Kathy Dixon, NOMAC

Kathy Denise Dixon is a licensed architect with over 20 years of experience. A graduate of Howard University’s School of Architecture, Ms. Dixon continued her secondary education at UCLA, matriculating with a Master’s degree in Urban Planning, with a focus on Housing and Community Development. During her career, Kathy has worked on a number of educational facilities in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area. She spent several years working on national contracts with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) including Potomac TRACON and several Air Traffic Control (ARTCC) facilities. Prior to moving to government and institutional projects, she worked four years with McDonald’s Corporation developing new restaurants, site planning, designing commercial kitchens, and creating child oriented play areas. Most recently, she has designed civic facilities and faith-based institutions including fire stations, churches, family life centers, and schools. Ms. Dixon has been certified by the USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design Program (LEED AP BD+C), the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), as well as CSI’s Certified Documents Technologist (CDT) program. Ms. Dixon is licensed in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, Georgia and New Jersey. She is a adjunt profession in the Department of Urban Architecture and Community Planning at the University of the District of Columbia.

Stanford R. Britt, FAIA, NOMAC

Stanford R. Britt is the President of Sulton Campbell Britt & Associates, founded by John Sulton and LeRoy Campbell in 1964. He joined the firm in 1975 and has been a principal and partner since 1978. He was named President of the firm in 1985 and directs the activities of both the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore offices. Mr. Britt has over 40 years of international and domestic work experience. During his career he has collaborated and or worked with internationally known architects such as Max Bond, Shadrach Woods, Moshe Safdie and Cesar Pelli. Mr. Britt has been repeatedly recognized with honors by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and Lambda Alpha International. He was elevated to the College of Fellows in 1992 and is the recipient of the AIA Whitney M. Young Jr. and the Upjohn Awards. Mr. Britt is also a member of NOMA Council. Mr. Britt holds degrees from Drexel University, Columbia University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has authored and co-authored numerous publications and papers.

Brad Grant

Bradford C. Grant is the Associate Dean of the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Sciences, and the Director of the School of Architecture and Design at Howard University, Washington DC. He is the former Chairperson and Endowed University Professor of Architecture in the Department of Architecture at Hampton University, Hampton, VA. He received his Master’s degree in Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley and the Bachelors of Architecture 1st professional degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo CA. A registered architect, Mr. Grant has extensive experience in housing and community design through his research, teaching and architecture practice as principal of the architecture firm AGWA Architects, Hampton, VA. His research on cultural environmental design practice can be found in his work titled “Accommodation, Resistance and Appropriation in African American Building”, in Craig Barton’s Sites of Memory (Princeton Press, 2000) and in the Directory of African American Architects/Survey of African American Architects, co authored with Dennis Mann (University Cincinnati, 3rd edition released as web site . Mr. Grant was the Director of Hampton University Department of Architecture’s Urban Institute, the community design center and a service learning arm of the University. As part of the Urban Institute, Mr. Grant conducted many urban and community design studies including the North King Street Urban Corridor, Hampton, VA., the Monticello Street Corridor, Norfolk, VA., and the Poindexter Street Commercial Corridor in Chesapeake, VA. along with architecture design assistance work with the City of Virginia Beach’s office of Housing and Community Service. His community design work has earned him the Hampton Clean City Commission Award, a Proclamation of Appreciation from the City of Hampton, the Universal Design Education Award from Adaptive Environments, Boston and Award of Merit from the Virginia Downtown Development Association. Professor Grant is past president of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), current Chairperson of the board of the District of Columbia Humanities Council and a board member of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society. He is involved in research, practice and teaching of architecture accessibility, Universal Design, contemplative practices in design education and cultural issues in architecture. He is a past Fellow and participant of the Contemplative Practices in Higher Education program. He has completed several commissioned projects and planning assignments including the addition the Guiding Light Church, Portsmouth, VA, the Blair Middle School addition, Norfolk, VA and Arbor Music, a site specific environmental sculpture for the Botanical Gardens, Norfolk, VA.

Dennis Alan Mann

Dennis Alan Mann was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 8, 1940. He is married to Garda Sommer Mann who has had a long career in Cincinnati as an Interior Designer. They have a married daughter, Akira, (Political Science UC1991) and two grand daughters living in Portland, OR and a married son, Nicholas, and two grand sons living in Cincinnati. Garda is an UC grad (Interior Design 1965) and Nicholas is also a UC grad (Industrial Design 1994). Dennis went to public school in Cincinnati, received his B Arch degree from the University of Cincinnati and his M Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania where he studied under Louis I. Kahn. He is an emeritus architect in Ohio and New Mexico. He taught at the University of Cincinnati from 1967 and until he retired as an Emeritus Professor in 2009. He had three careers while at UC. His first career revolved around practice including a large volunteer project in Lincoln Heights (multi-service center) with five faculty colleagues. This project won a Cincinnati AIA Design Award. Later he joined Smith Stevens Architects and worked with them until they closed their practice. He was involved in the Downtown Senior Citizens Center project which also won a local AIA Design Award. His second career centered around writing numerous published articles about the relationship between architecture and popular culture as well as design process pedagogy. His most recent career (since the early 1990’s) has focused on research (with colleague Professor Brad Grant at Howard University) in tracking licensed African American Architects. Their web site http://blackarch.uc.edu is the most popular site when searching for African American Architects. Their work in this venue garnered them a National AIA Award in 2007 for Collaborative Achievement. He now lives in Taos, New Mexico building the Mann Family Compound, an off-the-grid 1650sf straw bale house on the mesa (elev. +7400). He spends his time as a design/builder adding on to the family dream while he continues to update the African American Architects web site. He has attended 15 NOMA National Conferences and stays in touch with many of his friends that he has met through NOMA.

Carlton T. Smith

Carlton Smith is the Managing Principal of MWA Architects, the San Francisco-based architecture, urban design and interior architecture firm with addi¬tional offices in Oakland, Portland and Detroit. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Architectural Science and his Master of Architecture Degree from Tuskegee Institute in 1975 and 1977 respectively. A registered architect in California, Michigan, Texas, North Carolina, the District of Columbia and Florida, Mr. Smith has over 30 years of experi¬ence in architecture and firm management and is certified by NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards). Mr. Smith has developed a commendable portfolio of work for both public and private sector clients. An award-winning designer, his work has been extensively published, including features in Contract, Interior Design, and Facilities magazines. In addition, his design for the Alameda County Self-Sufficiency Center was featured in the book, Design Secrets: Architectural Interiors by Justin Henderson and Nora Richter Greer (Rockport Publishers, Inc., 2001). Mr. Smith's design skills have earned him the loyalty of a number of clients, such as the County of Alameda, Mayfield Gentry Realty Advisors and Eastmont Properties, for whom he has completed numerous projects. Of particular note is his work at the former Eastmont Mall in Oakland where he developed a number of projects that com¬bine to create a new Town Center that revitalized the aging shopping mall. Projects have included the Alameda County Adult and Aging Services Facility, a new Police Precinct for the City of Oakland, an affordable senior housing project and offices for the Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services. Mr. Smith is a member of the American Institute of Architects and has served on the Board of Directors for the San Francisco Chapter. He is also a Past President of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects Council (NOMAC).

Mort Marshall

Marshall is President of The Marshall Group, a family-owned Reston, Virginia firm specializing in architecture, structural engineering, construction management and general contracting. A registered architect in a number of states, Marshall is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Following graduation and service in the United States Air Force, Marshall served in several increasingly responsible positions with the Naval Facilities Engineering Command. From 1967 to 1982 he was tapped to be the director of design on the staff of the Secretary of Defense where he was responsible for the development and implementation of all design criteria, policies and construction standards used in the U.S. Department of Defense’s annual, multi-billion-dollar, worldwide design and construction program.

Following Marshall’s retirement from the Federal Government after 32 years of distinguished service, he founded The Marshall Group in 1982. The firm has a diverse portfolio of public and private sector clients for which it has designed educational, residential, religious, commercial, government and institutional facilities.


Professional Organization Offices Held
American Institute of Architects:

• Chairman of the National Public Architects Committee,

• Chair of the 1992 College of Fellows Jury, and member 1990 and 1991 College of Fellows Jury,
• Member of the AIA Federal Architecture Task Group,
Construction Specifications Institute:


• President of the DC Metropolitan Chapter,
National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA):
• Member of the National Board of Directors, and
• Elected to the NOMA Council.
National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS):

• Founding member of the NIBS Consultative Council,
• Member NIBS Board of Directors 1982 to 1987, and 2005 to 2010
• NIBS Board Treasurer 1986 to 1987, and 2006 to 2010
• NIBS Board Secretary 2005
Honors

• Fellow American Institute of Architects
• Fellow Construction Specifications Institute
• NOMAC
• CSI’s Carl J. Ebert Award
• Tuskegee North-Eastern “Alumni Achievers Award” and Construction Alumni Association’s Pioneer Award
• United States Small Business Award
• Granville Academy’s Entrepreneur Award
• Recipient of NIBS’ inaugural Mortimer M. Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award established in Marshall’s name.

Richard Franklin

At age 14, Richard decided to become an architect. At the time, there was only one practicing Black architect in Missouri. Richard’s strategy to become an architect was a blind one. “I blindly went forward.”
Richard’s work has four periods. The first involved his initation into the profession, working in Chicago with firms such as SOM Chicago; CF Murphy/Mies Vander Roe’ Federal Center Architects; Stanley Tigerman; and Andrew Heard where NOMA history began.

The second was community work in St. Louis both as a planner and activist with community organizations and as a student at Washington University where he received his BA in Architecture and Masters of Architecture and Urban Design. Richard’s ten year community based practice included planning as well as the design of housing and health care facilities. Richard met J. Max Bond, Jr. during this period and became familiar with Max’s work at ARCH and his practice.
The third period began in 1985 when Richard began working at the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey. He served for seventeen years, first as a senior manager and later as the Assistant Chief Architect. He directed the building of industrial parks, the Lincoln Tunnel Toll Plaza, the AirTrain to Kennedy International and Newark International airports, the Battery Park City Ferry Terminal, the Jamaica Station Project, and landside access at Kennedy and Newark airports.
Richard is an Associate Partner at Davis Brody Bond where he worked with Max Bond (whom the New York Times called “the most influential African-American architect in New York and one of a few black architects of national prominence”) until his death in February 2009. Richard’s projects include the restoration of the Apollo Theater in Harlem, Strivers Gardens Apartments and the construction phase of the September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center site.
Richard prides himself on a history of working on socially relevant projects, always seeking to answer the questions: what is a project’s social value and what does it do to improve human relationships?
Richard’s belief is that it is an honor and privilege if his work can bring people together furthering the human spirit in this small world.

William J. Stanley, III

William J. Stanley, III, FAIA, NOMAC is founding principal of Stanley, Love Stanley, P.C. He is a member of the National Board of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as the South Atlantic Regional Director for 2007 – 2009. Mr. Stanley is the Bursar of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), the Past President of AIA Georgia and the 1995 recipient of the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Citation, one of the Institute’s highest honors. In 1999, AIA Georgia bestowed upon him the Bernard Rothschild medal – the state’s highest award. AIA Atlanta awarded him the Ivan Allen Senior Trophy in 2011, given to architects who make great service contributions to the community.

Mr. Stanley graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1972 as the first black graduate of its College of Architecture. In 1975 he became the youngest African American to receive architectural registration in the South. Since 1987, the Stanley, Love-Stanley, P.C. Scholarship / Internship / Award of Excellence has been given to an undergraduate and graduate Architecture student of African descent at GA Tech.

Mr. Stanley began his private architectural practice in 1977 with his wife Ivenue Love-Stanley, FAIA. Over the years the firm has become one of the largest African-American practices in the country, practicing in the U.S. and abroad. Some of Mr. Stanley’s many award-winning projects: The B.E.S.T. Academy at Benjamin S. Carson All Male Middle and High School, Zion Hill Baptist Church, the Brenda Watts Jones Allied Health Building at Atlanta Technical College, the Agricultural Sciences Building at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Centennial Place Elementary School, Ebenezer Baptist Church, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Art Connection Gallery and Parking Deck, and the Olympic Aquatic Center. Mr. Stanley’s work has been featured in numerous books and periodicals.

Mr. Stanley is a past National President of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA); past President of 100 Black Men of Atlanta and AIA Georgia; past member of Architectural Record Magazine’s Advisory Board, Georgia Institute of Technology’s National Advisory Board and its Alumni Association Board of Trustees; member of St. Paul A.M.E. Church Trustee and Steward’s Board, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity’s Kappa Boulé and the Atlanta Life Financial Group Corporate Board; Chairman of the Herndon Foundation Board; and numerous other affiliations.

Steven Lewis

Steven Lewis is an architect and a tireless advocate for social justice and diversity within the field of architecture. In January of 2008, he returned to Southern California to join Parsons as a Design Manager after serving four years with the U.S. General Services Administration’s Office of the Chief Architect in Washington, DC. Steven was a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Design for the 2006-07 academic year. He was a founding partner of the Los Angeles-based firm of RAW International in 1984, and for the next twenty years, was an essential part of the firm’s growth and success. In December of 2010, he concluded a two-year term as President of the National Organization of Minority Architects, traveling around the country advocating for architects-of-color, while cultivating the next generation of diverse architects and designers. Steven recently launched a consulting practice – “Thinking Leadership – What we Do…Who we Are” – aimed at assisting clients attain superior outcomes through his engagement. More than anything, Steven is a facilitator of partnerships and alliances between groups and individuals who seek to use architecture and design to effect positive change to our world.

Jack Travis

Jack Travis established his namesake design studio in June, 1985. Since that time Jack Travis, FAIA NOMAC has completed proposals or has been involved in over 100 projects of varying scope and size. To date the firm has completed several residential interiors projects for such notable clients as Spike Lee, Wesley Snipes and John Saunders of ABC sports. Commercial and/or retail interiors clients have included: Giorgio Armani SPA, Cashmere Cashmere of New York as well as the Sbarro family of the famed pizza parlors.

Mr. Travis encourages investigation into Black history where appropriate and includes forms, motifs, materials and colors that reflect this heritage in his work. Travel throughout the United States, Europe, the Caribbean to West and South African countries has given Mr. Travis a most unique focus. Through his work, he continues to make a distinctive and definitive enrichment to the existing American design vocabulary. Mr. Travis' interests have broaden in recent years to include design issues not only concerning cultural content but sustainability in environmental design as well as alternative educational practices that seek to insure the entrance of more students of color into the profession.

Jack Travis is currently an adjunct professor of interior design at Pratt Institute and at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
In 1992, Travis edited, African American Architects: In Current Practice the first publication to profile the work of black architects in the United States.


In 1977 he received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Arizona State University and in 1978 a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.
In 2004, Jack Travis received his "Fellowship" in the AIA, and in 2006 Mr. Travis was inducted into the Council of Elders" of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), the highest honor that each organization bestows upon its individual members.

NOMA Receives AIA's Whitney M. Young Award

NOMA President Carton Smith,AIA, NOMA receives the AIA's coveted Whitney M. Young Award on behalf of the National Organization of Minority Architects during the AIA Convention in San Antonio in May of 2007. Mr. Smith delivered a magnificent acceptance speech and reinforced the significance of the organization and people of color in the profession.

Congratulations to all of the Counsel Members, current NOMA board and others who helped to make NOMA so worthy of the award!

Top Ten Reasons For NOMA

TOP TEN REASONS TO BE A NOMA PARTICIPANT

NOMA is the only organization of its kind. It focuses on minority architect’s needs like no other organization does. It has a great mission and very honorable goals. It is the top recognized entity for minority architects. It’s national when it needs to be. It’s local when it needs to be. It’s on a roll. It's here to stay. It’s here to grow. It’s here for you. A smart, inexpensive, worthwhile investment in the profession and your role in it.

NOMA is synonymous with unity. And unity is the one thing that we always will be in control of. We have no one to answer to for our own unity. We need no one’s permission. If we desire we can have unity. It is the only guarantee we have. We have to be smart enough and humble enough to use it to its fullest. That is why NOMA exists. For unity.

NOMA is your voice amplifier. One voice alone can and usually will be ignored. Your voice amplified through NOMA will be heard.

NOMA is a vehicle for empowerment. The messenger to carry unified legislative requests. The army to fight discrimination. A threat to those who have or seek to abuse, mistreat, or overlook us as qualified professionals. And it is reputable enough to join with a federation of allied organizations to multiply the empowerment.

NOMA is the buffer between our businesses’ passionate concerns and any risks involved with expressing them personally or individually.

NOMA is the broadcast network for our designs and projects. Our marketing vehicle. It gets us published, broadcasted, exhibited, seen and heard.

NOMA is a two-way information network. A news network. A resource for obtaining project opportunities. A resource for employment referrals. A resource for state-of-the-art technical, material and method information.

NOMA uncovers, documents and preserves our history, our legacy, and the successors of our legacy.

NOMA is well-rounded. It covers business, social, informational, artistic, technological, educational, marketing, networking, charitable, historical, legislative, and community development issues.

NOMA is FUBU. (For-Us-By-Us)

NOMAC Profile: Leon Bridges

Leon Bridges, NOMAC, FAIA, is President of TLBC Incorporated, an east coast architectural/ interior/ community planning firm in Baltimore, Maryland. With Professional and Master's Degrees from the University of Washington and Loyola College of Maryland, Mr. Bridges is recipient of 20 national and local awards in design from AIA, NOMA and others, plus numerous community service awards. He is a licensed architect in Washington, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia, and District of Columbia.

As a sole proprietor, partner and owner of his architectural firm for 26 years, and president of TLBC Incorporated for 11 years, Mr. Bridges has had personal principal responsibility for all aspects of architectural and planning projects, and the administration of an architectural firm for over three decades.
A generalist, he has had principal responsibility for over 250 diverse major projects with a construction value over $1,450,000,000. A select listing of his experience as principal and project manager of related architectural projects includes:

Leon’s professional service includes membership in The American Institute of Architects (AIA) for over 25 years during which he was elected by his peers as the Middle Atlantic Regional Director for 3 years and as National Vice President, 1983-87. As a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), he held every regional and national office including President, 1979-80. He was inducted into both, the AIA College of Fellows in 1986 and as a Member of the Counsel of NOMA in 1994. His contributions to the NAACP’s ACTSO program mentoring high school students in architecture serve as a model for investment in our youth.

Mr. Bridges is the recipient of over 20 national and local design awards including Baltimore Pennsylvania Station Renovation/Restoration in Baltimore, MD which won the Washington, DC AIA Chapter, Outstanding Merit Award, 1981; National Organization of Minority Architects, Design Excellence Award, 1983; Presidential Design Achievement Award, NEA, 1984, Baltimore AIA Chapter, Design Excellence Award, 1985; plus several others awards. His numerous community honors include the State of Maryland Governor's Citation in Appreciation of Outstanding Services to the Citizens of Maryland in 1993 and The Black Pages Award- Recognition for Outstanding Contribution to the Economic Health of Minority Enterprise in Baltimore, MD in 1981.

NOMAC Profile: Roberta Washington

Roberta Washington’s love of art and a chance meeting with a black architect led to a career in architecture. She won local high school art shows in Greensboro, NC and attended the first summer of Governor’s School for the Arts.

Roberta graduated from Howard University’s School of Architecture with a Bachelor of Architecture degree and attended Columbia University’s School of Architecture earning a Masters Degree in Architecture (Hospital and Health Facility Design). She used a Kinne Fellowship to travel to Ghana. After graduation, she worked for firms specializing in hospital design, got licensed and worked in Mozambique for the Ministry Public Works for four years.

When she returned to New York, she moved to Harlem and started her own firm in 1983. In the beginning, the majority of the projects were rehabilitation and restoration projects. New construction projects include two ‘green’ projects including one to be LEED certified. Roberta became LEED accredited in 2003.

Roberta has served as a juror for NAACP’s ACTSO architecture competition, Chair of the Housing Committee of Central Harlem’s Community Planning Board, chairperson of the NY State Board of Architecture and as a question writer for NCARB registration exams. Roberta also served on several AIA NYC committees including the Foundation for Architecture. In 2006 Roberta Washington was elevated to the College of Fellows. In 2007, she was appointed to the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Roberta Washington joined the New York Coalition of Black Architects (NYCOBA) in 1988 and NOMA in 1991. She was elected to the NOMA Board of Directors as a regional director and worked to present to NYCOBA members the advantages of NOMA membership. In 1995, NYCOBA became the New York affiliate of NOMA. Roberta was elected NOMA president in 1997 – the second woman to serve in this capacity since its creation. During her year in office, Roberta worked to stabilize the financial condition of the organization, established the organization’s web-site (NOMA.net) and publicized the finding of NOMA’s historian about black women in architecture. She was inducted into the NOMA Counsel in October 1997.

Roberta Washington continues to run her firm in New York City where she designs schools, housing and cultural projects. One such project is the Interfaith Specialty Clinic featured below. (Photo by John Gallager)

NOMAC Profile: Clarence Mobley

Clarence Mobley became a member of NOMA in the mid 1980’s. He was introduced to NOMA while he worked for Louis Fry, Jr. who knew Leroy Campbell, one of the founders of NOMA.

Clarence has served NOMA as Secretary for the board twice and Vice President for the East Region twice. He helped establish the Cornell University Student Chapter of NOMA. He has been appointed Parliamentarian twice, served as Vice Chair for the Membership Committee and has been a NOMA official photographer for many years.

During his youth, Clarence was a Cub Scout and later became a Boy Scout and Star Scout. As a Boy Scout he won First Prize in a citywide art contest and was awarded a one year scholarship at the renowned Fletcher’s Art School in Washington, DC. He became a newspaper carrier and won the Business Training Certificate for excellent achievement in salesmanship. At 19, he gave his heart to the Lord and became a Christian.

After becoming President of his class in the 7th & 9th grades and Vice President in the 12th grade, Clarence attended Howard University to earn both B. Arch. & M. Arch. Degrees.
He is now a registered and licensed architect in DC, MD, VA, NC, SC, and GA. His military service includes an Honorable Discharge as a Vietnam Veteran.

Clarence has practiced architecture 2 years with the Department of Navy, Department of Public Works and 18 years with the DC Government Department of Housing. He has 19 years of private sector general practice. He carries NOMAC, AIA, and CSI professional designations.

Mr. Mobley has received many awards from his religious, social, civic, professional work. He has invested in the future of our youth by serving as a high school and Jr. high school teacher as well as a guest speaker on college campuses.

NOMAC Profile: Michael A. Rogers

Michael Rogers became the youngest President of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) in Oct. of 1994. He had served nationally as the NOMA Vice President, Midwest Regional Vice President, Membership Chair (14 yrs), and NOMA Convention Chair. For the Illinois NOMA Chapter he held the positions of President, Vice President and Secretary after joining as a student member in 1980. He is currently secretary of the NOMA Foundation.

Mr. Rogers practices at McDonald’s Corporation where he has more than 28 years of tenure. He has worked on design and construction projects that have produced more than 1000 built structures throughout the United States and Canada.

He is a 1983 graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago where he has a degree in Architecture and also holds a certificate of Construction Management from Triton College. He holds architectural licenses in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Michael Rogers is the past President(2010)of AIA Illinois. He is currently a member of the AIA Illinois Empowerment Committee. He has served the Northeast Illinois Chapter as Director, Vice-President and 2002 President and also has chaired its Public Awareness and Nominations committees. He has received the AIA Illinois Nothnagel Award for Public Service and the AIA Northeast Illinois Outstanding Professional Member Award.

Mike grew up in Chicago’s Robert Taylor homes which was the nations largest public housing development and second most impoverished (2nd lowest per capita income) community in the country at the time. He is especially committed to providing mentorship and motivation to the youth in economically depressed areas as well as the redevelopment of such areas. He has been a guest speaker at schools from elementary through college and championed community engagement and advocacy.

In his community Michael has been appointed as Zoning Board Chair, Plan Commission Chair, and Youth Committee Chair and was also elected as a Village of Bellwood Councilman where he served 2 terms in the municipal government. He has since been elected as a Village of Maywood Councilman where he now lives and serves. In 2001, he was named Proviso Township Citizen of the Year runner-up.

Michael and his work has the distinction of being featured on WGN TV, WTTW-TV, and in Progressive Architecture magazine, The Daily Herald, Jet magazine and a number of other publications.