Carole Wedge, FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP, selected AIA Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer

WASHINGTON – September 26, 2025 – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Board of Directors voted unanimously to select Carole Wedge, FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP, as the next AIA Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer.  

“It is with tremendous excitement that AIA begins a new chapter with Carole at the helm,” said 2025 AIA President Evelyn Lee, FAIA, NOMA. “This is more than a shift in leadership; it is a new opportunity to accelerate the impact architects make in communities across the country and internationally. In Carole, we see a leader who will support our members, chapters, and AIA employees, strengthen the profession, and ensure that architecture is shaping a resilient, equitable, and sustainable future.” 

Wedge brings experience and vision that align directly with AIA’s mission: to empower and inspire architects to improve society and transform the world. The 2020 recipient of the AIA Edward C. Kemper Award, Wedge played a pivotal role in founding the AIA Women’s Leadership Summit. Under her leadership, AIA will continue to advocate for architects and support their efforts to design a better world. This includes fostering equitable, resilient communities and advancing public health, safety, and welfare through the transformative power of design. 

Wedge served 17 years as CEO of Shepley Bulfinch, one of the nation’s largest architecture and interior design firms. Driving the firm’s national expansion, she fostered an open culture and collaborative work environment while spearheading a rebrand that revitalized the firm’s institutional identity. Wedge boasts a dynamic leadership record within the architectural community, serving on numerous Boards and Executive Committees, including AIA’s Board of Directors, Architects Foundation, the Large Firm Roundtable, the Boston Society of Architects, Boston Architectural College, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. Her work bridges architectural practice with innovation, education, mentorship, and public impact. Wedge earned a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Colorado and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Boston Architectural College.

“I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to lead AIA, an organization that has been an important part of my career as an architect,” said Carole Wedge, FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP. “I am dedicated to serving our members by growing our community, championing design excellence, driving positive change, and expanding awareness of the critical importance of our profession and the role architects play in our communities.”  

As AIA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Wedge will lead the national office in Washington, D.C., overseeing a team of approximately 150 employees. She will collaborate with the board of directors and work closely with over 200 chapters across the nation and abroad to support AIA members and advance the organization’s strategic vision. Additionally, she will ensure that AIA remains the collective voice of architecture and design by growing an engaged, diverse membership base and advancing the organization’s programs, products, and services to meet the evolving needs of the profession. Wedge will also sit on the independent board of AIA Contract Documents.

The search to recruit an EVP/Chief Executive Officer was led by executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles as well as a diverse search committee that was chaired by AIA 2024 President Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, NOMAC. Search committee members included:

• Illya Azaroff, FAIA
• Graciela Carrillo, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C
• Yew Kee Cheong, FAIA, RIBA, MSIA
• Dan Hart, FAIA, PE
• Anne Hicks Harney, FAIA, LEED Fellow
• Kevin Holland, FAIA, NOMAC, LEED AP, Assoc. DBIA
• Britt Lindberg, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP
• Jordan Luther, Assoc. AIA, NOMA
• Angel Saqui, AIA, NCARB
• Jessica Sheridan, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
• Alyanna Subayno, Assoc. AIA, NOMA
• Heather Wilson (CACE President)

AIA Interim EVP/CEO Stephen Ayers, FAIA, will continue to serve until January 1, 2026. Wedge will begin her transition into the CEO role on December 1, 2025.