In Brief:
- The AIA Ladies’s Management Summit highlighted the significance of daring concepts, unique management, and supporting expansion within the AEC business.
- Keynote speaker Vernice “Flygirl” Armour impressed motion, emphasizing alignment with values and staying serious about goal.
- Panels stressed out collaboration, agree with, and leveraging various reports to power significant innovation and inclusivity.
In November 2025, Sally Cohen, Director of Design at ConstructConnect, and I had the privilege of attending the AIA Ladies’s Management Summit in Atlanta, representing ConstructConnect. Over 3 days, we joined loads of ladies from the Structure, Engineering, and Development (AEC) business to attach, be told, and develop.
Whilst neither people are architects, we’re women folk running within the building business. The development reminded us how a lot we percentage throughout roles—advocating for daring concepts, appearing up authentically, and supporting each and every different’s expansion.
What Used to be One of the most Maximum Inspiring Moments?
One of the vital inspiring moments got here from Vernice “Flygirl” Armour, the primary Black feminine fight pilot. Her keynote challenged us to do so, bluntly announcing, “Gutsy strikes with out motion are simply gutsy ideas.”
Armour’s message was once transparent: it’s simple to have daring concepts, however the actual paintings occurs after we act on them. She inspired us to align our paintings with our values and keep serious about what issues.
One in every of her maximum robust questions stayed with me: “What’s at stake when you’re taking your center of attention off of why you’re right here?” As women folk in a male-dominated business, it’s simple to get stuck up in proving ourselves or navigating politics. But if we keep anchored to our goal—serving customers, fixing issues, developing higher results—we do our perfect paintings.
The place Do the Easiest Concepts Come From?
Every other spotlight was once the Design for Affect panel, which presented insights that resonated deeply with our paintings as product designers. Dr. Alyssa Provencio emphasised main with an assets-based mindset, now not a deficit-based mindset—specializing in what communities have to supply fairly than what they lack. This shift from problem-solving to partnership applies whether or not you’re designing constructions or instrument.
The panel reminded us that “the most productive concepts can come from someone on the desk” and to “deal with lived enjoy as information.” They bolstered that adaptation comes on the pace of agree with, and that construction robust relationships with customers and groups is very important for significant innovation.
Having a look Forward
The all-women setting was once transformative. Vulnerability and emotional honesty have been celebrated, now not brushed aside. AIA President Evelyn Lee, FAIA, advised the target market, “Emotion doesn’t weaken management; it deepens it.”
The openness of the development created house for mirrored image—each at the business we serve and the way we will develop as an organization. From sustainability to inclusivity, there’s essential paintings forward, and I’m proud ConstructConnect is a part of the dialog.
The summit jogged my memory that after we percentage what we be told and make stronger each and every different’s construction, everybody advantages. Let’s stay lifting each and every different as we climb.
