The Life-Compatible Practice: archiMoms and archiDads Share Their Stories (1 LU)
Family life and professional practice can be like oil and water. Travel schedules, project deadlines, and long work days can put stress on family time.
How does parenthood impact one’s career path, or vice versa? Hear from a panel of architects and designers about how they are creating, or attempting to create, a practice that is life-compatible for them. The panel will also discuss parenting in the age of a pandemic, and how A+D firms are responding to these unprecedented times.
This program is accredited by AIASF to provide 1 continuing education Learning Unit to AIA member attendees of the live session.
Interested, but not sure if you can join the live session? You can still sign up and receive limited-time access to the event recording.
About the Panelists
Iara Bachmann, RA, NCIDQ, RID is an interior architectural designer working for San Francisco Public Works. She has a passion for the built environment, concentrating on making spaces that bring people together. She has +10 years of experience, from educational architecture to high-end hospitality design. Iara has a Masters in Architecture and a Bachelors of Science in Interior Design. She co-founded LiA at AIASF, dedicated to the pursuit of equality in the profession. Iara has a 4-year-old daughter.
Suj Kavin Mishra, AIA, RA(CA), NOMA, PMP, MBA, EDAC, LEED AP is an architect and senior project manager at HDR in the San Francisco Health studio. Suj’s area of expertise is project delivery. His passion for architecture, project management and business enable him to nurture teams to perform their best. Suj thrives on empowering individuals whilst balancing team-centric culture and celebrating their accomplishments. Suj lives in San Bruno and has a bewitched 11-year old daughter who is perfecting her debating skills on her dad.
Craig O’Connell, AIA, is the founder of Craig O’Connell Architecture. Craig is a licensed architect with a Master’s degree from Montana State University. He has 20 years of experience designing and managing residential and commercial projects. Prior to starting his own firm, Craig was a project architect at Orlando Diaz-Azcuy Design Associates. His firm has been voted Best of Houzz every year since 2014 and Marin Magazine, Luxe and Apartment Therapy have featured his work. Craig, his wife Jessica and their children – a 10-year-old son and a 6-year-old daughter – live in Marin.
Katie Walsh is an architect, project manager, and associate vice president with HGA Architects in San Francisco. Katie focuses on healthcare, where she leverages her architectural experience and business management background to better understand her clients’ needs. Katie’s passion for problem solving enables her to find the most innovative and efficient approaches for each project. Katie received her Bachelors of Architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and her MBA from Sonoma State. Katie and her wife Nina are proud parents of a 4-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son.
About the Moderator
Lisa Boquiren brings insight, ideas and brand strategy to creative businesses. She oversaw rebranding initiatives, as director of marketing at San Francisco Design Center, and at EHDD. As chair for the AIASF Communications Committee (2009-2014), Lisa helped advance messaging goals, particularly for women in practice. Recently, she produced, and moderated, “Chain Link,” and “The Equitable Practice” (AIASF), and presented “Story-selling & The Freestyle Practice” (for SO|arch’s Think Time Tuesdays at AIA Los Angeles).
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