September 15, 2020 by Sara Taketatsu

Four years ago as part of the 60th anniversary of the AIAS, alumni members were nominated by their peers to be featured on the AIAS website, complete with biographies and interviews. As part of the 2020 Fall Membership Month, we want to republish these highlights and share them with you again! Titles and work locations may have changed in the past years, but their advice and experiences are as pertinent as ever. We hope you are inspired by these AIAS Legacy Alumni and follow the links to their full interviews!

 

 

Alex Alaimo

How can someone best change the world?

“Challenging the status quo and leading by example. Always be critical of what is being said and done and when you have the opportunity, attempt to fundamentally correct what is inefficient, wrong or unjust. To do this you need to practice what you believe and hold yourself accountable.”

How did your experience with the AIAS help you to achieve your goals?

“AIAS has introduced me to the network of future architects that will practice in new ways and design the built environment of tomorrow. AIAS provided organizational practice as well as instilling a hope for the profession in me. That it can change for the better for the next generation.”

Click here to read the full interview.

 


Stephen Parker

How can someone be a better designer?

“Be authentic to you and yours. Once you find your thing, your raison d’etre, whatever “it” is, just apply time to your passion, practice often, perfect your process and just be patient. I find it helps to collaborate with others who design selflessly rather than for themselves. A nurturing, constructive culture where everyone strives towards a better design is far better that the negative studio environments I’ve seen others suffer through. If you value yourself and your design skills, you’ll find an environment that will foster that growth and help you develop as a designer.”

How did your experience with AIAS help you to achieve your goals?

Where to begin…well, it helped that I kinda found true love along the way. I met my wife Carrie at a South Quad conference in 2009 and got hitched after Forum in 2013. There’s a super cheesy article in the Dallas Morning News if you want some warm and fuzzy reading. I built lasting friendships and met plenty of mentors along the way, creating opportunities I never considered. Having run for national office, I learned an immense amount about myself in the process. I’ve been blessed with quite a few serendipitous moments, unforeseen opportunities and wonderful people thanks to my experiences with the AIAS.

Click here to read the full interview. Also featured in #askanarchitect here.

 


Joel Pominville

How have you overcome unforeseen challenges in your career?

“Honestly, the hardest lesson I learned was understanding failure. I used to think failure was when you planned everything out, and it didn’t happen like you thought it would.. or didn’t happen at all. I chose to pursue a social design startup with Nick Tafel and Obi Okolo when I graduated and it didn’t work out like we thought. I thought that was failure. However, that turned out to be one of the most formative experiences in my career so far. Now, I see failure as the decision not to act even when everything else inside you is telling you to make a move. The lack of trying stimulates no personal or professional growth… and where’s the fun in that?”

What is a decision or action you made in school that influenced your trajectory?

“Getting involved in the AIAS was by far the most important decision I made in school. Now that I am engaged with other leaders in the industry and community, in New Orleans and elsewhere, it is evident that being involved outside of work or schoolwork is a key factor to success in one’s chosen path.”

Click here to read the full interview.

 


Deana Moore

How did your experience with AIAS help you to achieve your goals?

“AIAS helped me to believe in myself and helped me realize that my voice matters (even when it’s the minority) and that I should speak up when I feel passionately about something. It started in Charlotte on a chapter level, then grew over the years until I was sitting with the leaders of the architecture profession. I spoke up when I agreed with something and that felt good. Most importantly, I spoke up when I didn’t see eye to eye and had a different perspective which was when I felt like I was making a true difference helping to diversify the voices heard. My years as a student and also my time as a Vice President taught me that a group of passionate individuals who put their minds, talents and energy into something can change just about anything. My time as a legacy member (which now is greater than my years in school and AIAS) have made me realize that you can’t do it alone. The tiny baby steps that we set in motion (almost ten years ago) are now huge leaps forward for the profession. We didn’t do it alone. Rather, we did it by gathering passionate like-minded individuals and giving them a voice. It’s still how I prefer to work today.”

Click here to read the full interview.

 


Kimberly Tuttle

How can someone best change the world?

“Focus on the small things. I find that in a room full of people, in a membership full of students, if I can help one person – just one – then I have made a difference in someone’s life. And maybe that person will make a difference in someone else’s life. It’s the ripple effect – and I find that immediate effect is much more powerful and encourages to me to keep going.”

Click here to read the full interview. Also featured in #askanarchitect here.