Women at the Helm

Studies show that firms with greater gender diversity among senior leaders are significantly more successful. Why is women leadership so important? How can we forge new leadership paths for the future generation of women architects? What are some challenges and strategies to achieving leadership roles? And what can we do to elevate fellow women in our field?

Please join the AIANY Women in Architecture Committee for “Women at the Helm,” a panel discussion featuring managing partners and principals from leading New York firms. The panelists will discuss their professional journeys and how they are forging leadership paths for future generations of women architects.

Speakers:
Laura Ettelman, FAIA, Managing Partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Latoya Nelson Kamdang, AIA, Associate Principal and Director of Operations, New York Studio, Moody Nolan
Elizabeth Leber, AIA, Managing Partner, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners
Kirsten Sibilia, Assoc. AIA, Managing Principal, Dattner Architects

Moderator:
Kerry A. Nolan, AIA, Senior Associate, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners

About the Speakers:

Laura Ettelman oversees the design, planning, and construction of a diverse range of projects across the globe, including aviation and transportation, hospitals, research centers, higher education, and civic- and government-sector work. Ettelman is also one of three partners on SOM’s Executive Committee, working collaboratively with leadership to guide the future of the practice.

Latoya Nelson Kamdang is the Director of Operations of the New York Studio of Moody Nolan and a U.S. Fulbright Senior Scholar. As a registered architect and certified interior designer, her experience spans architecture, planning, exhibit design, interior design, and design strategy. She has been a Visiting Associate Professor at Pratt Institute for over ten years. Kamdang earned a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania School of Design as well as a Certificate in Real Estate Design & Development from the Wharton School of Business. She also has a Master of Fine Arts from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing from Georgetown University.

Elizabeth Leber is dedicated to advancing mission-based institutions through forward-looking architecture and planning projects, extracting the core objectives of her clients and their stakeholders, and translating the collective needs and mission of institutions into creative architectural solutions. As Managing Partner of Beyer Blinder Belle, Leber is recognized for her ability to approach every challenge with a balance of creativity, pragmatism, and unfailing optimism.

Kirsten Sibilia is a vocal advocate for the value of design. As Managing Partner at Dattner Architects, she is focused on the firm’s health and vitality. Her design training and entrepreneurial spirit have allowed her to approach the business side of the practice as a design project. Her enthusiasm for supporting architectural practice manifests in her involvement with several leading industry organizations, including the Beverly Willis Architectural Foundation, ULI NY’s Mixed-Use Council and Design Awards Committee, the New York Building Congress’ Architects Leadership Council, and ACEC-NY’s Design-Build Committee. Sibilia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Parsons School of Design and a Bachelor of Arts from the New School.

Kerry A. Nolan is an architect with more than 20 years of expertise leading project teams through the development of design and construction documents and coordinating the work of the consultant team. She received a Bachelor of Architecture from the Virginia Polytechnic and State University and a Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University. Nolan is co-chair of the AIANY Women in Architecture Committee. She joined BBB in 2015.

This event is offered in person and virtually; proof of vaccination (for those 12 and over) and masking are required to attend in person. Read our full Health and Safety Protocol here.

If you register for an online ticket, you will receive an email with a Zoom link to access the program.