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AIA Board of Directors files ethics complaint against misconduct accusers

2024-09-26T12:57:00-04:00

The Board of Directors of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has filed an ethics complaint in response to the now-closed investigation over alleged misconduct on the part of CEO Lakisha Ann Woods and other executive staff in the AIA National office.

The complaint, which is addressed to be answered by the AIA National Ethics Council (NEC), comes against the unnamed letter signers and other "stakeholders" accused of taking part in a "coordinated campaign" to discredit the reputation of Woods and other members of the Board.

"Once the NEC responds with recommendations for the Board, we will act with expediency to prevent future similar destructive behavior that has the potential to negatively impact the health of our organization," the announcement of the action reads.

Previously on Archinect: AIA members decry nepotism and other misconduct claims

No wrongdoing was found after the law firm Miller & Chevalier concluded its outside investigation into the allegations, which includ...

AIA members decry nepotism and other misconduct claims

2024-06-10T16:53:00-04:00

Allegations of executive misconduct on the part of American Institute of Architects (AIA) CEO Lakisha Ann Woods 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.

The list of accusations stemming from an April 4th letter signed by more than twenty past AIA presidents calls into question the organization’s leadership at a critical time. In an article published by Bloomberg 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.

Additionally, as Bloomberg reported, former Chief Council Terrance Ona has recently entered an employment discrimination suit against the AIA, claiming he was unlawfully te...