Statement of Interest
My passion for designing educational spaces stems from an enthusiasm for learning and teaching. My pride as an architect comes from a desire to be a resource to clients, fellow professionals, and students. Given that educational clients often confront a Gordian Knot: with varying and frequently conflicting needs, it is a privilege to be a resource to help guide them through the process of creating engaging places of learning. Events such as the AIA-CAE conference in Detroit are an opportunity for me to expand my horizons, benefiting every client and colleague I interact with, and personally experience the national dialogue with its varied and unfamiliar perspectives. Young professionals are the future of our profession and I am excited that the CAE has elected to dedicate its resources to engaging individuals like myself. I was fortunate to attend the last CAE conference in Tampa, and I was so inspired by the dedication of the Tampa Preparatory School’s commitment to demanding a flexible facility design I invited local educators to a charrette to explore how their school’s spaces could partner with their own educational vision. I look forward to continuing this dialogue with the Committee, educators and the public at the CAE conference in Detroit next month.
Biography
Successful participation in the conference will rely on abstracting the school tours experiences into actionable “lessons learned” and varied forms of communication with the other participants. My work experience includes three elementary schools, two high schools, and an alternative comprehensive school. This breadth of experience in different learning models for different age levels will enable me to help the larger tour group contextualize, contrast, and distill their experiences into a dynamic presentation. I know from attending the CAE conference in Tampa, and from participating in local CEFPI events, that engaging other participants in conversation is a critical component of knowledge sharing. Working in a collaborative setting where teams share ideas, debate values, and present work has prepared me for this collegial setting, and I look forward to contributing blog entries for the AIA KnowledgeNet, another opportunity to share at a higher level.