Homolovi State Park Visitor's Center near Winslow, Arizona, designed by Jones Studio and photographed by Matt Winquist Photography.

AIA Arizona Strategic Plan
2022-2025

View The Plan

AIA Arizona Mission

AIA Arizona is the voice of the architectural profession through the power of design, active participation of its members, and engagement with the greater public.

AIA Arizona Vision

AIA Arizona inspires, influences, and advances a broader understanding of the important role that architects play in enriching quality of life through the built environment.

AIA Arizona Core Tenets

AIA Arizona...

Influences legislative dialogue about the designed and human environments.
Elevates awareness of the power of architecture to transform lives.
Engages actively on national AIA topics, as applied at the state level.
Builds on its historically familial culture and sense of collegiality.
Reaches an ever-increasing number of architects through excellent member service and support.

Introduction

Foothills office facade renovation in Tucson designed by Repp + McLain Design & Construction. Photograph by Timmerman Photography Inc.

The Process

This Strategic Plan sets forth a set of goals, strategies, and tactics to propel AIA Arizona toward an ever-more-vibrant and successful future as the statewide component of the American Institute of Architects. Further, the plan inspires AIA Arizona to support AIA National’s goals urging architects to:

Support humanity’s call to collective climate action through an unrelenting commitment to sustainable and resilient design, and
Stand for human rights and social justice through programming as well as collective and individual efforts.

This document was developed and adopted in four broad steps:

AIA Arizona’s president and executive director met over several months, prior to the retreat, to engage with strategic planning consultant Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, of The Three Aspens, Ltd. to plan the retreat and articulate what the process means for future accomplishment.
A strategic planning retreat for members of the Board of Directors and key stakeholders was held March 24-25 at the chapter’s offices in Phoenix to discuss what is working well, consider the challenges, and develop future aspirations. During this collective session the goals, strategies, and tactics began to take shape.
Based on key take-away’s from the stakeholder interviews and primary outcomes of the retreat, the Strategic Planning facilitator/consultant prepared a draft plan, with opportunities for amendments, alterations, and additions to be offered by component leadership.
The Board of Directors approved the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan in May 2022.

The following contributed to the strategic planning process in a day-long session in March 2022.

2022 Board of Directors
Kathy Hancox, AIA | President
Damon Leverett, AIA | President-elect
Betsy Lynch, AIA | Past President
Rick McLain, AIA | Secretary
Patrick Panetta, FAIA | Treasurer
Dan Clevenger, AIA | Phoenix Metro President
Jordan Kravitz, AIA | Phoenix Metro President-elect
Rosemary Bright, AIA | Southern Arizona President
Julie Stewart, AIA | Southern Arizona President-elect
Michael Taylor, AIA, Grand Canyon Director
Annette Park, Assoc. AIA | Associate Director
Sara Yehia, AIA | YAF (AIA10) Director
Jeff Flemming, AIA | Government Affairs Co-chair
Katherine Dudzik-Smith, AIA | Gov. Affairs Co-chair
Brooke Montelongo | Allied Director

Staff Team Members
John Czarnecki, Assoc. AIA | Executive Director
Diana Smith | Director of Local Chapters

Invited Guests
Abi Denninghoff, AIAS | AIAS President, University of Arizona
Amalia DeSardi, AIAS | AIAS President, Arizona State University
Will Palmer, AIAS | AIAS President, The School of Architecture
Maurita Harris, AIA | NOMA Arizona President (2022-2023)
Mike Kolejka, AIA | Vice Chair, Arizona Board of Technical Registration

The Strategic Plan was prepared for AIA Arizona by:
The Three Aspens, Ltd., Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, President

Implementation

The 2022-25 Strategic Plan is both aspirational and inspirational. As such, it serves as an active guide for component and chapter volunteer leadership and staff team members in the coming three-year time horizon.

All of the goals, strategies, and tactics are intended to refine the focus of AIA Arizona by:

Advancing the mission of AIA Arizona in promoting the architectural profession;
Realizing the vision relative to broadening the understanding of the architects’ role; and
Emphasizing the tenets of AIA Arizona through outreach, engagement, and influence.

“Outreach” was a key theme from the stakeholder interviews as well as within the strategic planning retreat itself. Referenced in multiple ways regarding AIA Arizona’s preferred future, the term included:

Outreach … to, with, and for members of the AIA,
Outreach … between and among the state and local components within Arizona,
Outreach … from AIA Arizona regarding issues of social significance,
Outreach … from AIA Arizona relating to legislative and regulatory affairs, and
Outreach … from the architectural profession and the AIA to the greater public.

The 2022-2025 plan launches a three-year cycle of planning exercises and documents. Tactics within the plan may be considered the framework for a three-year Action Plan as well as an annual Operating Plan, on which the metrics and measurements of success are founded.

This Strategic Plan is a call to action for all volunteer leaders, staff team members, and members of AIA Arizona to work together toward implementing the goals.

AIA Arizona Strategic Plan 2022-2025

Serve as the vibrant, dynamic, and purposeful member organization connecting Arizona’s architectural professionals.

Service and Support – Remain vital and vigilant in supporting and serving all of Arizona’s architects as well as the profession of architecture across the state.

Resources: Connect the past heritage to new ways of thinking and working to provide the strongest possible set of innovative, relevant, and essential resources to members.
Generational Applicability: As an inclusive community, support architects and future architects of all ages and career stages, ensuring their sense of value in belonging.
Communication: Innovate in the delivery of compelling content to members and prospective members.

Membership Programs – Facilitate adaptable, flexible programming that reaches members of all types: at all career stages, within all practice settings, and in all geographic locations.

Innovative Programming: Demonstrate an agile attitude by adapting quickly to members’ needs, as their preferred source for continuing education and professional development.
State Conference: Strive to innovate in the structure, format, location, and approach of this event to assure enduring application to the broadest member spectrum.
Unite & Convene: To reinforce AIA Arizona’s historically collegial culture, be the networking engine for members and stakeholders, connecting firms, members, & others.

Broader Outreach – Ensure relevance to an increasingly wider and deeper member set to include traditionally underrepresented individuals and groups within & beyond the profession.

JEDI: Build on the nationally driven focus on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion to enrich the talent pool and expand the consequence of AIA Arizona within these themes.
Emerging Professionals: Increase outreach to younger professionals to support their career development, always striving to stay current with their specific interests.
Allied Members: Promote the value of affiliate membership in AIA Arizona, offering access to individual architects and firms to companies attracted to such associations.

Become the most ardent influencer in the state as advocates for the betterment of society and the built environment in Arizona’s communities.

Governmental Influence – As a membership body of architects and allies focused on the profession, their communities, and the future of both, advocate for responsible public policy.

Legislative Advocacy: With highest prioritization, become the trusted advisor to legislators on issues associated with societal, environmental, and civic well-being.
Regulatory Affairs: Play a key role in emphasizing to regulators the significance of professional licensure and the importance of an accredited degree in architecture.
Local Outreach: Support local chapters and members in their efforts to reach state legislators as well as those holding municipal and county government positions.

Effective Structures – Establish standing programs, projects, and initiatives to bolster legislative and regulatory successes for the organization and its members, statewide.

Arizona PAC: Consider the AIA Arizona Political Action Committee (PAC) structure as an apparatus to accept contributions, select targeted recipients, and disburse funds in alignment with AIA Arizona goals and mission.
Strategic Alliances: Collaborate with other professional societies, trade associations, and similar entities to advance issues of mutual interest or contest ones of shared concern.
Citizen Architects: Enable, equip, and empower interested members to become speakers and leaders in the advocacy arena, acting on behalf of their colleagues.

Social and Environmental Issues – As a champion for building a sustainable and equitable future, elevate and create a lasting and impactful legacy for members.

Justice: Strive to reflect and represent the diversity of society, across the profession and within the organization, elevating all through justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Sustainability: As leaders in the built environment, promote sustainability initiatives within design and construction, through equitable practices, and with community partnerships.
Water: Recognizing that the shortage of water is crucial to livability in the area into the future, become a forceful, knowledgeable voice on issues related to water conservation.

Serve as the collective voice that uplifts the stature of architects, upholds the importance of practice, and promotes the value of architecture.

Design Inspiration – As a beacon for the future of the human, built, and natural environments, commit to enriching the communities architects serve and to elevating our greater society.

Connectivity: Reflect the key tenets of National AIA to bring its issues to the forefront in Arizona, while demonstrating to individual members the value of belonging locally.
Public Programs: Chapters, in collaboration with the state component, to be enabled to produce activities and events to inspire public interest in architecture.
Architecture Week: Consider relaunching Architecture Week or other relevant concentrated public outreach effort to heighten awareness of the work of architects.

Societal Connector – As the connector among people, society, and the built environment, engage societally on behalf of the profession through community involvement and storytelling.

Storytelling: To enhance awareness, share member testimonials on architecture’s transformative power to future/current professionals, allies, legislators, and the public.
K-12 Programming: Chapters, in collaboration with the state component, to be enabled to develop educational programs to reach and inspire K-12 students.
Awards/Honors: Showcase the collective talents of members and the cooperative spirit of the profession through design awards programs and individual honors.

Relationship Builder – Leverage strategic relationships, alliances, and partnerships with related and like-minded entities and organizations for mutual benefit to stakeholders of each.

Architecture Schools: Exhibit intention – and attention – to meaningful contacts with AIAS, academicians, and students in accredited schools and other educational settings.
NOMA Arizona: With the hope of more earnestly and effectively addressing JEDI issues, partner with the National Organization of Minority Architects on offerings and actions.
Partnerships: Expand and nurture alliances and collaboration with related professional organizations to multiply the influential voice of the design and construction industry.

Govern & operate AIA Arizona through means that align with association management best practices and skillful business administration.

Motivated Governance – Take every measure possible to guarantee that the Board of Directors functions optimally and successfully as leaders dedicated to the AIA in Arizona.

Composition: Continually nurture devoted leaders to serve on the Board of Directors to optimize aspects of governance such as size, geography, expertise, and diversity.
Leadership Development: Involve a fuller spectrum of membership in committees, task forces, and other activities to bring more members into tracks of leadership and service.
Idea Generation: Seek ideas, engagement, and contributions from members beyond the core leadership through member surveys, focus groups, and other inclusive tactics.

Skilled Operations – Manage the day-to-day operations of AIA Arizona in a manner striving for continual improvement, cultural vibrancy, operational excellence, and exceptional value.

Alignment: Persistently explore opportunities for supporting the local chapters to invigorate them organizationally, allowing them to provide higher levels of member care.
Implementer: Serving as connector and facilitator, encourage collaboration between and among the chapters, striving to eliminate redundancy and provide mutual support.
Data: Use the growing availability of data, statistics, and key indicators to boost every facet of component service and support to members and outreach to communities.

Stable Financials – Assure the sustained financial viability of the organization through increased membership, greater sources of non-dues revenue, and overall fiscal responsibility.

Growing Membership: Endeavor to reach a greater representative segment of architects and design professionals throughout the state, with a resulting 10% membership growth.
Non-dues Revenue: Pursue ever-increasing sources of non-dues revenue through sponsor development, creative programming, and marketable partnerships.
Financial Strength: Operate accounting and financial functions of the organization in accordance with outstanding business practice models.