2024-06-27T14:19:18-04:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150431635/aia-members-decry-nepotism-and-other-misconduct-claims Josh Niland 2024-06-10T16:53:00-04:00 >2024-06-17T22:41:11-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/1b/1b81cf417755bce329747c86c5106d21.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Allegations of executive misconduct on the part of <a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/49568164/the-american-institute-of-architects" target="_blank">American Institute of Architects</a> (AIA) CEO <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/1875349/lakisha-woods" target="_blank">Lakisha Ann Woods</a> and senior staffers who allegedly engaged in nepotism and other forms of unethical behavior have surfaced amidst the annual AIA24 conference that was held last week in Washington, D.C.</p> <p>The list of accusations stemming from an April 4th letter signed by more than twenty past AIA presidents calls into question the organization&rsquo;s leadership at a critical time. In an article published by <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-07/american-institute-of-architects-under-scrutiny-amid-financial-distress" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a> late Friday, Woods and others were maligned for a series of missteps that includes a $152,000 staff retreat to the Dominican Republic in early March, unlawful firings and other retaliation, changes to the College of Fellows nominations process, and an increasingly toxic work culture within the AIA National ranks.&nbsp;</p> <p>Additionally, as Bloomberg reported, former Chief Council Terrance Ona has recently entered an employment discrimination suit against the AIA, claiming he was unlawfully te...</p>