First Thursday's with YAF - June
We meet up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
Upcoming Events
We meet up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
(6 AIA LU | HSW)
Register here.
Virtual meetups on the second Friday of every month. Join us for conversation, peer mentorship, and open dialogue among women in the design profession.
July is postponed to Second Thursday, due to the holiday. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
Virtual meetups on the second Friday of every month. Join us for conversation, peer mentorship, and open dialogue among women in the design profession.
(5 AIA LU | HSW)
Register here.
We meet up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
Virtual meetups on the second Friday of every month. Join us for conversation, peer mentorship, and open dialogue among women in the design profession.
We meet up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
Virtual meetups on the second Friday of every month. Join us for conversation, peer mentorship, and open dialogue among women in the design profession.
Save the date! The bi-annual Design and Honor Awards will be back this year. Stay tuned for more information!
Come out and meet the ELA Class of 2026! Drinks and refreshments to be provided courtesy of YAF Blue Ridge.
We meet up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
Virtual meetups on the second Friday of every month. Join us for conversation, peer mentorship, and open dialogue among women in the design profession.
We meet up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
Virtual meetups on the second Friday of every month. Join us for conversation, peer mentorship, and open dialogue among women in the design profession.
We meet up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
Virtual meetups on the second Friday of every month. Join us for conversation, peer mentorship, and open dialogue among women in the design profession.
(6 AIA LU | HSW)
Register here.
Virtual meetups on the second Friday of every month. Join us for conversation, peer mentorship, and open dialogue among women in the design profession.
We meet up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
Registration Now Open for Virginia Design Forum XVII
Join us for Design Forum XVII on May 1-2 in Blacksburg, VA and hear from Marlon Blackwell, FAIA, Patricia Gruits, AIA, Ron Rael, and Mike Reynolds who are the vanguards of change, risk takers whose means of practice challenge the standards of what it means to be an architect. More>>
(5 AIA LU | HSW)
Register here.
We meet up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
Did you know that Thursday, March 26th is Equal Pay Day? It marks how far into 2026 a woman must work just to match what a man earned in 2025, and the gap is even wider for women of color, mothers, disabled women, and LGBTQIA+ workers.
Since we’re still waiting for that gap to close, we are back for one more little sarcastic celebration. We’re hosting an “[un]Happy Hour” to turn a frustrating stat into a great networking opportunity!
AECOM is officially sponsoring the fun, which means your first drink is on the house. The newly formed Blue Ridge Women in Design group will be in attendance to chat about initiatives and ways to get involved.
Come hang out, meet your fellow designers and engineers, and celebrate the incredible talent we have here in the Roanoke Valley.
The Details:
When: Tuesday, March 31st
Where: Well Hung Vineyard, Roanoke, VA
Time: 4-6pm
Let's get together to talk shop and toast to the day we can finally just call this a "Happy Hour."
Architects, Designers, Engineers & Planners in Roanoke/Southwest Virginia, what would you like to see from a Women in Design community in our region?
More networking?
Mentorship?
Development opportunities?
Advocacy?
We’ll be exploring these questions together at our next Women in Design Roanoke Virtual Coffee. See Zoom link in the comments.
☕ Friday, March 13 | 1:00 PM
This virtual session will be interactive.
We’ll host a short design thinking workshop to generate ideas for future events and initiatives together.
We’ll also introduce the members of the inaugural Women in Design Roanoke Committee and share ways to get involved.
WID Virtual Coffee Friday, Mar 13 · 1–2 PM https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86860949357?pwd=EtCuRlAl4eX4wKbA4SntimgTZef7da.1 View details & RSVP https://calendar.app.google/BB5mqt4gt4AZdY8K8
(6 AIA LU | HSW)
Register here.
We meet up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
(6 AIA LU | HSW)
Register here.
We meet up regularly on the First Thursday of every month. Location will vary, so keep your eye out for the update. Let us know if you have any suggestions. See you there!
Hear directly from National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) staff and AIA NoVA chapter leaders who have recently navigated the licensure process.
Learn more about the 2026 ARE® Prep Series and view the full series schedule here.
Architecture Exchange East is the annual thought-leadership conference and expo curated by AIA Virginia. Celebrating its 38th year, the conference will be held Nov. 5-7, 2025, in Richmond at the Richmond Marriott.
This year’s theme is: Design the Future: Advancing Technology, Community & Business.
Connect with the industry’s largest network of women in Atlanta November 3-5, 2025!
You’ll meet, network with, and learn from an extraordinary lineup of renowned speakers, trailblazing leaders, and industry experts who will share pathbreaking ideas to tackle challenges and lead change.
Don't miss high-impact programming, networking, education, community, and inspiration designed to change the workplace experience and help create gender equity for women in AEC.
It’s all powered by the AIA community, the largest, most influential network of architecture professionals and allies designing a better world.
Registration for WLS opens late summer 2025. Stay tuned!
Grab a beverage and some appetizers (on us!), catch up with your colleagues, and enjoy a few short presentations from some of our members.
We’ll be at GO Fest this year! Join us at the annual weekend celebration of everything outdoors in Virginia’s Blue Ridge. More info coming soon!
Hop online anytime between 12:00 and 1:00 pm to ask your Blue Ridge board members about the budget report, board nominations, new voting process etc. ahead of our online voting deadline.
We are trying out a new format for our Annual Meeting this year! To enable more of our membership to take an active role in the chapter’s formal business, this year’s annual vote will be held as an online poll instead, with a one-week open voting period.
Join us for the first Blue Ridge region VANOMA Trivia Night hosted by Colley Architects on Thursday September 11, 5:30pm -7:30pm.
It’s a good opportunity for us to come together, network, enjoy snacks, and have a good time.
The AIA VA HRC and COTE are pleased to announce the “Building Reuse and Decarbonization” webinar series. This four-part series, will showcase the overlaps between the historic preservation and sustainability that help reduce our carbon footprint.
The building industry is one of the largest producers of the carbon emissions. By adapting existing buildings to support contemporary needs, rather than demolishing and building new, we can avoid emitting thousands of tons of carbon into the atmosphere. With the growing shift toward renovation over new construction, this webinar series will show how the renewal of existing buildings as high-performance facilities creates a sustainable and resilient world. The series brings together leading experts in architecture, interior design, sustainability, and electrical engineering.
7/23 from 12:00-1:30pm: Carbon Counts: Quantifying the Value of Existing Building Stewardship – Denise Gravelle, AIA, LEED AP, Architect, Sustainability Specialist, Quinn Evans – submitted for AIA CES approval
AIA Member – $15 (for the series)
Non-member – $20 (for the series)
Students – FREE (for the series)
We will once again be partnering with AIA Northern Virginia to provide virtual ARE Prep Series to our members. This year’s classes will be held virtually. Advance registration is required by 5:00pm on the Thursday directly prior to the class. Register with AIA NOVA now!
Each class offers attendees an opportunity to learn from top-notch design professionals while gaining knowledge that can be used to prepare for each section of the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®). Topics covered include Practice Management; Project Management; Programming & Analysis; Project Planning & Design; Project Development & Documentation; and Construction & Evaluation. All sessions offer AIA LU|HSW credits.
Virtual class participation link will be sent the day immediately prior to each class.
Series Schedule
July 12 – Construction & Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00am-3:00pm
Cost:
Individual Seminar Classes: $50 (AIA Member); $75 (Non-Member)
The AIA VA HRC and COTE are pleased to announce the “Building Reuse and Decarbonization” webinar series. This four-part series, will showcase the overlaps between the historic preservation and sustainability that help reduce our carbon footprint.
The building industry is one of the largest producers of the carbon emissions. By adapting existing buildings to support contemporary needs, rather than demolishing and building new, we can avoid emitting thousands of tons of carbon into the atmosphere. With the growing shift toward renovation over new construction, this webinar series will show how the renewal of existing buildings as high-performance facilities creates a sustainable and resilient world. The series brings together leading experts in architecture, interior design, sustainability, and electrical engineering.
Schedule:
7/9 from 12:00-1:30pm: Electrification/Decarbonization of Historic Properties – Developing Carbon Master Plan, Effective Implementation Strategies, and Management of Operational Carbon – Hallah Abodaff, PE, LEED AP, Managing Principal at Loring’s Washington, DC office – submitted for AIA CES approval
7/23 from 12:00-1:30pm: Carbon Counts: Quantifying the Value of Existing Building Stewardship – Denise Gravelle, AIA, LEED AP, Architect, Sustainability Specialist, Quinn Evans – submitted for AIA CES approval
AIA Member – $15 (for the series)
Non-member – $20 (for the series)
Students – FREE (for the series)
The AIA VA HRC and COTE are pleased to announce the “Building Reuse and Decarbonization” webinar series. This four-part series, will showcase the overlaps between the historic preservation and sustainability that help reduce our carbon footprint.
The building industry is one of the largest producers of the carbon emissions. By adapting existing buildings to support contemporary needs, rather than demolishing and building new, we can avoid emitting thousands of tons of carbon into the atmosphere. With the growing shift toward renovation over new construction, this webinar series will show how the renewal of existing buildings as high-performance facilities creates a sustainable and resilient world. The series brings together leading experts in architecture, interior design, sustainability, and electrical engineering.
Schedule:
6/25 from 12:00-1:30pm: Holistic Regenerative Materials & Bio-Based Innovations: Advancing Historic Resources and Climate Resilience with mindful MATERIALS – Linda Sorrento, FASID, LEED Fellow, IIDA, COO, Emerita – Mindful Materials – submitted for AIA CES approval
7/9 from 12:00-1:30pm: Electrification/Decarbonization of Historic Properties – Developing Carbon Master Plan, Effective Implementation Strategies, and Management of Operational Carbon – Hallah Abodaff, PE, LEED AP, Managing Principal at Loring’s Washington, DC office – submitted for AIA CES approval
7/23 from 12:00-1:30pm: Carbon Counts: Quantifying the Value of Existing Building Stewardship – Denise Gravelle, AIA, LEED AP, Architect, Sustainability Specialist, Quinn Evans – submitted for AIA CES approval
AIA Member – $15 (for the series)
Non-member – $20 (for the series)
Students – FREE (for the series)
The AIA VA HRC and COTE are pleased to announce the “Building Reuse and Decarbonization” webinar series. This four-part series, will showcase the overlaps between the historic preservation and sustainability that help reduce our carbon footprint.
The building industry is one of the largest producers of the carbon emissions. By adapting existing buildings to support contemporary needs, rather than demolishing and building new, we can avoid emitting thousands of tons of carbon into the atmosphere. With the growing shift toward renovation over new construction, this webinar series will show how the renewal of existing buildings as high-performance facilities creates a sustainable and resilient world. The series brings together leading experts in architecture, interior design, sustainability, and electrical engineering.
Schedule:
6/18 from 12:00-1:30pm: Old Buildings are the Future – Julia Siple, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Principal, Director of Sustainability, Quinn Evans – submitted for AIA CES approval
6/25 from 12:00-1:30pm: Holistic Regenerative Materials & Bio-Based Innovations: Advancing Historic Resources and Climate Resilience with mindful MATERIALS – Linda Sorrento, FASID, LEED Fellow, IIDA, COO, Emerita – Mindful Materials – submitted for AIA CES approval
7/9 from 12:00-1:30pm: Electrification/Decarbonization of Historic Properties – Developing Carbon Master Plan, Effective Implementation Strategies, and Management of Operational Carbon – Hallah Abodaff, PE, LEED AP, Managing Principal at Loring’s Washington, DC office – submitted for AIA CES approval
7/23 from 12:00-1:30pm: Carbon Counts: Quantifying the Value of Existing Building Stewardship – Denise Gravelle, AIA, LEED AP, Architect, Sustainability Specialist, Quinn Evans – submitted for AIA CES approval
AIA Member – $15 (for the series)
Non-member – $20 (for the series)
Students – FREE (for the series)
We will once again be partnering with AIA Northern Virginia to provide virtual ARE Prep Series to our members. This year’s classes will be held virtually. Advance registration is required by 5:00pm on the Thursday directly prior to the class. Register with AIA NOVA now!
Each class offers attendees an opportunity to learn from top-notch design professionals while gaining knowledge that can be used to prepare for each section of the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®). Topics covered include Practice Management; Project Management; Programming & Analysis; Project Planning & Design; Project Development & Documentation; and Construction & Evaluation. All sessions offer AIA LU|HSW credits.
Virtual class participation link will be sent the day immediately prior to each class.
Series Schedule
June 14 – Project Development & Documentation (6 LU | HSW), 10:00am-4:00pm
July 12 – Construction & Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00am-3:00pm
Cost:
Individual Seminar Classes: $50 (AIA Member); $75 (Non-Member)
Save the date for AIA25! The premier AEC industry event is happening in Boston June 4–7, 2025.
Join us on May 28th on Zoom to hear updates from the AIA Virginia Advisory Councils and Committees.
Register in advance on the AIA VA Website
You’ll hear mid-year updates from these AIA Virginia Board Committees and Councils.
AIA Virginia PAC
Advocacy Advisory Council
Member Services Advisory Council
Outreach Advisory Council
Education Advisory Council
Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
VA COTE
HRC
National Associates Committee
Young Architects Representative
Architect Licensing Advisor
Strategic Councilor’s Report
1.5 AIA LUs
We will once again be partnering with AIA Northern Virginia to provide virtual ARE Prep Series to our members. This year’s classes will be held virtually. Advance registration is required by 5:00pm on the Thursday directly prior to the class. Register with AIA NOVA now!
Each class offers attendees an opportunity to learn from top-notch design professionals while gaining knowledge that can be used to prepare for each section of the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®). Topics covered include Practice Management; Project Management; Programming & Analysis; Project Planning & Design; Project Development & Documentation; and Construction & Evaluation. All sessions offer AIA LU|HSW credits.
Virtual class participation link will be sent the day immediately prior to each class.
Series Schedule
May 17 – Project Planning & Design (6 LU | HSW), 10:00am-4:00pm
June 14 – Project Development & Documentation (6 LU | HSW), 10:00am-4:00pm
July 12 – Construction & Evaluation (5 LU | HSW), 10:00am-3:00pm
Cost:
Individual Seminar Classes: $50 (AIA Member); $75 (Non-Member)