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FEBRUARY 2026
Having some fun with an AI prompt to capture what most of us are feeling these last two weeks throughout the state! .....and I've gotta say, it's a pretty accurate depiction of our homes and construction sites!
As we crawl our way out of January, we continue to have important work ahead of us in the month of February with the AIA Leadership Summit and Hill Day in Washington, D.C., and our AIA KY Legislative Day in Frankfort! Your voice is as important now as ever and we ask our members to make sure your concerns are heard and join us at thes events!
Finally, AIA is now so popular that we're even getting "shout outs" on Double Jeopardy clues and Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update! Be sure to check out the 8:45 mark in this video and then check out the actual AIA Award Winning Public Bathroom project they were referring to!
There is a LOT more happening as 2026 picks up steam, so review the rest of this month's issue for all the updates!
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2026 Black History Month
As we begin Black History Month, we’re looking at leadership advice from 6 Black firm owners that continues to resonate today.Learn their secrets to success here.
We also recognize one of Kentucky's most prominent African-American Architects, Samuel Plato. Learn more about his incredible life and career in architecture here.
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2026 AIA KY Legislative Day in Frankfort
Tuesday, February 24th
Architects, Interior Designers, and Design Students play a vital role in shaping communities and our profession must have a strong voice. Armed with key talking points and advice from our lobbyists, members will meet directly with legislators, ensuring our voices are heard on critical industry issues. Register Here
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2026 AIA KY Conference Lottery
BACK for 2026! This program will offer three lucky members a $1,500 reimbursement for costs incurred from attending an AIA conference of their choice! The funds may be applied toward the AIA'26 Conference on Architecture (June 10-13 in San Diego, CA), the AIA KY Conference (Sept in Louisville), or the 2026 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit (Nov 1-3 in Kansas City, MO).
| | Current AIA KY members and Associate members who qualify as an Early Professional (defined as members who have completed their academic studies within the past 10 years) can apply here until Friday, March 13th. | | | | |
AIA26 Conference on Architecture
The AIA Conference on Architecture & Design® 2026 is coming to San Diego, June 10–13. Members who book their hotel by February 8 get exclusive early access to AIA26 tours - 48 hours before registration to the public.
Registration opens to the public, February 11th. Review the conference website and get registered here!
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2025-26 CKLDP Session #4 (Louisville)
The CKLDP cohort met at ORI Louisville on Friday, January 9 for a Session on Research + Data that was led by Parker Selin, AIA (Morris Workshop Architects) and Lucas Wheeler, Assoc. AIA (JRA Architects)
The program began with a presentation on Community Based Design by Sissy Judy, and Malena Montoya from Steelcase headquarters. We were then able to observe
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many of the products and strategies discussed during a tour of the ORI showroom.
In the afternoon, Associate Professor Lindsey Fay from the UK College of Design spoke about Navigating Leadership in Design and shared some case studies of her research with the UK Children’s Hospital.
Finally, the group heard from Jon Deibel, a Senior Account Executive at Patterson Pope who shared examples of the everyday research that allows him and his team to develop unique solutions for each project. The group meets again today for a session on Business Development + Marketing. Stay tuned for another recap!
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2026 KY Society of Architects - PAC
The KY Society of Architects Political Action Committee (KSAPAC) is putting out a call for new members to join their board, including an Assistant Treasurer position.
Please visit their website to learn more about the organization and reach out to Chairman, Rob Deal, AIA, with any questions or to join this important member group.
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2026 AIA KY Allied Members & Sponsors
You don't have to be an architect to join the AIA! Help us spread the word to all of your industry partners and colleagues that our 2026 Allied Membership in AIA Kentucky is now available and open to register here.
It is available to non-Architects, including all interested allied design professionals, construction industry representatives, and product / service suppliers.
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Membership Updates
Getting Licensed? Check out AIA ArchiPrep: it's a one-stop shop for support and opportunities like free membership, scholarships, and study groups.
Exciting News? TAG US in Your Social Media Posts
Please help increase awareness of our profession by tagging AIA Kentucky in your firm's posts on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Let's collaborate and raise the bar!
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Individual & Firm News:
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Work Architecture is excited to announce the well-earned promotion of Nate Hammitt, AIA and Katie Butsch, AIA to Partners, recognizing their leadership, experience, and continued impact on the firm’s design excellence, operations, and culture. Since joining Work Architecture… read more.
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Congratulations to Greg Hosfield, AIA of RossTarrant Architects for being elected to the 2026 Board of Directors for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass!
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Brandstetter Carroll Inc. announces Strategic Leadership Realignment to position the firm for next phase of growth. Congratulations to Monica Sumner, AIA, on being appointed the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and to Eric Chambers, AIA, on becoming the Director of Architectural Practice. Congratulations and read the announcement here.
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GRW Engineers & Architects welcomes George Donkor, AIA. Congrats, George!
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Congratulations to Jody Boelhauf, AIA, as he announced the start of his new company, Elevate Collaborative!
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Congratulations to Allied Sponsor, Shrout Tate Wilson Consulting Engineers, as they celebrate their 45th Year! With offices now in Lexington, Louisville and Charleston.
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Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) has recognized Gray AES as an Education First Employer, highlighting the company’s commitment to workforce development, employee education and strong partnerships that connect learning to meaningful career pathways.
Newly Licensed
We are pleased to congratulate the following members, who recently completed the A.R.E. and received their license in the state of Kentucky:
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Shannon Ruhl, K. Norman Berry Associates, Louisville
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Rebecca Cox, Tate Hill Jacobs Architects, Lexington
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Tricia Hourigan, Tetra Tech, Louisville
Welcome New and Returning Members
(Joined or Reinstated since January 2026)
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Weber Construction, New Allied Benefactor
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Jennifer Blanco Dieguez, Assoc. AIA, JRA Architects, Louisville
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Mark Frazar, Assoc. AIA, alt32 Architecture
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Joanna Martin, Assoc. AIA, JRA Architects, Lexington
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Jeff Owens, AIA, GRW Inc., Lexington
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Stephanie Satterfield, Assoc. AIA, Studio Kremer Architects, Louisville
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Lucas Wheeler, Assoc. AIA, JRA Architects, Lexington
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Zachary White, Assoc. AIA, Joseph & Joseph Architects, Louisville
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Samantha White, AIA, Schmidt Associates, Louisville
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Allied Benefactor of the Month Spotlight:
ICAST Infrastructure Precast, Inc.
https://icastinc.com/
ICAST, a family-owned precast concrete product and pipe manufacturer dedicated to delivering exceptional quality and unparalleled customer service to the infrastructure industry.
Read more.
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Calendar of Events:
AIA Kentucky and local chapter events are consolidated on a single calendar accessible via the AIA Kentucky Website. We'll post information about conferences, chapter events and other "happenings" of interest to the architectural community.
A sampling of upcoming items on the calendar:
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View the last edition of the AIA CKC E-news for more information about the following:
| | For additional information on AIA Central Kentucky Chapter events and other regional architecture-related activities, Follow CKC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. | | |
View the latest edition of the AIA EKY E-news for more information about the following:
- 2026 Officers & Directors
- AIA East Kentucky Coloring Book
- Upcoming Programs and Events
For information on AIA East Kentucky events and other regional architecture-related activities, Follow EKC on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
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- AIA Northern Kentucky members are encouraged to submit for the AIA Cincinnati CRANawards. Submissions are due by February 25th
Stay tuned for more upcoming events and information!
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NCARB and Early Professionals News
NCARB’s FY25 Annual Report is now available, highlighting new Competency Standards, an improved licensing requirement tool, and other priority updates from the year. Download the report
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AIA26 & Emerging Professionals Grant Program interest call February 19
Thinking about attending AIA26? Join this interest call to hear from National Associates Committee (NAC) leaders on what to expect at the four-day conference—and how to keep costs down while maximizing learning, networking, and fun. Get a first look at the AIA26 Emerging Professional Grant program, with applications expected to open the week of February 9. Join the call Feb. 19 from 3–4 p.m. ET. Contact Kirsten Swanson with questions. Register
Young Architects Forum (YAF)
The AIA Young Architects Forum addresses issues of particular importance to recently licensed architects, providing resources on leadership, mentorship, and fellowship useful to those launching their careers.
AIA YAF Connection 22.04 - Driving Wellness & Mitigating Burnout - CLICK HERE to view Connection Q4 2025 | Vol 22, Issue 04 which includes timely articles, personal perspectives, and practical ideas that speak to the real pressures young architects are facing.
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National Architecture Billings Index
December 2025 ABI: Weak business conditions at architecture firms architecture firms persist into 2026.
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AIA National News
Get to Get to know 2026 AIA President Illya Azaroff, FAIA: In this interview, Azaroff discusses his formative experiences, what he envisions for AIA members, and why “leadership can’t wait.”
AIA National's 3 Main Iniatives: watch the video by AIA President, Illya Azaroff, FAIA, as he discusses the main iniatives and strategic plan for 2026. .
Protect the Future of Our Profession:
Read AIA National's formal statement and direct response to the Department of Education regarding the proposed rule of stripping M.Arch and D. Arch Programs of their professional designation.
Membership Milestone: AIA closed 2025 with 101,057 members, hitting 101k for the first time.
Small Firm Exchange (SFx) News
National SFx chair Darguin Fortuna, AIA shares his vision for 2026 while the latest SFx Insider connects you with the 2026 SFx board and state representatives. If you’re a small firm with award winning work, you can submit it to SFx to be shared on their social media as they strive to highlight the exceptional work created by small firms nationwide. AIA Pennsylvania's Small Firm Forum hosts a February 10 webinar on The Small Firm Safety Net: Contracts, Liens, and Getting Paid.
More AIA Products & Resources:
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AIA Career Center - Search open jobs, post your resume and set up job alerts.
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AIA Contract Documents - Choose from 180+ industry standard contracts and forms
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Business Intelligence - Navigate current business conditions, make smarter decisions, and prep for the future with AIA's business intelligence.
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The AIA Trust - Resources to protect your practice and plan for your future.
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AIAU - 300+ instructors bring the industry's best learning to you.
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Knowledge Communities - CE opportunities, discussion forums and research libraries on specific areas of practice that interest you. See all KC events.
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We are energized by the many opportunities available to our members during this winter season. Whether it’s Legislative and advocacy, networking and fellowship, grants and financial support, engaging programs and other valuable professional development resources, this early 2026 is filled with opportunities to learn, collaborate, and grow together.
This collective power of our membership is the beauty of the AIA, and we thank you for being a part of our dynamic community. If you haven’t yet, we sincerely hope that you’ll renew your membership prior to the deadline of March 31 so that we can continue serving you.
Please reach out to our staff if you have any questions or concerns about your renewal and we will look forward to seeing you at an upcoming program as our community continues to shape the future of architecture in Kentucky.
Cheers!
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Kelly E. Ives, AIA, CAE, LEED AP
Executive Vice President
859.223.8201
| | | Thank You to the Allied Members of AIA Kentucky! | | | Allied Membership is recognized by all three local components, with a portion of dues supporting local programs. Learn More | | | | |
