogan, AIA, has distinguished herself not only through her work, but also through exemplary service to the profession, her community, and to others. She has immersed herself in supporting the design community after graduating from the Emerging Leaders in Architecture program in 2014. She served as the AIA Richmond Treasurer and has been an active member of Richmond Women in Design, helping to coordinate some of the chapter’s largest events and programs. In 2017, she was recognized for her service with the Richard L. Ford Award for Young Architects. She has also exhibited a dedication to mentoring the next generation of leaders, organizing and hosting tours for students and young professionals.
In addition to her service to the profession, she has been a
committed volunteer in her community — from supporting Dress for Success, to
serving as campaign leader for the United Way, to serving on the Museum
District Association, to being a part of service projects through Hill City
Church—
she has made service a genuine part of her identity.
“Andy’s design talents and technical knowledge have significantly impacted the quality of buildings for his clients and local communities.”
– Scott M. Campbell, AIA
Andrew McKinley, AIA
Andrew McKinley, AIA, a principal with VIA design architects, has been a leader in design, sustainability, and mentorship throughout his career.
As co-chair of the membership committee for AIA Hampton
Roads, he championed and helped lead the AIA Hampton Roads “Let’s Talk” firm
discussion series with the goal of building relationships with all architecture
firms — not just those who are actively engage with the AIA. A dedicated mentor,
he has organized a number of Shadow Day programs to provide high school and college
students the opportunity to spend a day at a local design firm. In 2018 alone,
more than 60 students were paired with local firms, introducing them to the
profession and helping them understand the impact a project can have on a
community. He has also hosted Hampton University students for the “Firm Forward”
program, giving them a glimpse into various firms’ operations. A graduate of
the Emerging Leaders in Architecture program, he has committed to giving back
to the profession by serving on the local steering committee. He also served on
the York County Board of Zoning Appeals between 2010 and 2014.
McKinley has a passion for sustainable architecture and design
for local public entities. He has been diligent in researching and understanding
the positive impact that passive strategies an innovative technologies can have
on the sustainability of our collective future. Moreover, he has committed to
sharing his expertise with his peers. Within his firm, he launched a
sustainability committee. Outside of it, he has presented a case study before
the USGBC chapter and has focused on helping owners and builders understand how
sustainable design reduces building operating and maintenance cost.
