AIA Colorado CKLDP 2024 – Summer Recap

AIA’s Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program provides participants the opportunity to form a cohort with other emerging professionals in the field of architecture (sixteen are selected each year from a group of well-qualified applicants), developing their skills on several focused topics in the once-a-month sessions throughout the year. The program honors Christopher Kelley’s legacy, an influential architect in the Washington D.C. community and an advocate for furthering the profession through mentorship. The program originated in Washington D.C., however local chapters now exist across the country, with additional chapters continuing to be established each year (Colorado’s first program year was 2017).

At this stage in the summer, the program is now officially past the halfway mark. Sessions 3, 4 and 5 focused on topics as detailed in this summer’s recap, continuing to build skills in areas that are oftentimes beyond daily exposure for emerging professionals. Through the program, the topics for each session are predefined, with a few loose guidelines, but each year is shaped by the participants, who organize, plan and host each session following bootcamp along with a partner from the program. It’s been exciting to see how this year’s scholars have pushed the session topics and content to new heights!

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Session 3

Community Engagement

Date + Location

May 10, 2024
Dahlia Campus for Health + Well-Being

Speakers

Marc Swackhamer, AIA, Chair of Architecture Department and Professor, CU Denver
Hansel Bauman, Human-Centered Design Specialist, Founder and Principal, HB/A+P
Dee Dee DeVuyst, Executive Director, Radian
Lydia Prado, PhD, Former Vice President of Child and Family Services for the Mental Health Center of Denver, Founder, Lifespan Local
Cath Bellem, Architect, Founder, Collective Potential

Organizers

Mallory Esselman, AIA, and Zachary Sherrod, AIA

Through the lenses of subject matter experts engaged my Mallory and Zachary, in this session, scholars looked at best practices for engaging within their community, at the various scales and spheres by which a “community” may be defined. Design backed by research, an effort requiring process and dedication before a building or space is ever drawn, was a highlight of the session and a common theme through each speaker’s content. Real-life examples where shared through a walking tour of the North Park Hill neighborhood and of the Dahlia Campus, where the session was hosted.

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Session 4

Business Development + Entrepreneurship

Date + Location

June 14, 2024
Interior Environments

Speakers

Krista Trofka, National Business Development Leader, Senior Associate, DLR Group
Sarah Cullen, President, Sidecar PR
Adam Wagoner, AIA, Principal of High, Low, Buffalo, Host of Architect-ing Podcast
Chris Holzwart, AIA, Principal and Owner of Holzarch
Haily Tweedie, Founder, Tweed Studio
Jennifer Olson, Partner, ForumPhi
Samantha Hunt-Duran, Owner and Founder, Mountain Museum Management LLC

Organizers

Sara Zezulka, AIA, and Sonya Shah, AIA, NOMA

Sara and Sonya developed this session to start with building a few key understandings with “Designing Your Impact” and “Starting with Why” presentations. Scholars were presented with effective business development and growth strategies, those that are driven by intention and purpose, then were encouraged to discuss and think about application of these ideas with a follow-up break out reflection period. Throughout later portion of the afternoon, additional conversation and perspective was shared via a panel moderated by Sara and Sonya. Participants in the panel discussed their varied experiences as entrepreneurs and industry leaders – Their successes, and their lessons learned.

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Session 5

Contracts + Negotiation

Date + Location

July 12, 2024
Flight Building

Speakers

Daniel T. Buelow, Managing Director, WTW A&E
Jacqueline Pons-Bunney, Esq.,Managing Partner and Owner, W&D Law, LLP
Kelly Smith, AIA, Owner, Studio | Shop
Bryan Schmidt, AIA, LEED AP – Principal at Semple Brown
Deborah Tan Lucking, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, Director of Sustainability, Fentress

Organizers

Erich Dernbach, AIA, and Taylor Higgins, AIA

In this session, hosted at the Flight Building by Erich and Taylor, the scholars learned more about the art of contracts and negotiation. Though not what may first come to mind in considering what it means to be an architect, understanding liability, legal consequences and the role of architect as advocate are all critical components to successful practice within the industry. Terms and responsibilities, the nuances in contracts, key items to be aware of, were shared during the session, as well as a number of legal case studies. The panel discussion, comprised of industry leaders, shed light on the architect’s part in educating prospective clients on the duties performed by the architects as well as how a well-executed contract is the best way to mitigate risk.

About the Author

Sarah Long, AIA

Sarah is a licensed architect in the state of Colorado, and a University of Kansas graduate. She has been a Colorado resident for seven years and enjoys taking advantage of the access to the outdoors as much as possible. As an architect with TreanorHL, she thrives in the technical aspects of healthcare projects, designing meaningful spaces for people to heal and to support the staff who dedicates their time to caring for others. Sarah has spent the last seven years developing an expertise in healthcare architecture in projects of all size and scale with both private group and corporate healthcare entities.