Emerging Professional/Young Architect (EP/YA) Leadership Council

The AIA Colorado Emerging Professionals / Young Architects (EP/YA) Leadership Council connects and supports architecture professionals in the early stages of their careers. Founded in 2025, the council serves as a central hub for emerging professionals, young architects, and students across Colorado, creating a space where members can share knowledge, build community, and explore leadership opportunities within AIA.

The council represents individuals at several stages along the professional pipeline, including architecture students, Associate AIA members pursuing licensure, and architects within their first ten years of practice. By bringing these groups together, the EP/YA Leadership Council helps strengthen the pathway from education to licensure and into professional leadership. The goal is to ensure that members early in their careers have a clear entry point into AIA Colorado and access to the people, programs, and resources that support long-term success.

EP/YA leaders also serve as important connections between AIA Colorado and national AIA initiatives. Council members include representatives to the Young Architects Forum (YAF), the National Associates Committee (NAC), the AIA Colorado Board through the Associate Director, and the NCARB Licensing Advisor role. Together, these connections help bring national insights back to Colorado while ensuring that the voices of emerging professionals are represented in the organization’s leadership and strategic conversations.

In addition to representing early-career professionals, the council helps amplify programs designed to support professional growth. These include the Ascend Mentorship Program, which pairs emerging professionals with mid-career architects for guidance and career development, and the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program, a year-long cohort experience focused on leadership, collaboration, and the future of the profession.

Looking ahead, the EP/YA Leadership Council aims to strengthen connections across Colorado through a combination of virtual gatherings, in-person meetups, and engagement at major AIA Colorado events. By fostering mentorship, knowledge sharing, and leadership development, the council is helping cultivate the next generation of architects while ensuring that emerging voices are part of shaping the profession’s future in Colorado.

If you are an emerging professional, newly licensed architect, or architecture student interested in getting involved with AIA Colorado, the EP/YA Leadership Council is a great place to start.

We want to hear from you! Get in touch today to connect with committee members.

General Acronyms

• EP’s – Emerging Professionals = Associate members, up to licensure or first 10 years post-graduation
• YA’s – Young Architects = First 10 years of licensure
• NAC – National Associates Committee = Committee of Associate member representatives from all states
• YAF – Young Architects Forum = Committee of Young Architect representatives from all states

AIA Colorado Programs and Acronyms

• YAR/YAF – Colorado’s representative to the Young Architect’s Forum (YAR = Young Architect Rep / YAF = Young Architects Forum)
• STAR/NAC – Colorado representative to the National Associate’s Committee (STAR = State/Territory Associate Representative)
• Associate Director* = AIA Colorado Associate member that serves on the AIA Colorado Board of Directors
• Student Director At Large* = Representative from American Institute of Architecture Students Colorado Chapters. Current an AIA Colorado Board At Large Seat.
• Ascend Mentorship Program = annual program that pairs mentors (5-12 years of experience) with mentees (0-5 years experience).
• CKLDP = Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program, a year-long leadership focused program consisting of nine half-day sessions attended by a selected group of 16 emerging professionals.