AIA St. Louis CK Leadership Development Program

08/27/2024

Wanted to give a heads up for those following this page. We are changing our social media strategy to just post on LinkedIn. Follow us on there if you are not already.

AIA St. Louis Christopher Kelley Leadership Program | 309 followers on LinkedIn. A peer-led leadership development program that cultivates the sharing of experiences, knowledge, and skills. | We are a peer-led leadership development program that cultivates the sharing of experiences, knowledge, and....

06/01/2024

It is that time of year again! Applications for this years Christopher Kelley Leadership Program cohort are OPEN! Applications close July 15th so act fast.
Go to our website to learn more about the program and apply using the link there. https://www.aia-stlouis.org/page/CKLDP

05/28/2024

With the applications coming up, we want to congratulate the past years scholars! Thank you all for being involved in the program and we look forward to seeing your future efforts.

05/23/2024

Applications for the 2024-2025 class open June 1! Individuals may be nominated by their firm or can nominate themselves and will be selected on the basis of a written application, recommendations, and resume. The sixteen (16) successful applicants will represent a diverse group of emerging professionals that demonstrate a strong potential as a future leader. Visit https://www.aia-stlouis.org/page/CKLDP to learn more.

04/27/2024

At our upcoming 8th and final session, we will delve into topics centered around Leading Our Own Future.
The session will kick off with Catrina Cook and Brian Waite sharing how they carved out unique roles for themselves at their respective firms, and scholars will craft their own ideal job descriptions after revisiting their StrengthsFinder assessments from Session #1.
A discussion on mentorship will follow with Marcus Adrian, Adnan Omeragić and CKLDP alum, Carmen Chee, leading a conversation on being mentored and being a mentor. Scholars will then dive into the nuances of valuable and advantageous relationships in the workplace. The afternoon will conclude with CKLDP alum & current Vice Chair, Christina Brown, prompting takeaways from this year’s program and exploring how CKLDP can better serve the architecture community in St. Louis. The session will also include a tour of our host venue, the Color Art Showroom.

A huge thank you to our speakers, hosts, and our session sponsors: Sloan & Bobrick Washroom Equipment, Inc, via MR & Associates, Inc.

04/27/2024

We’ve reached our 8th and final session of this cohort and are excited to introduce our two scholars for the ‘Leading Our Own Future’ Session!

Sara Ferguson | Architect + Senior Associate, Mackey Mitchell Architects
Sara is a licensed architect in Missouri with nationwide experience leading education, multifamily, and workplace projects. With a passion for fostering relationships and maximizing strengths, Sara excels in striking the proper balance between creativity and practicality on every project. Beyond the architectural product, Sara builds better teams and brings people together.
Following her studies at Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Colorado-Denver, Sara has called St. Louis home since 2015. She and her husband devote significant time to involving their daughters in extensive home renovation, landscaping, and building projects. Runner-up hobbies include skiing, running, gardening, thoughtful gift-giving, and tinkering with the proper chemical mixtures to grow synthetic geodes and crystals.

Asinugo | Architect,
Nneoma is a licensed architect with experience in multifamily residential, corporate, hospitality and higher education projects. Her goal is to positively impact people through transformative design. As such, she seeks to create sustainable environments that are also socially responsible, inspiring, and that enhance everyday life.
Nneoma holds a Master of Architecture from Kansas State University. She is the 2024 Chair of the AIA St. Louis J.E.D.I. committee and serves on the AIA St. Louis Board of Directors. Beyond the professional environment, she enjoys exploring various recreational activities and trying to keep her plants healthy.

We’d like to thank the scholars’ firms for their support of professional development through this leadership program: Mackey Mitchell Architects & Arcturis
We’d also like to extend a sincere thank you to our Benefactor Sponsors for their continued support of the program: M+H Architects, Jacobs Solutions Inc., HOK in St. Louis

04/03/2024

Hope everyone is ready for the 7th session of this year’s cohort! This session will focus on Expanding the Definition of Practice.

The scholars will share the results of a community survey done in the hopes to determine what people think architects really do. This will be followed up by a business perspective of project delivery and planning by Sergio Chayet, professor at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Next, the cohort will hold a group brainstorming / strategic planning session facilitated by Brian Hayden of Strategies. Lastly, the day will be wrapped up with a firm perspective from Hufft (Joshua Ogren, Annie (Robinson) Luca, and Scott Beattie) and then a tour of stl.

This session would not be possible without its specific sponsors:

Kingspan Group St. Louis Lighting Group Mays-Maune-McWard, Inc.

03/31/2024

We’re back at it again! It’s time for the 7th session of this cohort. Introducing our two scholars for the Expanding the Definition of Practice Session.

🔹 ELISE SKULTE
Originally from central Illinois, Elise moved to St. Louis to attend graduate school at Wash U and has called it home ever since. She is a valued member of the FGM Architects team and holds a seat on their firmwide design leadership committee. Elise also serves as the Vice Chair of YAFSTL and enjoys participating in the summer softball team. In her leisure time, she pursues various art projects, photography, travel, and cherishes moments with friends and family.

🔹 JOSHUA BENDER
Born and raised in Saint Louis, Josh is family oriented, self-motivated, and detail driven. He loves problem solving, designing, and the satisfaction of building something with his own two hands. At M+H Architects, he can exercise his dual passions for technology implementation and project management as he holds the role of Technology Director and Senior Project Architect. Josh also builds furniture as a co-owner of a woodworking company, Blackhall Woodworks.

We would like to thank their firms for supporting their professional development through this program: +H Architects

Also thank you to the CKLDP Benefactor Sponsors for their ongoing support:
M+H Architects Jacobs Solutions Inc. Mackey Mitchell Architects HOK in St. Louis

03/01/2024

It is that time of the month! We are at our 6th session of this cohort and need to introduce our two scholars for the Trending Now Session.

Maegan Halveland

🎨 Role: Senior Architectural Designer NewGround
🎓 Education: Architectural Studies from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
💼 Experience: 10 years in diverse projects including Historical Renovations, Multi-family, Senior Living, and more.
🏛 Leadership: Active in AIA St. Louis, former YAFSTL Chair, and Director on the AIA Missouri Board.
🌱 Personal Interests: Travels, craft cocktails, gardening, reading, and social gatherings.

Jon Henning

🎨 Roles: Technical Designer at and design technology enthusiast at rascoh.com.
📚 Education: B.Arch, Magna Cum Laude from University of Houston.
🌐 Experience: Nearly 10 years in AEC, serving clients nationwide, now focusing on St. Louis's urban fabric.
📸 Hobbies: Storm photography, exploring creative processes, and cherishing moments with family.

We would like to thank their firms and the benefactor sponsors for supporting them and the program. M+H Architects Jacobs Solutions Inc. Mackey Mitchell Architects HOK in St. Louis

02/13/2024

Session 5 Closing The Deal at the first of the month went well! Here is a recap of the session.
🗨️ Icebreaker: Goldstein initiated with a Reflection Questionnaire to spark engagement.
🚶 Site Walk: A guided tour at The Rail, 4565 McRee by Green Streeet and HDA.
🏗️ Brooks Goedeker Presentation: Highlighted transformative Midtown St. Louis redevelopment projects.
🤝The Intersection of Business & Politics; Vistage Worldwide Introduction presentation by Linda Goldstein Presentation: Discussed the interplay between business and politics.
💡 Reflections: Participants revisited the icebreaker, deepening insights.
🎤 Panel Discussion: Diverse perspectives on deal-making from Aaron Bunse, Phil Hulse, Linda Goldstein, and Brooks Goedeker.

We would like to thank all of presenters and Benefactor Sponsors for making these sessions a success. As well as printing sponsor Drexel Technologies for their generous support. Benefactor sponsors M+H Architects , Jacobs Solutions Inc. , HOK in St. Louis , and Mackey Mitchell Architects.

02/01/2024

It is that time of the month! We are at our 5th session of this cohort and need to introduce our two scholars for the Closing the Deal Session.

🔹 Jack Bowe: With a decade of architectural expertise, Jack has a keen focus on Retail Commercial and Healthcare projects at Oculus, Inc., infusing each with a sense of care and hospitality. Beyond the blueprint, Jack finds solace in the wilderness and his century-old South City home. 🍃🛠️

🔹 Joe DiMartino: With over 10 years in the field, Joe's role at HDA has been pivotal in nurturing conceptual designs and fostering a culture of collaboration. His love for the outdoors mirrors his approach to design - thoughtful, expansive, and rooted in conservation. 🖌️🏞️

As always we want to thank the scholars firms and the sponsors of this sessions for supporting the program. Thank you! Oculus Inc. , HDA Architects , Mays-Maune-McWard, Inc., ASSA ABLOY , Midwest Block & Brick, and

01/30/2024

Better late than never! Last month we had our Session 4: Community Engagement. The following is our recap.

1️⃣ Professional and Personal Life: We kicked off with Brad Simmons sharing his remarkable journey at KAI Enterprises . His insights into balancing professional growth with personal fulfillment left us all inspired to strive for excellence in every aspect of our lives. 🏗️💼

2️⃣ Community: Shaughnessy H. Daniels took the stage to discuss the pivotal role of civic engagement in urban development. Her passionate portrayal of Great River Greenway projects reminded us of the power of community input in creating sustainable and inclusive environments. 🌳🌍

3️⃣ Engagement at St. Louis CITY SC: The event culminated with dynamic presentations from Christine Ingrassia, Steve Ewing, Mitch Morice, and Kuleya Bruce. Each shared their unique contributions to CityPark, from legislative achievements to cultural enrichment and beyond, illustrating the multifaceted nature of community engagement. 🏞️🎤

We Finished the day off with a tour of !

This event was a testament to the incredible potential of collaborative leadership in shaping the future of our communities. Let's carry forward the lessons learned and the energy felt into making a tangible difference in our own circles.