2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The AIA Triangle Board of Directors governs the overall execution of the organization’s mission. Principally, the Board manages organizational finances and sets long term priorities for programs. Overall, the members of the Board contribute professional, management, educational, and financial skills needed to ensure long term organizational stability and ensure year-to-year excellence for its membership.
ALBERT MCDONALD, AIA
PRESIDENT
Albert M. McDonald, AIA, is a recognized design leader and community advocate driven by his passion for architecture, his explorations as a designer, and his commitment to the profession. Albert is a Senior Architect and Associate Principal with Clark Nexsen. His design work has been recognized regionally, nationally and internationally through his contributions on a wide range of projects and design competitions. An active member in the AIA, Albert served for 5 years on the AIA Triangle Design Awards Task Force. In 2018 Albert was recognized by AIA North Carolina with the Emerging Professional Award.
PHILLIP JEFFERSON, ASSOC. AIA
PRESIDENT ELECT
Phillip received his Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Florida and a Masters of Architecture with a concentration in Urban Design from North Carolina State University, College of Design. Currently Phillip is owner of PHILLIPJEFFERSONDESIGN, which focuses on residential design project work from additions and renovations to new construction. He is an Associate Professor and Program Director of the Architectural Technology Department at Wake Technical Community College in the Applied and Engineering Technologies Division and is the advisor for the Wake Tech Community College American Institute of Architecture Student Chapter. Phillip serves as Treasurer on the American Institute of Architects Triangle Section Board of Directors and on the Board of Directors for the Coalition of Community College Architecture Programs, an alliance of community college architecture programs where he has presented at their national conference on topics related to Outreach and Building Construction Systems and Technology. He is a past Chair of the AIA Triangle Tour of Residential Architecture and has served as a guest critic at NC State College of Design and regularly at Appalachian State University Building Science Program. Phillip has residential and commercial design experience throughout the Southeast and the Southwest United States and has worked with Architecture firms in Florida and North Carolina.
Elizabeth Caliendo, AIA LEED AP, BD+C
TREASURER
Elizabeth Caliendo, AIA, joined the AIA Triangle Board in 2018 and is currently chair of the AIA Triangle Design Awards Task Force, an AIA Triangle Board Member and is Secretary on the AIAT Board Executive Committee. She served six years on the Raleigh Historic Development Commission and is now serving on the RHDC Design Review Advisory Committee. Elizabeth earned her undergraduate degree in architecture from NC State University and is a senior architect at HH Architecture in Raleigh, NC. She is passionate about design and design education and believes it is the responsibility of architecture to engage, serve and enrich the broader community.
Bailey Allred, AIA, LEED, GA
SECRETARY
Bailey is a Project Architect with Oakley Collier Architects, PA. responsible for the daily operations within the Raleigh Branch of the firm as well as the design and coordination of individual projects. With over 15 years of experience in the design profession, she has provided specialized programming, planning, and design knowledge for many public and commercial projects. Her design experience encompasses a variety of project types including municipal, educational, institutional, residential, and higher education facilities.
Matthew Szymanski, AIA
PAST PRESIDENT
Matthew Szymanski, AIA believes that we can make a better build environment by not only doing great work but by inspiring the next generation to be passionate about doing the same.
Matthew is an architect at BuildSense Architecture, a design-build firm based in Durham, North Carolina with a strong focus on doing modern and sustainable work for clients and creating a positive change in the community. Innovative and more than willing to work collaboratively, Szymanski emerged early in his career as a leader within the AIA and the Triangle’s design community. He is driven to mentor Emerging Professionals and develop innovative ways to get Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill citizens impassioned about the importance of successful design. He launched the “Design Matters to Raleigh” campaign to unite the efforts of design and planning organizations’ effort to involve residents in architecture and urban planning issues. He co-developed a mapping installation which got people thinking about the importance of where we live, work and play by asking them to locate their favorite memories on a huge magnetic map of Raleigh. Matthew was able to pull the excitement of these outreach campaigns, outdoor exhibits, and festival installations into the classroom when developing the SCALEUP Architecture Workshop. This 2019 Excel Grant winning program empowers AIA members to teach the design thinking in local classrooms and helps architects to show K-12 students what architects do. This program will soon be taught as a best-practice for local sections across the nation.
AMY BULLINGTON, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Amy is project arctitect at Clearscapes. She earned undergraduate degree in Architecture and Interior Architecture from Auburn University, where she spent several years at the Rural Studio. Amy also holds a master’s degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where her reserach focused on affordable housing and community development. Amy is passionate about the value architects can provide to their local communities; she is also a strong believer in the value of a more diverse and inclusive profession.
David Hill, FAIA
David Hill, FAIA, is a Professor and Head of the School of Architecture at North Carolina State University. He is a University Faculty Scholar and co- director of the Coastal Dynamics Design Lab (CDDL) in the College of Design. David’s teaching and research focus on design for coastal regions, integrative digital simulation processes, and architectural prototype design and production in contemporary practice. His work has been recognized with awards by the AIA, ACSA, and ASLA. David earned undergraduate degrees in architecture from NC State University and a Masters in Architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
Teri Canada, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA
Teri is a fervent advocate for exceptional architectural design within each community she has served. For over 20 years, she has thoughtfully and efficiently guided award-winning projects from pre-design through construction administration. As a founding Principal and Project Manager at EVOKE, she carefully guides key stakeholders through the development of esteemed projects for their communities by crafting a unique design process for each of her clients. For Teri, coupling her ability to communicate design ideas with meaningful community engagement is essential to her role in the design process.
Teri’s talent for leading the architectural design process has been recognized and celebrated throughout her career. After graduating from North Carolina State University. She became one of the first five African American women to become a Registered Architect in the state of North Carolina. In 2007, Teri joined the Freelon Group and rapidly advanced to Senior Associate as a result of her exceptional client management skills. After serving as Lead Project Manager on award-winning projects like the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and Emancipation Park, she was selected to participate in Perkins+Will’s Leadership Institute and appointed to the firm’s Diversity Council.
As an insightful mentor to young architects, Teri shared her personal and professional experiences as a minority architect during the 2015 National Organization of Minority Architects conference as a seminar panelist. She demonstrates her commitment to elevating communities around her as a Durham SmArt Initiative Advisory Board member, a United Minority Contractors of North Carolina (UMCNC) Board of Adviser, Durham Rotary Club member, Durham Chamber of Commerce member, Preservation Durham Executive Board member, a Minister for Stephen Ministries, and a volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Durham.
Doug Pierson, AIA, LEED AP, BD+C
Doug Pierson grew up in and around Washington, DC. He attended the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., then the Lettres program at the Université Paul Valéry in Montpelier, France, before earning his Masters in Architecture degree at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.
At the beginning of his career, Doug worked with several architecture firms in Europe and Australia before returning to the U.S. to work in the prestigious offices of Hodgetts & FungDesign Associates in Culver City, CA. From there, he secured a position in the Los Angeles office of world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. For both firms, he helped develop modern, progressive, urban and suburban master plans as well as academic, commercial, civic, cultural, and residential projects.For 10 years following his work with Gehry Partner LLP, Doug was a founding partner and principal designer in the Inglewood, CA-based firm form, environment, research (fer) studio. There, he led design teams for many award winning, nationally recognized projects including Connie & Ted’s restaurant in West Hollywood, CA, and The Green Building in Louisville, KY, the first LEED Platinum building in the downtown district. In 2016, Doug founded pod architecture + design with his partner in work and life, Youn Choi. Together, they lead a hybrid, integrated design studio that provides services in Architecture, Interiors, Environmental and Experiential Graphics, Urban Design, and Master Planning – all within the same studio.
After they relocated their family of four and their multi-faceted firm from Los Angeles to Carrboro, Doug became a Professor of Practice with NC State University’s School of Architecture and a member of the Triangle Architecture & Design Society (TADS).
Joshua Thomasson, AIA
Joshua is a project architect at LS3P, where he focuses primarily on healthcare architecture and design. His portfolio inlcudes diverse public and private projects throughout North Carolina, and his designes are rooted in site development and building materiality. A graduate of Virgina Tech, Joshua is passionate about community outreach and commited to educating others about role of architects in our communty. He is currently serving as chair of Triangle Barkitecture, a design competition for custom pet architecture to raise funds for local animals in need.
Emmie Tyson, AIA
Emmie Tyson, AIA, is an architect at BSA LifeStructures, where she focuses on healthcare and higher education projects. Emmie has been recognized for both her professional and community work with awards from BSA LifeSructures and AIA Triangle. She is leader of the AIA Triangle K-12 Education Outreach task force and has been a member of the AIA Triangle Board of Directors since 2018. Emmie earned her Bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University.
+ STAFF
AIA Triangle staff run everything that goes on behind the scenes for the organization—supporting the Board, providing meaningful and beneficial services to members, and ensuring the Task Forces have what they need. They are our knowledge base and conduit. They are what keep us functioning smoothly. Have questions or just want to say a quick thanks?
Mia Xavier
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Mia joined the AIA Triangle as Executive Director in October 2019. Mia brings 10 years of experience in nonprofit organizations, including the arts, girls’ empowerment and college access, plus work in manufacturing, politcal and consulting organizations.
Throughout her career, she has raised funding, crafted stories of results, impact and success; created value-added products and services; identified new and sustainable sources of revenue; and built dynamic and successful sponsorships and partnerships.
Mia is excited to work with the AIA Triangle Board, staff, members, and partners to grow the organization in thougthful, strategic and sustainable ways.
Chris Stetkiewicz
MEMBER SERVICES COORDINATOR
Chris has served as Member Services Coordinator providing support to members since July 2016. She manages the day-to-day administrative operations of the AIA Triangle
and is the go-to person for members pertaining to issues related to membership, continuing education, programming, and events. Her positive, can-do attitude has proven to be an asset in communicating with our members, volunteers, strategic partners, and the general public.
She has an extensive career working for non-profit organizations focused on membership support, development and fundraising. Her previous roles included Membership and Benefits Coordinator for the Massachusetts Nurses Association and Senior Administrative Associate and Prospect Researcher for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Originally from Massachusetts, Chris has called the Triangle home for over 10 years.
JOIN THE BOARD
Why Serve?
The first reason to serve on a Board of Directors on a ‘conventional list’ might be, “To contribute to something meaningful.” You can also look at it this way: To allow something meaningful to contribute to you.
When you serve on the board, you have the honor, challenge, and responsibility of understanding how everything needs to work together for an organization to accomplish its goals. Other reasons to serve are:
- You get a valuable seat behind the wheel of a major organization, and you play a key role in strategizing. Your voice will be heard—and it has impact. You’ll hear the impactful voices of others, too. And, you’ll bring your own valuable talents, passions, and areas of expertise. You’ll open eyes and your eyes will be opened.
- Serving on the board is powerful way to build your own skills and expertise, as well as develop and grow as a leader, cultivate new skill sets, and expand your network of peers, professionals, community leaders, and community thought leaders.
- You will have the opportunity to learn about dealing with others as it relates to issues of leadership, finance, and other business areas. This experience of working with others in different areas will teach you about diplomacy.
Place yourself in the forefront of AIA and the profession, advance your career, get networked, and be an agent for change in collaboration with your peers. Look out for a Call for Applications in late summer every year.