Equity and the Future of Architecture Committee

Dedicated to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the architecture profession.

Group of architects sitting at a table
Getty/10'000 Hours

Mission of the Equity and the Future of Architecture Committee

The purpose of the Equity and the Future of Architecture (EQFA) Committee is to advise the AIA Board of Directors on matters of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging within AIA and the profession. This includes advancing AIA’s and the profession’s ability to engage and represent the communities we serve and addressing issues that shape the future of architecture.

EQFA Focus

In 2026, the Equity and the Future of Architecture Committee (EQFA) will continue to advance equity across the profession by driving strategic action, deepening partnerships, and amplifying AIA’s collective voice for equitable practice. The committee will focus on shaping and informing AIA’s approach to pay equity, continuing to support implementation of the Strategic Council’s recommendations, serving as ambassadors of the AIA Guides for Equitable Practice, and creating new spaces for dialogue with components to elevate lived experiences and inform the board’s understanding of equity in practice.

2026 EQFA members

Garfield Peart, AIA, NOMA | Co-Chair

Graciela Carrillo, FAIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C | Co-Chair

Monica Retzke, AIA

Dwight Yee, AIA

Zachary Henry-Litchliter, AIA

Juan Ricardes, Int’l Assoc. AIA

Bryan C. Lee Jr, AIA, NOMA

Daniel Perez, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Jainika Shah, Assoc. AIA, LEED Green Associate

Jessica Reinert, Hon. AIA Iowa, CAE, IOM

Jason Bond, AIA

Kerry Nolan, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
 

Composition and length of service

The Equity and the Future of Architecture Committee is composed of nine (9) to twelve (12) members. 

These include:  

  • At least one (1) board member. 
  • At least one (1) Strategic Council member. 
  • At least one (1) member of the National Organization of Minority Architects, and such other individuals as the president may deem appropriate, including subject matter experts who need not be AIA members. 
  • At least one (1) member shall be an Architect member who has been licensed less than ten (10) years, and/or an Associate member.

Committee members are required to serve a minimum term of one year, with the option to extend for a second year. After completing a maximum of two years of service, committee members will rotate off the committee, including those who opt to not extend for a second year.

History

At the 2015 AIA National Convention, delegates adopted Resolution 15-1, “Equity in Architecture.” Later ratified by the board, the resolution was envisioned as a call to action for both women and men to realize the goal of equitable practice to retain talent, advance the architecture profession, and communicate the value of design to society.
The resolution called for the creation of a Commission on Equity in Architecture, comprised of nationally recognized experts from AIA membership, architecture schools, allied non-profit organizations, and elsewhere who have influenced the achievement of equity and diversity in their work.

The Equity in Architecture Commission paved the path for equitable practices in architecture career development, public relations, workplace culture, and beyond. 

As an outcome of the Commission’s work, the board created a board-level committee, Equity and the Future of Architecture, to carry forward the Commission’s strategy recommendations. 

 

Questions about the Equity and the Future of Architecture Committee? 

Contact us