Ryan McEnroe, AIA

Through his energy and thoughtful outreach on a national level, Ryan McEnroe, AIA, has empowered the next crop of architect leaders. Leading by example through countless volunteer hours, he has instilled in design professionals currently advancing their careers a drive to strengthen the profession and better serve society.

Rooted in his agricultural upbringing, McEnroe brings to all his projects his diverse talents as both architect and landscape architect with certifications in historic preservation, urban planning, and sustainability . His deep understanding of the importance of an integrated approach to design is perhaps most evident in the South Carlyle Master Plan development, a collaborative effort between his former firm Oculus and FXFOWLE Architects that has brought an overarching sustainable approach to a 12-acre development in Alexandria, Virginia. Today McEnroe is an associate at Quinn Evans Architects in Washington, D.C., where his efforts to help the Smithsonian Institution renovate the historic 1928 birdhouse at the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has put the project on track for LEED Gold certification.

McEnroe’s drive to give back to the profession was developed early in his career and led to his position as a national director for AIAS. Highly active in AIA|DC, he co-founded with Sean Stadler, AIA, the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program in 2013. The year-long program encourages young architects to develop essential leadership skills early in their careers and provides access to critical topics such as marketing, firm management, and philanthropic service. Since its inception, the program has engaged 80 young architects, 87 percent of whom later rose to leadership roles in their firms, communities, and the AIA. McEnroe has been instrumental in the program’s nationwide growth. It has a solid foothold in Denver, Detroit, and Miami, with Indianapolis and Houston committed to implementing it this year.

As knowledge director for the AIA Young Architects Forum, McEnroe collaborated with his peers nationwide to create the AIA Leadership Institute and develop sessions relevant to young architects for the Conference on Architecture. His efforts have led to a simplification of the call for proposals and creation of a number of templates young architects can use when preparing their content for submission. In his previous role as the forum’s Mid-Atlantic regional director, McEnroe was the liaison between local and national leadership, and a prominent voice in the Center for Civic Leadership Working Group.

A tireless ambassador for the profession, McEnroe’s energy and thoughtfulness are infectious. Beginning at the earliest stages of his career, he has demonstrated what it means to be engaged, and his future contributions are sure to be many.