Statement from the AIA Board of Directors

Board statement on results of independent review

In April 2024, the Council of Former Presidents of AIA and the 2024 Jury of Fellows raised several concerns in letters to the Board of Directors, prompting the Board of Directors to hire an external law firm, Miller & Chevalier, to conduct an independent and legally privileged review of the facts related to the issues raised. The concerns raised in those letters and that Miller & Chevalier reviewed included: AIA staff personnel decisions and practices; the 2024 staff retreat; communications and interactions with the Jury of Fellows; AIA’s current financial status; Officer stipends; and a past legal matter with a Board member. After an exhaustive and comprehensive review, the law firm has concluded its work and presented its findings and recommendations to the Board of Directors.

Based on the facts presented, no wrongdoing or irregular conduct by any AIA staff or any member of the AIA Leadership Team was found to have occurred in connection with the matters raised.

Statement from the Board of Directors of The American Institute of Architects

The Board of Directors of The American Institute of Architects expresses its ongoing support of AIA CEO and EVP Lakisha Ann Woods and her team. 

The Board takes its fiduciary responsibilities seriously. AIA is financially healthy and has received a clean audit for the past three budget cycles. The current Board of Directors, CEO, and staff are working on the 2025 budget, which will be $13.5 million less than the 2024 budgeted amount, taking financial accountability for decisions that predate the current Board’s and CEO’s tenure.

The American Institute of Architects Headquarters to become the Global Campus for Architecture & Design

AIA is proud to announce the reimagining of the organization’s headquarters as the AIA Global Campus for Architecture & Design, serving as a new home base for the world’s architects and designers.

The AIA Global Campus for Architecture & Design will embody AIA’s core values—climate action, resilience, and equity—and dramatically transform the user experience for members, visitors, and staff. The substantial renewal of its headquarters on New York Avenue in Washington, D.C. will provide a cost-effective, scalable, replicable approach to decarbonization while serving as a model of stewardship and sustainability and fostering AIA’s connection to the community.