American Institute of Architects Santa Barbara honoring their contribution to the profession this month
San Francisco architect Sylvia C. Kwan, who has served on the local and national boards of the American Institute of Architects, is among the panelists in an AIA Santa Barbara webinar.
The American Institute of Architects Santa Barbara is celebrating “Women in Architecture” throughout the month of July because women play an important role in the profession and bring unique insight to the practice that deserves recognition.
The highlight of the month is a webinar featuring a panel of women AIA Fellows. AIA Fellows are recognized with AIA’s highest membership honor for their exceptional work and contributions to architecture and society.
Sylvia C. Kwan, Rona Rothenberg and Cassandra Ensberg will participate in the free panel discussion about their careers, their path to fellowship and their contributions to the profession of architecture.
The webinar will run from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday. Their work will also be featured online at www.aiasb.com.
Ms. Kwan has practiced in San Francisco for more than 40 years and has served on AIA boards at national and local chapter levels. Her experience includes planning and design of multi-family residential, higher education, transportation, civic and commercial projects.
Her extensive outreach and service with local organizations has made her a community leader in Northern California, where she has received numerous awards and personal recognitions for her design and business achievements, including the San Francisco Business Times’ 75 Most Influential Women in Business, all while running her own practice and raising two sons.
Ms. Rothenberg has devoted her career to service as an architect in government and industry. She has been a program and project management leader within public and private sector institutions for the past 35 years, including two decades in California state and local government.
She has provided executive level leadership in master planning, design and construction delivery of more than 200 institutional projects in multiple programs in government, industry, health care and higher education.
During her career, Ms. Rothenberg has contributed to AIA national, state and local board and committee leadership in justice and community-based projects as a city planning commissioner and in government and nonprofit board appointments. She is currently the AIA California 2022 president.
Ms. Ensberg is an advocate for the arts in people’s lives and works to educate them about the importance of artistry in design and architecture through community involvement and advocacy.
In 1989, working through Santa Barbara’s Architectural Foundation and American Institute of Architects, she developed the “Kids Draw Architecture” program to expose children to architecture through the simple act of sketching important buildings in the community.
She was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 2016 for her work to promote the importance of art in architecture.
Ms. Ensberg has been a long-time co-chair for AIA Santa Barbara’s advocacy committee and encourages other women architects to pursue AIA Fellowship. She received the AIA Santa Barbara 2020 Lutah Maria Riggs Award for outstanding dedication to the profession.
email: mmcmahon@newspress.com
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For more information, visit www.aiasb.com.
