It’s that time of year again! We have 6 open positions on our Board of Directors. All members in good standing will receive an exclusive link to their voting ballot on November 4th via email. Please review our list of candidates below before casting your vote!
Our new slate of board members will be announced at our annual Member Appreciation Party on December 4th, 2025
Candidates & Statements
Dan Kretchmer
Nominee’s Statement: I grew up in the Midwest, but for the past fifteen years, the Bay Area has been my home and my community. The pandemic marked milestones for me; becoming a father, relocating from SF to North Oakland, joining and leading Gensler Oakland’s Interiors Studio, and welcoming my second child. I am passionate about energizing the East Bay, which is on the brink of an extraordinary resurgence, and I’m committed to extending my work into the AIA community.
At Gensler, I champion the transformation of vacant spaces and the rehabilitation of overlooked treasures, sparking new business and vibrancy in our neighborhoods. Beyond professional projects, I find purpose volunteering at OUSD, Fairyland, Lake Merritt gardens, and supporting the Alameda Food Bank.
Mentorship and talent development are cornerstones of my career. I lead internship programs, partner with academic institutions, and continue coaching colleagues long after our time together as it helps me grow as well. Mentorship is not just a top-down approach but we can learn from everyone.
As an AIA board member nominee, I aim to connect and strengthen our communities to tackle challenges like housing, technology, and red tape, ensuring our industry and region remain resilient and full of possibility.
I launched my career with active engagement in the St. Louis AIA chapter, where I worked at HOK in the heart of downtown. During this period, I co-founded a structured LEED study group, attracting approximately thirty participants and achieving an impressive 80% pass rate. My time in St. Louis also included organizing and moderating two panel discussions, one focused on affordable housing and another exploring the future of BIM technology.
Upon relocating to San Francisco, I became a dedicated participant in the ARE Pact study group, contributing enthusiastically to BIM conversations, evening exhibits, and professional gatherings. Since settling in Oakland, I have twice hosted Open Studios at the Gensler office and regularly coordinate site visits to strengthen local industry connections.
This year, with my children now older, I am excited to invest deeper energy into the EBAIA.
Edward Reifenstein
Nominee’s Statement: Ned Reifenstein is a licensed architect with over 30 years of experience working on libraries, campus buildings, and urban design projects. Born and raised in New England, Ned received his architecture degree from MIT and worked in the Boston area, Montana, and Seattle before settling in the Bay Area.
He has worked for firms on both sides of the Bay and is currently an Associate Principal and Director of Sustainable Design at Noll & Tam Architects in Berkeley. He has recently completed a classroom building for the College of Alameda and a community center for the Cherryland community in Hayward. Prior to this he completed a second master’s degree in Urban Design from UC Berkeley. Ned is passionate about sustainable design, public realm architecture and new design technologies.
As a Board Member for four years, Ned has participated in the Home Tours, the Design Awards, and the CED/AIA Joint Lecture. For the past two years, as a member of the Executive Committee, Ned served as Secretary and Vice-President. In addition, Ned has been the co-leader of the Architects Community on the Environment (ACOTE), the AIA East Bay Chapters sustainability interest group. During this time, he has helped revive the group by focusing on issues of relevance to the Bay Area: sea level rise, climate change, and resilience.
AIA Community Engagement:
- AIA East Bay Board Member (4 years)
- AIA East Bay Secretary (2024)
- AIA East Bay Vice President (2025)
- AIA East Bay ACOTE Co-Chair
Kenneth Lin
Nominee’s Statement: As an AIA East Bay Board Director for the past four years, I have been honored to help strengthen our chapter and support our members through times of growth and change. I am eager to continue serving and to build on the momentum we’ve achieved together.
In addition to my board role, I serve on the AIA California EDI Steering Committee and Continuing Education Committee, and I helped revive the East Bay JEDI Committee to align our chapter with AIA CA’s vision for equity, diversity, and inclusion. I believe our profession thrives when we embrace diverse perspectives and create opportunities for all voices to be heard.
As an active member of the East Bay Design Tours Committee, I’m committed to promoting design excellence and celebrating the rich cultural fabric that defines our region.
Through my years of service, I’ve learned from many talented colleagues and deepened my understanding of how our organization can empower architects and strengthen communities. I look forward to continuing this journey and contributing to the chapter’s ongoing success.
AIA Community Engagement:
- AIA East Bay Board Director – 2022 – Current
- AIA East Bay JEDI Committee – Co-Chair – 2023 – Current (Revive the committee and co-lead the committee)
- AIA East Bay Design Tour Committee – Member – 2020 – Current (Organize design tours)
- AIA East Bay Home Tour Committee – Chair – 2022 (Organize Napa home tour)
- AIA California EDI Steering Committee – Pipeline Lead/Member – 2020 – Current (Help create AIA CA EDI vision, Organize panel discussion, Co-host a panel discussion)
- AIA California Continue Education Committee – Member – 2023 – Current (Evaluate CE courses for AIA CA and organize the events)Â
Mark Steppan
Nominee’s Statement: I believe that my continued participation as an AIAEB Board member will bring a level of baseline representation relative to historical importance of past Boards and process while still looking to future and continued improvement of the Board decision making. My involvement on the Board I believe brings a level of grounding that is important to the success of the Board’s endeavors to represent the chapter members as a whole.
AIA Community Engagement:
- Chair of the Professional Practice Forum for over 7 years
- Past President of the AIAEB, 2018, 2019 during the time of extreme crisis for the chapter when the tenured ED abruptly left the chapter.
- Board member for over 10 years
- Two time Board Treasurer, completing second consecutive role currently.
- Speaker at AIA23 in SF
- Webinar presenter to AIACA, AIAFlorida, AIANYS
Shivani Bhalla
Nominee’s Statement: I have served on the board as Director for two terms. This has truly been a unique experience for me where I have learnt from and worked with an extraordinary group of people who care deeply about the profession and our community. This time on the board has not only helped in my personal and professional growth but also allowed me to share my ideas and thoughts on how we as designers can make a positive impact together. I bring my unique perspective and voice to the board guided by my motivation to problem solve, collaborate and think outside the box.
If re-elected, I look forward to continuing to build on the progress we have made—working together to support our members, champion innovative thinking, and enhance the role of design in shaping a better future.
AIA Community Engagement:Â
- Director, Board of Directors (two terms)
- Co-Chair, Architectural Community for the Environment
Tyler Kobick
Nominee’s Statement: After 4 years as a director with the AIAEastbay, I would be thrilled to continue on for a further 2 year term representing the architectural community of the Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa and Solano Counties. During my time on the board, I have helped build collations for community and city-politcal initiatives, developed small teams for AIA home tours, created events for the AIA National Event, and have acted as the board liaison to the Board to the AIACA Board that represents our state. If elected for a further two terms I hope to serve as an executive committee officer to further the mission of the board, increase our role and voice on the state board and my subcommittee, The Climate Action Committee, and generally promote city and state policies that further the empowerment of architects as creative decision makers and influential members of civic bodies.Â
As a General Contractor and Architect, I also hope to further meld our communities toward our shared missions. In my year ahead, I hope to not only help our board do our kitchen TI to improve our space, keep it on budget and at long last, see it through to completion. Finally, I have also been helping to design courses on architecture with and on behalf of the Union to increase our role in training the construction community on our role and how to read drawings, specs and tea leaves. Those first courses rolled our this fall and I hope to further contribute to this work and Im excited for the contribution to construction thinking we can make. Thank you for your consideration.
AIA Community Engagement:Â
Committees: TI/construction Working Group, CTWI training/Union Outreach Working Group, DSAG Liason to the City of Oakland Mayor’s Office, Board Liason to the AIACA Board, Past Chair of RUD Committee, Past AIA Home Tours Committee, Past AIA National Boat Tour Working Group
Director of AIA California
Committees: Climate Action Subcommittee, Past Advocacy Legislation CommitteeÂ
AIA National: Past Moderator 2022 and Presenter for Navigating Murky Code for Gray Water & Rainwater Systems
Yolanda Santiago
Nominee’s Statement: I believe that I would be an excellent candidate for the AIA East Bay Board of Directors because I would like to 1) Continue to serve the AIA East Bay members as I have over the past two years, from 2023-2025; 2)I would like to share my depth of experience having served on several boards of directors for the AIA at various capacities, from my early days in my career as an Associate leader and state service as an AIA member; and 3) Offer a balanced approach to leadership, considering the members’ needs first with the decisions we make at the board for strategic planning over the next few years and beyond. I hope that the AIA East Bay members will consider me for AIA East Bay Board of Directors for 2026-2028.
AIA Community Engagement:Â
2025 Home Tours – docent
2025 Design Awards Committee Volunteer
Attendee – various events over the past 2 years