Voices of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Championing Change

*This event is occurring as a live webinar. Registrants will be emailed a link to access the program; please continue to register.*

In light of the Black Lives Matter Movement and ongoing efforts to achieve equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in our workplace and our industry, this program will highlight a number of extraordinary women who are leading and championing change through their meaningful and impactful organizations.

Please join the AIANY and the AIA Long Island Women in Architecture Committees in this important panel discussion with three prominent voices of EDI: Bolanle Williams-Olley; Danei Cesario AIA, RIBA, NCARB, NOMA; and Pascale Sablan AIA, NOMA, LEED AP. They will share their initiatives in promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion and offer suggestions, ideas, and actions on how we can contribute to building a more equitable profession. Julia Gamolina will be moderating the discussion, and will also highlight her work in making women in our industry more visible through her online platform, Madame Architect.

Panelists:
Bolanle Williams-Olley, Chief Financial Officer, Mancini Duffy; Founder, SheBuildsWaves, SheBuildLives & REACH Nigeria
Danei Cesario AIA, RIBA, NCARB, NOMA, Project Manager, SOM; Founder, WALLEN + daub
Pascale Sablan AIA, NOMA, LEED AP, Senior Associate, S9ARCHITECTURE

Moderator:
Julia Gamolina, Associate AIA, Director of Strategy, Trahan  Architects; Founder & Editorial Director, Madame Architect

About the speakers:
Bolanle Williams-Olley is the Chief Financial Officer and part owner at Mancini Duffy, a technology-first design firm, where she oversees the firm’s financial and operational performance. With a strong background in financial analysis and strategic initiatives, Williams-Olley thrives on building relationships between finance and management teams to ensure the overall financial success of projects and her firm. She holds a Master’s in Education & Social Policy from NYU, as well as Master’s in Applied Mathematics and a Bachelor’ in Mathematics from City University of New York, Hunter College. She is passionate about service and is the founder of three impact organizations: SheBuildsWaves, SheBuildsLives and REACH Nigeria.

Danei Cesario is the 333rd black female architect in American history and is currently part of SOM, where she manages dynamic mixed-use development, healthcare and wellness projects. Cesario served as co-chair of the AIANY Diversity & Inclusion Committee and currently serves on the AIA New York State Board. She is a contributor/ambassador to organizations including the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation, Parlour, the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, and the nycobaNOMA Executive Board. Cesario is dedicated to fostering mentorship, sponsorship and leadership within the design community. She founded WALLEN + daub to expand on these principles.

Pascale Sablan has over 13 years of experience and is currently a Senior Associate at S9ARCHITECTURE in New York. Sablan is the 315th living African-American female registered architect in the United States. She is an architect, mentor, and intrapreneur, and advocates to advance architecture for the betterment of society and to bring visibility and voice to the issues concerning women and diverse designers. She is the Founder & Executive Director of Beyond the Built Environment, positioned to uniquely address the inequitable disparities in architecture by providing a holistic platform aimed to support numerous stages of the architecture pipeline.

Julia Gamolina is the Director of Strategy at Trahan Architects, a global architecture firm rooted in New Orleans and New York, where she focuses on new business, digital communications, and brand development. Gamolina is also the Founder and Editorial Director of MadameArchitect.org, an online publication with over 145 interviews of women architects and designers, as well as CEOs, publicists, journalists, business strategists, and counsel that shape our world. Her writing has also been featured in Fast Company, A Women’s Thing, Metropolis Maganize, Architizer, and the Architect’s Newspaper.