President’s Message
September 2026
Why AIA Still Matters — And Why That Depends on You
I want to start with a simple question: What does it mean to you to have “AIA” after your name?
For most of us, it started as a milestone, proof that we finally earned our license, paid our dues, and joined a profession with a long, serious history. But those three letters aren’t just credentials. They’re a claim. When you put “AIA” on a business card, a stamp, or an email signature, you’re telling clients, contractors, and the public that you stand behind something larger than your own practice. You’re saying you’re part of an organization that represents architecture in this region that advocates good design, sound building policy, and the value of what we do.
That claim is only as strong as the chapter behind it.
AIA Inland California is that chapter. We are the voice of the profession here in our region. We are the ones showing up at planning commission meetings, building relationships with local officials, mentoring the next generation of architects, and making the case, publicly and repeatedly, that design matters to the health of our communities. When a city considers a new development ordinance, when a school board debates facility standards, when the public conversation turns to how our region should grow, AIA Inland California is one of the few organizations positioned to speak with real authority. That’s not a small thing. It’s the reason this chapter exists.
We’re also practicing in one of the richest, most vibrant economies in the country. California’s building industry continues to outperform much of the nation, and our region is no exception. The pace of work here is real, and it is shown in every firm’s project list. That’s a good problem to have, but it’s still worth naming honestly: we are busy. Deadlines are tight, staff are stretched, and it’s easy to let anything outside billable work slide to the bottom of the list. I understand that better than most. But being busy is exactly why this chapter matters more, not less. A thriving economy is precisely the moment when the profession needs a strong, active voice shaping how that growth happens. That voice only exists if we make room for it. We are never too busy to contribute back to the profession that’s making this a good time to practice architecture in California.
But an organization that represents the profession must be the profession, not just a handful of names, but a living, active membership.
Right now, we have roughly 180 members in this chapter. That’s a real community — architects across every stage of career and every corner of our region. And yet the work of the chapter, from committee planning to board governance to the events that bring us together, is carried out by a relatively small group who keep showing up meeting after meeting, year after year. I’m deeply grateful to them. But a chapter of this size shouldn’t run on the energy of a dozen or so people. It should run on the energy of 180.
We’ve all heard the old line that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Around here, that’s been true for a while. Except the “few” also happen to be the same names cycling back onto committees and the board year after year, term after term, because nobody else has raised a hand yet. Noble as it sounds in a movie, it’s not exactly a sustainable operating model for a professional chapter.
And right now, that need is immediate. AIA Inland California has two Director positions open now, and our Chapter Secretary, while filled today, will be vacant in 2027. This means we need someone ready to step into that role before we get there. These aren’t hypothetical future needs. The Director seats need to be filled now for the chapter to function the way it should, and every month they stay open is a month where fewer voices are shaping the decisions that represent all 180 of us. The Secretary transition may be a little further out, but leadership pipelines don’t build themselves overnight. The person who fills that seat in 2027 needs to start getting involved now. If we don’t act on all three, the work doesn’t stop, it just falls further onto fewer people, which makes the whole chapter more fragile, not less.
So here is my request, plainly and urgently: Get involved, and consider stepping into one of these roles. Not because we’re desperate for warm bodies, but because this chapter is more relevant, more useful, and more interesting when more of you are shaping it. Right now, three seats at that table need someone thinking seriously about claiming them.
The architect Richard Rogers put it simply: “The only way forward, if we are going to improve the quality of the environment, is to get everybody involved.” He was talking about the built environment broadly, but the same principle holds for the profession that shapes it. Our chapter doesn’t get stronger because few people work harder. It gets stronger because more of us show up.
I am also proud to share that we have an amazing member, Jason Jewell, AIA, stepping in as our incoming 2027 president. Jason’s willingness to take on this role is exactly the kind of engagement this message is about, and this chapter is fortunate to have him lead it. But succession doesn’t stop with one person. We are already looking ahead to 2028, and we need others in this chapter ready to step up as president when that time comes. If leading this chapter is something you’d consider, even a few years out, I’d welcome the chance to talk with you about what the path looks like.
There are a lot of ways in which you can participate. None of them require decades of experience to start:
• Run for Director or start preparing for Chapter Secretary. Two Director seats are open now. The Secretary role opens in 2027 — reach out and let’s talk about what’s involved.
• Join a committee. Whether it’s advocacy, programs, emerging professionals, or design awards, committees are where the chapter’s actual work happens. This is where you’ll meet the people making things happen.
• Attend an event, then bring a colleague. Visibility compounds. The easiest way to grow engagement is simply showing up and inviting someone else to do the same.
• Tell us what you want to see. If the chapter isn’t offering something that would make membership feel worth it to you, that’s exactly the feedback we need.
Membership dues keep the lights on. They don’t make this chapter relevant, you do. Every architect who gets involved, even a little, makes AIA Inland California a stronger voice for the profession in this region, and makes those three letters after your name mean a little more.
I also want to recognize the sponsors and vendors who partner with this chapter. Their support does more than fund an event or underwrite a program, it strengthens the whole community of people who design and build in this region. The relationships we build with the engineers, landscape architects, manufacturers, suppliers, and other service providers who work alongside us make every one of us better at what we do. They help ensure the projects we deliver together, are the best they can be. If you’re a member with a strong relationship with a vendor or sponsor who isn’t yet partnering with the chapter, I’d encourage you to make the introduction.
None of this happens without the people already carrying the load, and I want to take a moment to recognize one of them directly. Our executive director, Lisa Pizza, has done an outstanding job keeping this chapter running, she is holding together the day-to-day work that makes everything else possible, and doing it with a level of dedication and professionalism this chapter is fortunate to have. If you’ve ever wondered who’s behind the scenes making sure events happen, communications go out, and the chapter functions smoothly, it’s Lisa. Each of us needs to recognize her contributions to making our chapter as good as it can be.
David Higginson, AIA
President
AIA Inland California Chapter