July 2025 Chapter Leader of the Month: Ángel André Gutiérrez Valles

Ángel André Gutiérrez Valles is a an alumnus from the Urban Design and Landscape Architecture program at Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ). With the conviction that students can significantly influence change, he proposed reactivating the AIAS UACJ chapter in 2022 with the goal of creating a dynamic, pragmatic space for leadership and, above all, for community. Since then, he has served as Vice President, President, and mentor for his chapter, coordinating the International Architecture Week at UACJ, organizing lectures by local leaders in the field, and launching outreach programs that extend community service beyond the classroom.

His contributions have mainly focused on building meaningful connections between the professional and student communities, such as the agreement with the Association of Engineers and Architects of Ciudad Juárez. He firmly believes in design as a collective tool and in the potential of the student community to imagine and create better spaces.

Gilberto Lozada Báez, who nominated André for this feature, highlighted his instrumental contributions in not only keeping his chapter alive, but also in empowering incoming generations to go beyond:

“During the pandemic, the UACJ chapter struggled to continue, eventually going inactive. André led the efforts to reinstate their chapter as Vice President, later stepping up as chapter President at a time when their e-board was facing unforeseen challenges. He then prioritized preparing and training the next generation to join their e-board, ensuring continuation for their chapter and working closely with them to boost their initiatives beyond the school’s influence, working with professionals and local organizations to impact the larger architecture community in Ciudad Juárez.”