AIA Arizona State Conference

Highlights from the 2026 AIA Arizona State Conference

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AIA Arizona

More than 400 attendees, which included architects, Associate members, students, Allied members, and sponsors, gathered for the AIA Arizona State Conference on Friday, October 23, for a dynamic day of engaging presentations and fresh perspectives by notable speakers from across the country. Enjoy a few of the scenes from the conference below. And scroll further down to see the full list of conference sponsors.

The 2025 conference was chaired by Dan Maher, AIA, Regional Executive at Kitchell in Tucson, who is the 2026 president-elect of AIA Arizona.

The conference speaker lineup included:

  • Germane Barnes, an architect, designer, tenured professor, and Director of the Community Housing Identity Lab (CHIL) at the University of Miami School of Architecture. He is the director of the Miami-based design firm Studio Barnes.
  • Winka Dubbeldam, the founding partner of Archi-Tectonics NYC, a design studio in New York City, Amsterdam, and Hangzhou. Since September 2025, Dubbeldam is Director and CEO of SCI-Arc in Los Angeles. She is Professor Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, where she chaired the Department of Architecture (2013-23).
  • Jing Liu, AIA, an architect, educator, and co-founder of the award-winning design firm Solid Objectives – Idenburg Liu (SO-IL) in New York City. Through building practice and interdisciplinary research projects, Liu has led SO–IL in the engagement with the socio-political issues of contemporary cities.
  • Alan Ricks, AIA, Founding Principal and Co-Executive Director of Model of Architecture Serving Society (MASS), and co-author of the new book “Seeking Abundance.” Rooted in leading research and deep local knowledge, MASS creates civic spaces that set new standards for design excellence. MASS was honored with the national AIA Architecture Firm Award in 2022.
  • Julia Watson, Designer, activist, academic, and author Julia Watson is a leading expert on indigenous nature-based technologies. She is the co-lead of Lo–TEK Office of Intercultural Urbanism, and has authored “Lo-TEK: Design by Radical Indigenism” and “Lo―TEK. Water. A Field Guide for TEKnology (Varia).”

The conference was moderated by:

  • John Cary, the Founding President & CEO of the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity, a 501c3 public charity dedicated to advancing the legacy of Ray and Charles Eames and their approach to creative problem-solving positively shaping our world.
Elizabeth McLean, AIA, the 2026 AIA Arizona President, describes AIA Arizona’s newly adopted 2026-2030 Strategic Plan.
Conference Chair Dan Maher, AIA, welcomes the audience and introduces the conference theme: Liminal.
Conference Emcee John Cary speaking at the 2026 AIA Arizona State Conference.
Julia Watson, co-lead of Lo–TEK Office of Intercultural Urbanism, opening as the first speaker discusses ecological stewardship.
Winka Dubbledam, founding partner of Archi-Tectonics NYC, and Director and CEO of SCI-Arc in Los Angeles, examines strategies for climate resilience and environment performance.
John Cary, our Conference Emcee, gives an inside look at the Eames Institute.
Speaker Julia Watson during her book signing.
Speakers Jing Liu, AIA, and Julia Watson shared a special moment with attendees during their book signing at the conference.
Speakers Winka Dubbledam and Alan Ricks, AIA connected with attendees during their book signing at the conference.
Germane Barnes, Director of Studio Barnes in Miami, discusses methodology for reciprocity in civic design.
Jing Liu, AIA, co-founder of Solid Objectives – Idenburg Liu (SO-IL) in New York City, addresses socio-political issues in contemporary cities.
Alan Ricks, AIA, Founding Principal and Co-Executive Director of Model of Architecture Serving Society (MASS), defines design, ecology and a flourishing planet through seeking abundance.
Jing Liu, AIA, in conversation with Dan Clevenger, AIA.
From left: Jill Hamblen, AIA; Anthony Floyd, FAIA; and Victor Irizarry, Assoc. AIA, ask questions during a Q&A with our conference speakers.
Alan Ricks, AIA, in conversation with Conference Emcee John Cary.
AIA Arizona Executive Director John Czarnecki addresses the audience at Clayton House.
AIA Arizona COTE Chair Kyle Fiano, AIA, and Vice-chair Avi Hapenciuc, Assoc. AIA, give an update about the committee on the environment (left) and Arizona Architecture Foundation president Caroline Lobo, AIA, gives a foundation update.
From left: 2026 AIA Southern Arizona President Karena Makomaski, AIA; 2028 AIA Arizona President Laura Vertes, AIA; Conference Chair and 2027 AIA Arizona President Dan Maher, AIA; 2026 AIA Arizona President Elizabeth McLean, AIA.
ASU Students gather for a photo.
Attendees enjoying the closing reception at Clayton House.
2026 AIA Arizona President Elizabeth McLean, AIA (left); Whitney Warman, AIA; and Jen Knorr, AIA, enjoy the closing reception at Clayton House.
2027 AIA Phoenix Metro President Andrea Lucarelli, AIA (left) and Alexis Carver, AIA.
AIA Arizona Executive Director John Czarnecki (left); Alan Ricks, AIA; and James Trahan, AIA, enjoy the closing reception at Clayton House.
From left: Brent Armstrong, AIA; Daniel Cifuentes, AIA; Germane Barnes; Kent McClure, AIA; Alex Therien, AIA ; Victor Irizarry, Assoc. AIA.
Brian Ballard, AIA (left) and Dan Clevenger, AIA.
From left: Madeleine Clermont; Ryan Short, AIA; Reese Siedlecki, Assoc. AIA; and Whitney Warman, AIA.

THANK YOU TO OUR CONFERENCE SPONSORS

Title Sponsor Arcadia  

Platinum Sponsors Arizona Architecture Foundation / ARKANCE/ DWL Architects + Planners, Inc. / Elevate / Johns Manville / Kimley-Horn / McCarthy Building Companies / Primak Construction Group / Sherwin-Williams / USA SHADE

Conference Patron Sponsors  Arizona Restaurant Consulting / Ayers Saint Gross / Century Sign Builders / coLAB Studio / Concord General Contracting / Corgan / DFDG Architecture / DLR Group / Gensler / HDR / Inpro Architectural Products / Jones Studio / Kovach / Merge Architectural Group / Nelsen Partners / Optima / PK Associates / Rider Levett Bucknall / Salt River Project / SmithGroup / Sundt Construction / Terracon / triARC Architecture & Design / Varitec / Walter P Moore / Weddle Gilmore / Western States Metal Roofing / Willmeng

Speakers’ Dinner Sponsor Kitchell

Conference Gold Sponsors  Airpark Signs / BWS Architects / GLHN Architects & Engineers, Inc. / Illumination Systems / Meyer Borgman Johnson / Professional Underwriters / Telgian Engineering & Consulting / Wendell Burnette Architects / YKK AP

Coffee Cart Sponsors  180 Degrees Design + Build / Architekton / Bjerk Builders / Caliente Construction / Commercial Lighting Industries / Dibble Corp / Daltile / First Citizens Bank / Holly Street Studio / KCL Engineering / PENTA Building Group / Repp + McLain Design & Construction / Schaefer Structural Engineering / Shepley Bulfinch

Luncheon Sponsors 1GPA / AIA Phoenix Metro / Arizona Masonry Council / Dig Studio / Gammage & Burnham / Grace Design Studios / High Peak Advisors / Okland Construction / PHX Architecture / Schneider Structural Engineers / Swaim Associates

Student Champion Sponsors  ALINE Architecture Concepts / RLGA Technical Services / suoLL Architects

Student Advocate Sponsors  American Institute of Steel Construction / DeBartolo Architects / Line and Space / Michael Taylor Architects / Sazan Group / Shepley Bulfinch

Tucson Bus Sponsor University of Arizona CAPLA

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10/28/2026
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