Join us as we discuss diversity obstacles in the licensure journey with a panel of diverse architects. We will address the issues minorities face in the path to licensure with tips on how to overcome, and how leaders can remove these obstacles for employees.
April Hughes is the Owner and Managing Principal at HPZS in Chicago. She is leading the firm, starting a new chapter in its history as a woman-owned business with the aim to preserve a sustainable future for the Chicago community. As a graduate of the University of Kansas, April gained multiple accolades and awards in the Chicago and Illinois architecture world. She has completed three LEED Platinum and one Gold project, as well as contributed to creating Chicago’s first net-zero single-family residence. She is the President of the AIA-Chicago’s Board of Directors for 2020, and her work has been featured in a plethora of news outlets and publications.
Antoine Bryant is an Associate with Moody Nolan, Houston where he serves as Project Manager and Director of Business Development. Moody Nolan is the nation’s largest firm under African American leadership. Nationally, Antoine serves on the Board of Directors for NOMA as the Director of Strategic Partnerships. As Executive Director of Row House Community Corporation (Row House CDC), he managed and directed the construction of the award-winning Row House Duplexes, the newest quality affordable housing in Houston’s Third Ward in over 15 years. Additionally, he has led many initiatives in affiliation with the City of Houston Planning Commission in Columbus, OH, Washington, D.C., and nearly a dozen other cities across the country.
Alexandra Culciar is a project manager of the healthcare division at Brawer and Hauptman Architecture. She has a bachelor’s in interior as well as architecture and a master’s of interior architecture. She has ten years experience in multifamily, high end residential, commercial, education and healthcare design. Alexandra was born in Europe and moved to the U.S. as a teenager; english is her second language.
Jennifer Johnson is an Associate with Moody Nolan, Chicago and has experience in both technical design and the construction aspects of the industry. She has been an active member of NOMA (National Organization of Minority Architects) since 2007, and currently serves as the Vice President of the Illinois Chapter. She has been involved with a host of organizations serving children in Chicago including My Block, My Hood, My City, I-NOMA’s Project Pipeline and the AIA Chicago chapter’s architecture workshops for CPS.