Letter From 2024 AIA Colorado President


I hope everyone has had an inspiring start to the new year. What’s in store for you this year?

Well, we have the Architecture Practice Act, Design + Honor Awards, Practice & Design Conference, and opportunities for engagement brought to you by your fellow member volunteers. 

Architect’s Practice Act Renewal

2024 is a critically important year for AIA Colorado’s advocacy efforts. This year the state legislature will introduce an updated practice act for architects, professional engineers, and land surveyors. Every licensed profession must periodically undergo a review by the state and a licensing bill is introduced based on the state’s report.

Without the state legislature and governor affirming an extension of this law that regulates the title and scope of licensed architects, our value as a profession is erased.

How can you advocate for the value of our profession?  

First, plan on attending the 2024 Reception With Legislators event on February 20th.

Join colleagues for appetizers and beverages while meeting with state legislators and key policymakers. We will have an issue briefing to everyone who RSVP’s for the reception.

Second, help AIA Colorado support our allies in the state legislature in 2024. Your contributions to ARCpac help our efforts!

The Architects of Colorado Political Committee (ARCpac) empowers architects to play an active role in the election process. Through ARCpac, AIA Colorado members can collectively donate to candidates who fight for issues on behalf of architects.

Issues facing the architecture profession are non-partisan and ARCpac supports candidates statewide in both parties. AIA Colorado has worked closely with the state to ensure our role in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public is understood. We have allies in the legislature ready to introduce the bill who value the architecture profession.

With your help, ARCpac can help strengthen our relationships with state legislators in 2024, and beyond! Our practice act renewal is the perfect time to speak with legislators and build or strengthen relationships.

One of the best ways to remain relevant at the state capital is to help our allies get re-elected. ARCpac can write checks for up to $400 per candidate and we’ve identified 24 key legislators worthy of such support sitting on critical committees deciding the fate of the practice act. These elected officials are from each party and all corners of the state.

Individuals and firms (corporations and LLCs) may contribute up to $725 for the 2023-24 election cycle. Everything helps, please contribute what you can.

Our board, staff, and Government Affairs Committee members have started by giving the first $5,000 for the 2024 election so far. With another $5,000 from members like you, we can meet our campaign goal of 24 maximum contributions to 24 legislative champions.

Third, reach out to our Advocacy Director, Nikolaus Remus, AIA, if you have an idea to invite local legislators to your firm, a project site, or simply want to get to know them better back home in their district. Advocacy is all about relationships and we want our elected representatives to personally know architects when they consider policy changes.

Your engagement is crucial in maintaining our value and ultimately our professional licensure.

It’s never too early to start preparing to share your built and unbuilt work for our 2024 AIA Colorado Design + Honor Awards. The call for entries will open March 20th and you look for an announcement in the AIA Colorado newsletter when that call is officially open. Consider how your creative acts are improving the environment for future generations and share this through our awards program. Let’s celebrate your creative gift to the built environment!

Next, organizing and preparation for the 2024 AIA Colorado Practice and Design Conference has begun. I ask owners and principals of firms to consider how you will support the future of the profession by engaging in the continuous learning of your emerging professionals. Our Practice and Design Conference is just the place to build the knowledge and connect to advance our profession.

Finally, all of this and more could not be accomplished without our thoughtful, engaged, and dedicated staff alongside our member volunteers. We reorganized the member volunteer structure to provide leadership, accountability, and capacity. New this year is an organization-wide calendar for you to keep up with everything happening.

If you have an event you’d like to share with members, you can submit your event or tour idea here.

As we embrace 2024, I am grateful and honored to serve you and our profession. This year, I am engaging with architects throughout our state and recording our conversations for a future series exploring the value of an architect. I’m looking forward to sharing these conversations with you later this year.

These are only a few items brought to you through your membership with AIA. Your membership reaffirms our professional value and we will engage with each other, share our value, and commit to reaffirming our collective interest in improving the built environment.

Together, as one AIA Colorado, we will continue to work our mission of ‘Elevating the architecture profession to design a more equitable, sustainable, and beautiful Colorado.

About the Author

Julianne Scherer, AIA

Managing Principal, HDR

2024 President, AIA Colorado

Julianne is responsible for developing new business and increasing our presence in the greater Denver region. Her focus on building strong relationships lends itself well to what we have already established in Denver, with so much more to come.

Passionate about community-driven projects and the impact of design on communities, Julianne derives daily enjoyment from new experiences, encouraging the best in others and creating a vision for the greater good.

Julianne has over 27 years of experience on projects ranging from K-12 independent schools to public libraries and universities. Her achievements include a 2009 AIA Illinois John Wellborn Root Award for impressive service and dedication to the profession; a 2010 ENR Midwest magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” award; and a 2015 46th Ward Good Neighbor Award.

© AIA Colorado 2025
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