Washington, DC – January 9, 2017 – Chapter leaders of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) have cast their ballots for the next Board of Directors. During the annual FORUM conference, which took place in Boston from December 29, 2016 – January 1, 2017, the Council of Presidents elected the new incoming board of directors for the organization.
AIAS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- President: Keshika De Saram, University of Minnesota
- Vice President: Elizabeth Seidel, Montana State University
- Northeast Quad Director: Amelia Rosen, Carnegie Mellon University
- South Quad Director: Sarah Curry, Auburn University
- Midwest Quad Director: Brigid Callaghan, Kent State University
- West Quad Director: Caitlin Kessler, University of Arizona
President-elect Keshika De Saram will serve as the organization’s 61st President. “I am so excited to get to serve as the next president, following a long line of amazing leaders who I have always looked up to. In the AIAS, we see what we can achieve when lots of unique voices work together. Let’s take the next year to come together and use our diverse perspectives to make a difference in the architecture profession.”
De Saram and Vice President-elect Elizabeth Seidel addressed attendees at the conference. Seidel told the audience “I am so humbled to be in this position. Thank you for believing in our story. I will work so hard to make sure you have tools, not at your fingertips, but in your hands.”
Those elected, including Quad Directors, will serve a one-year term on the AIAS Board of Directors. During this time the President and Vice President relocate to the national office in Washington, D.C. and work as full-time employees of the AIAS.
The newly elected board officially begins their duties on the 1st of July, and will be sworn in during Grassroots 2017. In the six-month lead up to commencing their terms, the board-elect will work closely with their predecessors to become familiar with their role on the board, including a three-day orientation concurrent with the Spring Board of Directors Meeting.
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About the AIAS
The American Institute of Architecture Students is a non-profit, student-run organization dedicated to programs, information and resources on issues critical to architecture and the experience of education. For more information, visit www.aias.org or call Natalie Neumann at (202) 808-0173.
